New Car Crashed

2012paddy2012

I got a new car in July 1. I have been up and down three times with problems. Nothing major ....minor niggles ..new radio needed ,new radiator cable to be replaced....and a couple of other bits.....The whole bonnet/engine had to be removed and replaced to put in the new radiator cable.....it went again a similar problem with radiator switch......and was brought back yesterday and I was given a loaner to keep me going for a day or two...

I was very disappointed that the bonnet / engine had to be removed as it is a new car ...and added to that it was the first time that the garage had done this as it was a new model in the country (dacia) I got a call today to say that the car was written off when an employee was out in it and it was involved in a road traffic accident.

The garage guy that rang me when asked why was it out on the road in the first place told me that it was the "Squeak" complained of....There was no "Squeak" complained of , in fact it is quite clear through email to the service department that there were 4 small issues that would not have required the car to be out on the public road ....This has me concerned that during the first call from the garage , this was slipped in although it is an untruth...

May be its for insurance purposes or something....I am now very wary what
way this garage is going to handle the situation...even though on the phone he has undertaken to replace the car with a new one ...which is to be expected as its only 12 weeks old....

Has anyone been in this situation before? Is there anything I should watch out for....Should I involve a solicitor , or let garage man do as he has said?

I had done the deal originally to include a tow bar and alloy wheels , I presume that they will be put onto the new car...I don't particularly want alloys that have been involved in a collision put onto a new car or indeed a tow towbar...any advice appreciated

Paddy

Anan1

If you're getting a brand new car with the same extras then what's not to like?

ba_barabus

I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope they are giving you a courtesy car ASAP and will be looking after you somehow for the hassle involved.

rovoagho

Must be important, it's italicised.

Toyotafanboi

i'd asume any garage operating a main dealer franchise has insurance for these situations. i'd just be polite but firm with the garage and wait for my car to be replaced.

depending on the accident the condition of the alloys/ tow bar could be questionable, but i'm sure these will be factored into account.

Thoie

The first question is is the mechanic OK? Regardless of whether he should have been driving the car on the road in the first place, a crash bad enough to write the car off sounds serious.

I'd send them a letter by registered post outlining your expectations, and drop in to them as well to discuss. I'd expect a brand new car, with new alloys, new tow bar, new everything - nothing to be salvaged from the old car. I'd expect a free courtesy car for the duration, which should be delivered to your door. How long is the wait for a new car?

I wouldn't involve a solicitor at this stage, but make notes with dates and times after every conversation, outlining what was said/agreed, and keep them safe in case you need to get a solicitor later down the line. If he does everything right, then great, you can bin them. If things go wrong, you won't be scratching your head trying to remember who said what when.

YouTookMyName

What kind of car was it?

Bigus

YouTookMyName wrote: »

What kind of car was it?

Dacia it says

Stheno

Must have been some accident for it to be a right off.

Is the driver ok?

I think they have done you a favor!
I'd take the money and not buy a Dacia!

bazz26

I must be missing something here:

OP buys new car,
OP has multiple problems with new car.
Dealer crashes car while out troubleshooting problems.
Dealer agrees to replace crashed car with a brand new one.

Win, win for the OP!

Toyotafanboi

bazz26 wrote: »

I must be missing something here:

OP buys new car,
OP has multiple problems with new car.
Dealer crashes car while out troubleshooting problems.
Dealer agrees to replace crashed car with a brand new one.

Win, win for the OP!

this was my understanding too.

once the mechanic walked away unscathed i'd be delighted.

mawk

Sounds like your lemon for got made into lemon scrap.

There are bad units in every batch. I'd be happy to try a different vehicle

listermint

OP,


Dont worry.... Be Happy.....



Dooooooo Dooooo Doooooo Doooooo

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Stheno wrote: »

Must have been some accident for it to be a right off.

Is the driver ok?

Or the Safety of the car is muck.

Id actually talk to the mechanic involved and asked if he was alright, how it happened and how badly the car is damaged.

If it was slow speed and lots of damage id ask for a refund and go buy something stronger than the muck that ckmes from the renualt/Peugeot/citreon factory.

listermint

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Or the Safety of the car is muck.

Id actually talk to the mechanic involved and asked if he was alright, how it happened and how badly the car is damaged.

If it was slow speed and lots of damage id ask for a refund and go buy something stronger than the muck that ckmes from the renualt/Peugeot/citreon factory.

Yeah because hes going to want to talk to you :rolleyes:

Come on man, the lad may /may not be sacked from his job at this stage.

Im sure the garage want to sweep this under the carpet asap. And give the customer a new car.

And what the hell are you talking about Renault have been consistently high in the NCAP ratings since the ratings scheme has started.

Pure barstool nonsense.

dnme

I wonder are people being a bit harsh on the OP here.

He has spent a fortune on a new car. That's a huge purchase for anyone, usually the second largest purchase an individual will ever make. Since then, the OP's experience of this product and dealer has been awful. He has done the right thing, brought it back time and again and accepted dealer fixes which were in some cases not great.

Then a mechanic drives the vehicle on the public highway for no apparent reason and writes the thing off. The dealer then rings the op with an excuse that is paramount to a lie.

I'd be "a little pissed off" by now. I think the OP's tone and reasoning is very measured and reasonable considering the absolute crazy awful experience they have had after spending thousands of their hard earned cash.

Well done OP. Please keep us informed of the outcome. I'd be fascinated to know what happens here.

listermint

dnme wrote: »

I wonder are people being a bit harsh on the OP here.

He has spent a fortune on a new car. That's a huge purchase for anyone, usually the second largest purchase an individual will ever make. Since then, the OP's experience of this product and dealer has been awful. He has done the right thing, brought it back time and again and accepted dealer fixes which were in some cases not great.

Then a mechanic drives the vehicle on the public highway for no apparent reason and writes the thing off. The dealer then rings the op with an excuse that is paramount to a lie.

I'd be "a little pissed off" by now. I think the OP's tone and reasoning is very measured and reasonable considering the absolute crazy awful experience they have had after spending thousands of their hard earned cash.

Well done OP. Please keep us informed of the outcome. I'd be fascinated to know what happens here.

Harsh ? whos being harsh about it ?


All the posters are saying is relax, the Dealers insurance will look after it. Thats what insurance is there for.

Where is the harshness in it. I wouldnt be getting worked up about it, accidents happen. The OP gets a new car minus his original issue.

Happy days.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

listermint wrote: »

Yeah because hes going to want to talk to you :rolleyes:

Come on man, the lad may /may not be sacked from his job at this stage.

Im sure the garage want to sweep this under the carpet asap. And give the customer a new car.

Why wouldnt he ? Unless he/she has something to hide ?

Im not saying go to give out about it to him and I doubt he/she would be sacked because of an accident.

If my car was in a crash, I would like to see how it reacted to see if id keep it or get rid of it and buy something stronger.

If the car in this case was a duster and the thing was crumpled by a car and not very high speed then id ask for a refund.

Stheno

dnme wrote: »

I wonder are people being a bit harsh on the OP here.

He has spent a fortune on a new car. That's a huge purchase for anyone, usually the second largest purchase an individual will ever make. Since then, the OP's experience of this product and dealer has been awful. He has done the right thing, brought it back time and again and accepted dealer fixes which were in some cases not great.

Then a mechanic drives the vehicle on the public highway for no apparent reason and writes the thing off. The dealer then rings the op with an excuse that is paramount to a lie.

I'd be "a little pissed off" by now. I think the OP's tone and reasoning is very measured and reasonable considering the absolute crazy awful experience they have had after spending thousands of their hard earned cash.

Well done OP. Please keep us informed of the outcome. I'd be fascinated to know what happens here.

In fairness to the dealer without any quibbles, they have come straight out and offered to replace the car with a new one. Even after a few months that's fairly unusual from what I've read on here over the years.

Toyotafanboi

listermint wrote: »

Come on man, the lad may /may not be sacked from his job at this stage.

Im sure the garage want to sweep this under the carpet asap. And give the customer a new car.

And what the hell are you talking about Renault have been consistently high in the NCAP ratings since the ratings scheme has started.

i doubt the mechanic has been/ will be sacked. that said i see no need to talk to him once the garage are playing ball with you.
The Duster got a 3 star euro NCAP just looking at the site there, occupant safety is pretty good but i wouldn't like to be knowcked down by one :eek:

dnme wrote: »

Then a mechanic drives the vehicle on the public highway for no apparent reason and writes the thing off.

i would imagine its standard practise to road test a car after engine repairs.

listermint

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Why wouldnt he ? Unless he/she has something to hide ?

Im not saying go to give out about it to him and I doubt he/she would be sacked because of an accident.

If my car was in a crash, I would like to see how it reacted to see if id keep it or get rid of it and buy something stronger.

If the car in this case was a duster and the thing was crumpled by a car and not very high speed then id ask for a refund.

Id imagine no one wants to chat about a car accident to the owner of a car.

Personally id feel pretty embarrassed my fault or otherwise. So id say best of luck getting in touch with him.

Liability has been dealt with the Owner is getting a new car. No need to CSI the crap out of it.

dnme

Stheno wrote: »

In fairness to the dealer without any quibbles, they have come straight out and offered to replace the car with a new one. Even after a few months that's fairly unusual from what I've read on here over the years.

In response to an earlier response, there have been a few snide comments to the op, and I wondered were people being a bit harsh that's all.

With regard to your comment above, that is the very least I would expect after the ops experience to date. I would also question who was this mechanic driving his car, why were they driving the car, where were they going, where did the crash happen, were they insured etc. I'd want answers, a courtesy car immediately, and the choice of a full refund or new replacement without prejudice.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

listermint wrote: »

Id imagine no one wants to chat about a car accident to the owner of a car.

Personally id feel pretty embarrassed my fault or otherwise. So id say best of luck getting in touch with him.

Liability has been dealt with the Owner is getting a new car. No need to CSI the crap out of it.

Bollox. if I had an accident in someone else's car I'm not going to hide. Ab accident is just what it is, an accident they can ask me what they want.

Not being csi about it but it might change my mind as to if I'll be carrying kids etc in it

listermint

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Bollox. if I had an accident in someone else's car I'm not going to hide. Ab accident is just what it is, an accident they can ask me what they want.

Not being csi about it but it might change my mind as to if I'll be carrying kids etc in it

As i said, best of luck with that.

Id garner the lad doesnt want to chat to the owner and may well be advised to from the garage also.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

listermint wrote: »

As i said, best of luck with that.

Id garner the lad doesnt want to chat to the owner and may well be advised to from the garage also.

Im sure he would've had to talk to the gardai at the scene of the accident ? The driver of the other car involved ? Insurance company have tospeak to the drivers only, not gagarage owner.

But he wont speak to the vehicle owner ? Of thats the case that he wont then id be led to believe he's hiding something but if he is willing then whats the problem ?

Sam Kade

Was it a duster? Haven't time to read through post

Wisesmurf

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Im sure he would've had to talk to the gardai at the scene of the accident ? The driver of the other car involved ? Insurance company have tospeak to the drivers only, not gagarage owner.

But he wont speak to the vehicle owner ? Of thats the case that he wont then id be led to believe he's hiding something but if he is willing then whats the problem ?

Hmmm, so the mech is going to admit that the car that his garage sold (and currently still try and sell) got wrote off on a low speed crash...

Spook_ie

Regarding the engine/bonnet out it would be wise to road test a car after major mechanical work. Telling someone it was a squeak isn't going to refute that need!

I was very disappointed that the bonnet / engine had to be removed as it is a new car ...and added to that it was the first time that the garage had done this as it was a new model in the country (dacia) I got a call today to say that the car was written off when an employee was out in it and it was involved in a road traffic accident.

The garage guy that rang me when asked why was it out on the road in the first place told me that it was the "Squeak" complained of....There was no "Squeak" complained of , in fact it is quite clear through email to the service department that there were 4 small issues that would not have required the car to be out on the public road ....This has me concerned that during the first call from the garage , this was slipped in although it is an untruth...

timmy4u2

Dont cause hassle where it does not exist. I assume it is a Dacia main dealer.
He is just telling you what he will be putting on the claim form.
Give him a chance to sort out the situation. No business being a John Wayne character without the need.
Check your own insurance also, just to have a back up. Many cover the use by a mechanic.
As an aside can you clarify why the engine had to come out?

ardle1

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

I got a new car in July 1. I have been up and down three times with problems. Nothing major ....minor niggles ..new radio needed ,new radiator cable to be replaced....and a couple of other bits.....The whole bonnet/engine had to be removed and replaced to put in the new radiator cable.....it went again a similar problem with radiator switch......and was brought back yesterday and I was given a loaner to keep me going for a day or two...

I was very disappointed that the bonnet / engine had to be removed as it is a new car ...and added to that it was the first time that the garage had done this as it was a new model in the country (dacia) I got a call today to say that the car was written off when an employee was out in it and it was involved in a road traffic accident.

The garage guy that rang me when asked why was it out on the road in the first place told me that it was the "Squeak" complained of....There was no "Squeak" complained of , in fact it is quite clear through email to the service department that there were 4 small issues that would not have required the car to be out on the public road ....This has me concerned that during the first call from the garage , this was slipped in although it is an untruth...

May be its for insurance purposes or something....I am now very wary what
way this garage is going to handle the situation...even though on the phone he has undertaken to replace the car with a new one ...which is to be expected as its only 12 weeks old....

Has anyone been in this situation before? Is there anything I should watch out for....Should I involve a solicitor , or let garage man do as he has said?

I had done the deal originally to include a tow bar and alloy wheels , I presume that they will be put onto the new car...I don't particularly want alloys that have been involved in a collision put onto a new car or indeed a tow towbar...any advice appreciated

Paddy

Sounds like a dream come true, cut your loses 'on that yoke'... I know it's gonna be a bit off hassle, let all your bad luck tip on with it......

MuppetCheck

I'd expect a like for like replacement. I'd also insist on a comparable vehicle until that arrives. Get everything in writing from them.

2012paddy2012

to allow access for replacement heater cable

Stheno

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

to allow access for replacement heater cable

That's mad that the engine had to be removed to replace a cable (well to me it is )

Anyway keep in touch with the garage owner, ask him for details of what he is doing in writing etc .

I do think he is being very reasonable doing the no quibble replacement, there have been cases on here where people have had ongoing problems within four months of buying a car and getting nowhere.

2012paddy2012

Stheno wrote: »

That's mad that the engine had to be removed to replace a cable (well to me it is )

Anyway keep in touch with the garage owner, ask him for details of what he is doing in writing etc .

I do think he is being very reasonable doing the no quibble replacement, there have been cases on here where people have had ongoing problems within four months of buying a car and getting nowhere.

I agree. That was bloody annoying too...and mine was the first "guinea Pig" car to be done!!! not happy

Toyotafanboi

Stheno wrote: »

I do think he is being very reasonable doing the no quibble replacement, there have been cases on here where people have had ongoing problems within four months of buying a car and getting nowhere.

those people getting nowhere probably didn't have their car written off by the dealer on a troubleshooting test drive though.

Bigcheeze

Should the OP not let his insurance handle this rather than dealing with the garage?

He's obliged to notify his insurer anyway that the car has been in an accident.

galwaytt

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Im sure he would've had to talk to the gardai at the scene of the accident ? The driver of the other car involved ? Insurance company have tospeak to the drivers only, not gagarage owner.

But he wont speak to the vehicle owner ? Of thats the case that he wont then id be led to believe he's hiding something but if he is willing then whats the problem ?

Unless OP is that Garda, no he doesn't have to talk anyone, and even then. ....

How do you know it was a 2 car accident at all?

So long as garage is replacing with a span new one, why does it matter ?

vectra

MuppetCheck wrote: »

I'd expect a like for like replacement. I'd also insist on a comparable vehicle until that arrives. Get everything in writing from them.

Best advice right there.!

On another note.
If the car was written off that easy maybe it is not a good car to have if involved in an accident.

Unless you were happy with the car which I doubt judging by the numerous issues If it were me I would take the retail value of the car and walk to another dealer to buy something else.

If you were happy then get a like for like with maybe a few sweenters thrown in for inconvenience.

ba_barabus

vectra wrote: »

Best advice right there.!

On another note.
If the car was written off that easy maybe it is not a good car to have if involved in an accident.

Unless you were happy with the car which I doubt judging by the numerous issues If it were me I would take the retail value of the car and walk to another dealer to buy something else.

If you were happy then get a like for like with maybe a few sweenters thrown in for inconvenience.

Tbh if I had a 12 week old car and the garage crashed it I'd be expecting a replacement, written off or not. Unless we were talking about very superficial damage.

I agree with everything else you posted however.

colm_mcm

Yep, if it was that new and needed paint I'd want a new one off them.

I wouldn't get too involved in what happened and how, just take the new car and run.

There's no finance involved or anything is there?

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

galwaytt wrote: »

Unless OP is that Garda, no he doesn't have to talk anyone, and even then. ....

How do you know it was a 2 car accident at all?

So long as garage is replacing with a span new one, why does it matter ?

im assuming its a 2 car crash based on the term "accident" as opposed to "crashed"

Well i'd like to see the car afterwards to see how crap the build quality is. E.g if i would get another one or carry kids in it. like i say if its a 12 week old car and its already written off then it must be really bad.

ba_barabus

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

im assuming its a 2 car crash based on the term "accident" as opposed to "crashed"

Well i'd like to see the car afterwards to see how crap the build quality is. E.g if i would get another one or carry kids in it. like i say if its a 12 week old car and its already written off then it must be really bad.

There are so many variables involved in all that, that it would be a waste of time. I'd like to see it too but I wouldn't put much faith in the judgement of what I'd see.

Also I wouldn't talk to the guy that crashed it. You can be sure he is under orders to keep his mouth shut and to stay away from the owner. And rightly so, the owner (and I doubt it) could be highly pissed off with what happened and could decide to take it out on the driver.

Its best dealt with in an professional manner. At the end of the day these things happen.

Toyotafanboi

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Well i'd like to see the car afterwards to see how crap the build quality is. E.g if i would get another one or carry kids in it. like i say if its a 12 week old car and its already written off then it must be really bad.

if you've already opted for the cheapest new car in the country, excellence in any regard, not least of all build quality and accident protection are clearly not high on your priority list.

i cant imagine it could take much to write off a dacia duster. if it was t-boned at 30mph by an mondeo it would probably be written off.

ba_barabus

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

if you've already opted for the cheapest new car in the country, excellence in any regard, not least of all build quality and accident protection are clearly not high on your priority list.

i cant imagine it could take much to write off a dacia duster. if it was t-boned at 30mph by an mondeo it would probably be written off.

Every modern car would be with the amount of airbags and crash protection involved. The Duster isn't unsafe, it just isn't as safe as the best in class. People have to remember that.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

if you've already opted for the cheapest new car in the country, excellence in any regard, not least of all build quality and accident protection are clearly not high on your priority list.

i cant imagine it could take much to write off a dacia duster. if it was t-boned at 30mph by an mondeo it would probably be written off.

i agree with that completely.

i'd like to see it out of curiosity, but the fact it is already written off makes it sound bad as it is

Jesus.

dnme wrote: »

I wonder are people being a bit harsh on the OP here.

I agree. I don't know why people feel the need to jump on people no matter how reasonable their OP.

It sounds to me like the bloke in the garage was out doing a nixer or something, driving the car when he shouldn't have been and wrote it off. I know the OP should have everything sorted but its not unreasonable for the bloke to be a bit worried considering this bizarre set of events.

ba_barabus

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

i agree with that completely.

i'd like to see it out of curiosity, but the fact it is already written off makes it sound bad as it is

My impress from the opening post is that the car was crashed today. How it was declared an insurance write off in that time is beyond me. I wouldn't be surprised if the garage was just writing it off themselves as it was crashed.

ba_barabus

Jesus. wrote: »

I agree. I don't know why people feel the need to jump on people no matter what their OP.

It sounds to me like the bloke in the garage was out doing a nixer or something, driving the car when he shouldn't have been and wrote it off. I know the OP should have everything sorted but its not unreasonable for the bloke to be a bit worried considering this bizarre set of events.

Exactly

cletus

I thought written off just meant not economically viable to repair, so on a new car, a couple of damaged panels, new paint job, replace suspension parts, airbags if deployed might put it beyond economic repair if it has to go back to original condition, ie brand new

Toyotafanboi

ba_barabus wrote: »

Every modern car would be with the amount of airbags and crash protection involved. The Duster isn't unsafe, it just isn't as safe as the best in class. People have to remember that.

true. well you get what you pay for.

either way at all. if the service centre rang me up and told me that they wrote off my 12 week old car that was having 4 different warranty issues investigated and they were happy to replace it with a brand shiney new one exactly the same...

no questions would i ask.