Car damaged by garage during MOT

Car damaged by garage during MOT

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v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Had a car MOT test done the other day and the garage washed it with a pressure washer. This has lifted a few square inches of clear coat off the bonnet as the paint had a few small cracks caused, I think, by heat cycling from the position of the turbo.
I’d like a repair, and the garage have a body shop and have said they will quote to do this, but just wanted thoughts on what a reasonable resolution would look like.
They have said that the damage has been caused because the paint had pre-existing damage, which is true, but I didn’t ask them to wash it, which has made the damage much worse. A full respray will result in betterment as it’ll cover other scratches and chips, but it’s not really possible to just repair the damage they have caused. Would a split of cost be reasonable? What sort of split?

Currently waiting for them to get back to me, but from their initial conversation they are expecting me to foot the full bill.

Any thoughts welcome!

A500leroy

5,536 posts

124 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Why were they washing it for an mot?

andburg

7,641 posts

175 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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A500leroy said:
Why were they washing it for an mot?
if no damage is done many customers would look positively on the service, most main dealers do a mini valet every time a car leaves their workshop.

OP

I guess its up to you, the reality is it wasn't a service you asked for so I'd be expecting full payment and a courtesy vehicle but then i'd not be hugely picky on quality of the finish given it wasn't perfect to start with.

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
A500leroy said:
Why were they washing it for an mot?
Guess they think it’s a nice touch.

Tommo87

4,645 posts

119 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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A split of cost would be a reasonable outcome, as you would get a totally unblemished bonnet.

You could go full on angry and demand they pay the entire fee, but you risk them just being equally as inflexible.


v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
Tommo87 said:
A split of cost would be a reasonable outcome, as you would get a totally unblemished bonnet.

You could go full on angry and demand they pay the entire fee, but you risk them just being equally as inflexible.
Agreed. Don’t want to be a dick about it. Think they might just say no. How much does a bonnet respray usually cost and what do you think a reasonable split would be? They don’t seem keen on accepting any liability from initial conversations.

MBVitoria

2,490 posts

229 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Tommo87 said:
A split of cost would be a reasonable outcome, as you would get a totally unblemished bonnet.

You could go full on angry and demand they pay the entire fee, but you risk them just being equally as inflexible.
Tricky situation and I can certainly see both sides. It's not fair if their well-intended act ends up costing them hundreds but equally, you might have put up with the bonnet as it was and got a couple more years out of it with careful washing around the area.

I'd suggest a fair outcome would probably be a modest discount of say 10-20% on their ordinary cost for the job. Bonnet respray is what, £750 - 1000??


Tommo87

4,645 posts

119 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
v9 said:
Tommo87 said:
A split of cost would be a reasonable outcome, as you would get a totally unblemished bonnet.

You could go full on angry and demand they pay the entire fee, but you risk them just being equally as inflexible.
Agreed. Don’t want to be a dick about it. Think they might just say no. How much does a bonnet respray usually cost and what do you think a reasonable split would be? They don’t seem keen on accepting any liability from initial conversations.
Approx £4-500 ‘cost’ depending on how much prep Is required.

I’d be looking for an equal split.

Basically, four tankfuls of fuel in cost.

Shaw Tarse

31,657 posts

209 months

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
Tommo87 said:
Approx £4-500 ‘cost’ depending on how much prep Is required.

I’d be looking for an equal split.

Basically, four tankfuls of fuel in cost.
I suspect it might be quite expensive in time as I guess that it’ll need stripping, there is quite a chunk missing and I don’t think it can be filled, though I am far from an expert on this. Paint can be pricy too, it’s a pearlescent black.

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
Shaw Tarse said:
Eh? What does it have to do with an MOT? Damage is nothing to do with the MOT.

Shaw Tarse

31,657 posts

209 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
v9 said:
Shaw Tarse said:
Eh? What does it have to do with an MOT? Damage is nothing to do with the MOT.
Yep, the MOT checker won't was your car?

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
MBVitoria said:
Tricky situation and I can certainly see both sides. It's not fair if their well-intended act ends up costing them hundreds but equally, you might have put up with the bonnet as it was and got a couple more years out of it with careful washing around the area.

I'd suggest a fair outcome would probably be a modest discount of say 10-20% on their ordinary cost for the job. Bonnet respray is what, £750 - 1000??
The damage was initially very minor, and hasn’t got worse in several years, tiny crack that you’d see if it was pointed out but from 1m away is invisible. Damage is large and obvious. I’d never have bothered with a respray otherwise. I do see their point of view but it’s hard to suck up a £1k bill from someone who has damaged it needlessly.

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
Shaw Tarse said:
Yep, the MOT checker won't was your car?
It won’t have been the MOT tester who washed it. It’ll have been the service manager who told the apprentice mechanic to give it a blast with the pressure washer. Annoying thing is it was already lovely and clean.

scorcher

4,010 posts

240 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Possible to find a decent second hand bonnet in the same colour?

119

9,291 posts

42 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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More the point, why did they clean a clean car?

Ham_and_Jam

2,554 posts

103 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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Obviously too late for the OP, but I always say ‘no wash’ when taking my car to a garage.

Just one less thing to go potentially wrong.

xstian

2,023 posts

152 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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I'm not sure you will get anywhere unless they're willing to discount as a good will gesture.


At the end of the day, the bonnet should have been able to withstand a wash with a pressure washer and you say yourself you could hardly notice it unless it was pointed out. If they had scratch it with the lance I think you would be entitled to a repair, I'm not so sure in your instance.

BertBert

19,587 posts

217 months

Monday 9th October 2023
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xstian said:
I'm not sure you will get anywhere unless they're willing to discount as a good will gesture.


At the end of the day, the bonnet should have been able to withstand a wash with a pressure washer and you say yourself you could hardly notice it unless it was pointed out. If they had scratch it with the lance I think you would be entitled to a repair, I'm not so sure in your instance.
Why do you say that? There's absolutely no "need" for a bonnet to withstand pressure washing. Nor was the service requested. Also it's well know the possible pitfalls of using a pressure washer without proper care (eg using it on a damaged surface).

v9

Original Poster:

244 posts

54 months

Monday 9th October 2023
quotequote all
scorcher said:
Possible to find a decent second hand bonnet in the same colour?
Unlikely. It’s quite an unusual car in quite an unusual colour.