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The car was one year old when I bought it, 12,000 miles and one of Kia's own cars. The paint is still stripping off the front bumper but it couldn't be the case that anyone could have resprayed it since it was Kia's own and sold with their warranty. If any respray had been done, it would have been done by Kia.
Also, if I had any thought that the damage was caused by me, I'd have paid for it myself. Anyway, interestingly, the problem has been solved without any need to go the last resort of a court claim.
I have recordings of phone calls and details and dates of all communications plus emails as original, of course.
As I said, this has been going on for months. I have emails from September telling me my claim has been Ok'd and the bumper is on its way to be sprayed and fitted. It then a/ got lost b/ didn't have the right paint and c/ was ready and I should bring the car in. That morning, I was told the bumper wasn't yet ready.
What was frustrating that no-one would call me back or reply to emails.
I wrote to the CEO of Kia cars three weeks ago, recorded delivery and was told by Kia's head office that the garage would call me. They did not (as I told Kia they would not).
I called Kia again and they did not seem best pleased. The garage called me next day to say my claim had been OK'd and they would pick up the car next week and deliver it back to me with the work done.
It was the same person who called to tell me this who had told me eight months ago that my claim was Ok'd and in January that it had been refused.
So, no court action necessary and I have the result that could have saved me, Kia and the garage 8 months of aggravation. I've been buying new or year old cars for forty years now and never had a warranty claim refused simply because if I'm in doubt I pay for it myself.
I thought the best excuses I was given were that the only machine Kia had that could measure the thickness of paintwork had been sold to a garage in Italy and that I could not be given a reason for refusing my claim because the details were in an attachment to an email and they were not allowed to open it. I've been dining out on those much to friends and colleagues amausement so at least Ihave something to show for a load of aggravation!
I'll sell the car in a couple of years but no more Kias for me. Excellent car for my three return trips to the south of France per annum but you do like to feel you'll be treated fairly if something goes wrong.
I have had my own business and used the court a few times in pursuit of unpaid bills so I'm familiar with how to present my evidence and I had no doubt I'd win this. I still don't know if I could just present estimates, though, or if I needed to get the work done and then claim, which was my orginal question.
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