Courtesy car and puncture question
Discussion
Hi all,
A quick question that I think I know the answer to but want to check
I took my car into Audi today for a service and was given a 19 plate Q5 as a courtesy car. Less than ½ a mile down the road the TPM light came on but having just joined a dual carriageway home and only being 10 mile from home I carried on at reduced speed (guessing first mistake) as I needed to get home for work. I checked the pressures in the MMI and the left rear was .2vbar down but other than that all OK. Get home, look at the tyre and it looks fine.
I checked it an hour later to find it completely flat.
Called Audi who in turn asked me to call Audi assist but they also asked if the warning light was on when it left them which it wasn’t. I told them it came on as above. They then stated as it wasn’t on when I left they would assume no responsibility and it would need a replacement tyre at my cost. Obviously I’m not happy at this point but refused to argue over the phone.
Called Audi assist, they came and have found a small nail – unfortunately in the rounded part of the tread near the side wall. They’ve plugged the hole with a temporary bung as given the location it is obviously not repairable permanently. The nail was old and looked (from the assist chaps point of view) to have been there a while which neither of us can prove
My issue therefore is, how can the dealer prove they weren’t at fault (I know I’m in the same boat). They state they check all their courtesy cars before they go out but the inner wall of a tyre for a 5mm head nail the same colour as the tyre?
The light came on in ½ mile form the dealer (yes my fault for not immediately stopping and going back), I’d only driven out of their car park and straight onto the main roads.
Am I liable for the full tyre (approx. £160)? Should I also have to pay retail given they’d get the tyre at trade price?
Just very hacked off at present.
A quick question that I think I know the answer to but want to check
I took my car into Audi today for a service and was given a 19 plate Q5 as a courtesy car. Less than ½ a mile down the road the TPM light came on but having just joined a dual carriageway home and only being 10 mile from home I carried on at reduced speed (guessing first mistake) as I needed to get home for work. I checked the pressures in the MMI and the left rear was .2vbar down but other than that all OK. Get home, look at the tyre and it looks fine.
I checked it an hour later to find it completely flat.
Called Audi who in turn asked me to call Audi assist but they also asked if the warning light was on when it left them which it wasn’t. I told them it came on as above. They then stated as it wasn’t on when I left they would assume no responsibility and it would need a replacement tyre at my cost. Obviously I’m not happy at this point but refused to argue over the phone.
Called Audi assist, they came and have found a small nail – unfortunately in the rounded part of the tread near the side wall. They’ve plugged the hole with a temporary bung as given the location it is obviously not repairable permanently. The nail was old and looked (from the assist chaps point of view) to have been there a while which neither of us can prove
My issue therefore is, how can the dealer prove they weren’t at fault (I know I’m in the same boat). They state they check all their courtesy cars before they go out but the inner wall of a tyre for a 5mm head nail the same colour as the tyre?
The light came on in ½ mile form the dealer (yes my fault for not immediately stopping and going back), I’d only driven out of their car park and straight onto the main roads.
Am I liable for the full tyre (approx. £160)? Should I also have to pay retail given they’d get the tyre at trade price?
Just very hacked off at present.
Edited by Zippee on Monday 25th November 12:42
Too late now, but I'd have turned around and claimed that the warning light came on as soon as you moved the car.
Unfortunately, driving further on it probably means the tyre is now ruined and will need replacement, rather than repaired (if it was in a repairable part of the tyre).
Can't tell how quickly it lost pressure as you've edited your post multiple times from 2 bar to 0.5 bar to 0.2 bar. If it was 2 bar, then it was almost flat as soon as the warning came up - so unless the hole was huge, it shouldn't have dropped 28psi in such a short distance.
For all you know, the nail/screw was already in there and they'd simply reset the warning.
See if you can find that tyre at a lower cost, and then offer them that amount - or offer to get it delivered directly to them.
Unfortunately, driving further on it probably means the tyre is now ruined and will need replacement, rather than repaired (if it was in a repairable part of the tyre).
Can't tell how quickly it lost pressure as you've edited your post multiple times from 2 bar to 0.5 bar to 0.2 bar. If it was 2 bar, then it was almost flat as soon as the warning came up - so unless the hole was huge, it shouldn't have dropped 28psi in such a short distance.
For all you know, the nail/screw was already in there and they'd simply reset the warning.
See if you can find that tyre at a lower cost, and then offer them that amount - or offer to get it delivered directly to them.
Edited by mmm-five on Monday 25th November 12:47
you need to have a look through any paper work you've been given for the courtesy car to see if you've agreed to. If you've agreed that you're liable for any punctures/tyre damage while you have the car then you're probably stuffed.
Unless it's explicitly stated on a document you've signed that you accept liability for tyre damage then I'd just return it with the temporary plug in it.
Unless it's explicitly stated on a document you've signed that you accept liability for tyre damage then I'd just return it with the temporary plug in it.
I don't think you should be liable for the full cost, if it was was worn then I would argue it's betterment and you should be deducting the value they have got out of the tyre so far.
You'd do the same at the end of a tenancy for any damages say if a carpet was 5 years old you would pay full whack.
If Audi assist have repaired it and it's holding pressure id just tell the dealer Audi assist have repaired it.
You'd do the same at the end of a tenancy for any damages say if a carpet was 5 years old you would pay full whack.
If Audi assist have repaired it and it's holding pressure id just tell the dealer Audi assist have repaired it.
Edited by meatballs on Monday 25th November 20:22
The likelihood of you picking up a nail in the space of a few yards is incredibly low, but not zero.
You made the mistake of not returning immediately, when you would have had a reasonable case and grounds for complaint.
You cannot have it both ways.
The dealer pays nowhere near full whack for a tyre, so an offer of say £75 might be deemed fair and reasonable by them.
Surely a main dealer would not be so low as to reset the TPM after pumping air into the tyre, rather than just replacing the tyre?
You made the mistake of not returning immediately, when you would have had a reasonable case and grounds for complaint.
You cannot have it both ways.
The dealer pays nowhere near full whack for a tyre, so an offer of say £75 might be deemed fair and reasonable by them.
Surely a main dealer would not be so low as to reset the TPM after pumping air into the tyre, rather than just replacing the tyre?
meatballs said:
I don't think you should be liable for the full cost, if it was was worn then I would argue it's betterment and you should be deducting the value they have got out of the tyre so far.
You'd do the same at the end of a tenancy for any damages say if a carpet was 5 years old you would pay full whack.
I'd Audi assist have repaired it and it's holding pressure id just tell the dealer Audi assist have repaired it.
Thanks, it was that last option I ended up with so all good in the end. If it was over a big distance I wouldn't have minded but half a mile was really annoying. All sorted anyhow but thanks all for your advice. You'd do the same at the end of a tenancy for any damages say if a carpet was 5 years old you would pay full whack.
I'd Audi assist have repaired it and it's holding pressure id just tell the dealer Audi assist have repaired it.
Zippee said:
Hi all,
A quick question that I think I know the answer to but want to check
I took my car into Audi today for a service and was given a 19 plate Q5 as a courtesy car. Less than ½ a mile down the road the TPM light came on but having just joined a dual carriageway home and only being 10 mile from home I carried on at reduced speed (guessing first mistake) as I needed to get home for work. I checked the pressures in the MMI and the left rear was .2vbar down but other than that all OK. Get home, look at the tyre and it looks fine.
I checked it an hour later to find it completely flat.
Called Audi who in turn asked me to call Audi assist but they also asked if the warning light was on when it left them which it wasn’t. I told them it came on as above. They then stated as it wasn’t on when I left they would assume no responsibility and it would need a replacement tyre at my cost. Obviously I’m not happy at this point but refused to argue over the phone.
Called Audi assist, they came and have found a small nail – unfortunately in the rounded part of the tread near the side wall. They’ve plugged the hole with a temporary bung as given the location it is obviously not repairable permanently. The nail was old and looked (from the assist chaps point of view) to have been there a while which neither of us can prove
My issue therefore is, how can the dealer prove they weren’t at fault (I know I’m in the same boat). They state they check all their courtesy cars before they go out but the inner wall of a tyre for a 5mm head nail the same colour as the tyre?
The light came on in ½ mile form the dealer (yes my fault for not immediately stopping and going back), I’d only driven out of their car park and straight onto the main roads.
Am I liable for the full tyre (approx. £160)? Should I also have to pay retail given they’d get the tyre at trade price?
Just very hacked off at present.
Amazing that people still believe this.........A quick question that I think I know the answer to but want to check
I took my car into Audi today for a service and was given a 19 plate Q5 as a courtesy car. Less than ½ a mile down the road the TPM light came on but having just joined a dual carriageway home and only being 10 mile from home I carried on at reduced speed (guessing first mistake) as I needed to get home for work. I checked the pressures in the MMI and the left rear was .2vbar down but other than that all OK. Get home, look at the tyre and it looks fine.
I checked it an hour later to find it completely flat.
Called Audi who in turn asked me to call Audi assist but they also asked if the warning light was on when it left them which it wasn’t. I told them it came on as above. They then stated as it wasn’t on when I left they would assume no responsibility and it would need a replacement tyre at my cost. Obviously I’m not happy at this point but refused to argue over the phone.
Called Audi assist, they came and have found a small nail – unfortunately in the rounded part of the tread near the side wall. They’ve plugged the hole with a temporary bung as given the location it is obviously not repairable permanently. The nail was old and looked (from the assist chaps point of view) to have been there a while which neither of us can prove
My issue therefore is, how can the dealer prove they weren’t at fault (I know I’m in the same boat). They state they check all their courtesy cars before they go out but the inner wall of a tyre for a 5mm head nail the same colour as the tyre?
The light came on in ½ mile form the dealer (yes my fault for not immediately stopping and going back), I’d only driven out of their car park and straight onto the main roads.
Am I liable for the full tyre (approx. £160)? Should I also have to pay retail given they’d get the tyre at trade price?
Just very hacked off at present.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 25th November 12:42
Jazzer said:
Surely a main dealer would not be so low as to reset the TPM after pumping air into the tyre, rather than just replacing the tyre?
Lol. You mean that the same people who charge for items they haven’t replaced during servicing might not over-inflate the tyre just before it's lent to a trusting customer?Yes, some dealerships definitely would.
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