Hi,
I purchased a 2001Y Seat Ibiza Cupra from Wills and Ellis Seat in York on Wednesday, on finance. From the start, it hasn't been a very good experience. The finance documentation was poorly explained, and they have signed me up for GAP insurance without my consent - which I would have probably gone for, but it would have been nice to be asked.
I then drove back to Sheffield, where I live, and stopped off in the city centre to get something to eat. Returning to the car and starting it, the engine check light illuminated on the dashboard. This was less than two hours after collecting the car.
As by this time, it was evening, I drove the car home. Yesterday morning, I took it to my local Seat dealer, Autoworld of Chesterfield (not where I bought it). They were helpful, and offered to put it on the diagnostic machine to find out what the problem was. The service dealer went to drive my car from the front of the garage to the service department, and promptly crashed it on the road outside the dealership! That's less than 20 hours after I bought it!
The guy was very apologetic, and the car will be getting put through the bodyshop as quickly as possible (needs new bonnet, bumper, head/foglight, and wing, at least). They have also got me a courtesy car, but I expect that will be all.
However, I'm concerned as to the lasting impact of this. When I choose to sell the car in a year or two, I will most likely get less for it than I would if it was accident-free, especially if I sell it privately. Is it reasonable to expect some kind of cash compensation due to this? Members of a Seat forum suggested I should ask for compensation due to the reduced value of the car as well as free servicing for a period due to the hassle this has caused me.
Is this reasonable? How would I go about persuading them that their responsibility is greater than simply fixing the vehicle?
Many thanks for your help!
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Really sorry to hear about your problems. Nothing worse than having a nice new (or nearly new) car damaged so soon. I know, because somebody kindly knocked in the front wing of my new C5 in a car park (and didn't bother to leave details!!) - just a few months after buying it. You feel your whole investment has been ruined.
Having said that, though, my C5 was returned from the bodyshop every bit as good as it was when I bought it. The new wing is genuine Citroen (pre-galvanized etc) the paint finish is absolutely indistinguishable from the rest and every piece of trim has been replaced with 100% accuracy. The whole thing also came with a 3 year warranty on the work. I now forget it happened, because there is no trace left. Granted, of course, the damage done was relatively superficial and there is no chance of 'hidden' damage.
I think I'd maybe hold fire and see what sort of job they make. The fact that it was their fault might spur them on to do an 'extra special' job.
I suppose if they had been obviously negligent in handling your car you might have had a case for compensation, but realistically, you might well have been driving yourself when it happened. Sounds like a genuine 'accident' (???)
At the very least, I'd let them know in no uncertain terms that you want the car EXACTLY as it was pre-accident.
Good luck.
Graeme
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The only thing I would do is get a written statement from the dealer detailing EXACTLY what parts are to be replaced.
Also, make sure that the work is guaranteed for a period of time. Get this in writing as well.
If possible, have a word with the Dealer Principle
If they do a good job joe public (and many dealers besides) would never know any different.
There will be pressure on the Service Manager to reduce costs on this one as the dealer probably won\'t be getting paid for it. So be aware. Be a pain in the pink fluffy dice if you have to, after all it is your investment.
It\'s a pity they didn\'t write it off really, they would have probably offered you similar or better from the forecourt. I know of an instance where someone had a 3 dr Almera written off by the dealership and he got a 5 dr in return, plus I think the spec was higher.
As for compensation, a couple of free services (include a major one if you can) and some accessories may be quite in order on the basis that the car is repaired to your satisfaction.
H
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Whilst I sympathise wth your dilema I cant help feeling a little bit sorry for the dealer in Sheffield. You buy the car in York ( presumably because they gave you a better deal) and then take it straight into Sheffield with the problem.
Now I know warranty work is covered by the manufacturer so there is no financial loss, but how do you think the dealer feels. They are having to repair the car and supply a courtesy car for what? I suppose had it been the supplying dealer you would have been able to negociate a replacement car but the Sheffield dealer is not going to be so enthusiastic.
I would imagine that providing the car is returned in the same condition as it was prior to damage they have fulfilled their obligations.
You would be surprised at hom many new cars are subject to paint and body repairs prior to sale due to transit ( not Ford!) damage. However your damage sounds far in excess of the norm!. Sounds like this one is going to be down to experience. Must have taken the shine off the day.
Fullchat
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The car wasn't new, and as it's a comparatively rare model, I was prepared to drive a fair distance to get one I wanted. The Sheffield dealer had no Ibiza Cupras in at all, so I couldn't have bought it from them.
I would have driven the car to York to get the original fault checked, but it felt unwise to drive the car 60 miles up the motorway with the engine check light on. However, both mine and the local dealer's day would have been better had I done so!
I'm also not looking to persecute the local dealer, or especially the poor guy who crashed my car (who was obviously pretty shook up by it). However, the fact remains that I drove a perfect car into the dealership yesterday, and will now have one with an accident repair. As it's not exactly a bog-standard supermini (1.8T 156bhp engine in a Polo-sized car), I would expect most private buyers to be on the alert for any damage. They're not going to offer me the same amount they would for an undamaged car.
I understand that many cars are damaged and repaired before beign sold initially to the customer. However, I don't believe that the damage is often as serious as it was to my vehicle, and an AA/RAC inspection by a potential buyer is likely to show that up. Anyway, I would have a legal requirement to inform a buyer of any accidents I knew the car had been in before they bought it, should they ask - which I would not know about if it had been damaged and repaired pre-delivery.
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Been a long day. Thought it was a "brand spanker"
Fullchat
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Perhaps paints have improved since my experience of a decade ago, but I found that paintwork repairs that looked OK on day one, showed considerable fading after a couple of years. You could see there had been a repair. Obviously some colours are worse than others.
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I would imagine this is covered by insurance, so no need for anyone to feel sorry for the dealer...
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If it's any comfort, an experience my friend had a few years ago should help.
He seriously pranged his 14 month old Carlton estate to the extent that it could not even be driven. A front end smash with another car and without airbags (ouch!) left the car looking decisivly banana shaped.
The Vauxhall dealership took it away and fixed it. Apart from the fact that he could not tell the difference - ever, the front of the car outlasted the rest.
He was the only ever owner of that car and when he eventually scrapped it last year due to corrosion, the front was in considerabley better condition than the rest.
H
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"the front was in considerabley better condition than the rest."
And so it should. It was 14 months newer!
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\"the front was in considerabley better condition than the rest.\" And so it should. It was 14 months newer!
Smokie
The point I was trying to make is that, when the car was scrapped at 13yrs old plus, the rear of the car from the front doors back to the tailgate was as rotten as a pear, whereas the front (wings and bonnet) had aged considerably better.
This was probably due to the attention to detail paid to it in the GM bodyshop.
Not due to the fact that they were just newer.
Hence, the car that now needs to be repaired, may have better lasting rust prevension on all the replaced body parts, so in any case the panels that have been replaced should outlast the rest of the car, rather than not last as long as the unrepaired areas.
H
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They have crashed your car, and admitted liability.
I certainly would not let them repair it. I'd go to a reputable main dealer or bodyshop and get Autoworld to pay for it, through their motor trader compulsory insurance.
If you just let them fix it, how do you know they won't just do a cheap bodge job?
I'd also be looking for compensation. A repaired car is never as good as an undamaged one.
Beware of paints. I had a Red Passat damaged some years ago. Looked perfect when I collected it, but at night, under yellow street lamps the paint was a patchwork quilt, like that harlequin polo VW once made.
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I smashed the front of my old Merc up not long after I bought it. The local M.B. dealer carried out the repairs and resprayed both front wings and the bonnet.
5yrs and 120,000 miles later when I sold it the whole car was perfect. You could not tell it had been in any accident, let alone a major frontal impact.
If they do the job properly then it will be fine and if not just make them do it until your happy.
I'm sure it will work out ok.
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I agree with Marcos, if the bodyshop is reputable, then you should not be able to see any difference between the original paint and the re-sprayed parts. I've had several repairs and part re-sprays done over the years and the local bodyshop I always use do a top job every time.
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I've had a few minor bodyshop repairs over the years done through main dealers. The repairs have always started rusting or bubbling a few years later when the bodyshop doesn't want to know.
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My Citroen XM suffered damage to its doors when another car didn't see me...
The doors were reskinned/resprayed and 8 years later you couldn't see any sign of repair.
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