Car damaged by garage during MOT
Discussion
5s Alive said:
Local Toyota dealer does. Made a point of asking for it not to be washed and also had a do not wash this vehicle sign hanging from the mirror. MOT finishes, were just completing the paperwork sir. 20 mins later, ' is my car ready yet? Oh it's gone round to the wash bay. FFS I'd just detailed it that morning!
My wife's old Auris got a 'mini valet' after it's annual mot/service 5s Alive said:
Local Toyota dealer does. Made a point of asking for it not to be washed and also had a do not wash this vehicle sign hanging from the mirror. MOT finishes, were just completing the paperwork sir. 20 mins later, ' is my car ready yet? Oh it's gone round to the wash bay. FFS I'd just detailed it that morning!
I've had that before when car was on a service plan. The way to the entrance takes you past the washbay where they were washing AMGs with a big dirty broom style brush. I asked for no wash and it was put on the service sheet.Many people don't care but if I've spent time on the bodywork I don't want it undone with a broom and bucket of chemicals.
MBVitoria said:
Tricky situation and I can certainly see both sides. It's not fair if their well-intended act ends up costing them hundreds but equally, you might have put up with the bonnet as it was and got a couple more years out of it with careful washing around the area.
I'd suggest a fair outcome would probably be a modest discount of say 10-20% on their ordinary cost for the job. Bonnet respray is what, £750 - 1000??
You call it a “well intentioned act” I call it negligence. At the end of the day, the garage caused the damage, they should pay for it. I'd suggest a fair outcome would probably be a modest discount of say 10-20% on their ordinary cost for the job. Bonnet respray is what, £750 - 1000??
Another analogy is, if I were to crash into you on my way home, can I get out of the consequences by saying my commute was “a well intentioned act”
I do know someone who’s car was written off by the dealership. I’m sure they had the best of intentions when they took his car for a joyride during their lunch break.
Edited by Mr Miata on Thursday 12th October 17:26
Mr Miata said:
You call it a “well intentioned act” I call it negligence. At the end of the day, the garage caused the damage, they should pay for it.
Another analogy is, if I were to crash into you on my way home, can I get out of the consequences by saying my commute was “a well intentioned act”
I do know someone who’s car was written off by the dealership. I’m sure they had the best of intentions when they took his car for a joyride during their lunch break.
Reminds me, not long after I bought the car, I’d taken it for some work which needed a road test at another place, picked it up and the mechanic said ‘that goes well doesn’t it?”. Got home and nearly half a tank of fuel was missing and the brake discs were an interesting blue colour. I still use them but only for bike MOTs these days. Another analogy is, if I were to crash into you on my way home, can I get out of the consequences by saying my commute was “a well intentioned act”
I do know someone who’s car was written off by the dealership. I’m sure they had the best of intentions when they took his car for a joyride during their lunch break.
Edited by Mr Miata on Thursday 12th October 17:26
v9 said:
Mr Miata said:
You call it a “well intentioned act” I call it negligence. At the end of the day, the garage caused the damage, they should pay for it.
Another analogy is, if I were to crash into you on my way home, can I get out of the consequences by saying my commute was “a well intentioned act”
I do know someone who’s car was written off by the dealership. I’m sure they had the best of intentions when they took his car for a joyride during their lunch break.
Reminds me, not long after I bought the car, I’d taken it for some work which needed a road test at another place, picked it up and the mechanic said ‘that goes well doesn’t it?”. Got home and nearly half a tank of fuel was missing and the brake discs were an interesting blue colour. I still use them but only for bike MOTs these days. Another analogy is, if I were to crash into you on my way home, can I get out of the consequences by saying my commute was “a well intentioned act”
I do know someone who’s car was written off by the dealership. I’m sure they had the best of intentions when they took his car for a joyride during their lunch break.
Edited by Mr Miata on Thursday 12th October 17:26
Anymore just gives them encouragement for stupid things as above. You wouldn't leave a load of change in the centre console would you?
FMOB said:
Never leave any significant amount of fuel in the tank when the car goes in for any kind of work, not saying leave fumes but less than a quarter of a tank.
Anymore just gives them encouragement for stupid things as above. You wouldn't leave a load of change in the centre console would you?
That’s just not practical though. I can’t predict fuel use accurately enough to do that. My cars tend to have at least half a tank in at any moment in time as i sometimes need to do long journeys at short notice. Anymore just gives them encouragement for stupid things as above. You wouldn't leave a load of change in the centre console would you?
I don’t leave change in the car because I don’t like rattling (and I never have any anyway, can’t honestly remember the last time I used cash for anything), not because I don’t trust my mechanic. I’d actually trust them not to pinch money more than I would not to take it for an enthusiastic test drive and to be honest unless your a ham fisted idiot it’s pretty tricky to damage a car with enthusiasm on a road these days. Maybe I’m a bit odd but I didn’t really care about the drive, just a little grumpy that they’d used so much fuel. I’m sure my car has been spanked before I bought it and I use it as intended at times too. It’s what it’s made for.
v9 said:
spikeyhead said:
I've never known any place wash a car that's just in for an MOT
Has anyone else?
Me neither. Which is why it never occurred to me to ask them not to. Has anyone else?
I suspect the dealer will try to doge arguing it’s not unreasonable for a car to be jet washed without the paint coming off.
v9 said:
OK,was looking for some consensus so to summarise, it’s my fault for:
a) having a crack in the paint
b) also for failing to tell then NOT to wash it
c) And either 80-90% my fault or maybe 50% my fault or maybe nobodies fault.
But probably not the garages fault, or maybe it is.
Excellent!
Dry your eyes, go and out your best compo face on and then go and dominate the stairs at the mot station. It will go well. Be the change.a) having a crack in the paint
b) also for failing to tell then NOT to wash it
c) And either 80-90% my fault or maybe 50% my fault or maybe nobodies fault.
But probably not the garages fault, or maybe it is.
Excellent!
Quick update, service manager has called and made all the right noises about putting it right. Had a sensible chat about the fairest way forward and have made an appointment to meet his paintwork technician at the end of the week. We’ll see how that goes.
Thanks for all (or most!) of the comments so far. It’s helped me with keeping perspective.
Thanks for all (or most!) of the comments so far. It’s helped me with keeping perspective.
Quick update: car taken in last week, brand new courtesy car FOC. Bonnet cut back and re-sprayed with clear coat which looks as near as I can tell almost perfect- it’s fixed a lot of tiny marks and bird s
t damage too. All with no charge, so very happy with that.
They could have been really awkward but it was easy and painless in the end. Are we allowed to name places that do the decent thing? Will take them a case or two of beer and big box of biscuits!
t damage too. All with no charge, so very happy with that. They could have been really awkward but it was easy and painless in the end. Are we allowed to name places that do the decent thing? Will take them a case or two of beer and big box of biscuits!
v9 said:
Quick update: car taken in last week, brand new courtesy car FOC. Bonnet cut back and re-sprayed with clear coat which looks as near as I can tell almost perfect- it’s fixed a lot of tiny marks and bird st damage too. All with no charge, so very happy with that.
They could have been really awkward but it was easy and painless in the end. Are we allowed to name places that do the decent thing? Will take them a case or two of beer and big box of biscuits!
Good outcome all round. Fantastic.t damage too. All with no charge, so very happy with that. They could have been really awkward but it was easy and painless in the end. Are we allowed to name places that do the decent thing? Will take them a case or two of beer and big box of biscuits!
Quick question, are you going to jet wash the courtesy car before return?!
Flumpo said:
Good outcome all round. Fantastic.
Quick question, are you going to jet wash the courtesy car before return?!
That reminds me, when my wife collected the car it was covered in bits of fluff from the polishing mop and the back was still a bit dirty from the street. They told her that they weren’t happy handing it back like that and to drop it off the next day to be washed! She sensibly declined! Quick question, are you going to jet wash the courtesy car before return?!
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