Dmage to car at garage

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Thu 2 Mar 2006 17:40
Dmage to car at garage - greenhey
I have a Vectra where a warranty problem on the fuel system has been so hard to fix I left it with the dealer yesterday for 2 days .The dealer is 15 miles away,, and I am self-emploed, so round-trips are a waste of time and money.
Collecting the car today, they told me the fuel problem was fixed but when I went to the car I found it had been damaged. the cover for the drivers door mirror had gone.It was there yesterday morning.
When I went back after a lot of shuffling abut they looked at the car, then dug out workshop papers which showed the mechanic had noted the missing cover while he had it . But it was not mentioned to me while it was in the garage or when I collected the keys.
I asked to speak to the Service Manager , who said they would get another, paint and fit it. I pointed out it was another round-trip using fuel and time .He wasnt interested in that.
I think they should recompense me as I think the damage is their responsibility. He implied I could have left the car yesterday with the damage done in the hope of now getting it done free by conning them.
I think I'm right- once they have the car, it's in their care. if the damage was done by an employee or another customer is not my problem
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Thu 2 Mar 2006 18:16
Dmage to car at garage - Vansboy
You COULD start a big fuss - but more than likely not get anywhere.

Best let them sort it & then it's over with.

Maybe they have a run around car, you could borrow, while it's there??

VB
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Thu 2 Mar 2006 19:09
Dmage to car at garage - BobbyG
My Scenic was in the garage yesterday and after I got it back I realised my bluetooth headset was missing. It was not where I usually keep it. I was raging, how can I prove it was in the car, what else are the mechanics helping themselves to, how many people would have actually had access to my car between mechanics, valeters etc etc.

This was all going round in my head and as I reached into the door pocket to get my sunglasses, I found my bluetooth. They obviously took it off the dash as they were investigating a rattle from there!

What I am trying to say is how do you know for definite that it was intact when you went in? Its easy to immediately blame the garage etc!
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Thu 2 Mar 2006 19:42
Dmage to car at garage - Hugo {P}
They've offered to fix the car, they may or maynot realise they are responsible.

If you took it further I strongly suspect you'd actually get less than what you offered.

Ypu have to put yourselves in their shoes. If you had serviced the car and decided to give the customer the benefit of the doubt about a missing part, it will seem a bit of a kick in the pants if he then tries to extract more out of you. I appraciate that's not how you see it, but that may well be his point of view.

H
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