New Car scratched at garage before delivered

vegtablepatch

I would like some advice please.
I paid a deposit on a new Nissan Micra Acenta with alloy wheels. Delivery due last Tuesday. On Monday garage phoned to say had been scratched on front plastic bumper, not affected paintwork, but they needed an extra day to repair and offered loan car. Went to collect new car and before made payment noticed one inch scratch on rear bumper. Car cleaner said he pushed a cage passed it and caught the car. Garage said (again) not affected paintwork just plastic and they will fix it after easter. They have loaned me car. Following advice on MSE I negotiated a price of £7990 for the car.

I would like advice on whether:
1a) Negotiate further price drop which is not likely to be successful.
1b )Accept the car for above price. ( I dont think I can get cheaper elsewhere.)
2) Refuse the car, request deposit be returned and start again.
3) Any other suggestion?

4) I am also concerned that if the damage has been covered over by the garage it may not last because I live by the sea and I have to park in drivway directly facing the sea. Is this likely?
Thanks for any help.
Vegie.:)

scheming_gypsy

Personally i'd ask for the deposit back and start again but by not buying a brand new car. Especially if you live opposite the sea, buy a second hand car as i'm pretty sure a new one won't stay too clever getting hit by sea spray.

oldagetraveller

Partial No.2 if it were me. However I would make a note of the VIN, reject that car and tell them you want an exact replacement, without any damage of course. Then make sure the VIN is different on the new one.
Good job you spotted scratch(es) otherwise I would suspect they'd say you'd done them after accepting it.

Wig

I'd be wanting to know method of repair, did they

1) replace whole bumper for new factory pre coloured version
2) replace whole bumper and paint before fitting (factory does not supply pre colour)
3) remove bumper rub down and repaint locally
4) remove bumper rub down and repaint whole bumper
5) do 3 or 4 with bumper remaining on car.

I'd also want to know why they did not tell you about scratch on rear, they appeared to want to pull the wool over your eyes, hoping that you would miss it. Or did the repairer not tell his boss?

I would want them to show me the point (assuming 3, 4 or 5 above) at which the scratch was on the front bumper - so you can see if it truely has gone - also inspect the whole front for evidence of repair incase they lied to you about the point at which the scratch was.

Now, I don't know whether you can claim your deposit back for rejecting a scratch/repaired car but I think if I was satisfied with the repair (and I have VERY good eyesight, and would accept nothing short of an "as new" appearance) I would accept the car.

One thing I would be wary about is that in ultra violet light (I think) you can sometimes see when a car has been repainted. A source of this light is street lighting when it is dark. I'm not sure how you are going to be able replicate the street lighting test on your new car before delivery though.

Regarding your worries about the paintwork repair, you could ask them to include in the delivery contract, a clause that gives you a free repair if the paintwork on the front or rear bumper should start to peel or blister at any point over the next 6 years excluding accident damage ofcourse. Point out to them that bumper paintwork never peels or blisters from new, it only ever does so as the result of a poor repair or accidental damage.

Conor_3

oldagetraveller wrote: »

Partial No.2 if it were me. However I would make a note of the VIN, reject that car and tell them you want an exact replacement, without any damage of course.

Expect to be waiting a few more weeks.

Conor_3

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Especially if you live opposite the sea, buy a second hand car as i'm pretty sure a new one won't stay too clever getting hit by sea spray.

I'm sorry but I could've sworn it was 2008, not 1988 and these problems had been overcome a decade and a half ago?

scheming_gypsy

ah right, i didn't realise they'd taken the salt out of the sea

jonathon

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

ah right, i didn't realise they'd taken the salt out of the sea

didnt realise it affected the plastic bumper either

vegtablepatch

Thank you scheming_gypsy. I am satisfied the metal on new cars can withstand salty winds from the sea. My concern is that a repair may not last or that beneath the plastic bumper is metal and that this may not have been be treated correctly causing problems later on due to salt.

vegtablepatch

Thank you Conor and oldagetraveller. I cant do much today so shall think about your advice overnight.
Conor : I did not see the alleged damage on the front bumper but phoned back within 5 minutes of being told about it and asked for a complete new bumper. I was told "too late" its in the workshop being done now". and perhaps stupidly did not contest it then.
The 2nd damage, that I saw before paying the total bill, The Boss was called and a car cleaner said a cage caught the bumper and he could not find anyone to tell which may have been the truth..

taff007

To be honest I'm sure that many new cars need some sort of repair before they are delivered to the first owner. Just think of the distance some of them will have covered by boat and transporter, and the number of people that will have driven them short distances to get them to the garage for delivery, there are bound to be accidents along the way. It just so happens that you know about these repairs, and I'm sure in the same position I would be concerned, but if you've got a good deal I would just take it.