Dealer damaged my alloy

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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:15
Dealer damaged my alloy - smax driver
Took my 2 month/450 miles old Smax into the dealer today to have a steering "clonk" noise looked at. When the service guy pulled out of the space, he clipped the kerb and damaged the alloy wheel. We opted for the 18" wheels, so I'm not too happy. We have also been incredibly careful with the car and have not damaged any of the wheels before he did this.

It was on their land, with their service guy driving it. I was in the passenger seat and inwardly thought "aaargh" when the car bumped past the kerb. I have poinetd the damage out to him. It is small, but I know that once an alloy wheel has it's surface broken like this, it's never the same again :-(

Should I / Can I demand a new alloy replacement and is there any particular legislation that I can point them at?
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:18
Dealer damaged my alloy - yorkiebar
Surely 1st thing to do is to mention it to dealer, a to make sure its acknowledged and b to see what he is prepared to do before starting on heavy hand legislation etc ?
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:23
Dealer damaged my alloy - smax driver
I have mentioned it to them, and when it's going in on Monday to have the steering checked they will "sort it out". What I don't want is a rough non matching surface which will be a weak spot in the laquer for ever-more. If they can doa fully colour matched invbisible repair then I think that will be OK, but the colour of the wheels is slightly smoked. There will be no structural damage as the car was only edging forwards
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:26
Dealer damaged my alloy - yorkiebar
Let them know you want a "perfect" repair or new wheel and will not be happy with any other result.

Allow them to inspect and decide and then see if you still have a problem?

most decent people only need a chance to correct things ?
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:29
Dealer damaged my alloy - Simon
I'm hopeful that they will sort it out properly, just be sure that when you inspect it after it has been repaired that they haven't swapped the wheels round on your car so that the one with the repair is elsewhere on your car.
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:42
Dealer damaged my alloy - smax driver
Good point!! I will do that!
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 16:40
Dealer damaged my alloy - smax driver
Yes, i will give them a chance. I have asked them to order in a new wheel just in case, as they are special order items and they won't have them lying around.
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 21:59
Dealer damaged my alloy - Mapmaker
Of course they should return the car to its original state. If you're that car-proud, may I suggest a second hand car next time?!!?!?
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 22:02
Dealer damaged my alloy - Pugugly {P}
A new wheel I think.
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 22:08
Dealer damaged my alloy - bell boy
A new wheel I think.

i agree to be honest
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Fri 8 Dec 2006 22:13
Dealer damaged my alloy - Pugugly {P}
Brand new car. An apparant fault, thir employee drives it and breaks your wheel. No brainer. Get a new wheel why should you end up with a refurbished one that you will feel is flawed and no doubt will corrode once a reasonable layer of salt has been dumped on the road.
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 01:07
Dealer damaged my alloy - smax driver
it's not that I'm car-proud (well I guess we all are to a certain extent), but the fact that I've been REALLY careful not to ding the alloys on this car (as opposed to my previous 3 which all ended up with scraped alloys), and then the first time the dealer gets in it happens!
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 07:15
Dealer damaged my alloy - L'escargot
Since it would require a specialist company to repair the wheel (i.e. it's not something a car dealer would do themselves) I wouldn't expect the dealer to want to go to the trouble of trying to get it repaired. If you requested them to do so, I would expect them to fit a new wheel without question, even if it meant they put it down as being a warranty claim. That wouldn't matter because you would never know by what means they got you a new wheel anyway.

Ask the service department for a new wheel ~ very calmly and politely, so as not to harm your relationship with them.
--
L\'escargot.
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 12:07
Dealer damaged my alloy - Dynamic Dave
Since it would require a specialist company to repair the wheel (i.e. it's not something a car dealer would do themselves)


Can't vouch for all car dealers, but the one I use farms out work like this to a trusted and local body shop.
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 17:30
Dealer damaged my alloy - Blue {P}
We used to farm it out to a bloke who came round in a van and resprayed the damaged new and used cars in the car park... :-)

(before I set anybody off twisting about this I should probably point out that any badly damaged new cars were taken to our approved bodyshop where they were resprayed)

Blue
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