If dealership damage your car while in service...

mkvince · Mar 26, 2015

There's a situation and would like to ask you guys for inputs.

You have a new car that you just bought from the dealership a month ago. At 500 miles, some minor stuff went wrong, and you decided to take it back to the dealership to have it checked out. While it's there, they dented the door . A big dent. You found out when you drove it home, called, complained, and they agreed to fix the damage.

However, you feel it will never be the same. You bought a brand new car, not a car with aftermarket paint job. Of course, aftermarket paint will never be as good as the original paint and finish. The resale value will not be the same. My question is:

Is it reasonable that you request for a new car? Or by law, the dealership is only obligated to fix the damage?

WAP · Mar 26, 2015

It'll be fine. Accidents happen. Let them fix it and move on. They have OEM paint.

Skeptix · Mar 26, 2015

Requesting a new car would immediately ruin any relationship you have with this dealer. They fucked up, they're gonna fix it.

What's done is done.

2lazy4agoodname · Mar 26, 2015

This recently happened to my dad. Brand new 2015 Yukon XL denali in for a 3k oil change. The tech left the truck in reverse and got out. Ended up smashing into a brand new sierra dually and doing a good amount of damage to each truck. His truck needed a rear bumper and tailight. They fixed it and we didnt make a big deal about it under 1 condition. - The repair would not go on the carfax. Try to get this dealership to do this. If the accident is unreported it will not alter the cars value when you want to get rid of it. If they aren't willing to do this then make sure that you are compensated for the value that is detracted from the car now that it has a registered accident.

mkvince · Mar 27, 2015

WAP said:
It'll be fine. Accidents happen. Let them fix it and move on. They have OEM paint.

Most dealerships don't have bodyshop. They usually have a contracted external bodyshop that works with them.

Skeptix said:
Requesting a new car would immediately ruin any relationship you have with this dealer. They fucked up, they're gonna fix it.

What's done is done.

After a series of horrible experience, I won't bring my car back there anyways.

2lazy4agoodname said:
This recently happened to my dad. Brand new 2015 Yukon XL denali in for a 3k oil change. The tech left the truck in reverse and got out. Ended up smashing into a brand new sierra dually and doing a good amount of damage to each truck. His truck needed a rear bumper and tailight. They fixed it and we didnt make a big deal about it under 1 condition. - The repair would not go on the carfax. Try to get this dealership to do this. If the accident is unreported it will not alter the cars value when you want to get rid of it. If they aren't willing to do this then make sure that you are compensated for the value that is detracted from the car now that it has a registered accident.

Thanks for mentioning about the carfax part. So I guess pushing for a new car is too farfetched. Still sucks that this happen to a brand new car, especially when I paid so much money for it. I notice you're in NYC also. That makes me think maybe there's something about dealerships in NYC and the way they work.

Saabstory · Mar 27, 2015

Assuming it is just a dent and not creased metal; then it will simply be PDR repaired; it won't even need a repaint...

MKVInce said:
My question is:

Is it reasonable that you request for a new car?

For a dent? No... It is not reasonable.

MKVInce said:
Or by law, the dealership is only obligated to fix the damage?

Yes.

syonxwf · Mar 27, 2015

MKVInce said:
Most dealerships don't have bodyshop. They usually have a contracted external bodyshop that works with them.

After a series of horrible experience, I won't bring my car back there anyways.

Thanks for mentioning about the carfax part. So I guess pushing for a new car is too farfetched. Still sucks that this happen to a brand new car, especially when I paid so much money for it. I notice you're in NYC also. That makes me think maybe there's something about dealerships in NYC and the way they work.

Similar situation happened to me, but 700 miles in. Tech lowered my car on the lift with my door open, curled the bottom of my door in...it was bad (I can't find the picture of the damage right now unfortunately) - estimate from the body shop was $2,000. Trust me when I tell you, I was livid and wanted to ask for the same thing; luckily my cousin is the service adviser there and let me know they would absolutely take care of me and to not panic. They took it to a high end shop, promised it would be 100% and promised and noted in my file that if the new paint on the door ever chips/fades/etc. and doesn't match the rest of the car, they would make good on it and fix it to make sure it is 100%.

I would just ask that your dealer gives you the same treatment, in writing, that says if the door ever doesn't match due to the damage that they will make it right. That way if it ever fades you're good to go. I would find out where they are planning on sending the car as well and checking out the shop in advance to see what it's like. If you're not happy with it, find one that suits you and have them send the car there. It's your car, so if they're trying to get a cheapo job done, make sure you let them know you won't have it.

That's my $0.02 :thumbup:

syonxwf · Mar 27, 2015

Here's a picture of my car after it was fixed. I can't remember how far it was rolled up, it was a good couple inches, but you'd never know. Still looking to see if I can find a picture of the damage.
(Just a link, because the picture is huge)
http://i.imgur.com/7Sb0Lqt.jpg

Edit: here's the best picture I could find of the damage to my car. It's a shitty picture that the autobody took...not sure if it was the first picture he'd ever taken or what, but you can still see it was pretty nasty.

mkvince · Mar 27, 2015

VR6Growl said:
Assuming it is just a dent and not creased metal; then it will simply be PDR repaired; it won't even need a repaint...

For a dent? No... It is not reasonable.

Yes.

It's right at the body line, and my PDR guy spent over 2 hours on it and couldn't get it back to 100%. I had great experience with him before so it's not his skill but rather than location and the nature of the dent. The manager of the dealership offered to have it painted.

I had other horrible experience with them before and together with this one. Slobby jobs by the mechanics, left tools and scratches on my car, left fuse box opened. They also had my car there for almost 2 weeks for a small little issue, and I only have the car for a month.

It just sucks because I spent over 50k on this car, and after a month, I have to live w/ this because of their mistake.

syonxwf said:
Similar situation happened to me, but 700 miles in. Tech lowered my car on the lift with my door open, curled the bottom of my door in...it was bad (I can't find the picture of the damage right now unfortunately) - estimate from the body shop was $2,000. Trust me when I tell you, I was livid and wanted to ask for the same thing; luckily my cousin is the service adviser there and let me know they would absolutely take care of me and to not panic. They took it to a high end shop, promised it would be 100% and promised and noted in my file that if the new paint on the door ever chips/fades/etc. and doesn't match the rest of the car, they would make good on it and fix it to make sure it is 100%.

I would just ask that your dealer gives you the same treatment, in writing, that says if the door ever doesn't match due to the damage that they will make it right. That way if it ever fades you're good to go. I would find out where they are planning on sending the car as well and checking out the shop in advance to see what it's like. If you're not happy with it, find one that suits you and have them send the car there. It's your car, so if they're trying to get a cheapo job done, make sure you let them know you won't have it.

That's my $0.02 :thumbup:

Sorry to hear you're in the same situation. Still sucks no matter what! Looks like they did a great job.

Btw, have you check your carfax after getting it fixed? Make sure it's not reported there. That's one thing another person told me. If dealership fix it, make sure it's not reported to carmax. You know what happens to the resale value that it appears on the report.

jwal · Mar 27, 2015

MKVInce said:
It just sucks because I spent over 50k on this car, and after a month, I have to live w/ this because of their mistake.

Sorry to hear about that and hope all is covered. But.... you spent 50,000 dollars on a gti

mkvince · Mar 27, 2015

jwal said:
Sorry to hear about that and hope all is covered. But.... you spent 50,000 dollars on a gti

No lol. I no longer have the GTI (look at my sig). I have a BMW X3 now.

syonxwf · Mar 27, 2015

MKVInce said:
It's right at the body line, and my PDR guy spent over 2 hours on it and couldn't get it back to 100%. I had great experience with him before so it's not his skill but rather than location and the nature of the dent. The manager of the dealership offered to have it painted.

I had other horrible experience with them before and together with this one. Slobby jobs by the mechanics, left tools and scratches on my car, left fuse box opened. They also had my car there for almost 2 weeks for a small little issue, and I only have the car for a month.

It just sucks because I spent over 50k on this car, and after a month, I have to live w/ this because of their mistake.

Sorry to hear you're in the same situation. Still sucks no matter what! Looks like they did a great job.

Btw, have you check your carfax after getting it fixed? Make sure it's not reported there. That's one thing another person told me. If dealership fix it, make sure it's not reported to carmax. You know what happens to the resale value that it appears on the report.

I haven't checked it yet; can you check it for free?
I think my carfax is probably fucked anyways because I blew my engine up after 1800 miles...don't ask...sore subject.

Edit: Checked the carfax using a free account, so I'm not entirely sure if it's 100% accurate (though it appears to be). Nothing on there of concern. I think because my cousin is the service adviser, he possibly left it out in both cases. This was the reported service at 1897 miles, when my engine went: "Tire condition and pressure checked"
:lol:
Yeah...tire condition...they won't roll cause the engine can't push them forward rofl

syonxwf · Mar 27, 2015

MKVInce said:
No lol. I no longer have the GTI (look at my sig). I have a BMW X3 now.

Oh wow, I was really confused after that post too :lol:
I was like hot damn, $50k on a GTI...dude...
Couple of us need to lrn2read :bellyroll:

mkvince · Mar 27, 2015

syonxwf said:
I haven't checked it yet; can you check it for free?
I think my carfax is probably fucked anyways because I blew my engine up after 1800 miles...don't ask...sore subject.

I don't have carfax signed up. I don't think mine is in carfax because I didn't have it repainted yet. If the dealership fixed yours using their insurance, it will appear on the carfax as accident.

syonxwf · Mar 27, 2015

MKVInce said:
I don't have carfax signed up. I don't think mine is in carfax because I didn't have it repainted yet. If the dealership fixed yours using their insurance, it will appear on the carfax as accident.

Updated my original post, found out how to look it up for free. Neither items are on there if it's accurate, which it appears to be.

Edit: Oh and I meant it as not YOU, but as in a general "can anyone check it for free"; sorry, that was poorly worded on my part

If dealership damage your car while in service...

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