Car damaged by dealer.
Discussion
Hi all, another issue that I'd like some ideas on how to approach bounced about.
Company car booked into main dealer for service at start of Feb.
Car collected then next evening notice a large flake of paint missing from front edge of bonnet.
Took car back next day. Service manager checked it but didn't really pass comment, just that it was outside the standard paintwork warranty. He stated that he would arrange to get it checked and took my details.
By arrangement I took car the next day to an affiliated bodyshop, part of the same dealer group.
Paint shop supervisor checked and said damage caused by closing the bonnet on a spanner or such like and then trying to shut the bonnet by leaning on the leading edge. He said he would arrange to have it covered by service garage and booked my car into his paintshop.
The paintshop manager contacted the service garage and explained what he thought had caused the damage.
Due to the fact I needed a courtesy car I had to wait until April 2nd to get my car fixed. Called today to get the reg number of the courtesy car for my work insurance to cover. I was told that a courtesy car had not been arranged and also there was a note on file saying the garage had declined responsibility and wouldn't be paying for the repair.
The lady at the garage checked with the service garage who told her that the manager said it wasn't damaged in his garage. He also said that the service manager had pointed out the damage to me when I booked the car in. An outright lie and the reason I've decided to pursue this with the vengeance of a thousand angry wood wasps
So I've decided to pop in tomorrow morning for a chat with the manager. I've spoken to my work about how to approach the situation but what would you guys do?
Oh, and the car is a 62 plate and had done 40k when it was serviced and was unblemished (if a little grubby!)
Cheers all...
Company car booked into main dealer for service at start of Feb.
Car collected then next evening notice a large flake of paint missing from front edge of bonnet.
Took car back next day. Service manager checked it but didn't really pass comment, just that it was outside the standard paintwork warranty. He stated that he would arrange to get it checked and took my details.
By arrangement I took car the next day to an affiliated bodyshop, part of the same dealer group.
Paint shop supervisor checked and said damage caused by closing the bonnet on a spanner or such like and then trying to shut the bonnet by leaning on the leading edge. He said he would arrange to have it covered by service garage and booked my car into his paintshop.
The paintshop manager contacted the service garage and explained what he thought had caused the damage.
Due to the fact I needed a courtesy car I had to wait until April 2nd to get my car fixed. Called today to get the reg number of the courtesy car for my work insurance to cover. I was told that a courtesy car had not been arranged and also there was a note on file saying the garage had declined responsibility and wouldn't be paying for the repair.
The lady at the garage checked with the service garage who told her that the manager said it wasn't damaged in his garage. He also said that the service manager had pointed out the damage to me when I booked the car in. An outright lie and the reason I've decided to pursue this with the vengeance of a thousand angry wood wasps
So I've decided to pop in tomorrow morning for a chat with the manager. I've spoken to my work about how to approach the situation but what would you guys do?
Oh, and the car is a 62 plate and had done 40k when it was serviced and was unblemished (if a little grubby!)
Cheers all...
Pop the bonnet and check underneath for a spanner shaped dent, I guess.
Presumably if the car had damage when you handed it over to the garage then it would have been noted down on the service paperwork as such when it was returned to you? I bet the service paperwork says there was no bodywork damage.
-edit-
That means that one of two things happened. Either the garage damaged the car and have lied about it, or the garage did such a crap job at the service that they didn't notice a fairly obvious piece of bodywork damage. If they didn't notice that at the service, what other things did they miss? Brake pads? a missing steering wheel?
Presumably if the car had damage when you handed it over to the garage then it would have been noted down on the service paperwork as such when it was returned to you? I bet the service paperwork says there was no bodywork damage.
-edit-
That means that one of two things happened. Either the garage damaged the car and have lied about it, or the garage did such a crap job at the service that they didn't notice a fairly obvious piece of bodywork damage. If they didn't notice that at the service, what other things did they miss? Brake pads? a missing steering wheel?
Edited by davepoth on Tuesday 1st April 22:57
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