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My new car has paintwork damage - what are my rights?

I took delivery of a new car from a franchised dealer with a scratch on the paintwork which I pointed out at the time. What are my rights and best strategy to negotiate a solution with the dealer?

Asked on 19 September 2023 by William Patton

Answered by David Ross
If your new vehicle was damaged at the time of delivery, it is reasonable to expect the dealer to repair the damage free of charge. We would suggest a polite but firm enquiry as to when you can bring your car in for repair, and making contact with the staff member who you pointed out the damage to at the time is important to establish that it was present at the time of delivery.
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