11 replies to this topic

[mini turbo]

Just to to collect my mini from the garage as it's been repair, only to find when i got their it's been broken into causing this damage: front drivers side window smashed, door bent where they shoved a screwdriver down the wind, lock damage as they've hamered srewdriver into it. Dash ripped out, stereo stolen. engine bay items stolen including intercooler, dump valve air filter and samco hosing. So my question is should the claim go throught my insurance or through the garages as it was on their property?

[Sleepy Stu]

Just to to collect my mini from the garage as it's been repair, only to find when i got their it's been broken into causing this damage: front drivers side window smashed, door bent where they shoved a screwdriver down the wind, lock damage as they've hamered srewdriver into it. Dash ripped out, stereo stolen. engine bay items stolen including intercooler, dump valve air filter and samco hosing. So my question is should the claim go throught my insurance or through the garages as it was on their property?

Garage will have insurance to cover this just for curiosity what do they have to say about it?

[Dan]

Did they offer you secure storage? Did they pick it up from you? Is there a sign up at the garage saying vehicles left at owners risk? It's normally only their liability if the car is inside.

[Bungle]

i would let your insurance company fight it out with theirs

[mini turbo]

spoke to the bloke he seemed ok but was'nt sure who would have to pay, no signs up say left at owners risk, wasn't inside it was in the garage's car park. I'm worried that if we go throught my insurance they deem it not an economical repair as the agreed value is what i brought it for which is £1900, but it's just had all the bodywork done including respray numerous new engine replacements. And my excess is £500

Edited by mini turbo, 10 January 2009 - 02:36 PM.

[Jordie]

You allowed for it to be kept outside at the garage?

If my mini went anywhere for repair,i would state that it must be kept indoors when the place was closed.

If it was in the care of the garage and they never told u it was left at your own risk, then i suggest it would be there insurance...

[Ethel]

The garage would need to take reasonable precautions but I doubt that any liability would be implied unless they charged you for storage, or specifically required the car to be there. You may have a decent case to argue, if the scumbags undid some of the garage's work, to have the work redone. I think you need to take this up with the garage's insurers for starters. Don't take the garage's word for it, they'd have a vested interest in reducing any claim to keep their premiums down.

[taffy1967]

Reminds me of a few years back when a local (rubbish as it turned out) garage had my sisters 92' Mini BOC LE for a couple of days whilst they dragged their heels on getting parts and actually fixing it.

Well on the day we were due to collect it, we had a phone call from the garage and they asked us if the Mini had a lockable fuel cap fitted? Well we said yes and were told that it was missing.

Well to cut a long story short, we rushed down there and it seemed someone had forced the fuel filler cap off and a piece of it was still left in the neck of the filler (being an unleaded model meant the fuel neck flap prevented the piece from dropping into the tank).

Anyway the scumbag garage owner then tried to tell us that it could have happened prior to him having the car and he insisted that it had been locked up in his garage every night. His misses even started having a go saying how we were calling them liars (which they were!).

So they grudgingly provided a replacement filler cap and we left with the Mini never to darken their door again.

But surprise, surprise there was hardly a drop of fuel in the tank and we only just made it to the filling station!

So if they don't play game, vote with your feet.

>

[Ethel]

They might not have been lying Taffy, even if they were wrong.

Since we're doing anecdotes. The Rover dealers I worked in got screwed once, they even knicked a works van to take their booty away in. The van was recovered after a couple of weeks when someone a couple of blocks away rang to complain about it being parked outside his house! Quality policing, it had the dealership's name and phone number down the side in foot high letters. The poor grease monkey who had his entire Snap-on toolkit taken wasn't so lucky and the scumbag company didn't pay a penny towards replacing them.

[taffy1967]

They might not have been lying Taffy, even if they were wrong.

Well I can't imagine anyone would have forced the cap off and drained the fuel out in broad daylight whilst the Mini was parked outside?

I also just remembered that the N/S rear shock absorber bottom securing nut had been removed too, so the damper wasn't attached properly.

Whoever nicked the petrol must have released the damper, thinking they'd be able to get at the fuel tank pipes or something?

Either way a lot had been done to that Mini, so no way had it been kept inside at night.

Plus we've heard loads of other horror stories about that place and none of the locals will go near it now.

Edited by taffy1967, 10 January 2009 - 03:36 PM.

[sazal]

I think it would go through the garages insurance. They should have insurance which cover customers cars whilst in their care, as far as I see it, if it is there having things done and they have the keys, then it is in their care

Edited by sazal, 10 January 2009 - 08:58 PM.

[taffy1967]

Yes I would have thought so too, I mean if the whole place went up in smoke then surely they'd be liable. Likewise with theft and damage?