Best way to confront dealership (scratches)

**allbaugh_04** · 07-18-2010, 05:16 PM

I need some good advice. If you work at a dealership or have common sense, please post suggestions.

I paid 1100 dollars to get my hail damaged removed and it came back looking worse than before.

I called them immediately and they say they are gonna look at the pictures they took before hand to see if the scratches were there. I seen him take pictures and it was maybe a hundred dollar camera...no way in hell they are gonna see this in the pictures. Perhaps that proves the paint was mint in the first place, I guess we will see.

I called my agent just now too and he says, "this doesn't sound good. looks like you have been taken advantage of." He says he'll do everything he can to help me, but if they don't man up and take responsibility for what happened, he said I'll have to pay another deductible

The reason he says this is because 12 miles were put on my car and at least 2 gallons of gas were put in it...yea I wrote down the mileage to the .1 mile and sure enough they took a joy ride I bet. I left the car with fumes in it intentionally and on E.

I'm so pissed, i know every fucking inch of this exterior paint and every scratch or nick, so they better not even think of telling me they were already there. The paint is fucking mint besides 2 known scratches not related to the area they were working on the car.

They told me to bring it in next week to take a look at it.

Do I mention the mileage or do I use it as leway after they try to fuck me over? I don't really want them to fix the car in fear of another joy ride. The nearest gas station is maybe 1 mile away and 1 mile back...not 12.

This is a huge GM dealership in Omaha, so I really expected better results and more professionalism than this.

**cammed goat** · 07-18-2010, 05:21 PM

I would bring up the mileage as soon as you get to the shop that did the work. If they took a joyride, then it is THEIR fault. I have NEVER heard of taking a car for a drive after bodywork was done.

**allbaugh_04** · 07-18-2010, 05:25 PM

I have no proof, so I could be called a liar.

I have spoken with one of the bigger managers before a few months ago. I don't know if I should go straight to him or the body shop manager who will defend his workers to the death, i'm sure....

I met the upper management a few months ago cuz they considered me for a tech. position.

**cammed goat** · 07-18-2010, 05:58 PM

I STILL don't see the reason for a bodyshop to take your car out for a joyride. If they were to wreck IT'S THEIR FAULT.

**allbaugh_04** · 07-18-2010, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by cammed goat

I STILL don't see the reason for a bodyshop to take your car out for a joyride. If they were to wreck IT'S THEIR FAULT.

And I would get 8k for a car I have 6k in parts in....

I'll see what I can do..

**dav-02ws6-m6** · 07-18-2010, 07:15 PM

this sounds kind of familiar i remember reading a thread about a member taking his car to the dealer to have it servise and one of the guys took it for a joyride and ended up totalled i think it was here but not for sure. sorry to hear that man

**KMdef9** · 07-18-2010, 07:15 PM

That sucks to hear that man.

I wouldn't walk in there with a hot head, no one likes a dickhead. With my experience, being calm, collect and know what you talking about will take you much farther with them than screaming. I'd line up everything you have; pics, the mileage facts, etc, before you present your problem to them. Hopefully, they'll be overwhelmed/off guard and won't bother fucking with you and make up for their mistake.

If they tell you F*** off, I would tell them your going to newspaper or local news to burn their name.

If they're still telling you to get lost, go to the paper/news station and file a suit.

**allbaugh_04** · 07-18-2010, 07:23 PM

I'm a pretty calm person. I had my blood boiling on the drive home when I noticed the mileage. Then i was a little more upset when I noticed the scratches.

I won't be screaming at them or anything like that. I know you can get much further being calm, thanks, that's good advice.

We have a news station that does that kind of thing. Called 6 on your side....that'll be the back up plan.

**Z28boy2000** · 07-18-2010, 08:35 PM

im defiantly interested to see how this turns out, i took my car into a local dealership 2yrs ago to have an a-arm bushing replaced and when i got the car back someone put 18miles on my car. I talked to the manager and at first he said that was impossible but, i took a pic of the odometer (with the date on) when i dropped it off (my dad always told me to do that nomatter where i was bringing my car for work) and it was sure enough 18miles less than it had sitting outside the shop....long story short free Mobile 1 oil changes for life

worked out pretty well for me, i hope that they serve you right

**RyanJM** · 07-18-2010, 10:49 PM

Well all I can tell you is I have my own bodyshop and never drive cars anywhere except in and out of the doors. I actually let most customers to drive there own cars in since it's only 2 bays. I have a $200 Sony and take before pics. and after to show off my work with club members cars but if it's someone I don't know that was refered I walk the car for any damage I'm not repairing take pics and have them sign a receipt book if their is any to cover me. I have done worked on Vette's, Camaro's, TA's, Mercedes, Mustangs,and even a honda or KIA but reat every car the same. I mean my friend brought me his 500Hp EVO and a 600 plus Hp Supra and I can tell you I would have loved to take either for a spin but it's not proffecional and dangerous if the vehicles happened to get damaged. If I did any suspension repair that needed to be test driven to check that everything is ok I call my customers and ask if I can test drive it or if they would prefer to test drive it and if it's ok they can take it.

Also I bought a brand new Mustang GT in 1996 and brought it in for warranty work and the service writer actually came out and did a full walk around for any damage and we signed off their was none since it was a week old and had 300miles. Very proffecional. I then took it to another local Ford dealer for a bad lighter plug an the serpentine belt blew off everytime I passed 5000RPM, I was a little buzzed and hit the revlimiter one night a week before. I go back 2 days later to get it and they can't figure out why the belt slipped but fixed the lighter and said I was racing it since I hit the revlimiter. I told him I was just driving fast since that is the reason to buy a V8 not a V6. I walked outside and my hood was scrathed from what looked like mechanics using it as a tool box stand. I went in and politly explained the damage. The guy walked out and said it wasn't them it came in like that. So I walked outside got my registation and showed them it was not even a month old and hd 1000 miles and every part including the interior were mint why would I have been so stupid. So they denied it so I started getting angry and throwing pencil cups and stacks of ppers and kicking desks until all the customes left even the ones looking to buy cars in the showroom wanted nothing to do with them. So the agreed to fix it. I came back 2 more days later and the scratches were gone and swirl marks all over the hood and fenders from a terrible wet sand and buff job. At that point I told the body shop manager he was a hack and said some other colorful things got in the car and left 40 feet of rubber from the backlot to the front of the showroom. I ended up taking it to my detail guy and he fixed it for free since I brought him all my cars and referred my friends since he was the best in the area. He made a 2 year old Grand Am GT better than when it came off the showroom. He did such a good job I paid him to do the rest of the car since the front looked too good. The car was done and looked better than when I bought it. Sometime with dealerships you have to start nice then push and push even if you have to cause a problem. Worst case take them to court or tell them you'll call the local new and tell them the dealer is joyriding vehicles in for paint repair. They have some bad reps for dealers tech crashing cars especially over the past year.

**tep98ws6** · 07-19-2010, 06:42 AM

bring up the mileage. show them photos (if you have any) of before the work was done. raise hell. i'd be uncontrollably pissed. if they don't want to work with you, bring in someone that will - IE, lawyer or like you said, a news channel.

i hope it works out for you

**blue02Z** · 07-19-2010, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by ryanjm

well all i can tell you is i have my own bodyshop and never drive cars anywhere except in and out of the doors. I actually let most customers to drive there own cars in since it's only 2 bays. I have a $200 sony and take before pics. And after to show off my work with club members cars but if it's someone i don't know that was refered i walk the car for any damage i'm not repairing take pics and have them sign a receipt book if their is any to cover me. I have done worked on vette's, camaro's, ta's, mercedes, mustangs,and even a honda or kia but reat every car the same. I mean my friend brought me his 500hp evo and a 600 plus hp supra and i can tell you i would have loved to take either for a spin but it's not proffecional and dangerous if the vehicles happened to get damaged. If i did any suspension repair that needed to be test driven to check that everything is ok i call my customers and ask if i can test drive it or if they would prefer to test drive it and if it's ok they can take it.

Also i bought a brand new mustang gt in 1996 and brought it in for warranty work and the service writer actually came out and did a full walk around for any damage and we signed off their was none since it was a week old and had 300miles. Very proffecional. I then took it to another local ford dealer for a bad lighter plug an the serpentine belt blew off everytime i passed 5000rpm, i was a little buzzed and hit the revlimiter one night a week before. I go back 2 days later to get it and they can't figure out why the belt slipped but fixed the lighter and said i was racing it since i hit the revlimiter. I told him i was just driving fast since that is the reason to buy a v8 not a v6. I walked outside and my hood was scrathed from what looked like mechanics using it as a tool box stand. I went in and politly explained the damage. The guy walked out and said it wasn't them it came in like that. So i walked outside got my registation and showed them it was not even a month old and hd 1000 miles and every part including the interior were mint why would i have been so stupid. So they denied it so i started getting angry and throwing pencil cups and stacks of ppers and kicking desks until all the customes left even the ones looking to buy cars in the showroom wanted nothing to do with them. So the agreed to fix it. I came back 2 more days later and the scratches were gone and swirl marks all over the hood and fenders from a terrible wet sand and buff job. At that point i told the body shop manager he was a hack and said some other colorful things got in the car and left 40 feet of rubber from the backlot to the front of the showroom. I ended up taking it to my detail guy and he fixed it for free since i brought him all my cars and referred my friends since he was the best in the area. He made a 2 year old grand am gt better than when it came off the showroom. He did such a good job i paid him to do the rest of the car since the front looked too good. The car was done and looked better than when i bought it. Sometime with dealerships you have to start nice then push and push even if you have to cause a problem. Worst case take them to court or tell them you'll call the local new and tell them the dealer is joyriding vehicles in for paint repair. They have some bad reps for dealers tech crashing cars especially over the past year.

i call

We all know that a '96 gt wont leave 40 feet of rubber...

Man I messing with ya.

To the op. I work at a dealership and i just gotta second what everyone else is saying then if they dont wanna work with you then start getting pushy

**RyanJM** · 07-19-2010, 01:25 PM

I have to call you on that after the 3.73's a few intake and exhaust mods with a set of dr's and I beat several LT1's. Especially those guys with A4 cars and those handheld programmers I had to laugh. The M6 cars were usually go either way depending on the driver and if he had mods. Only great thing about that Mustang is Ford as least sell you a car with a axle built for DR's and abuse. That rear went through hell with Dr's and 3.73's and never complained. Wish GM would have been as geneous with my TA, ya great motor and the A4 is awsome with the tune but I have already broke the 3.23's and now I have Motive 3.73's and I feel bad enough with the KDW NT's I don't wanna chance DR's till the new rear.

**allbaugh_04** · 07-19-2010, 06:24 PM

Uh, you in the wrong thread bro?

**Cutlass** · 07-19-2010, 07:35 PM

I work at a dealership. GO to the guy you know well first. get him on your side. Stay calm...at first. You can get a little fired up but stay reasonable. Remember this was probably just an accident and not intentional. People make mistakes.
Tell them about the miles they put on the car. BTW that isn't acceptable for them to drive your car that much for hail damage unless they subleted the repair out and had to drive the car the paintless dent repair place. We don't do our own hail damage repair, we sublet out. But you don't need proof to mention the miles because hopefully its documented on the repair order. GM requires documentation of miles in and out so most computerized repair order system are designed to document that.
Maybe the scratches will buff out and hopefully all will be well

**RyanJM** · 07-19-2010, 08:13 PM

I have only to say good luck if you can stay calm
And get it fixed you got lucky. I have a shop but don't do paintless dent repair so I give them the number of my friend or have him come by. To me driving a car off property is not acceptable. I used to drive to dealerships all around Houston to paint bumpers and doors if it was a customer car so they didn't have to take it off property. My only recommendation is if you get damage again call dent wizard or one of those companies and they come to your house or job and fix dings as long as no painting is needed. You can even watch them. I have a distrust of dealers since most are shady. I was painting a car at champion chevy and watched a tech moving a car across to the pick up area cut off a truck and total some poor persons Cobalt. Guessing he got fired. Their are accidents at dealers but usually it's just most people don't care and watch what there doing, I think of it more as incompetence than a accident. Now there are some good techs I know at dealers but for every good one their are 2 or 3 idiots and that's how things like this happen.

**blue02Z** · 07-20-2010, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by cutlass

i work at a dealership. Go to the guy you know well first. Get him on your side. Stay calm...at first. You can get a little fired up but stay reasonable. Remember this was probably just an accident and not intentional. People make mistakes.
Tell them about the miles they put on the car. Btw that isn't acceptable for them to drive your car that much for hail damage unless they subleted the repair out and had to drive the car the paintless dent repair place. We don't do our own hail damage repair, we sublet out. But you don't need proof to mention the miles because hopefully its documented on the repair order. Gm requires documentation of miles in and out so most computerized repair order system are designed to document that.
Maybe the scratches will buff out and hopefully all will be well

+1. Hey cutlass what ro system yall use? We are on reynolds and reynolds

**allbaugh_04** · 07-23-2010, 10:56 AM

Well I stayed calmed and explained what happen. The original adjuster took a look and didn't hesitate to take my word for it.

I didn't even mention the mileage cuz they took it back and took care of it and must of taken a lot of clear coat off, but they are gone.

Maybe two very small nicks are left, I just want it to be done with and I can't complain about that I guess?

I thanked him and was on my way. I heard him kill it several times...you can't just start it and ram it into gear. It's got a 111 LSA bud....he killed it 4x I believe and then some more after I went in the lobby....lol hope the starter is ok.

He complained about it, but I told him I just know my car and how to drive it I guess. Maybe needs the TB plate drilled out a bit more or some more tuning. I am not one to complain about it though.