Right, this is probably going to be a drastically boring thread. Last week, I had a shunt in my company car. Now it was quite minor, but caused around £1,100s worth of damage to my car.

 

It happened at a roundabout ontop of a motorway, I'd just pulled off, there was a woman in a Megan Classic infront on this rather large roundabout. Just pulling on at the opposite end was a Transit van, so a fair distance away. She started to pull out, I looked and saw it safe for me too. As I turned my head, I'd seen she's hesitated and come to a complete stop. I slammed the brakes on and hit her rear bumper at a head on angle. Little damage to her car, just some deep scratches.

 

To my car, the bonnet was pushed in and it's caused about £1k's worth of damage.

 

At the time, I felt the brakes were dreadful (bearing in mind the car had just had a service). But didn't want to blame the brakes on something that could have been my fault.

 

As I drove the car over the following few days, I noticed a light vibration coming through the floor when braking hard. So took one of the wheels off to inspect the brakes and see if anything was amiss.

 

After closer inspection, it appears that some numpty at Vauxhall has gone and fitted oversided pads. So they stick out over the braking surface. So much so, that they are over the top of the ventilation veins in the central part of the disk, there are now huge chunks missing out of the pad where the pad has worn through on the braking area of the disk and not the bits over the veins giving poor brake force. The pedal is still firm, but response is very very poor and under hard braking, something is not right, maybe the bits of pad sticking out over the veins are making contact. I'll try and take some photos tomorrow.

 

Just wondering what everyone thought of this. I mean, in a serious situation, my car could be quite dangerous. So in effect, the dealership has replaced parts on the car making it unsafe.

take it back show em and take it from there bud.

 

they probably had some part-time student doing work experience fit em or sumit lol

with any luck you can blame the brakes not working on your damage to just hope they accept responsibility

claim you had suffered an injury as a result of the accident, say you would have definitely stopped had the brakes been working correctly and really hammer down on what could have happened if you were doing 30 / 40 mph and a child had run out in front of you !!

If you're taking them to court, it'll be the small claims court (as it's under £3000 damages).

 

There's a fee to begin the process (about £40 IIRC).

 

You can get all the forms off the net and do it all yourself - it's really easy.

take pictures of the brakes 1st - dont touch anything!!

take it back to the dealer & give them the chance to rectify the situation 1st - be calm but firm.

if you get no joy then inform your insurance co as they may take over if you have legal cover, or contact the CAB/small claims court

 

good luck!

take pictures of the brakes 1st - dont touch anything!!

take it back to the dealer & give them the chance to rectify the situation 1st - be calm but firm.

if you get no joy then inform your insurance co as they may take over if you have legal cover, or contact the CAB/small claims court

 

good luck!

 

Definately inform your company's insurers - if they have to pay out for the claim they may want some way of recovering their costs.

 

As you were in a company owned/insured vehicle I doubt whether you as an individual have a claim against the dealer unless you suffered an injury. But your company and its fleet insurer may well have. After all your company contracted the Vauxhall dealer to perform the service to a safe and satisfactory standard.

 

Speak to your fleet manager about it.

 

Richard :smw:

My local VX dealership condemned my Astra.

 

Well finally the brakes have gotten so bad, I've had to take the car back. But took it to my local dealership as I don't trust 'drive' vauxhall, who won't even give you a courtesy car!!!

 

The mechanic there took one look at the pads and said, what they've fitted was 'potentially' very dangerous. Telling him that I'd had a bump in it and found the brakes felt not that good, but there wasn't a lot I could do since they were new.

 

So, maybe Drive Vauxhall might offer an explanation when I send them Purseys Vauxhall dealership report to them for fitting oversized pads.

 

Vauxhall Masterlease were adamant that I was in the wrong though....lol

Have it inspected by the AA or RAC at least you,ll have a written report to shove down the dealers throat :D

Have it inspected by the AA or RAC at least you,ll have a written report to shove down the dealers throat :D

 

I wouldn't bother doing anything! You don't stand to gain anything really (unless you were injured) - the only potential loss you'll suffer is if you try to get personal car insurance within the next 5 years... but there's nothing you can do about this now as the accident was 'your' fault - at least as far as the insurance companies are concerned.

 

They'll of sorted this out now, and I would bet good money they won't be interested in pursuing a garage for liability as the legal costs would far outway the return they'd get.

 

Let your company pay a little bit extra insurance come renewal time, and have your revenge by slaggin Drive Vauxhall to everyone you meet ;)