truck hit at dealership

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stockrex

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I have been going back and forth dealer here to get stuff corrected on my truck before the factory warranty runs out.
after many attempts they finally found the root cause for driveline vibration, I was the happiest guy on earth, well for a few seconds till they told me that their snow truck hit my truck. The truck was scraped (box) and they are repainting it.
I am going to ask for lifetime warranty on the paint job as I have seen some nasty paint jobs.
I have been out of a truck for nearly an extra 2 weeks.

Should I call my insurance and tell them?
Does this devalue my truck?
What should I do?
 
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Originally Posted By: stockrex
Should I call my insurance and tell them?
Does this devalue my truck?
What should I do?


I wouldn't tell them. Another reason to raise your rates. Sometimes just calling the agent to ask a claims question may trigger something if they pull up your policy on the computer. Then corporate sees a claims inquiry was made and boop, increase!

I would drive to the shop when it's ready, obtain the keys and drive off into the sunset.
 
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It is totally not your fault, and occurred during routine maintenance. There is no reason for your rates to increase, IMO. But having that recorded may reduce value, and thus harm you if you have a claim and a vehicle is totaled.

I would go after the dealer for lifetime paint and diminished value losses. But nobody else needs that info.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
It is totally not your fault, and occurred during routine maintenance. There is no reason for your rates to increase, IMO. But having that recorded may reduce value, and thus harm you if you have a claim and a vehicle is totaled.

I would go after the dealer for lifetime paint and diminished value losses. But nobody else needs that info.


This is exactly what I'd do.
 
Sorry that happen to you, broh. That sucks. I hope they fix and paint it right. Unfortunately, your car is worth less than before it was damaged, at least to a potential buyer. Would you rather buy a vehicle that was never in an accident as oppose to the same vehicle that got damaged and repaired? I would not call your insurance.
 
Lets see, hmm. Dealership admits hitting his truck and he's had to wait 2 weeks without it? What are they doing? Had to order the bedside? Maybe fix the cab and re-align the door? I suspect the damage might have been far greater than they will admit. How does he know that's the truth anyway?

Its been over 25 years, but I know a guy who was doing a service on a year old car (Make/model/year omited to protect the guilty) and left the drivers door open while it was on the lift. On the way down the door caught on something and levered the car off the lift. Of course it landed on the right side. The test drive after that was during lunch and took over 2 hours as he took it to the body shop and got a friend to quick fix it. The customer had been waiting and was by then in a hurry so he jumped in the car and took off never looking at the other side.

Ive seen mechanics damage cars and swear they came in that way. After all, how many people inspect their cars all around before going to the dealership? How could the owner have proof of anything? BTW the video cam footage of the lot is unavailable.

For that matter, Costco keeps telling me I was missing a hub cap when I came in for a rotation/ballance. I know the caps are on but are cracking and can easily break when removed so I smile and say something like, "Broke another one? I know they are cracking and breaking so its no big deal." They usually look confused and take off back to the tire shop. Glad I have several spares.

What's it mean? Don't trust 'em at all. Well, maybe trust and verify. Now that we have digital cameras in our phones I think we know what to do.
 
So truck is damaged at dealership, fixed at dealership, ok.
What is stockrex going to say when asked if truck was ever damaged?

If you were buying this truck, wouldn't you want to know if it was damaged or re-painted?
 
What should I do?

Stop posting here, tell them to not do a single thing to your truck until you arrive to view the damage, and tell them to have the dealership owner there when you arrive.

Then go from there.
 
At least they told you, admitted fault are are willing to fix it.

A lot of States are no-fault when it comes to parking lot dings.
 
I would force a new vehicle,same payments,with dealership paying the difference....get them in a weak moment and get a 2014.However,the time has passed.Time to do it is when they first tell you they hit it.With rebates/incentives,they probably could have done it.
 
Couple of things folks need to understand -

1. A vehicle that has been damaged and been repaired requiring body and paint work always takes a permanent and significant negative hit to its value.

2. When you attempt to trade in a repaired vehicle they will run a paint meter over the car and will immediately know that repair work has been done and offer you a lower trade value because of it

3. If you are selling the car privately and the buyer asks if it has been repaired you are legally (and ethically) responsible to answer truthfully.

The dealer causing the accident should repair the car good as new and you should demand something like $1000 credit for work to be done in future along with free oil changes for life.
 
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Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I would force a new vehicle,same payments,with dealership paying the difference....get them in a weak moment and get a 2014.However,the time has passed.Time to do it is when they first tell you they hit it.With rebates/incentives,they probably could have done it.


That is how it should have been.

When a business like this admits fault, be polite but firm and call them on it. Ask for what will make you whole, but not more.

They should have indeed given him a similar new model with similar payments.

I agree about NEVER trusting a dealership when it comes especially to the service department.

If you find one that is honest, competent, and has reasonable prices you have found the proverbial needle in the haystack, it is like winning the 10 million dollar lottery jackpot!

There is a reason why they call them $tealerships.
 
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Originally Posted By: stevejones
What should I do?

Stop posting here, tell them to not do a single thing to your truck until you arrive to view the damage, and tell them to have the dealership owner there when you arrive.

Then go from there.


too late, they had in the body shop being fixed and repainted even before he called me!
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I would force a new vehicle,same payments,with dealership paying the difference....get them in a weak moment and get a 2014.However,the time has passed.Time to do it is when they first tell you they hit it.With rebates/incentives,they probably could have done it.

I have no payments bro, lol, new diesel 3/4 ton, sure, they will probably buy me new bed ;-)
 
I have never cheated anyone nor will I ever, been victim few years back, nice old guy sold me a toyota dolphin with rot with a straight face.
Anyway, you make a good point. How do I estimate loss of value?
My KBB is around $33, new price is around $50.

I really don't know the extent of the damage, I "trusted" the service guy, he told me a scrape on the bed on the left lower side.

I am guessing a new bed is around $3k plus labor (??), $2k in damages?



Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Couple of things folks need to understand -

1. A vehicle that has been damaged and been repaired requiring body and paint work always takes a permanent and significant negative hit to its value.

2. When you attempt to trade in a repaired vehicle they will run a paint meter over the car and will immediately know that repair work has been done and offer you a lower trade value because of it

3. If you are selling the car privately and the buyer asks if it has been repaired you are legally (and ethically) responsible to answer truthfully.

The dealer causing the accident should repair the car good as new and you should demand something like $1000 credit for work to be done in future along with free oil changes for life.
 
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh,
I am afraid you are correct, I will ask them to email me photos of the damage, they should have taken some.


Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I would force a new vehicle,same payments,with dealership paying the difference....get them in a weak moment and get a 2014.However,the time has passed.Time to do it is when they first tell you they hit it.With rebates/incentives,they probably could have done it.


That is how it should have been.

When a business like this admits fault, be polite but firm and call them on it. Ask for what will make you whole, but not more.

They should have indeed given him a similar new model with similar payments.

I agree about NEVER trusting a dealership when it comes especially to the service department.

If you find one that is honest, competent, and has reasonable prices you have found the proverbial needle in the haystack, it is like winning the 10 million dollar lottery jackpot!

There is a reason why they call them $tealerships.
 
It doesn't work anything like that in any accident claim situation in the real world, whether the dealer had the vehicle at the time or not.
The dealer had a duty to care for the vehicle as well as they would have one of their own stock units offered for sale.
Unless you can show that they treated the damaged vehicle with reckless disregard, they're liable for the cost of repairs and that's it, just as is the case when another driver runs into your vehicle in a parking lot or on the street.
Anything more offered by the dealer is merely a goodwill gesture, not anything you'd get in a suit.
Any putative reduction in value as a result of prior repaired damage may not apply.
We've had three vehicles totalled by insurers over the years that had had prior damage that had been repaired and in no case was the prior damage used to reduce the amount paid to total the vehicles.
 
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