Folks,

 

A friend of mine has just had one of the wheels fall off his car when he was driving it. This was just after new tyres were fitted by a North London garage.

 

It's damaged the car (to the tune of around £500), but fortunately noone was hurt.

 

My mate wants to sell his car, and the garage has offered to buy it straight off him for £400 more than he would expect to get for it.

 

My question is: Should he get rid of it, put the episode behind him and buy himself a japanese car, or should he pursue the garage through a solicitor etc.

 

 

DISCLAIMER/REQUEST: I know this is a contentious issue, and is perhaps uncomfortably close to past events related to this forum. I'm very keen not to ignite any bad feeling and I'd request that we kept the responses hypothetical! Hope this is OK, mods!

 

 

I'd really like to hear from traders on this issue: If you PM me, or email me at russhendy@NOSPAMhotmail.com (remove the NOSPAM), I'll treat any messages with complete confidentiality.

 

But advice from anyone would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Russ.

If he does pursue it it appears that the traders have already admitted liability, he could probably get a couple of grand out it....

 

he'd really have to contact a solicitor first and find out what they advise.

Find out what caused the wheel to come off first.

 

Incorrect torque of the wheel nuts - contact solicitor

Steering arm or suspension related - take the offer

If you were to pursue this there is a big question of the effect something like this can have on a persons confidence, not to mention the disruption of being without a car while it's sorted - a good claims lawyer should be able to make hay here if the guilt is clear.

First move should be to get the offer in writing from the garage. It confirms they accept liability, should he wish to go further.

 

If he was considering changing the car anyway then he should accept (or negotiate further) their offer. Litigation is a hassle and your mate could lose, or at least have to pay his own costs. If he accepts the offer, he will get £400 more than he would if he sold the car without hassle of selling it. He can purchase another as a cash buyer, thus hopefully being able to haggle more than he would if he had a PX.

 

If he wants to keep his car then once he has their acceptance of liability get the garage to foot the repair bill. But at a garage of your mate's choice. He has the right to chose where his car is repaired.

 

Finally, don't use that garage again;)

 

HTH

 

Richard

Originally posted by RichardSmith

 

If he was considering changing the car anyway then he should accept (or negotiate further) their offer. Litigation is a hassle and your mate could lose, or at least have to pay his own costs. If he accepts the offer, he will get £400 more than he would if he sold the car without hassle of selling it. He can purchase another as a cash buyer, thus hopefully being able to haggle more than he would if he had a PX.

 

 

 

Finally, don't use that garage again;)

 

HTH

 

Richard

 

Sounds like good advice to me..