Concerned Aygo Owner

[Woody7]

Dear Toyata Club members

I would really appreciate some advice.

Today (Friday), following everyones advice on this forum, I took our 3 year-old Aygo to our local main Toyota dealer to have a headlamp replaced under warranty – it was condensating.

At 12.15 I got a call from the service manager to say the car was ready to be collected. At 12.45 I

got another call to say that the guy washing the car had lifted some of the paintwork on the back bumper if I could wait until 5.00 pm they’d take it to the body shop and sort it.

Fine I thought, how honest of them.

I collected it at 5.30, thanked the service manager for his honesty, inspected the bumper and it seemed ok, although I did feel a slight crease further along from the ‘loose paint’ section but it was not in good light as it was getting towards dusk.

I got home and had a really good look and discovered a crease about 4 to 5 inches in the middle of the bumper.

I know it wasn’t there before it went in.

I immediately phoned them back and spoke to the service manager who went to great lengths to say they hadn’t done anything to that side of the bumper, just the corner where the paint had ‘flaked off’. I said I would take I back on Monday and discuss it further.

What should be my approach with them? What would you do? I’d really appreciate some support here.

Thanks everyone from a rather depressed
Alastair

[FROSTYBALLS]

Above all any discussion needs to be polite, not accusatory and measured.

Explain that you are sure the crease wasn't there before the car was serviced, see what rectification they can do and whether they're prepared to contribute towards the cost of repair. See if the service manager will consult with the technician/valeter who worked on your car whilst you're there. If it is a dealership you've used before, explain that further business, both in terms of servicing and possible future car purchases, may depend on what happens.

We had something similar a few years ago with a Honda - where after the car was serviced, we noticed a scratch on the forward edge of the bonnet. After taking the car straight back to the dealer, they successfully polished the scratch out after some discussion, and that was fine for the remaining period we had the car.

[Woody7]

Thanks Frostyballs I appreciate your comments. I intend the measured approach you suggest. I also wonder if the technician was open with the service manager about the incident. Any idea what a new Aygo bumper costs (fitted and sprayed)?

Thanks again for the reply.

[Raistlin]

About £350:00 ;)

[Woody7]

Thanks very much Raistlin

[eygo]

would toyota of done a walk round report of the condition of the car when you left it with them??

if so any damage / scratches should be noted on the form if you have this form you will have a bit

more to persude them that the damage took place whilst in their hands.

[Parts-King]

would toyota of done a walk round report of the condition of the car when you left it with them??

if so any damage / scratches should be noted on the form if you have this form you will have a bit

more to persude them that the damage took place whilst in their hands.

That depends on the dealer

We have one of our bodyshop guys inspect the car and take photo's. It is a two way exercise and works well for both parties, but like everything, it is time permitting. You would be surprised at some of the comments we get. A lot of customers have no idea they have bumps and scratches, and spouses often blame each other but to be serious, we inspect them to offer a price for a smart repair, but it helps if the customer says the scratch was not there before, when we can clearly show a timeline of when the car arrived and when the photo was taken. Nobody likes to see damage on their car, but you would be surprised the amount of times customers have no idea, especially dents and creases which are not that obvious to see with the untrained eye

[Woody7]

Thanks for all the comments everyone - I needn't have worried. Sean (service manager) at Gordon Lamb's Chesterfield was brilliant, nothing was too much trouble and he went out of his way to resolve the situation immediately. He took my Aygo to a body specialist and offered to take the crease out and give me a loan car for two days or if I chose not to have the job done he would give me a free MOT next time it was due. How good a service is that?

A big thumbs up for customer care at Gordon Lamb Chesterfield - especially Sean!

Thanks again everyone, Alastair

[Parts-King]

Well done Gordon Lamb!