How to prove if dealership scratched your car?

[Manashe102]

So i had my car washed today after 3 weeks because of all the snow, and rain storms. Last Tuesday i had dropped off my Explorer at the service center to do some warranty repairs. I had received the car back on Friday, and did not notice anything because of the dirt, and i know for sure i had never hit anything during those weeks of snow and rain. So how do i go about resolving this issue? The scratches are against the rear passenger side door and are deep, with a small dent.

 

[peterk9]

So i had my car washed today after 3 weeks because of all the snow, and rain storms. Last Tuesday i had dropped off my Explorer at the service center to do some warranty repairs. I had received the car back on Friday, and did not notice anything because of the dirt, and i know for sure i had never hit anything during those weeks of snow and rain. So how do i go about resolving this issue? The scratches are against the rear passenger side door and are deep, with a small dent.

I think you are going to have a very difficult time proving that the damage was caused by the dealership since you don't seem to be 100% sure the damage wasn't already there. It could have easily happened in a parking lot a while ago but not noticed by you because of the location of the damage and the dirt etc. Some members suggest taking pictures of your vehicle before leaving it for servicing but in your case that may not have helped.
Good luck. I think you're going to need it.

Peter

 

[NEWPORTNJ]

When cars are taken to have service done service rep and i always do a walk thru of the car to coment on any dent scratches etc... Prior of car being driven away by service rep that way we keep all honest, but after you take car home and try to report a scratch it will be hard to prove they did it, this is one incident you might have to chuck up and fix it on your own. I dont think anyone will step up and say they did it....one in a million.!

 

[colintrax]

Honestly the scratch dent was probably already there. Ever been a buggy pusher? Yeah, cars get hit all the time. By employees and other customers.

 

[Manashe102]

I know the place is surrounded with video cameras, is it possible to ask for footage? i have seen the way these service employees drive the vehicles and it disturbs me.

 

[NEWPORTNJ]

Most video recorders have a limited hard drive. I don't think its going to save it for weeks..!
LIKE I SAID EARLIER SORRY BUT WILL HAVE TO CHUCK IT UP...BUT NEXT TIME BE WISER...!

 

[peterk9]

When cars are taken to have service done service rep and i always do a walk thru of the car to coment on any dent scratches etc... Prior of car being driven away by service rep that way we keep all honest, but after you take car home and try to report a scratch it will be hard to prove they did it, this is one incident you might have to chuck up and fix it on your own. I dont think anyone will step up and say they did it....one in a million.!

That is good advice but likely would not have done much good in this case since the vehicle was badly in need of a wash.

Peter

 

[tmg19103]

That is good advice but likely would not have done much good in this case since the vehicle was badly in need of a wash.

Peter

Yeah. You need to go so far as to wash your car before taking it to any place for any type of service.

What my past Saab (since out of biz as a company) dealer did was they did a walk around of your car with with a clipboard with a diagram of different angles of the car and notate scratches and dents and describe them in writing below like a rental car place will do.

That always made me feel real comfortable leaving the car with them. And, it put the onus on them to own up and pay if they dented your car. Dealers who don't do this can always deny they did it, hope you don't notice until later and still deny it if they are not on the up and up.

 

[Sgt1411]

I know the place is surrounded with video cameras, is it possible to ask for footage? i have seen the way these service employees drive the vehicles and it disturbs me.

I was just going to suggest that.

Approach should maybe be low key, just saying you want to rule this idea out so perhaps you could review the video.

As was mentioned it's likely erased but I would ask to be sure.

 

[dco43054]

Why must it have happened at the dealership? It could have happened many places and you didn't notice it.

As noted, most dealers do walk a rounds looking for damage and have customers sign them for just that reason.