rallybet

Hi

Very new on here, have just been reading threads for the past few weeks, need some help as to what to do about a small incident.

Took my scoob in for a clutch change the other day and while the mechanic was test driving the vehicle he managed to misjudge the distance between a lorry he was overtaking on a bend and the kerb!

Result.... two damaged OZ wheels and the front spolier of the scoob scratched. The dealer has ordered two wheels and will repair the spoiler.

Is there anything else that I should get checked out that might effect the car, as yet i don't know what speed the car was going at but looking at the wheels and knowing the bend the car was on, it wasnt taking a look at the scenery

Anyhelp very much appreciated.

Thanks

Sigmund

You should get the Geometry checked.

You should take a look at the bodywork before they put on the new front spoiler/bumper. If there has been damage to the bodywork beside plastic parts I think you should have some money too because your car is worth considerably less after body repair.

rallybet

Hi Sigmund

Many thanks for that little bit of info. I had not thought about any further damage to the body/bumper other than the visible marks.

Cheers

Dave T-S

In a kerbing incident like this, there is a high probability that the suspension strut damper rods have bent.

rallybet

Hi Dave

Thanks very much for the info, I'm hoping that they ahve not been damaged, anyone know how to tell if they have ?

Cheers

Nimbus

Can you not take the car to another garage for an indepenant check?

rallybet

Hi Nimbus

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking of doing that, but knowing very little about cars, wanted to go armed with as much as possible so that I could ask questions etc.

Cheers

brickboy

I'd certainly try and get a specialist to look at it, and possibly even commission an AA inspection or similar just to look at the possible areas of damage -- will cost you around £70, at worst, but if they find damage to suspension components or mountings, or even to the bodyshell, an independent inspection will be worth its weight in platinum in dealing with the garage that crashed your car. Even if the inspection finds nothing, you'll have peace of mind knowing that it's all OK.

Don't forget the garage that crashed it is looking to get away with the absolute minimum of work: if you don't look for it, they are NOT going to tell you about anything other than visible damage.

[Edited by brickboy - 1/30/2002 9:52:22 AM]

carpet

Make sure they provide free servicing ( if you would ever use them again ? ) for life !! take em to court ! '****a's'

Jolly Green Monster 2

Always worries me when I trust me car to a garage for some work.

If you were driving someone elses car would you overtake a lorry on a bend?? prat...

Hope you get it sorted.. was going to suggest all that has been said above.. don;t let them bully you.. they damaged your car, at least they are not arguing and are fixing it.. just make sure they fix everything.

Good luck

The Zohan

Nice to see the mechanic looking after your pride and joy!

Question
What was he doing overtaking the lorry so close to the bend in the first place?

Possible answer
Abusing your car!

rallybet

Paul

The very same question crossed my mind as well, especially when I found out where it was, i know the corner well and altho its only a one way system it is one of those tricky corners that also has an adverse camber. It wouldn't be the first time someone has lost it on that stretch of road......

BTW - i drive a rather spec'd P1...... so it wasnt like it was an ordinairy (if there is such a thing) Imprezza !

As for the servicing, lets just say they won't ever be seeing me again or my hard earnt cash !

carpet

Was this a subaru dealer ?? If so get in touch with Subaru UK and get some sort of compensation deal out of them, gotta be bad publicity if you went to the papers etc .. ??

It'd be bad enough if you trashed your car, but when a **** mechanic does it ... arrrrrghhhhhh

ian_sadler

Rallybet,

Brickboy makes a good point.

Don't let the garage try to fob you off.

Ian

The Zohan

IMHO
Most garages have a route that they test drive cars on so it is not like the mechanics do not know the roads. It sounds like he/she was really ragging YOUR car. This is unacceptable.

A test drive is to check that the car/work carried out is OK. It is not a excuse for the mechanics to play at rally drivers in their customers cars.

Naming the garage on Scoobynet could cause problems for Simon/Scoobynet although peopkle have a right to know what could happen to their cars in the hands of dangersous unprofessional idiots.

Sadly, i believe this is the case with many other garages.

Brickboy does make a good valid point (his advice is usually spot on) Do not let them fob you off.


I hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction.

all the best

Paul



[Edited by Paul Habgood - 1/30/2002 10:16:23 AM]

rallybet

Paul

Very good point indeed about the route, i test drove another marque of vehicle they supply and the salesman did take me along the very same road .... lets just say then i was surprised at the speed he was going at, particularly in the vehicle we were in.

It is a Subaru main dealer (a rather well known one) that shall remain nameless...... providing they come up with the goods they have promised !

It does make you think about what happens to your car while in for a service..... all i can think about is what if he'd lost it..... no car.... very sad.....possible loss of life... etc

Cheers to all for the info, very helpful!

Sieze

I hit a curb and had the geometry checked at a Chemix. The assesment was free (like a free brake check). They used laser alignement and while on the ramp we had a good look under the car comparing side to side. Luckly the goemetry was OK but so was my wheels.

simon_prickett

I wnet on a test drive in a Scooby from one of those car supermarkets with igratton ages ago, the muppet salesman crunched it into the middle of a roundabout and damaged a wheel and heck knows what else, then denied it!

His boss wasn't impressed when we got back to the garage.

Needless to say we walked away, and igratton got his new car elsewhere!

Simon.

rallybet

Hi all

Many thanks for all the info left here on the board and to those that emailed seperately. Armed with my new found knowledge of a automotive nature, you could have heard a pin drop in Uzbekistan when i rattled off all the checks that needed doing to my scooby.

The turnaround in attitude was amazing!

All the damage has been repaired along with a firm understanding that should anything else come up over the next few weeks it will all be put right.

So, once again, many thanks for all the advice.... u lot certainly saved the day!

ian_sadler

Elvis Presley

Are you gonna publish the name of the Dealer then?

Josh L

I should bleedin' well hope so too.

However, you must ensure that a full geometry check is done, not just the tracking. My dealer was good enough to pay for this when odd tyre wear became apparent and, although only one setting was outside IM's ludicrously wide tolerances, it transformed my P1. And I thought it was good before.

A ckeck shouldn't cost more than about £40, + a fixed amount per adjusted corner.

Josh

Mr T-S,
How do you know all about bend struts etc

Fulham71

Does anyone know where i can get a geometry check done on my P1
im in Sutton in Surrey
Cheers
Paul