Loan car dash cam
Author
Discussion

loancarquery

Original Poster:

9 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Hi all,

New to the forum, and was keen to get some feedback on an experience I have had with a loan car from a car dealership.

I collected the car yesterday and after driving for a while and taking various calls etc, I noticed the car had a dashcam fitted which was recording with audio enabled.

The garage had said nothing about this when I collected the vehicle... Which I find quite surprising. I have now queried this with the garage and they have said it is part of their insurance policy and it is not allowed to be tampered with.

Is this normal policy for loan cars now days?

Surely if fitted with a dash cam recording audio they need to inform you about it in advance?

I made various calls whilst in the car, including business calls, so I don't feel too pleased with them having this data. Surely I can request it is deleted if the vehicle hasn't been in an accident?

Thanks

sunbeam alpine

7,191 posts

205 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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A small number of people will mistreat rental cars and "loaners". I guess fitting a dashcam helps to avoid discussions over possible damage.

In addition, the knowledge that you're being filmed may encourage people to treat the car with more care.

OP - just to be clear - I'm not suggesting that you fall into this group.

IMO where they have gone seriously wrong is in not informing you of the fact that you were being recorded.

I'm certain that once the car is returned (and confirmed undamaged), the recording will be deleted.

Driver101

14,450 posts

138 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
I would be dead against having a dashcam fitted to a loan car. I have never heard of this before.

Who is lending cars with a dashcam?

Dealers tell customers they aren't allowed dashcams recording in the dealership. That is fair enough, but they can't do the opposite.

Krikkit

27,564 posts

198 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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I would think it'll have been in the paperwork to go with the car...

loancarquery

Original Poster:

9 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
It's not in the paperwork, I have checked. To confirm this isn't a hire/rental car, it is a loan car from a franchise dealership that tey gave me whilst they try to repair a fault with a car they recently sold me.

I only noticed the dash cam was there after taking a combination of personal/work calls, and I cannot believe that I have been recorded without being told about it in advance.

The dashcam also appears to still have recordings of previous drivers on it, not password protected and can be viewed (which I obviously haven't done).

I just can't get my head around this, seems hugely unprofessional from a franchise dealership, and possibly a data protection issue?

Down and out

2,700 posts

81 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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These dashcams suddenly delete themselves sometimes, surely...?

TimoMak

255 posts

72 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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Lol what are loan cars for if not to be thrashed ? Just format the SD card before returning and enjoy...

Cold

16,170 posts

107 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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sunbeam alpine

7,191 posts

205 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
TimoMak said:
Lol what are loan cars for if not to be thrashed ?
...and here is the reason they're fitting dashcams...

Ste372

679 posts

104 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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Local kia dealership does this. The courtesy car has one fitted. Certainly helped out when a van didn't give way at a roundabout and totalled it. brand new 68 reg car with less than 100 miles on the clock. Was proven there and then it wasn't our fault and we didn't have to stump up the excess untill proved innocent.

The receptionist said a loan car had been side swiped and the customer insisted they weren't at fault & the dealership was having a hard time recovering costs etc....

Osinjak

5,453 posts

138 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
loancarquery said:
Hi all,

I have now queried this with the garage and they have said it is part of their insurance policy and it is not allowed to be tampered with.
I'd be interested to know how they would deal with you turning it off, esp as there is nothing in the Ts and Cs and they haven't told you that they are filming/recording you. Have no gripe with the reasoning behind their decision to fit cams but they should have told you I'm sure. No doubt there's some legislation out there that unravels this in a bit more detail.

NewUsername

925 posts

73 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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Definite gdpr issues if you haven’t signed anything and been made aware

vikingaero

11,971 posts

186 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Driver101 said:
I would be dead against having a dashcam fitted to a loan car. I have never heard of this before.

Who is lending cars with a dashcam?

Dealers tell customers they aren't allowed dashcams recording in the dealership. That is fair enough, but they can't do the opposite.
OK. What? It's their premises - they can tell you they don't want your dashcam recording. Equally it's their courtesy car - they can do what they want. You do have the choice to use another dealership.

If I make up a rule that everyone visiting my dealership has to wear something yellow, then it's my choice how (badly) I want to run my company.

Driver101

14,450 posts

138 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
OK. What? It's their premises - they can tell you they don't want your dashcam recording. Equally it's their courtesy car - they can do what they want. You do have the choice to use another dealership.

If I make up a rule that everyone visiting my dealership has to wear something yellow, then it's my choice how (badly) I want to run my company.
I wouldn't use a dealer that wanted to fit a dashcam to a car they loaned me.

I am sure most people would have an issue with the dashcam. Equally I doubt many dealers would even think their customers will be happy with the dashcam and wouldn't date fit one.

It's a step too far.

Dog Star

17,046 posts

185 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Driver101 said:
I wouldn't use a dealer that wanted to fit a dashcam to a car they loaned me.
Why?

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

NewUsername

925 posts

73 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Dog Star said:
Driver101 said:
I wouldn't use a dealer that wanted to fit a dashcam to a car they loaned me.
Why?

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
It would bother me immensely if they recorded audio in the cabin

Pica-Pica

15,393 posts

101 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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“Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous; tacit consent would no longer be enough.” According to here:

https://iapp.org/news/a/how-do-the-rules-on-audio-...

NewUsername

925 posts

73 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
Equally it's their courtesy car - they can do what they want.

If I make up a rule that everyone visiting my dealership has to wear something yellow, then it's my choice how (badly) I want to run my company.
I’m afraid that simply isn’t the case. On both points

Driver101

14,450 posts

138 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Dog Star said:
Driver101 said:
I wouldn't use a dealer that wanted to fit a dashcam to a car they loaned me.
Why?

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
I like to keep my private business private. I don't want anyone filming my business and recording private conversations.

RSTurboPaul

12,215 posts

275 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
Driver101 said:
I would be dead against having a dashcam fitted to a loan car. I have never heard of this before.

Who is lending cars with a dashcam?

Dealers tell customers they aren't allowed dashcams recording in the dealership. That is fair enough, but they can't do the opposite.
OK. What? It's their premises - they can tell you they don't want your dashcam recording. Equally it's their courtesy car - they can do what they want. You do have the choice to use another dealership.

If I make up a rule that everyone visiting my dealership has to wear something yellow, then it's my choice how (badly) I want to run my company.
How does it work if they are requesting no dash cam recording while cars are in their possession?

Their premises, yes, but your property being worked on, so if the camera is within the vehicle, surely it is within your property and therefore your remit whether you have it recording or not?