HELP! Courtesy car flat tyre.

efc140597

Hi,

I have a courtesy car at the min, all paid for through third party insurance, no cost to myself. When I took the car they offered me £0 excess which the third party insurance pay for as well.. they didn't offer me anything else. My contract from them says
"Optional extras accepted - £0 excess."
Optional extras declined - "No optional extras declined"

I now have a slow puncture in a tyre, they are run flats on a premium car. Tyre replacement will be £250. Am I liable to pay this? I understand in the T&Cs it says that unless you get roadside assistance protection then you are liable but I wasn't offered this and it states on the contract that I didn't decline any additional extras? If I was offered it I would have got it.

The company is closed today due to bank holiday, I called the 24 hour line who told me that they cannot check my contract with them and that I may or may not have to pay depending on what cover I have? She said when a Kwik Fit garage opens tomorrow I should take it there where they will replace the tyre and send a bill to the company and then they will let me know whether I am liable depending on what cover I have?

Any advice? Should I tell the branch I hired the car from? Am I liable for the tyre replacement? I wasn't offered the RAP, and they have stated in the contract that I haven't declined any additional extras but it also doesn't say I have accepted it?

Any advice greatly appreciated, THANKS!

consumers_revenge

depending on how slow it is I would just blow it up and return it.


after they take it back it could get a nail in their car park as far as youre concerned. Unless of course you can see a nail now?


how do you know its not just badly sealing against the rim? I thought I had a slow puncture and it was that in the end. No damage to the tyre at all. you wouldn't be responsible for that and it could already be there.


how do you know?
how do you know?

Aylesbury_Duck

Without seeing the terms of the excess waiver, no one is going to be able to tell you whether you’re liable or not.

custardy

if its a 'proper' hire car/courtesy car set up then IME they all have cover.
Does it have a spare?
I would be topping up the air until they are open.
Kwik fit arent gonna change a tyre on your say and bill some random company. Come on??
how slow is the puncture and how long do you expect to have the car?

facade

Ring a couple of the local tyre places, NOT National chains, and see if they will repair a run-flat.


Provided that you haven't driven on it when it was flat, some manufacturers (Dunlop Bridgestone Firestone Goodyear & Michelin) agree that they can be repaired, but the National chains won't do it, as if you actually drive on a flat run-flat it can cause internal damage that the tyre fitter can't see and they won't sign off on a repair.


etyres will repair any of the above makes, provided it is legal & safe to do so (depends on the location & nature of the puncture)

efc140597

Pressure warning came on on Friday, checked tyre couldn't see anything. Put air in, came up again today, checked tyre and this time noticed a small metal object in the tyre, looked like a nail without the head. Phoned "WELL KNOWN HIRE COMPANY" 24/7 line as the branch is closed due to bank holiday. They said they have a contract with Kwik Fit and if I take the car there they will do necessary work and bill the WELL KNOWN HIRE COMPANY and then the specific branch I have hired the car from will let me know when I take the car back if I am liable to pay and it will be given to me as a bill to pay.

custardy

efc140597 wrote: »

Pressure warning came on on Friday, checked tyre couldn't see anything. Put air in, came up again today, checked tyre and this time noticed a small metal object in the tyre, looked like a nail without the head. Phoned "WELL KNOWN HIRE COMPANY" 24/7 line as the branch is closed due to bank holiday. They said they have a contract with Kwik Fit and if I take the car there they will do necessary work and bill the WELL KNOWN HIRE COMPANY and then the specific branch I have hired the car from will let me know when I take the car back if I am liable to pay and it will be given to me as a bill to pay.

well you have no need to be flapping about going to kwikfit.
it lasted the whole weekend,so it can wait till tomorrow.
Why would you risk being stuck with a bill?
Unless you have the car long term,I would be keeping the tyre topped up

efc140597

custardy wrote: »

well you have no need to be flapping about going to kwikfit.
it lasted the whole weekend,so it can wait till tomorrow.
Why would you risk being stuck with a bill?
Unless you have the car long term,I would be keeping the tyre topped up

It was about a 5 week rental my current car is in garage getting repaired and has been in for about 4 weeks, maybe another week left with car? Should I just top up air and say nothing?

custardy

efc140597 wrote: »

It was about a 5 week rental my current car is in garage getting repaired and has been in for about 4 weeks, maybe another week left with car? Should I just top up air and say nothing?

I cant tell you what to do.
I certainly would be doing much more than topping up the air.

facade

Kwik-Fit won't repair it, they will replace it, and you will get to pay, unless you can prove that it was punctured before you had it.


You might think it is part of the running expenses, but it is actually damage that you have done.


Imagine if you lent your car to someone, and they brought it back and gave you a bill for £250 because they had a puncture when they were driving it (possibly in that cross-hatched part of the road where all the rubbish collects that you would never drive on....)

efc140597

facade wrote: »

Kwik-Fit won't repair it, they will replace it, and you will get to pay, unless you can prove that it was punctured before you had it.


You might think it is part of the running expenses, but it is actually damage that you have done.


Imagine if you lent your car to someone, and they brought it back and gave you a bill for £250 because they had a puncture when they were driving it (possibly in that cross-hatched part of the road where all the rubbish collects that you would never drive on....)

Totally understand that... however, my point is that I was not offered RAP and it states in the contract that I did not decline any additional extra cover. If it said in my contract that I declined RAP then yes I would 100% be happy and willing to pay for the new tyre because I didn't take out any protection on it.. just like if I had a mobile phone with no insurance and I dropped it then I would have to pay for it because I chose not to get additional cover. But the problem lies with my contract saying I did NOT decline any addiotnal extras. So they didn't offer me tyre protection when they should have, as I would have taken it out an now not have to soon become £250 out of pocket. So my question is should I have to pay?