Car damage following dealership service appointments
Discussion
My car went in for a service in early July. Before leaving it in the dealership’s car park, I took numerous photos and a video walk-around for documentation. Upon collection, I noticed a small gouge on the front bumper. As I was in a rush and the car is on lease—where minor damage is typically acceptable—I chose not to pursue it at the time.
A couple of weeks later, the car returned for follow-up work. Again, I documented its condition thoroughly with photos from all angles and a 4K video. When I picked it up, I noticed a significant scratch near the driver’s door. This was more serious, so I raised it with the dealership and also mentioned the earlier bumper damage.
They acknowledged both issues and agreed to carry out repairs, advising that the work would take half a day and the car would need to be brought in.
Due to work commitments, I contacted them a couple weeks later to arrange the repair. Rather than the dealership I got through to a central call hub and I was directed to a mobile repair company who would come to my home, which would have been great. Shortly after, the dealership got in touch to clarify that this was incorrect—the repairs would be handled in-house. However, they informed me that their repair bays were currently out of operation and proposed transporting my car to another dealership for the work. I expressed that I wasn’t comfortable with my car being driven elsewhere and preferred to wait until their facilities were back online. They said they would call me back.
After another couple of weeks, I followed up again. The repair bays were still unavailable, and they reiterated the option of taking the car to the other dealership. This location is a considerable distance away and would be difficult for me to arrange.
At this point, I’m questioning where I stand. Given the circumstances, I feel it’s reasonable to expect the dealership to send someone to carry out the repair at my home, rather than requiring me to transport the vehicle myself.
A couple of weeks later, the car returned for follow-up work. Again, I documented its condition thoroughly with photos from all angles and a 4K video. When I picked it up, I noticed a significant scratch near the driver’s door. This was more serious, so I raised it with the dealership and also mentioned the earlier bumper damage.
They acknowledged both issues and agreed to carry out repairs, advising that the work would take half a day and the car would need to be brought in.
Due to work commitments, I contacted them a couple weeks later to arrange the repair. Rather than the dealership I got through to a central call hub and I was directed to a mobile repair company who would come to my home, which would have been great. Shortly after, the dealership got in touch to clarify that this was incorrect—the repairs would be handled in-house. However, they informed me that their repair bays were currently out of operation and proposed transporting my car to another dealership for the work. I expressed that I wasn’t comfortable with my car being driven elsewhere and preferred to wait until their facilities were back online. They said they would call me back.
After another couple of weeks, I followed up again. The repair bays were still unavailable, and they reiterated the option of taking the car to the other dealership. This location is a considerable distance away and would be difficult for me to arrange.
At this point, I’m questioning where I stand. Given the circumstances, I feel it’s reasonable to expect the dealership to send someone to carry out the repair at my home, rather than requiring me to transport the vehicle myself.
The dealership are offering to resolve these issue(s) for you which I would count a massive win. They are wanting to take your vehicle off-site to another facility to bring the matter to a mutual and successful conclusion for yourself.
If my comprehension of your OP is correct, you are unwilling to allow the dealership to drive your vehicle, whilst in their custody and control, to achieve this conclusion.
Performing a smart repair at your home may be both commercially unviable, when combined with the fact they run the risk that such a smart repair may not be to your exacting high standard - as it’s done out of the controlled environment of a bodyshop, hence their approach for it to go into their own bodyshop for swift resolution and makes total sense to me.
In my mind, the dealership have done everything they possibly can to resolve the issue to your satisfaction and they are being more than proactive with you.
You, and only you, are the only one preventing the cosmetic repair(s) to your vehicle. You are doing this by placing barriers into their process. I really cannot see how or what more this dealership can do to move forwards with you when you are in this mindset.
If my comprehension of your OP is correct, you are unwilling to allow the dealership to drive your vehicle, whilst in their custody and control, to achieve this conclusion.
Performing a smart repair at your home may be both commercially unviable, when combined with the fact they run the risk that such a smart repair may not be to your exacting high standard - as it’s done out of the controlled environment of a bodyshop, hence their approach for it to go into their own bodyshop for swift resolution and makes total sense to me.
In my mind, the dealership have done everything they possibly can to resolve the issue to your satisfaction and they are being more than proactive with you.
You, and only you, are the only one preventing the cosmetic repair(s) to your vehicle. You are doing this by placing barriers into their process. I really cannot see how or what more this dealership can do to move forwards with you when you are in this mindset.
Edited by ADJimbo on Wednesday 6th August 22:13
I can understand the OP's hesitation, the car has been damaged twice on the trot and now they want the OP to trust them to drive it somewhere else entirely for repairs.
My guess it will be fine as they won't want another problem, the alternatives are for you to deliver your car for repairs or take it on the chin and sort it out yourself.
The dealer has been reasonable in acknowledging fault and offering to make good,, it could have been worse if they had just denied responsibility.
These situations do stretch your trust.
My guess it will be fine as they won't want another problem, the alternatives are for you to deliver your car for repairs or take it on the chin and sort it out yourself.
The dealer has been reasonable in acknowledging fault and offering to make good,, it could have been worse if they had just denied responsibility.
These situations do stretch your trust.
Dealership appears to be being pretty reasonable and has neatly put the ball back into your court to get it sorted by giving you the option of either waiting or having it sorted at their other dealership -in a way its a shame they even mentioned the need to be done there as otherwise you would have "happily"returned it to your dealership and been none the wise when it was then returned !
I do get you are nervous about someone else driving it but think its a bit unreasonable of you to want it sorting at home when they have been pretty accommodating.
Juts how far is the other dealership from you ?
I do get you are nervous about someone else driving it but think its a bit unreasonable of you to want it sorting at home when they have been pretty accommodating.
Juts how far is the other dealership from you ?
I'm very surprised that you would want a man in a van to do it on your driveway, its never as good as doing it properly in a booth. The dealership manager has probably realised that you're very particular about your car and knows that you wouldn't be happy with the quality of a driveway repair hence offering you to do it in house.
Unless your car is a one off, irreplaceable Rolls Royce boat tail, then, I agree with the others that you're being a tad unreasonable that you don't want someone driving it, but if it really is something like that, then there's no way you should want a driveway bodge repair for a scratch and a dent in the first place. Either way, you're not being reasonable. As others have said, you're just putting barriers in the way of a reasonable and swift solution. I don't know your situation or circumstances, but sometimes we all do slightly irrational things. I hope that you already have some insight that you might be acting unwisely and that's why you came to ask a group of independent individuals, who, hopefully will not pile on you, but I suspect that the overwhelming opinion will be similar. Let the dealership which damaged your car sort it out. They're doing their best. They can't be expected to do more. You're asking them to do something they probably don't provide - never heard of a dealer providing mobile repairs before, it may have been something somebody said by mistake and now you're trying to hold them to that. It isn't going to work.
123DWA said:
I'm very surprised that you would want a man in a van to do it on your driveway, its never as good as doing it properly in a booth. The dealership manager has probably realised that you're very particular about your car and knows that you wouldn't be happy with the quality of a driveway repair hence offering you to do it in house.
+1A smart repair would come off with the same liquid that ChipEx etc provide, whereas an actual respray by a bodywork wouldn’t.
Granted you’re not going to encounter that liquid just driving the car, but it could reveal itself during a detailing session etc.
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