Car delivered damaged - advice please

[CROCOP]

OK, great day turned into a not-so-great day and need some advice.

Lease company delivered the vehicle to me. It was delivered in pouring rain, and it was completely covered in road grime. An inspection of the vehicle was impossible.

On the delivery notes, I signed for collection, and wrote in very clear terms that the weather had prevented me from being able to make any kind of inspection.

About an hour later, the rain cleared up, and I noticed two rather large dents in the rear panel on the car. I assumed I'd assumed it was a collision or something while parked, and was ready to take to a dent specialist. However, luckily, I snapped a picture of the car just before I signed for it, and luckier still, the delivery driver is clearly visible in the shot, and, perhaps even luckier STILL, the dent is also visible.

My question is, how hard is it going to be to get them to accept responsibility to fix it?

In Summary:

1. I signed to accept the vehicle, BUT stipulated that poor weather had prevented me from making an inspection.
2. Discovered dent in the side.
3. Have photographic proof that the dent was visible at the time of delivery.

 

[davemk]

With the evidence you have (a photo including the delivery driver) I would have thought you've got a very strong case.

How big are the dents?

 

[CROCOP]

Hi Dave

The dents are pretty large. Two right next to each other, probably about six inches long each and 3 inches wide. They are kind of shallow, so easy to miss, but then extremely visible once you know they're there. I'll upload an image one sec

 

[CROCOP]

Here's the pictures

 

[Jassyo06]

One thing is. .. Take a photo of the mileage the delivery mileage should be on the delivery notes, this proves you haven’t driven the car

 

[CROCOP]

Have driven it ten miles since then unfortunately. ******, didn't think of that.

 

[CROCOP]

Does anyone agree that the dent is visible in the main shot?

 

[Jassyo06]

Does anyone agree that the dent is visible in the main shot?

Extremely visible

 

[CROCOP]

As in the shot with the delivery guy in it?

 

[S32B]

Yes, I also wouldn't like the way that he's leaning on the paint!

First thing I thought when I saw the dents: Someone has fallen/tripped over and landed on the car hands first!

 

[CROCOP]

Honestly, the car was so dirty, the pictures don't do it justice at all. I have a feeling they knew damn well that the dent was there. I have a horrible feeling I'm going to be fighting this for months.

Other than that, though, I love the car!

 

[davemk]

That is a big dent. Gutted for you. Hope it hasn't taken too much of the new-car-excitement away, although I suspect I know the answer to that.

Good luck with getting it sorted. Hopefully, they'll not argue and get it sorted so you can get back to enjoying the car.

It'd be good to know which lease company and their response. Keep us posted.

 

[CROCOP]

Thanks Dave. Lease company is Fleetprices. I'll update this thread with the conclusion - it has spoiled the day for me a bit, but only the worry about what's to come. I'm dreading having a potential fight on my hands. Especially knowing it's only going to cost a hundred-odd quid to fix with a dent repairer. More the principle than anything.

 

[davc]

Reject the car and refuse any payments due until a replacement is delivered.

 

[CROCOP]

I can't really do that as I've already signed for it

 

[Jassyo06]

The risk is always there when you lease a car rather than getting it from a dealership and to be honest l think you have absolutely no reason to worry as the photos don't lie

 

[Flying Scotsman]

As you state it looks easy to fix via dent repairer, as long as the Audi horizontal crease line is not bent. Regardless of the minimal cost the delivery company is responsible for the damage, if it was not previously. documented. Have you have notified the owner of the vehicle (leasing company) as to the damage and your stipulation on the delivery document, if so, it should be a no brainer for you to be compensated for the damage. I would take it to a dent repairer for an estimate to provide to the leasing company.

 

[Gazwould]

Holy Mother looks like Eddie Hall has lent on it , definate cover up being delivered so dirty .

PDR should sort it though.

 

[davc]

I can't really do that as I've already signed for it

Can you ask them to get it repaired and provide you with a courtesy car while it's off the road?

 

[CROCOP]

Thanks for the replies everyone. They've asked me to get some quotes, so I'm assuming that means they're at least accepting the possibility they may be at fault. They have asked me to get dents from local dent repair places - I'm tempted to insist that they go with Audi, but I don't know if I can be bothered to accept the fight I'll indeed encounter if they find out they have to pay 1000+ to fix a dent that would cost 100 with a local repairer.

 

[lucaslfc]

i think the delivery guy was a little stressed that day and decided to headbutt your car lol

but on serious note though i be ****** right off, hope you get it sorted it easy enough. looks real nice the car though

 

[Matt Titanium]

Would guess it's one of the local dent repairers that visit Audi once a week. But Audi will charge five times the price just to lend you a free courtesy car.

 

[davemk]

That sounds promising, as though they will be fixing it at their expense. If it's leased and they're asking you for a local repairer, I wouldn't be concerned - it's their paintwork warranty,not yours.

 

[4K]

Thanks for the replies everyone. They've asked me to get some quotes, so I'm assuming that means they're at least accepting the possibility they may be at fault. They have asked me to get dents from local dent repair places - I'm tempted to insist that they go with Audi, but I don't know if I can be bothered to accept the fight I'll indeed encounter if they find out they have to pay 1000+ to fix a dent that would cost 100 with a local repairer.

Just a note of caution on this. Audi may do an OK job of the dent, but I highly doubt they will do an amazing job of a paint match.

I've always found there are some local paint sprayers who are very good and much better than Audi.

 

[Pinky1959]

I would go to the garage and find out when the dent guy they use is there and ask him if he can do it and if it would need painted after (and if he does paint as well ), if not get him to do it but if it does ask who he recommends locally .
Thats what I did when I opened my door onto a wall and dented /scratched it and the local guy was brilliant .

 

[Jassyo06]

Just a note of caution on this. Audi may do an OK job of the dent, but I highly doubt they will do an amazing job of a paint match.

I've always found there are some local paint sprayers who are very good and much better than Audi.

Car looks to be painted in lbis white...even if its Glacier its a easily matchable especially when the paint is new and if its only dented it wont need painted

 

[Spinstorm]

I bet that could be pulled out with pointless dent removal.

 

[wab172uk]

Just a note of caution on this. Audi may do an OK job of the dent, but I highly doubt they will do an amazing job of a paint match.

I've always found there are some local paint sprayers who are very good and much better than Audi.

Each garage is different, but when my car was keyed, the whole right side of the car needed re-spraying. I got a few quotes, but ended up going with Audi repair centre purely as when ever I came to sell. If it was going to be a trade-in, and anything was visibly not right, I could produce evidence that the car was repaired by Audi, and to Audi standards.

To be fair I had nothing to worry about. The car is a perfect colour match. Have had it detailed since, and you just can't tell. They did a great job.

However, going back to the OP. As it's a lease car, and not yours, the lease company will be wanting to repair at the most economical price. So I doubt insisting the car goes to Audi, will get you what you want. But just make sure you keep all correspondence, receipts and photographs etc, as come the end of your contract, if anything not 100% correct with the repair, they could charge you for needing to repair the car.

 

[4K]

Car looks to be painted in lbis white...even if its Glacier its a easily matchable especially when the paint is new and if its only dented it wont need painted

Ha! You'd be suprised..

 

[CROCOP]

I'm going to go with a local dent repair, looking at the dents, they're large, but they're also quite shallow. I get the impression you could basically pull them out with a suction cup. One of them is on the moulding line, but it hasn't affected it too much. I can't imagine it needing repainting, at least I hope it doesn't need it. I'll be keeping photos, either way, as wab172uk says - great advice, thanks!

 

[Dan Halen]

Car looks to be painted in lbis white...even if its Glacier its a easily matchable especially when the paint is new and if its only dented it wont need painted

Pearlescent whites are the most difficult to match well, per a painter I was speaking with recently. I was surprised.

 

[Jassyo06]

Pearlescent whites are the most difficult to match well, per a painter I was speaking with recently. I was surprised.

Well the OP doesn't need the paint repaired so all the better

 

[4K]

Pearlescent whites are the most difficult to match well, per a painter I was speaking with recently. I was surprised.

Exactly.

 

[AudiNutta]

How old is that?? Exhaust tips look ruined on the drivers side, not like a delivery mileage car.

Amazed they thought it was acceptable to deliver this.

 

[CROCOP]

It's Ibis White -

How old is that?? Exhaust tips look ruined on the drivers side, not like a delivery mileage car.

Amazed they thought it was acceptable to deliver this.

300 miles on the clock.

Basically, after much deduction, I've come up with the following theory:

The driver said he hadn't been doing this long. He'd delivered the car from Liverpool. Everything went fine, until he, for the first time, drove the car in central london. JHe did something stupid, and a motorcyclist, or a cyclist punched the side of the car as they drove past. In an effort to hide the damage, he drove through every single available puddle on the way, and then handed over the car to me as quickly as possible to get out of there. It's the only car I've ever had delivered that was in the condition it was when it arrived.

It's a lease vehicle, so understandably, it doesn't have the same pull-the-cloth-back-reveal that you get with a dealership, but this car in particular was dirty to the point where it didn't look new. I detailed it immediately after, and it looked spectacular, and still does.

I'll get the dents fixed and eventually forget about it

 

[AudiNutta]

It's Ibis White -


300 miles on the clock.

Basically, after much deduction, I've come up with the following theory:

The driver said he hadn't been doing this long. He'd delivered the car from Liverpool. Everything went fine, until he, for the first time, drove the car in central london. JHe did something stupid, and a motorcyclist, or a cyclist punched the side of the car as they drove past. In an effort to hide the damage, he drove through every single available puddle on the way, and then handed over the car to me as quickly as possible to get out of there. It's the only car I've ever had delivered that was in the condition it was when it arrived.

It's a lease vehicle, so understandably, it doesn't have the same pull-the-cloth-back-reveal that you get with a dealership, but this car in particular was dirty to the point where it didn't look new. I detailed it immediately after, and it looked spectacular, and still does.

I'll get the dents fixed and eventually forget about it, but **** this delivery driver.

That photo would make anybody struggle to believe it has 300 miles on it, haha.

I like that theory, seems pretty accurate.
I suppose by getting a lease deal stupidly cheaper, there is a compromise somewhere.

My Dad is ex-Paintless dent removal and that would be touch and go, so close to the swage line and very large but there is a chance.