Garage smashed fuel tank during tyre change

DariaEs

Listen guys, I dont understand why are you so mean. I asked for more legal advice and you started speculating if it actually happend or whatever else.as I know It was hydraulic jack, The One with long hand and wheels. He Just lifted the car carelessly and there is a bent in the tank and the seal gone. I hope you never going to be in situation where you have to do what you shouldnt as you have no other options. Now we got a second car. He was filling up the petrol for a few quids as WE HAD to use the car. Thanks for worrying about the tires. They are fine... Now I See I am not gonna find any proper advice amongst people like you who knows their best... 

AdrianC

DariaEs said:

Listem guys, I dont understand why are you so mean. I asked for more legal advice and you started speculating if it actually happend or whatever else.as I know It was hydraulic jack, The One with long hand and wheels. He Just lifted the car carelessly and there is a bent in the tank and the seal gone. I hope you never going to be in situation where you have to do what you shouldnt as you have no other options. Now we got a second car. He was filling up the petrol for a few quids as WE HAD to use the car. Thanks for worrying about the tires. They are fine... Now I See I am not gonna find any proper advice among people like you who know their best... 

I think you might be missing the point.

There's no doubt that a ham-fisted tyre fitter can do damage with a trolley jack in the wrong place - and, yes, put it under the tank and you'll !!!!!! the tank. It's happened before, many times, and it'll happen again.

If he accepts it's his fault, and pays for the damage, then great.

But... if he doesn't... Then what? Repair the car, small claim for the cost. But can you prove it? What will his defence to the claim be? How will the court view it?

Jakg

treeroy said:

Does the garage actually even use a jack to work on cars? 99% of garages use lifting bays...

I'm not surprised that they are hesitant as it sounds pretty odd.

Garages, sure, but tyre fitters, often not.

MinuteNoodles

treeroy said:

Does the garage actually even use a jack to work on cars? 99% of garages use lifting bays...

My local garage whose main business is a tyre fitters that does MOTs do. They have four bays, three have ramps, the fourth is the bay the brake tester is on. When it's busy, which it always is, they'll have a car in for tyres on the MOT brake tester bay and use jacks to lift it up one side at a time to change the tyres.

Scrapit

How do you jack a car by the tank? Was it work experience week or something? And I'd not trust anyone with onions let alone a car if they kept filling up a leaking tank, even if it was with quids.

ElephantBoy57

Scrapit said:

How do you jack a car by the tank? Was it work experience week or something?

That is what the OP needs to take on board, most people cannot believe that is what happened, so are asking for more details. It might be easier to prove if its a regular occurrence.

The OP needs to write down how the tyre was changed, maybe be a young lad, when it was a very busy time with no supervision, all regular bays full, etc

born_again

ElephantBoy57 said:

Scrapit said:

How do you jack a car by the tank? Was it work experience week or something?

That is what the OP needs to take on board, most people cannot believe that is what happened, so are asking for more details. It might be easier to prove if its a regular occurrence.

Because if they had damaged the tank. You should have noticed the leak pretty much straight away.

Norman_Castle

treeroy said:

Does the garage actually even use a jack to work on cars? 99% of garages use lifting bays...

The garage will have a limited number of ramps often needed for other work. Pointless moving cars off one just to remove wheels.

Two independent tyre centres local to me only use trolley jacks.

Takmon

DariaEs said:

ElephantBoy57 said:

DariaEs said:

Hi guys, I am having huge problem as over a month ago I went to local garage to change my tires. Day after I got the car back I've noticed that fuel is leaking. Then I had a look underneath the car and realised that the fuel tank is smashed from a jack.

What sort of car is it? Changing tyres is quite an easy thing, I would be surprised if it was done changing your tyres.

You have zero proof that is when it happened.

It's Toyota RAV4, my partner grew up in garage and he knows his onions. There is even a mark from the jack on the tank. Of cours I have a proof, my partner was filling up the whole tank every few days and paying by card so his account showing since it happend he was filling up for f10. He has a pictures of a jack's in the garage and I do believe it might be confirmed by the other garage how the damage was done. 

I paid for tyres by debit card 

Well make your mind up first your saying that your partner was filling the whole tank every few days and now...

DariaEs said:

Listen guys, I dont understand why are you so mean. I asked for more legal advice and you started speculating if it actually happend or whatever else.as I know It was hydraulic jack, The One with long hand and wheels. He Just lifted the car carelessly and there is a bent in the tank and the seal gone. I hope you never going to be in situation where you have to do what you shouldnt as you have no other options. Now we got a second car. He was filling up the petrol for a few quids as WE HAD to use the car. Thanks for worrying about the tires. They are fine... Now I See I am not gonna find any proper advice amongst people like you who knows their best... 

But now your saying they only filled up a few quid... so you have completely changed your story and your wondering why people are questioning you...

sweetsand

ElephantBoy57 said:

DariaEs said:

Hi guys, I am having huge problem as over a month ago I went to local garage to change my tires. Day after I got the car back I've noticed that fuel is leaking. Then I had a look underneath the car and realised that the fuel tank is smashed from a jack.

What sort of car is it? Changing tyres is quite an easy thing, I would be surprised if it was done changing your tyres.

You have zero proof that is when it happened.

It's only "easy" when you know what you are doing ie where the jack points are. Years ago we had a puncture, slow one  OH was driving I was in the car - took ot to the first tyre fitter a well known big name - the lifts were all busy so the jacked up the car and my OH noted that young man looked lost and nearly jacked up the car on the wrong part of the car told him to stop - the manager came out and apologised and did the tyre change - we would never use them again