Dealer scratched brand new car

[yngver]

We bought a new 2010 Legacy yesterday. We had asked for quotes a few
days earlier and this dealership gave a good price on a car in the
color and options wanted, but they had to drive it from another
dealership about 30 miles away. The car arrived at about 3:30 p.m. and
they were closing at 4. Turned out the car didn't have the same
options they had quoted on, and we almost walked out, but they lowered
the price a bit more and so we agreed.

By this time we were the only customers there. When the car was
finally cleaned up and ready, everyone there was leaving and so we
just drove it straight home. I took some pictures of it when we got
home.

Today we noticed a scratch on the back bumper. I looked at the
pictures I took yesterday right after arriving home and it is there,
so it was done at the dealer's between the time we initially inspected
the car and when we took possession. I guess we should have looked the
car over again before driving off the lot but we had already gone over
it before they cleaned it and put on the plates, it was getting dark
and it just didn't occur to us to examine it a second time. I think
they must have scratched it somehow putting on the plates because they
were in a hurry to go home.

My husband is emailing the picture to them and asking what they can
do, but do we have any recourse here?
-yngver

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

We bought a new 2010 Legacy yesterday. We had asked for quotes a few days
earlier and this dealership gave a good price on a car in the color and
options wanted, but they had to drive it from another dealership about 30
miles away. The car arrived at about 3:30 p.m. and they were closing at 4.
Turned out the car didn't have the same options they had quoted on, and we
almost walked out, but they lowered the price a bit more and so we agreed.

By this time we were the only customers there. When the car was finally
cleaned up and ready, everyone there was leaving and so we just drove it
straight home. I took some pictures of it when we got home.

Today we noticed a scratch on the back bumper. I looked at the pictures I
took yesterday right after arriving home and it is there, so it was done
at the dealer's between the time we initially inspected the car and when
we took possession. I guess we should have looked the car over again
before driving off the lot but we had already gone over it before they
cleaned it and put on the plates, it was getting dark and it just didn't
occur to us to examine it a second time. I think they must have scratched
it somehow putting on the plates because they were in a hurry to go home.

My husband is emailing the picture to them and asking what they can do,
but do we have any recourse here? -yngver

Darn, why didn't you just wait an extra day?!?!

I used to be a detailer at a Toyota dealer, and I HATED "Spot Deliveries",
because that means people are waiting in the showroom and they want it
RIGHT NOW!!! That means RUSH JOB and they lack in quality. And of course,
usually about the time the datailing shop is closing up...

You can bring it back, but don't expect a new bumper cover unless the
dealer is REALLY NICE. Chances are it will go back into the detailing shop
where they have touch up paint, and it will be cleaned, touch up paint
applied and blended, and then buffed. If the guy's good and the scratch
isn't too bad, you'll barely notice it. Hardly. At all. Since YOU know
it's there, you will always see it. Others may, too, depending on the
depth of the scratch and the skill of the guy doing the repair. Some come
out really good...others...

Perhaps, if you REALLY complain about it, they'll get you a new bumper
cover and fire the kid that rushed to get your new car to you.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

We bought a new 2010 Legacy yesterday. We had asked for quotes a few
days earlier and this dealership gave a good price on a car in the
color and options wanted, but they had to drive it from another
dealership about 30 miles away. The car arrived at about 3:30 p.m. and
they were closing at 4. Turned out the car didn't have the same
options they had quoted on, and we almost walked out, but they lowered
the price a bit more and so we agreed.

By this time we were the only customers there. When the car was
finally cleaned up and ready, everyone there was leaving and so we
just drove it straight home. I took some pictures of it when we got
home.

Today we noticed a scratch on the back bumper. I looked at the
pictures I took yesterday right after arriving home and it is there,
so it was done at the dealer's between the time we initially inspected
the car and when we took possession. I guess we should have looked the
car over again before driving off the lot but we had already gone over
it before they cleaned it and put on the plates, it was getting dark
and it just didn't occur to us to examine it a second time. I think
they must have scratched it somehow putting on the plates because they
were in a hurry to go home.

My husband is emailing the picture to them and asking what they can
do, but do we have any recourse here?
-yngver

I'd probably just ask for a free oil change coupon or a set of
floormats. You car is gonna get scratched anyway.

 

[Big Jim]

NEVER PICK UP A CAR THE DAY YOU BUY IT AND NEVER DO SO AT CLOSING TIME
OR WHEN YOU ARE RUSHED. Those "spot " deliveries were a hoot.
Once the car is off the lot any cosmetic issues are usually put on the
new owner.

 

[yngver]

NEVER PICK UP A CAR THE DAY YOU BUY IT AND NEVER DO SO AT CLOSING TIME
OR WHEN YOU ARE RUSHED. Those "spot " deliveries were a hoot.
Once the car is off the lot any cosmetic issues are usually put on the
new owner.

So what would have been the best thing to do in this case? It was
Memorial Day and I do understand that because it was raining, it took
them longer than expected to drive the car from the other dealership.
Once we made the deal, are you saying it would have been better to
leave the new car there until the following weekend (because we
weren't going to take a half day off work to go all the way out there
during the week ) and drive our old car even after we agreed on the
trade in price? That idea makes me a little nervous.

-yngver

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

So what would have been the best thing to do in this case? It was Memorial
Day and I do understand that because it was raining, it took them longer
than expected to drive the car from the other dealership. Once we made the
deal, are you saying it would have been better to leave the new car there
until the following weekend (because we weren't going to take a half day
off work to go all the way out there during the week ) and drive our old
car even after we agreed on the trade in price? That idea makes me a
little nervous.

-yngver

Have you been back? And why so far? was there not a closer dealer?

In my case, I wanted a Scion, and the nearest dealer was at least 50 miles
away. So I went there, gave then the down, and told them to get it ready.
But, I also had a couple weeks, and PLENTY of other cars. (I call them
Fleeters, short for my Fleet of Beaters...)


And I'm still kicking myself over the trade in. I had a Chrysler LHS (and
me, a Jap car fan!) and traded it for $600. It wasn't mint, but darn close
to it, and was a GREAT car. And, it was free, the best price of all. I
should have coughed the $600 and kept it... ....

 

[Big Jim]

Once they located the car you want make your deal and tell them you
will be back next weekend. You got what we used to call "CRUSHED".
Yes your car could get totalled in that time but you have insurance
dont you? The sales contract will state that the trade value is
contingent on being in the same condition of course. If the new car
was damaged during the week you could of course walk away from the
deal. You would have noticed anything wrong with the car and got in
writing a resolution- new bumper , repair , whatever. You can talk
to the dealer and hope they will fix it but the longer you wait the
better the chance of them blowing you off .

 

[blz]

Give 'em a try: be polite, firm, and persistent and they may do you
good... Went through a similar issue w/ my '02 WRX: discovered a razor
blade thin cut down to bare metal at the top of the windshield along the
gasket the day after I drove it off the lot (pretty obviously caused
when the plastic shipping wrap was removed). My dealer made good & had
that section repainted at a local body shop. Granted that was nearly a
decade ago, but some dealers know that customer loyalty pays off in the
long run: I've had all major repairs & service done there (leaky
radiator top cap, leaky AC hose, alignments, & clutch job), buy many
items from them even though cheaper online(oil filters, crush gaskets,
antifreeze, etc.), and ended up talking my folks into purchasing a
Legacy GT from them.

Brent.

 

[yngver]

Have you been back?

No, because the splash guards have not come in yet (part of the deal
was splash guards at dealer cost, which we have in writing). When we
go to have those installed, will also deal with the scratch issue so
they can see it firsthand.

And why so far? was there not a closer dealer?

No, there was not a dealer closer that gave a good quote on a Ruby
Pearl 2010 Legacy with manual transmission, power roof and all weather
package. The dealer that actually had the car (where they went to get
it) was even further away and quoted a higher price. Most of the
dealers didn't even quote because they said they couldn't even locate
a manual transmission car in any of the colors we wanted.

In my case, I wanted a Scion, and the nearest dealer was at least 50 miles
away. So I went there, gave then the down, and told them to get it ready.
But, I also had a couple weeks, and PLENTY of other cars. (I call them
Fleeters, short for my Fleet of Beaters...)

Well, I think if other dealers could have located 2010 Legacies with
manual transmission, they would have said so. We were told because
it's the end of the model year, there were hardly any left. Could have
waited for the 2011--it's supposed to be pretty much the same price--
but didn't know if they would have the same low finance rate with the
2011's. And the car we were trading in, a 1999 Legacy, was making an
evil noise that made us fear it wasn't going to last much longer.

And I'm still kicking myself over the trade in. I had a Chrysler LHS (and
me, a Jap car fan!) and traded it for $600. It wasn't mint, but darn close
to it, and was a GREAT car. And, it was free, the best price of all. I
should have coughed the $600 and kept it... ....

We got more than we expected for the '99 Legacy, considering it wasn't
in the greatest shape. In fact, we opted not to sell privately since
whoever bought it was probably going to be pretty angry in a couple
more months when it was going to need engine work.

 

[yngver]

Once they located the car you want make your deal and tell them you
will be back next weekend. You got what we used to call "CRUSHED".
Yes your car could get totalled in that time but you have insurance
dont you? The sales contract will state that the trade value is
contingent on being in the same condition of course. If the new car
was damaged during the week you could of course walk away from the
deal. You would have noticed anything wrong with the car and got in
writing a resolution- new bumper , repair , whatever. You can talk
to the dealer and hope they will fix it but the longer you wait the
better the chance of them blowing you off .

Okay, that just didn't occur to us. The dealer owes us splash guards
at cost, which we have in writing, so when we go back, we'll be
discussing the scratch as well. My husband emailed them the photos the
day we saw it.

So they might blow us off, but on the other hand, we keep getting
letters from the general manager about how important it is we give
them a good rating when we get the satisfaction survey from Subaru,
and please let them address any issues before we do the survey, so my
husband is going to discuss with him the fact that we are not inclined
to give a good rating right now.

We got a good price for the new car and a good price for our old car
as a trade in, so if we don't get the scratch resolved, it's not such
a big deal to us (we won't tell them that, of course). The scratch is
pretty hard to see, once it was cleaned up. But if they have a good
detailer, it would be nice to have it touched up.

-yngver

 

[yngver]

Give 'em a try: be polite, firm, and persistent and they may do you
good...  Went through a similar issue w/ my '02 WRX:  discovered a razor
blade thin cut down to bare metal at the top of the windshield along the
gasket the day after I drove it off the lot (pretty obviously caused
when the plastic shipping wrap was removed).  My dealer made good & had
that section repainted at a local body shop.  Granted that was nearly a
decade ago, but some dealers know that customer loyalty pays off in the
long run: I've had all major repairs & service done there (leaky
radiator top cap, leaky AC hose, alignments, & clutch job), buy many
items from them even though cheaper online(oil filters, crush gaskets,
antifreeze, etc.), and ended up talking my folks into purchasing a
Legacy GT from them.

Brent.

Thanks. That's what we intend to do. On the other hand, I think they
know they are too far away for us to use them for regular service, but
my Forester is four years old and we might be buying another Subaru in
a few years. Actually would have considered buying from the dealer
where we bought the Forester, but they said they couldn't get the 2010
model we wanted.
-yngver

 

[Big Jim]

Selling cars is sooo much fun! In all seriousness since you have to go
back I'd see what the dealer will do. If they do nothing, I'd be sure
to include "delivered damaged vehicle " in the survey and I'd wager
the area rep may try to make you happy. Be firm but polite. Good
luck.

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

And the
car we were trading in, a 1999 Legacy, was making an evil noise

PLEASE!!!!!

NOT when I'm drinking coffee!!!

Now, where's that shop rag?!?!?

 

[yngver]

Selling cars is sooo much fun! In all seriousness since you have to go
back I'd see what the dealer will do. If they do nothing, I'd be sure
to include "delivered damaged vehicle " in the survey and I'd wager
the area rep may try to make you happy. Be firm but polite. Good
luck.

Thanks. They buffed it out and we don't see the scratch anymore.
Haven't received the survey yet but they did address the minor
problems we had, so I guess we are satisfied.
-yngver

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Thanks. They buffed it out and we don't see the scratch anymore. Haven't
received the survey yet but they did address the minor problems we had, so
I guess we are satisfied. -yngver

LOL! "We can buff that out!'

http://www.wreckedexotics.com/special/enzo/ferrari_enzo_crash_005.jpg