How much use of a customer car is ok for a garage?
Discussion
Hi,
Can I have a quick opinion of the crowd, if people can spare me a moment?
My vehicle (an EV) is in for a small repair under warranty with the main dealer. Nothing mechanical. Simple issue with the filler cap.
The garage said it was done ready for collection on Wednesday. I want some other things resolved before collecting the vehicle (totally non mechanical, paperwork with the warranty etc.) as otherwise I don't believe they will get fixed.
Is it reasonable for the garage to be using the vehicle?
You could argue that a member of staff took the vehicle home as a test drive to make sure everything is okay.
But it is a bit far fetched.
The telematics show the vehicle has covered another 52miles. Not exactly a short test drive. For a non driving related issue? Perhaps they needed to move the vehicle to off site storage as it wasn't being collected immediately.
But the telematics registered it was being driven at 0:57 this morning.
Unfortunately, the telematics data is incomplete at best. It certainly wouldn't hold up in court.
I am struggling to find justifiable excuses.
Part of me thinks I should let it slide, part of me is tempted to ask them if the vehicle has been stolen.
Can I have a quick opinion of the crowd, if people can spare me a moment?
My vehicle (an EV) is in for a small repair under warranty with the main dealer. Nothing mechanical. Simple issue with the filler cap.
The garage said it was done ready for collection on Wednesday. I want some other things resolved before collecting the vehicle (totally non mechanical, paperwork with the warranty etc.) as otherwise I don't believe they will get fixed.
Is it reasonable for the garage to be using the vehicle?
You could argue that a member of staff took the vehicle home as a test drive to make sure everything is okay.
But it is a bit far fetched.
The telematics show the vehicle has covered another 52miles. Not exactly a short test drive. For a non driving related issue? Perhaps they needed to move the vehicle to off site storage as it wasn't being collected immediately.
But the telematics registered it was being driven at 0:57 this morning.
Unfortunately, the telematics data is incomplete at best. It certainly wouldn't hold up in court.
I am struggling to find justifiable excuses.
Part of me thinks I should let it slide, part of me is tempted to ask them if the vehicle has been stolen.
- shrug?
Is that an app that tells you where the car is?
If someone did that kind of mileage I would say totally unacceptable. 5 miles maybe 10 max if the first fix didn't work. And any mileage should not be home and back it should be business hours from place of work and back. Is there a code of conduct for this with garages? I would most definitely be taking it up with them. What if he had got pissed and been driving at midnight? Did a runner from a crash they would come round and arrest you.
If someone did that kind of mileage I would say totally unacceptable. 5 miles maybe 10 max if the first fix didn't work. And any mileage should not be home and back it should be business hours from place of work and back. Is there a code of conduct for this with garages? I would most definitely be taking it up with them. What if he had got pissed and been driving at midnight? Did a runner from a crash they would come round and arrest you.
c_paul said:
Hi,
Can I have a quick opinion of the crowd, if people can spare me a moment?
My vehicle (an EV) is in for a small repair under warranty with the main dealer. Nothing mechanical. Simple issue with the filler cap.
The garage said it was done ready for collection on Wednesday. I want some other things resolved before collecting the vehicle (totally non mechanical, paperwork with the warranty etc.) as otherwise I don't believe they will get fixed.
Is it reasonable for the garage to be using the vehicle?
You could argue that a member of staff took the vehicle home as a test drive to make sure everything is okay.
But it is a bit far fetched.
The telematics show the vehicle has covered another 52miles. Not exactly a short test drive. For a non driving related issue? Perhaps they needed to move the vehicle to off site storage as it wasn't being collected immediately.
But the telematics registered it was being driven at 0:57 this morning.
Unfortunately, the telematics data is incomplete at best. It certainly wouldn't hold up in court.
I am struggling to find justifiable excuses.
Part of me thinks I should let it slide, part of me is tempted to ask them if the vehicle has been stolen.
Have you asked them about it?Can I have a quick opinion of the crowd, if people can spare me a moment?
My vehicle (an EV) is in for a small repair under warranty with the main dealer. Nothing mechanical. Simple issue with the filler cap.
The garage said it was done ready for collection on Wednesday. I want some other things resolved before collecting the vehicle (totally non mechanical, paperwork with the warranty etc.) as otherwise I don't believe they will get fixed.
Is it reasonable for the garage to be using the vehicle?
You could argue that a member of staff took the vehicle home as a test drive to make sure everything is okay.
But it is a bit far fetched.
The telematics show the vehicle has covered another 52miles. Not exactly a short test drive. For a non driving related issue? Perhaps they needed to move the vehicle to off site storage as it wasn't being collected immediately.
But the telematics registered it was being driven at 0:57 this morning.
Unfortunately, the telematics data is incomplete at best. It certainly wouldn't hold up in court.
I am struggling to find justifiable excuses.
Part of me thinks I should let it slide, part of me is tempted to ask them if the vehicle has been stolen.
- shrug?
Seems a long way to go for a test drive.
Totally unacceptable to use them for garage business IMO - be interesting to see how they explain it.
Few years back a mate of mine dropped his car off to a garage as they'd made a fuss about it needing to be there at 8am for the work to be done that day. He took his bike in the boot, and was cycling back. Enroute to work his car pulled up next to him at the lights with 4 blokes in it - one being the garage owner. lol.
Few years back a mate of mine dropped his car off to a garage as they'd made a fuss about it needing to be there at 8am for the work to be done that day. He took his bike in the boot, and was cycling back. Enroute to work his car pulled up next to him at the lights with 4 blokes in it - one being the garage owner. lol.
bmwmike said:
Totally unacceptable to use them for garage business IMO - be interesting to see how they explain it.
Few years back a mate of mine dropped his car off to a garage as they'd made a fuss about it needing to be there at 8am for the work to be done that day. He took his bike in the boot, and was cycling back. Enroute to work his car pulled up next to him at the lights with 4 blokes in it - one being the garage owner. lol.
Could be worse. Many moons ago one of my best mates had and RS Turbo. Dropped it into the garage in the morning for some workFew years back a mate of mine dropped his car off to a garage as they'd made a fuss about it needing to be there at 8am for the work to be done that day. He took his bike in the boot, and was cycling back. Enroute to work his car pulled up next to him at the lights with 4 blokes in it - one being the garage owner. lol.
Went to pick up that night and it had a blown engine - which they tried to deny all knowledge of and claimed no responsibility
In answer to the OP - if the telematics are correct, I would say they're bang out of order and I would definitely be asking questions
So far, I haven't spoken to the garage. Just trying to decide how to play it.
Our relationship is a little frosty as I am trying to hold them to task on other points that should have been resolved during vehicle prep. It was only when I got the manufacturer involved that they started even returning my calls. I would have thought that the dealer would have been whiter than white considering so I was a little surpised.
In terms of the telematics, it is only very crude data that comes from the app. It is heavily censored (presumably for data protection / privacy). I haven't got a proper tracker on the vehicle yet as I only picked it up last week.
IMO, they shouldn't be using customer vehicles for staff use. I suppose my question is how much does it happen? Is it acceptable?
Obviously, the latest generation of vehicles with telematics built in will expose this!
Our relationship is a little frosty as I am trying to hold them to task on other points that should have been resolved during vehicle prep. It was only when I got the manufacturer involved that they started even returning my calls. I would have thought that the dealer would have been whiter than white considering so I was a little surpised.
In terms of the telematics, it is only very crude data that comes from the app. It is heavily censored (presumably for data protection / privacy). I haven't got a proper tracker on the vehicle yet as I only picked it up last week.
IMO, they shouldn't be using customer vehicles for staff use. I suppose my question is how much does it happen? Is it acceptable?
Obviously, the latest generation of vehicles with telematics built in will expose this!
chrisch77 said:
Definitely grounds to ask the garage why your vehicle appears to have been in use during the early hours of the morning.
IIRC Chris Harris recounts a great story of seeing a chap turn up at the pub he was drinking in, driving Chris’s own car that was in for servicing at the time.
Years ago I drove past a country pub and saw my Dads car in the car park. My Dad is teetotal and never used to visit pubs (whereas fast forward to today and you might find him dining in a pub). I called him up and asked if he was in the pub. Dad said no, he had dropped it off at the dealer for a service that morning.IIRC Chris Harris recounts a great story of seeing a chap turn up at the pub he was drinking in, driving Chris’s own car that was in for servicing at the time.
Dad said he would call the dealer and the service advisor said the car was almost ready to collect. So Dad asked why the car was in Wadhurst? He was assured the car was being serviced and was at the dealership. So I blocked the car in and waited. My Mum & Dad arrived around 25 mins later with the spare keys just in case and we waited. Whilst we waited I checked the car over and no signs of servicing had happened. Oil was brown rather than golden, I popped the air filter housing and it was dirty with some leaves etc.
The salesman finished his lunchtime meal/session and came out to find us blocking the car. I managed to snatch the keys from his hand, to much swearing from him. We explained it was our car and he could check the glovebox documents with my Dads driving licence for ownership and he could call the dealer to confirm. He was pretty determined to get the keys back until I threatened him (the first and only time in my life I have ever threatened anyone). We left him stranded at the pub.
Going back on topic, the only time I would envisage my car being driven home by an employee would be if it had a cold start problem.
Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff