100 replies to this topic

[Sutol]

I'm afraid to say i know very much how you feel having experienced similar circumstances just recently and still ongoing. Fortunately the dealer didn't argue and just got on with fixing my car. Your car, regrettably seems to have been damaged very much more than mine. your dealers no exactly where they stand - absolutely nowhere. They should and will be, bending over backwards to make sure that you're absolutely satified, I'm sure. I know its difficult but try not to let your emotions cloud the issue and as others have said be calm but firm. If it was me, i would say let them buy the car off you(for more than you payed for it) then its their problem. Keep cool m8, i'm sure that it will sort itself out. Cheers Chris PS Bletch just noticed you're in WS! where was the dealer you had trouble with - ~PM if you wish

Edited by Sutol, 27 July 2007 - 09:05 PM.

[jules_s]

In the end I got a fair settlement and I would use the dealer again, accidents happen its the aftercare that matters.

Well said that man

I'm not that precious about mechanics driving my car, if it needs 'testing' after work has been done on it then fair enough (within reason)

In this situation I would expect the dealer to buy the car at an agreed value....the solicitors will no doubt help in that matter

[davep24]

In the end I got a fair settlement and I would use the dealer again, accidents happen its the aftercare that matters.

Well said that man

I'm not that precious about mechanics driving my car, if it needs 'testing' after work has been done on it then fair enough (within reason)

NEVER trust a dealer with your car, true a car may need testing and the dealer tells their mechs to stick to the speed limit but as soon as they are away from the dealer, that instruction goes out the window. have a look at a post i put on cliosport a few years back and that was in a clio 172

http://www.cliosport...ead.php?t=58517

[Jimmo]

There is no way! absolutely no way! i'd accept a repair on this if its as bad as you say. You would be landed with a crash damaged, repaired vehicle with category history to boot which ever it may be provided the insurance company is involved. Even if the garage just fixed it without going through the insurers I still wouldn't accept it? I'm sorry to hear this and hope it all comes good in the end for you. Hearing this kinda thing really makes my blood boil. People should be more careful with property thats not their own!

[Crimson Avenger]

I am very sorry this happened. From the damage you described, it's fairly probable that the frame is bent. That would make it a write-off as others have said. Again, sorry it happened to you.

[mandarinvx]

Bletch's original thread here

[Pidgeon]

To clarify the legal position, if the car is damaged by others (be that a garage or another motorist), you are entitled to be returned to the position you were in before the accident. However, the law does not recognise that a repair to the car will reduce its value. If the car is written off, then it is simply a matter of negotiating a fair settlement representing the value of the car pre-accident. Only after an insurance total loss is the car 'recorded' with that resulting impediment to the value. If an engineer/assessor deems the car repairable, then modern bodyshops only work on the basis that they return the damaged parts to factory condition - in other words, no-one other than a real expert will be able to spot that any repair has occured. During the repair process you are entitled to a vehicle of equivalent quality at the cost of the liable party. Anything more than the above will be a matter for the dealerships discretion. In Sean's case, I understand the car was not written off (and is now being advertised without reference to the accident), but the insurers paid out upon a total loss basis. Any request for a 'new car' is beyond your rights. Circumstances and culpability are irrelevant to the retribution.

[stu-vx200]

As the Managing Director has not came back to me with a reasonable response to this matter I am now going to name and shame his dealerships,



!! Vauxhall Grasmere Crewe !!



Please do not take your cars to any of the Grasmere garages (Cheadle, Crewe, Nantwich, Congleton and Macclesfield) as the Managing director must think this behaviour in our cars is acceptable as he has not done anything to resolve this!


Thanks again for all you help and information, Hope TMS can sort this out for me

[XXX]

Shame it had to get to this stage. Surely a multi-site dealership such as this would bend over backwards to sort this situation out for their customer.....

[VIX]

Surely a multi-site dealership such as this would bend over backwards to sort this situation out for their customer.....

[crsnwby]

Ring the MD of the garage tell him the Sun are interested in publishing the story in the next few weeks then see what he says about that publicity...

[~PHIL~]

As the Managing Director has not came back to me with a reasonable response to this matter

What was his or her response out of interest?

[ad172]

I was gutted to read about this story last week - It must be everyone's worst nightmare. I appreciate accidents do happen but you have to ask why the mechanic was in a car park on a test drive. Surely he should be on public roads. Secondly, and more importantly, what was he was doing to lose control and cause so much damage. I doubt he was going 5-10 mph. As Partridge has said I think expecting a new car is going to be a bit too much. Personally I would really be pushing for them to buy the car from you at a value to that of the car before the accident/time of purchase. This is obviously very frustrating as it means you will have to find another VX etc. The annoying aspect of this is the garage will probably repair the car and then advertise/sell it for more than they paid you off for!!! Alternatively, and only if you are happy to accept a repair, I would instruct the garage to repair the car, at a repairer of your choice, ensuring that you have a car of similar standard to the VX while the repair is taking place. To give you an example I have had (and others on here) a Porsche Boxster and Z4(this was good fun at the National!!) during non-fault repairs. Ultimately the best thing you can do, if you haven't already, is seek the advice of a solictor. The couple of hundred quid that you spend on this will be money well spent, you should recover this cost at the end/settlement, and having a solicitor advise you will carry a lot more weight when you speak to the garage! Good Luck and keep us posted Adam

Edited by ad172, 31 July 2007 - 10:27 AM.

[dw1]

Accidents happen and your is bad enough (gutted for you) but the lack of response from the garage is a disgrace. Go legal and hard, I'd ask for a full refund plus work out a sum that covers your legal expenses and them to provide similar level car for an agreed period of time (say two months) whilst you find another VX, given the rarity of these cars it can take 2 months to find a good one. Put serious pressure on the local branch. It might be worth giving one of those no win no fee outfits a call?? Don' tknow how good they are though.

[theotherjonnymac]

Ring the MD of the garage tell him the Sun are interested in publishing the story in the next few weeks then see what he says about that publicity...

"What Car" like stories like these

Vauxhall own Saab do they not!

[robfenn]

Yeah, Whatcar and Auto Express seem to like these sort of stories and sometimes get a much better result than normal because of the publicity involved

[theotherjonnymac]

my husband's saab has been in and out of various saab dealers in the last few months with gearbox trouble, the other day he was doing something to the windscreen when he noticed that somebody has scraped the roof of the car then attempted to patch it up really badly - it obviously must have been done recently in one of the garages, but we don't know which one so can't do anything, they're all proper saab dealerships and they pull this sort of scam on us - so it's not just vauxhall that are complete buggers.....!

Vauxhall own Saab do they not?