When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My Legacy was into a Scottish Subaru Dealership yesterday to get diff/autobox fluids changed and front calliper squeal sorted.
First off, they've done a cracking job of the actual work and the car is driving better on new fluids.
Took it straight home yesterday and onto the drive it went. I went out to clean it today and noticed quite bad damage to the rear bumper. I'm quite meticulous about the car so I know this is new and had to have been done whilst in Subaru's care.
Judging by the damage it looks like it's been reversed into a kerb or low wall. The vehicle was driven 1.8miles whilst in Subaru's care which I think is quite a lot.
The dealership is closed for the weekend so I've emailed them with pictures etc and I'll phone them Monday to give them a chance to get it sorted. I'm not angry, these things happen I'm just apprehensive about the process and what the garage will say.
My question is has anyone experienced this before with a garage/dealership and any advise on how to go about dealing with them?
Heavy mate, I’d be fckin fuming but can you prove it? They could say they drove the car to check the squeal is fixed but I’d be fuming still and there’s not many honest people in the world unfortunately who will admit to it. Good luck 👍
Proving it is the difficult thing. I have photos from the vehicle on 23rd of July (after it was last properly detailed) showing no damage but that was nearly two months ago.
The dealer never done any walk round on receipt which I have going for me. Other than that it's going to be a he said she said.
I'm so gutted, I absolutely adore that car and the one time I give it to Subaru this happens. I'll keep you guys posted on how I get on Monday.
Unfortunately it's going to be a simple case of no vdi, no case as you should have asked them to do one to prove any new damage. I think you'd be lucky if they owned upto it as they would have called you to advise of them damage and if they can rectify it etc
That damage looks fresh as you can see the dust / grit etc.
For the sake of their reputation, they might offer to repair it, but most likely just a Small to Medium Area Repair Technique repair which will cost them around £40
SMART repairs can be very good, so long as it's a good colour match and blended well. A low down area is forgiving to repairs, so could be OK, but......it shouldn't have happened in the first place of course.
Maybe try and have a wonder around where they park the cars at the service area of the dealership, see if you can find a low wall that might be a likely candidate for where it's been reversed into, if there is a low wall then have a closer look for paint marks?
Thanks I will, when I went back to collect the car I found out they use the town hall/library car park across the road to park vehicles once they are finished working on them.
Which I wasn't too pleased about as it's a public car park, I'm not sure if their liability insurance would cover them for that, or if they even have permission to do so.
I'll need to go see them in person at some point so I'll check the car park when I'm back.
Maybe try and have a wonder around where they park the cars at the service area of the dealership, see if you can find a low wall that might be a likely candidate for where it's been reversed into, if there is a low wall then have a closer look for paint marks?
Ask to see the damage report on the job card issued to the technician. Every main dealer has a process whereby they do a walkaround on the car marking it for damage prior to carrying out any work in order to prevent customers from taking the ****. If they haven't done one at all then the ball is in their court to fix it.
Morning all, so I've spoken with the garage this morning. Specifically, I have spoken with the senior tech that worked on the vehicle and as expected, flat out denying it.
The tech says that he had the car on the ramps, took it for a drive when the fluids/brakes were completed (1.8m, never the less) and then parked it straight in the library car park across the road. The tech was quite defensive, which I understand it is an uncomfortable situation and I was reassuring that I'm not specifically blaming anyone I just know I have not done this.
The tech advised that he reckons they will not pay for it however he is in talks with his manager to see what the script is.
I have asked for a damage report on the vehicle from when it went in, I have also asked if their liability insurance covers them for parking vehicles off site.
I took a cavalier into main dealer for service, the car was only a few years old, and when I collected it there was a dent and scratch that went from passenger side front door all the way down the car. I went back in and complained and the manager came out and had a look. He disappeared and came back 5 mins later with a scrap of paper with the damaged described in scribbled writing and claimed no responsibility for it.
When I dropped the car off they asked if I wanted anything looked at, the heater fan only worked on one speed setting so I told them about it, telling them what I thought was the problem.
They phoned me at worked to say a bulb had blown and would I like it replaced, so I said yes.
Aside from the damage, they charged £50 to tell me what I had already told them about the heater blower and said they couldn’t be 100% unless they take things apart, and a further £50 to change a brake light bulb.
I phoned Vauxhall HQ and had a rant at customer services. I didn’t hear anything back but the garage lost its franchise a couple months later so karma won in the end.
Last edited by WRXrowdy; 24 September 2021 at 04:03 PM.
How you got them to pay for that i don't know unless someone checked CCTV footage.
This is why i don't leave my car anywhere. Some garages find any excuses to take your car for a spin, I don't blame them its a nice break from there works and they get to have a drive in a different car, but there should be some sort of protocol in place to stop them abusing this power eg going for a joy ride.
my friend dropped his skoda vrs off at a dealer , it was taken for a spin at over 120 mph , the persons driving did not realise it had hidden cameras on board plus a speed alert , shortly after there were two new job vacancies at the dealer ☹️☹️ a friend has an alarm that puts the car into a limp mode which is good , funnily enough i don’t like leaving a car at a dealer , or i do the servicing myself 👍
I want to upgrade my alarm system from the old cobra one, would love to have cctv on board and tracker. Would like just one complete system though.
Originally Posted by Vxr2010
my friend dropped his skoda vrs off at a dealer , it was taken for a spin at over 120 mph , the persons driving did not realise it had hidden cameras on board plus a speed alert , shortly after there were two new job vacancies at the dealer ☹️☹️ a friend has an alarm that puts the car into a limp mode which is good , funnily enough i don’t like leaving a car at a dealer , or i do the servicing myself 👍
18 September 2021, 05:02 PM
Dealer damaged my Tuned by STI
