car damaged by alloy wheel refurbishers

[ExPat2B]

I just got my car back from the bodyshop where I have had the wheels stripped and resprayed.

There was a grinding noise coming from the car, I just took one of the wheels off and the metal guard next to the brake discs is bent into the brake discs and damaged on both sides. Clearly they jacked the car up, took the wheels off and failed to use stands, and have just dropped the car onto the brake discs.


Not happy! suggestions on next course of action please

[AndyBrew]

Take photos, go and see them, I'm sure they will put it right for you, a hassle I know but unless you really don't trust them easiest course of action.

[Eggman]

I would bend the guard so that it doesn't rub on the disc, but I expect the experts on here will advise you to instruct a top firm of solicitors.

[deltashad]

Take photo's. Post them here if you like.
Contact the manager of the garage and see what he has to say. Tell him what's going through your head. Ask for an inspection by himself and any damaged parts to be replaced free of charge.
Doubt if they'll admit to it though. Have you paid yet? if you can stop the payment to the garage do it now.

Contact these people if the issue cannot be resolved.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/problems...

Contact a solicitor but, I suspect it will be very hard to prove them liable for the damages as you removed the car from their premises.

Revenge comes last after every avenue has been exhausted

[Pints]

Eggman said:

I would bend the guard so that it doesn't rub on the disc, but I expect the experts on here will advise you to instruct a top firm of solicitors.

He didn't damage it, so he shouldn't have to fix it.

[Piersman2]

Pints said:

He didn't damage it, so he shouldn't have to fix it.

Indeed. But he's got the car jacked up and if he can just bend it back into place and get on with his life it's much easier.

Then he can ensure that he, and anyone he knows, never uses them again.

Sometimes life is just too short to worry about this stuff.

Depends how bad the damage is really.

[deltashad]

Just take a photo, phone the manager, see what he says before bending it back.
Do not drive the car again until the guard has been moved out of harms way.

[Pints]

Piersman2 said:

Indeed. But he's got the car jacked up and if he can just bend it back into place and get on with his life it's much easier.

Then he can ensure that he, and anyone he knows, never uses them again.

Sometimes life is just too short to worry about this stuff.

Depends how bad the damage is really.

Or by taking it back to them fir rectification, they'll know they cocked up and review their process so that they don't damage another customer's car or further sulley their reputation.

[RV8]

Just photograph, bend it back and tell them you are not impressed. Why on earth you need advice on what to do.. You are not happy so tell them rather than booting up the laptop.. What did people do before the Internet???.

[ExPat2B]

I have taken photos and bent it back. Its actually properly damaged both the guards as the metal has torn, and the rust protection has cracked. If it was a shed I would just MTFU and forget about it, but as its a nice car that I plan to keep for a long time I don't see that as an option.

Just been onto dealer and they are 225 pounds plus VAT each!

[Pints]

RV8 said:

.. What did people do before the Internet???.

Relied on hastily discarded magazines.

[ExPat2B]

RV8 said:

Just photograph, bend it back and tell them you are not impressed. Why on earth you need advice on what to do.. You are not happy so tell them rather than booting up the laptop.. What did people do before the Internet???.

Not had a car damaged by a garage before so dont know what proccedure is and, if there are any pitfalls I can fall into that would stop them paying out. On my laptop as if i called them now would just rant! better to be calm and do the right thing.

[RV8]

That's fair enough, personally I feel you would probably be entitled to rant at them a bit. Though I doubt they'll do anything more than bend it back which will just waste your time, so at least having a rant about that would get it off your chest.