100 replies to this topic

[stu-vx200]

What a day!

Picked up my new 03 VX220 NA last week and have had the best week of driving ever. Thought just to be on the safe side with buying a used car give VX a call and see if there were any outstanding recalls on my new VX and get them to give it a check up. There was a recall for the vacuum hose so I booked it in.

Here is the best bit!!!!

Dropped of the car and was told they would give me a call in 1 hour ish when the work was finished. Got a call about 1 hour later saying it was going to be another 2.5 hours, was not to fussed about the extra delay as I just wanted them to do a good job of it and then got another call saying that one of the technicians has had a accident it the car and I need to come down to the VX dealer. Got there and one of the technicians had taken my car for a so called “test drive” round the back of the garage even thought I thought they would have taken it on normal roads to warm up the engine and not on a car park and lost control of the car and crashed it into a high curb smashing the sill, under tray, rear alloys and possibly twisted the chassis. I really can’t believe this has happened at a Vauxhall Dealer as I thought these guys would be the best place to take my new VX220 to, I was so wrong!

I am in need of some advice as they will not be repairing the damage to the car because the trust had completely gone. Where would be the best place to get the car repaired as I would like an independent company to carry out the repairs and check for rear suspension damage due to the rear wheel being buckled on a curb?


I just can’t believe it has happened I have had the car for 7 days!!!!

[c18gmr]

if the chassis is damaged then it will be a write off Gutted for you

[theotherjonnymac]

Completely gutted for you. You are too new to the forum to realise that few of us Vauxhall dealers for our cars. I would ask the dealer to pay for an independent inspection and take it from there.

[Ekona]

Just 7 days? Dude, that sucks. If the damage is that bad, then I'd want the car writing off and Vauxhall to be buying me a new one tbh. If you don't trust them to do a full repair job and to be honest about it (and if I were you, I wouldn't either!) then I would bite the bullet and call my insurance company to inform them what's happened, and let them take it from there. Whereabouts in the world are you? Feel like naming and shaming the dealership?

[RobNA]

Bloody idiots and its not the first time a Vauxhall spanner monkey has got carried away and binned a customers car What compensation have they offered? I'd be taking them to the cleaners if I were you. Best of luck

[Pidgeon]

Can I recomend Europa. They are an accident management company based in Bury. They will sort it all out. My car is currently at Specialised Paintwork in Reading (who have an excellent reputation). In the meantime I am slumming it in a Cayman S, all thanks to them!

[NickB787]

Which dealer so we know who not to deal with

[Muncher]

Can I recomend Europa. They are an accident management company based in Bury. They will sort it all out. My car is currently at Specialised Paintwork in Reading (who have an excellent reputation). In the meantime I am slumming it in a Cayman S, all thanks to them!

I have their Boxster at the moment. I've driven that Cayman S on track a few weeks back and really wasn't that impressed with it to be honest, certainly not for the price tag! The gearbox in that car is also very, very sloppy compared to their Boxster I have.

[stu-vx200]

Thanks for all you responses, yes I am new to the forum as I have just got my vx220 last week. Should have had a good look at the other threads about VX dealers. I don’t want to name and shame the dealer just yet as I am going to pursue this matter further, but I live in the Cheshire area. I am not going through my insurance and using an accident management company because they have offered me a like for like car as VX offered me a corsa! Any ideas on a good bodyshop/ garage as the accident management company said I can take it anywhere, can you send them back to lotus to have the work carried out as I am worried about the suspension / chassis damage. I also am not happy with now having an accident damaged car, but I don’t know where I stand?

[Muncher]

Which dealer so we know who not to deal with

Doesn't matter really, it's best to avoid dealing with all of them if possible!

Thanks for all you responses, yes I am new to the forum as I have just got my vx220 last week. Should have had a good look at the other threads about VX dealers. I don’t want to name and shame the dealer just yet as I am going to pursue this matter further, but I live in the Cheshire area. I am not going through my insurance and using an accident management company because they have offered me a like for like car as VX offered me a corsa!

Any ideas on a good bodyshop/ garage as the accident management company said I can take it anywhere, can you send them back to lotus to have the work carried out as I am worried about the suspension / chassis damage.

I also am not happy with now having an accident damaged car, but I don’t know where I stand?

As a gesture of goodwill the least they can do is buy you a new car imho.

The best people for Paintwork would be Sinclaires in Romford, in terms of pure quality of work, their reputation is second to none.

[stu-vx200]

I have not been offered any think in terms of a good explanation of what has happened as they are looking into it I was just told let the insurance companies deal with it! What a lame and unacceptable response!! I am not a happy bunny

[mandarinvx]

So sorry to hear this - what a way to welcome a new customer to their garage I'd name and shame The problem with the sill is that its fully bonded to the car, and therefore very hard (and really expensive) to replace, so almost all accident repair places will just repair the damage, hence not 'as new' You could try somewhere like specialised paintwork in Reading for a quote - they aren't cheap (and quite a way off, but that's the garages problem) but their work is top notch - and make sure they quote for a full sill replacement To be completely honest I'd ask them to purchase you a new car, or return all the money you paid for it - have you reported the incident to the customer services centre and got a service manager to investigate - might be worth doing in case the garage start changing their story Best of luck with a top notch repair (or replacement)

[Winstar]

In the north west for body work the guy who works for Pheonix and post on here is StephenM.

Edited by Winstar, 26 July 2007 - 09:53 PM.

[jasvxt]

Contact Ollie or Ste at Phoenix Motorsport, they have their own linked accident management company, do the repairs to a very high standard and issue Lotus courtesy cars, also have a very good Solicitor to hand to deal with your claim. Based in Accrington near Blackburn, maybe at bit out of your way but worth it. tel 01254 384071 Good luck, and dont take any BS of the dealers or their insurers. Jas

Edited by jasvxt, 26 July 2007 - 10:00 PM.

[VIX]

Really sorry to hear this. Afraid you are probably looking at a write-off.

[Crimson_Killa]

I would be down there at the busiest time causing hell.

I don’t like shouting and it doesn’t get you anywhere but you might put a few people off buying from them and force them in to a corner to do it your way.

Its 7 days old.

They crashed it.

Demand a full rebate on the total cost of the car and for them to source a network q car with warrantee for less than you paid them before and it has to be better than the one you bought!!! ie more extras!!!

Tell you what if a dealer did that to my car i would be hitting the roof and going a bit postal tbh.

Sorry over....

get all you can from them and don’t accept the "let the insurance companies deal with it" line, i would be calling vx HQ and demanding someone with authority to rectify the situation quickly attends that dealership at a time convenient to you to sort the mess out then and there and have written confirmation and proof of the disciplinary procedure that the monkey mechanic has been put though!

[stu-vx200]

Using a company called Kindertons they are giving me a Subaru Impreza WRX for a few days until a z4 comes in. Well happy with that. I am not going to let this drop and going to ring VX HQ tomorrow and see what they have to say!

[XXX]

Why is it not one reply has expressed any shock on the treatment of your car by the garage?? * The answer speaks for itself.....

Can't believe your bad luck . If I were you, in the first instance, I would arrange a meeting with the MD of the poxhall dealership to discuss how they propose to deal with this. It sounds to me that the damage is fairly bad and if the chasis is damaged, it may not be repairable. If so, it is only reasonable that the reimburse the full purchase price of the car and provide a suitable replacement car until you find a new one.

If it is repairable the car MUST be taken (at their cost) to a reputable VX repairer who knows these cars and what is involved. Don't leave it with Vauxhall to repair or arrange repair, you probably won't see your car again for months and months.

You could try and PM Bletch (another member on here) - he has first hand experience of this incompetence -as he may have some helpful advice.

Good Luck...... keep us informed.....

edit *rhetorical question folks, was not criticising the lack of shock expressed....!

Edited by XXX, 26 July 2007 - 10:18 PM.

[VIX]

Why is it not one reply has expressed any shock on the treatment of your car by the garage??

Probably because whilst extremely sympathetic we are sadly not surprised. It's a sorry state I know.

[V2VXR]

It's my VXL dealer which has done this to poor Stu's new VX. Not sure if I'll ever return to them after hearing the bad news. Make sure you get everything you can out of them Stu. Network Q replacement is a good suggestion.