I test drove a 2012 Impreza and then bought it, there was no damage to the front bumper and it had been photoed for online sales and those photos are all clean too. So I drove it home yesterday, the dealership had it for 4 days and when I got home I noticed it had a crack and scuff marks on the passenger side front bumper. Is the dealership responsible for the repair…I drove it home about 30mph due to a snow storm and bad road conditions, and I didn’t hit anything-Thanks for the help
Always do a walk-around check after getting your car serviced, or picking up a rental.
If the dealer denies doing it sounds like you have no proof.
You can try to get the dealership to repair the damage. But, it is up to the owner to inspect the car whenever you pick it up. Once you leave the lot there is a question as to when the damage occurred - when the car was in the dealer’s care or when it was in the owner’s care.
Even if you just have a car in for service you need to do a “walk around” inspection when you pick it up and note any damage immediately. Don’t leave the dealership until an employee has made a damage report on your claim.
At this point you are in limbo. Some dealers will do the right thing for a customer and others won’t. All you can do now is document your case with pictures and notes and tell your story to the dealer representative and see how they handle it.
ok thanks~they said they would take a look at it, wish me luck! oddly enough I am a first time car buyer and didn’t know about the walk around…it’s the one thing I didn’t research:/dang.
Did you do a pre delivery walk around b4 you drove off the dealers lot? this might be a hard one, you may need leagel advice on this one.
Don’t get lawyers involved at this point. Any hint of legal action will stop any good will work the dealer might perform. Just emphasize that this is your first car and that you honestly believe it was there before you left the lot. The dealer knows that a completely satisfied customer, especially a first time car buyer, is likely to come back for another car when they sell their current ride. It should be worth a few hundred dollars for them to make you happy in the long run.
I’d go back and have them fix it. Since you have their online photos showing the area unscathed, I think you have a case. However, do it now. If you let time pass, your case gets weaker.