Discussion
Yesterday I had my works van serviced at a local VW dealership. Upon returning at the end of the day to collect, I walk up to it in the carpark and find a crack in the windscreen which wasn't there that morning.
I walked back in to the service desk and told the guy about it, who said, "Are you saying you think it wasn't there when you dropped it off?" To which I reply, "No, I'm saying I KNOW it wasn't there when I dropped it off"
He then went out back to see someone, leaving me at his desk, and came back in having been out back to look, and said it looks like a stone chip that has got worse.
I'd accept this, but you can see where the crack starts and its very well protected by the top of the bonnet, and I really can't see how a stone or otherwise could have caused this. In fact if I was going to hazard a guess, it looks like a tool could have possibly caused it, but obviously I don't know this for sure and he knew it.
Anyway, I explained that the van is leased by my company, and that I had nothing to gain by trying it on with him for a new windscreen, but he just waved that away, by saying there is another stone chip (on the opposite side if the screen) and therefore this one must be one too. He basically walked off, telling me he couldn't authorise a new screen, and that I should just claim off the insurance.
This is all well and good, it won't cost me anything in financial terms, but it will mean my company having to cough up the excess for something I believe wasn't down to me, and also the potential pain in the arse of having to waste half a day waiting to have the screen replaced.
Conveniently, the workshop supervisor wasn't 'available' at the time, and perhaps even more surprisingly, isn't around today either.
What could be my next step? I don't believe my company should fork out for a replacement, but I can see VW digging their heels in on this one.
I walked back in to the service desk and told the guy about it, who said, "Are you saying you think it wasn't there when you dropped it off?" To which I reply, "No, I'm saying I KNOW it wasn't there when I dropped it off"
He then went out back to see someone, leaving me at his desk, and came back in having been out back to look, and said it looks like a stone chip that has got worse.
I'd accept this, but you can see where the crack starts and its very well protected by the top of the bonnet, and I really can't see how a stone or otherwise could have caused this. In fact if I was going to hazard a guess, it looks like a tool could have possibly caused it, but obviously I don't know this for sure and he knew it.
Anyway, I explained that the van is leased by my company, and that I had nothing to gain by trying it on with him for a new windscreen, but he just waved that away, by saying there is another stone chip (on the opposite side if the screen) and therefore this one must be one too. He basically walked off, telling me he couldn't authorise a new screen, and that I should just claim off the insurance.
This is all well and good, it won't cost me anything in financial terms, but it will mean my company having to cough up the excess for something I believe wasn't down to me, and also the potential pain in the arse of having to waste half a day waiting to have the screen replaced.
Conveniently, the workshop supervisor wasn't 'available' at the time, and perhaps even more surprisingly, isn't around today either.
What could be my next step? I don't believe my company should fork out for a replacement, but I can see VW digging their heels in on this one.
Thanks for the replies....
I personally have always taken the van there. (4 services) but that's as far as company involvement goes. When I owned a VW, I used their parts department quite a bit. So yes, you could say I've swung a fair bit of business their way. I will look into contacting someone higher up, but seeing as trying to talk to the next guy up drew a blank, I do wonder whether I'd be hitting my head against a brick wall. As for the location of the crack, its eminating from the bottom right of the screen, basically in front of the steering wheel, so not sure if that's where the pollen filter, if indeed there is one, is located.
I personally have always taken the van there. (4 services) but that's as far as company involvement goes. When I owned a VW, I used their parts department quite a bit. So yes, you could say I've swung a fair bit of business their way. I will look into contacting someone higher up, but seeing as trying to talk to the next guy up drew a blank, I do wonder whether I'd be hitting my head against a brick wall. As for the location of the crack, its eminating from the bottom right of the screen, basically in front of the steering wheel, so not sure if that's where the pollen filter, if indeed there is one, is located.
A few years ago I had similar with a Peugeot dealer.
Took car in and collected from their 'collection bay' A tight archway that stopped you walking around the car, you stepped out of reception into the drivers seat.
I got home - 300 yards away and saw that the front bumper was damaged and the sidewall of the tyre had a chunk out.
Reception fobbed me off.
Service manager fobbed me off.
Peugeot UK - got the damage repaired and a new tyre fitted.
It probably helped I took a photo of the four post lift that had a nice matching paint deposit on it though.
Took car in and collected from their 'collection bay' A tight archway that stopped you walking around the car, you stepped out of reception into the drivers seat.
I got home - 300 yards away and saw that the front bumper was damaged and the sidewall of the tyre had a chunk out.
Reception fobbed me off.
Service manager fobbed me off.
Peugeot UK - got the damage repaired and a new tyre fitted.
It probably helped I took a photo of the four post lift that had a nice matching paint deposit on it though.
Once had a car in for service and some contractor working on the inside roof of the garage dropped a tool onto my cars roof which made a small dent. The garage owned up to the damage, which I would likely not have noticed, and had the whole roof resprayed foc and gave me a loaner while they did it.
On the other hand, I left a car with another garage for a few days as I was going away and when I picked it up the electric mirror on the nearside no longer folded. Coincidence? or did they harvest it for parts. I eventually got Ford UK to pay for half the cost of a replacement.
In essence, if the garage don't own up to cracking your window, it will be a struggle to get any satisfaction out of them and easier just to claim the insurance.
On the other hand, I left a car with another garage for a few days as I was going away and when I picked it up the electric mirror on the nearside no longer folded. Coincidence? or did they harvest it for parts. I eventually got Ford UK to pay for half the cost of a replacement.
In essence, if the garage don't own up to cracking your window, it will be a struggle to get any satisfaction out of them and easier just to claim the insurance.
I entirely agree with you there, and he actually pointed this out. However, it had been in for 3 new tyres the previous Friday, which, having watched the Merit tyre monkey do his bit, had probably subjected the van to as much chassis twist as it could handle in one go. Plus I'd had it up in the air for an unrelated matter within a week of it going in. I'm not saying it couldn't have been that, just that where the 'chip' started was in such a place that you'd be hard pressed to see how anything could hit there. Other than if the bonnet was open.
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