Damage after mot/service

aileth

Hi all, my car was in for a service today. On getting it back the car has a large dent/chipped paint next to the door crack on the passenger side like the door has been swung into something and lots of dents and scuffs on the passenger wheel arch. The car has been at the garage all day, my husband came straight from picking it up to meet me after work and that's when I noticed it. It looks like its gone into a wall or pillar.

Now, this damage was 120% not there before it was dropped off. I check the car every morning for damage as we have bad neighbours who would happily key the car and I always check before we leave to make sure they haven't.

What is my recourse? I just want the damage fixing, but all I have is my word that it was undamaged this morning.

Jack_Regan

It may not be what you know and more of a case of what you can prove.

But until you speak to the garage you'll never know.

aileth

Well we can't prove anything except that's where the car was all day. My OH used to be a bodywork technician so he could fix it, but the dents would need pulling out and he doesn't have the equipment, and I don't suppose the mazda garage would let us go into their repair shop and 'borrow' their tools!

m0bov

They should have completed a walk round with you present before the car goes in for any work. Did they complete the form? If not, then its hard for them to disprove it.

Foxy-Stoat_3

m0bov wrote: »

They should have completed a walk round with you present before the car goes in for any work. Did they complete the form? If not, then its hard for them to disprove it.

Have never done this in my 20+ years of driving......DOH !

mcfisco

m0bov wrote: »

They should have completed a walk round with you present before the car goes in for any work. Did they complete the form? If not, then its hard for them to disprove it.

The burden of proof usually works the other way
It'll be for the accuser to prove rather than the accused to disprove

aileth

m0bov wrote: »

They should have completed a walk round with you present before the car goes in for any work. Did they complete the form? If not, then its hard for them to disprove it.

Which form? From what my OH has told me, they rang him said it's ready, he rolled up, got the bill and then just drove straight off.

dld2s

m0bov wrote: »

They should have completed a walk round with you present before the car goes in for any work. Did they complete the form? If not, then its hard for them to disprove it.

I have only ever had this done by one main dealer and that was Citroen Glasgow, they would check the car with you when you brought it in and the same when you collected it, no other dealer I have used have ever did this (Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, Audi)


Personally I thought it was a good idea, protected the dealer and protected the customer, wish they all did it

aileth

My OH has been this morning and they say that they apparently checked the CCTV and there was no damage, and I probably would've accepted that there and then.

Well, that is until they basically tried to back my OH in a corner for them to fix it (and charge for it) and saying that there's 'no way' it could polish out and needs a good bit of work doing to it.

My OH used to be a bodywork technician (he kept this fact quiet from them) and knows for a fact it could polish out, so looking rather suspicious that they apparently didn't cause the damage but then tried to blow the job up bigger to try and charge us more for something totally unnecessary, so even if somehow they hadn't caused the damage, they totally shot themselves in the foot as regards fixing it.

We're not going to take it any further, but today pretty much confirmed that they're cowboys and we will be taking our business elsewhere.

Jack_Regan

aileth wrote: »

My OH has been this morning and they say that they apparently checked the CCTV and there was no damage, and I probably would've accepted that there and then.

Well, that is until they basically tried to back my OH in a corner for them to fix it (and charge for it) and saying that there's 'no way' it could polish out and needs a good bit of work doing to it.

My OH used to be a bodywork technician (he kept this fact quiet from them) and knows for a fact it could polish out, so looking rather suspicious that they apparently didn't cause the damage but then tried to blow the job up bigger to try and charge us more for something totally unnecessary, so even if somehow they hadn't caused the damage, they totally shot themselves in the foot as regards fixing it.

We're not going to take it any further, but today pretty much confirmed that they're cowboys and we will be taking our business elsewhere.

So why hasn't your oh just polished it out?

aileth

Well, because they caused the damage and we didn't particularly want to spend £10 on a tub of paint for something not our fault and caused while under the duty of care of the garage.