Joyriding by mechanics

[ferrisbueller]

Please see here:- http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Is this TWOC?

What can I do in terms of legal recourse for this? What compensation could I realistically aim for?

[Greendubber]

As far as TWOC goes, its only an offence if the person driving has taken the car without lawful authority or owners consent. They had lawful authority and your consent to take it to the MOT station from the parking spot but that is all, any extra miles done were without your consent. If they had been test driving the car (which garages can do within reason)for any particular reason then thats fine and 3 miles isnt unreasonable for that, however there's no excuse for driving your car like a retard and shows no respect for a customers vehicle, also it doesnt seem they had any excuse to drive your car anywhere apart from in and out the MOT bay.

I'd give them a call and let them know there are extra miles on it and your workmates saw your car being driven badly and speeding etc. Ask them to explain why this is, and then say you're really not happy about the fact the car was driven badly. I'm guessing the miles isn't a problem, more the fact that someones been giving your car the beans and driving like a to$$er.

As for compo, not sure what you'd get, most likely an apology off the service manager. You'll struggle to get any financial compo, but you may be able to screw them for some future servicing maybe?

Edited by Greendubber on Monday 11th June 21:07

Edited by Greendubber on Monday 11th June 21:09

[Chrispy Porker]

I Agree
Your consent did not extend to the garage staff hooning around. That is TWOC. Complain to the boss. Get recompense. Threaten to involve the Police.They will deal. It's an easy detected crime

Edited by Chrispy Porker on Monday 11th June 23:46

[vonhosen]

I've stopped them driving around at night (in the wee small hours) with the customer's car.

Customer not pleased when I contacted them.

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 11th June 23:46

[aw51 121565]

Note the mileage when the car is dropped off at the garage. Then note the mileage when you get the keys back.

If the car has gone for an MoT, compare with the mileage on the certificate. Hopefully it's in the middle of the 'start' and 'finish' mileages previously noted.

If anything is awry (more than minimal mileage ), bang heads together! And hope the letterbox isn't rattling with NIPs...

Then go elsewhere next time .

[Chrispy Porker]

vonhosen said:

I've stopped them driving around at night (in the wee small hours) with the customer's car.

Customer not pleased when I contacted them.

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 11th June 23:46

Did you nick them?

Might put a stop to it once word got around. At the end of the day they are uninsured and should be taken of the road.

[vonhosen]

Chrispy Porker said:

vonhosen said:

I've stopped them driving around at night (in the wee small hours) with the customer's car.

Customer not pleased when I contacted them.

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 11th June 23:46

Did you nick them?

Might put a stop to it once word got around. At the end of the day they are uninsured and should be taken of the road.

The owner eventually decided that he didn't wish to proceed (no doubt the garage owner had come to some arrangement with him, as he was none too pleased when he was initially spoken to). Sure put the wind up the bloke driving it though.

[Chrispy Porker]

another lost detection

[ferrisbueller]

So what should I do chaps?

[Mr Sweetchuck]

Very apt name Ferris,given the valet parking treatment given to the Fezza in the movie.

[Chrispy Porker]

I would complain like billy-ho to whoever runs the show. Not the manager, managing director if it is a big company.
Oh and go somewhere else next time.

[off_again]

This happened to Autocar magazine some time ago when they had a Mitsui Evo on the fleet. Dropped car off for service etc, came back to see mechanics flying around down the high street in said car. As an owner it was unforgivable - for a press car with a journalist its just plain stupidity!

Oddly, they printed a very damning article about said dealer and reported them to Mitsui UK. Several weeks later they had their RalliArt franchise taken away and all Evo's now go to a different dealer!

Take them to task. Its unacceptible. The dealers insurance will cover specific business purposes only (likely) and obviously will not cover general "hoonage". The fact that they were seen breaking the law will be sufficient to take action anyway. Call them to task and demand to know what the outcome is.

[Scrooloose]

I saw a customer car take off wheelspinning from a tyre-fitters forecourt with a tyre-monkey at the wheel...

They then got arsey with me about not giving them the keys to my Cerb.....!

[sidaorb]

Gonna keep an eye on our reports of twocs now incase Ferris is from my neck of the woods, this could be interesting.

[School boy]

Scrooloose said:

I saw a customer car take off wheelspinning from a tyre-fitters forecourt with a tyre-monkey at the wheel...

They then got arsey with me about not giving them the keys to my Cerb.....!

Yh, they I've seen that happen loads of times at a well know wholesaler round here.
Mabey buisiness was bad?

[bigdods]

I'm sure this happens more than we think, particularly at places where they maybe dont get too many fun cars to rag around in. A few years back I took my Renault 5 Turbo to have a new s/s exhaust fitted at a place that was then a well respected specialist. Having to wait a few minutes I hung around outside the workshop (as you do) and observed the following:

1. Spotty trainee doing the car moving. He only had one throttle position - full on. Lots of wheelspin and revving the nuts of what were clearly cold motors that had sat around outside all day

2. The mechanic working on another car, air filter off peering down the throttle body when a huge lump of ash fell off the fag in his mouth straight down the intake. He then just stuck the airfilter back on .

3. The other 3 mechanics sitting on grotty chairs taking the continual piss out of 1 guy doing what looked like a decent job of fitting new calipers but not actually doing any work themselves

Quick walk back to reception, reclaim keys , swift verbal to the manager and off to somewhere more professional.

[ferrisbueller]

sidaorb said:

Gonna keep an eye on our reports of twocs now incase Ferris is from my neck of the woods, this could be interesting.

Not in your part of the World I'm afraid.

[mph999]

Had a similar issue ...

A few years back, car was in at dealer.

Inside boot, was a box containing a few cleaning bits and pieces. Thios box never falls over, even with a little "spirited" cornering.

Get car back, open boot, box and contects all over the place.

I had very strong words with the dealer principle over that, not impressed.

Martin

[ferrisbueller]

Interestingly, there's a dealer principal on the original thread who sees no issue with dealers taking customer's cars out.

[EDLT]

So you bitch about it in another thread?