2019 GMC Acadia - did I get rooked?

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Trying to see if I got rooked…

My son was driving a friend’s 2019 GMC Acadia over the summer and hit a curb with the front passenger side tire, flattening it. When I asked for the bill to pay for the tire, the invoice noted that in the impact the rear muffler bracket had broken and replaced ???

Then the friend drove the car from the Philly suburbs to Boston and back and then noticed a noise coming from the exhaust system

The father took the car to the dealer, first mistake, and the insisted that the entire system be replaced for nearly $1,500!

I ended up shelling out nearly $1,800 but my question is, could hitting a curb hard enough to flatten a tire and bending a brake shield but it effect the alignment be enough to break said bracket or ruin the exhaust system?

Thanks

Evan

2

The vehicle was driven over a concrete barrier, the exhaust pipes/muffler were damaged when striking the concrete.

The first mistake was replacing the tire, not properly inspecting the vehicle for damage and driving with an exhaust leak.

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3

Sounds excessive for a bracket, but $1800 is a light sentence, all things considered. I would go through insurance to make sure a year or 2 down the road something else does not pop up they want you to pay for. Cars have ended many a friendship.

4

Don’t worry about it. You son damaged a near new vehicle, got off light I think.

5

If this was an old clunker, I would be suspicious that you were being taken advantage of. But given how new the vehicle is, unless the owner is doing some off-roading, the exhaust system damage is attributable to your son’s incident. It is very unlikely the exhaust system would have failed so soon under normal use. Regarding the use of the dealership for the repairs, I would want my almost new vehicle to be repaired with factory parts.

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6

Naw, I think the first mistake was driving someone else’s car all summer. Consider it just car rental.

And dealer parts might be more expensive but they are OEM quality. I remember buying an exhaust pipe for my Olds at the dealer and the meal was at least twice as thick as after-market. Now a lot of them are stainless.

7

I would be floored if there is not something bent in the front suspension/steering and the alignment is out of whack.

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8

I agree with NYBo. The owner is entitled to OEM parts installed by the dealer if that’s what he or she wants.

If there wasn’t damage to the wheel or the front suspension, you’re lucky. Usually that’s the case here.

9

why are you paying for your son’s accident and shoddy driving?

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10

Agree with all of the above, which leads to my First Law of Car Ownership …
"Thou shall never Borrow nor Loan any Vehicle nor allow thy progeny to do likewise"

And for your sin, at $2,000 and an annoyed friend, you got off very lightly.
Imagine where you’d be now if your son had racked up a bunch of unpaid parking, red light camera, speeding tickets, was towed and impounded or even worse, was involved in a personal injury accident.

As far as your son goes, if you weren’t aware that he was borrowing the car, he should pay you back but if you were aware, well you’re the adult.

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