First,you deserve your car fixed right, I say this just to set the tone here,I am on your side. What I am trying to figure out through dates and other events is just how badly was your car hit. Do you think if you ask how badly was your car hit that they tell you the truth? I backed up a new BMW into a pole and it was 3500.00 to fix it and it was just some plastic and some paint. A 1500.00 accident can be very minor, unless they are covering things up. What is your plan to get the truth about the accident? Along with your car fixed right you deserve to know how bad the damage was (or at least I think you do).I don’t go for them saying “we fixed it up just like new, that is all you need to know”.
I think that you have gotten all that you can expect from the dealership, and thus you should just chalk this up to bad luck/bad karma. You are not entitled to damages, simply because, as long as they also pay for your rental car, you have not actually incurrred any damages that have not been compensated.
Body work and repainting that are done properly and expertly are NOT apparent, despite your earlier statement, “it does diminish the value of the car because anyone that knows cars can tell if it’s been repainted”. Poor quality work is obvious to those who know what to look for. Excellent-quality body work and repainting will NOT be obvious even if somebody is looking for it. Hopefully you have located a body shop with a reputation for excellent workmanship.
This was an unfortunate experience, but accidents do happen. I agree that the dealership deserves criticism for both their attempt to conceal the situation and their cheap-o body work. However, the check that you currently hold in your hand (and reimbursement for a rental car) is probably the only compensation that you can realistically expect. Try to get past this situation and just resolve never to return to that dealership.
In the eyes of insurance actuary tables, a claim is a claim, irregardless of who is at fault. My wife and I went the first 10 years of our marriage with one insurance company and no claims. The first claim she filed, rear-ended in a parking lot, sent our incredibly cheap insurance rates up 40% at renewal. I was torqued off enough to shop around for other insurance, and found that even with the 40% increase, it was still cheaper than any others out there.
I don’t see the OP asking for “damages” or needing to “calm” OPself. The dealership screwed up and EVENTUALLY made it right. The dealership:
Sold a Certified car with a non-working CD player;
Couldn’t replace the CD player;
Damaged the car;
Failed to properly repair the damage they caused.
Generally one expects a certain level of service from people in the business of selling $30,000 used cars.
Thanks impala61!!! As you said I’m not looking for damages or to make any money of this I’m just looking to get my car fixed properly and answers to why nobody notified my when it happen or when I picked it up. The dealer is trying to make things right but only because I caught them in a lie and have proof to back it up. I realize accidents happen but lies and deceit are intentional.
You hit the nail on the head with this, thanks
"Sold a Certified car with a non-working CD player;
Couldn’t replace the CD player;
Damaged the car;
Failed to properly repair the damage they caused.
Did you get a CPO checklist like this when you boughtyour car?
Yep. The insurance company is not on your side, and does not care who’s at fault or even if you were in the car at the time. If you file a claim, that’s all they need as an excuse to charge you more money.
It’s even more fun in states like Minnesota, where even if your car is parked in your driveway and someone runs into it, you’re 5% at fault because you own it, and another 5% at fault if you happened to be inside the car at the time.
Hmm. My experience has been different. My rates have never gone up because I filed a claim. Knuckles, it sounds like the company figured out that your original insurance was underpriced, since even after a 40% increase you still ended up with the cheapest insurance available.
Filing a claim may cause your auto insurance rates to go up, so it’s best if you get Lexus to fix the car. Push them and make sure it’s as good as new when they return it to you.
Good thing that wasn’t me!! I’d have gone off on anyone and everyone, then I’d have got in touch with their corporate office. I also think submitting a complaint to the BBB is in order.
“I also think submitting a complaint to the BBB is in order.”
Unfortunately, that would almost surely be a waste of time and effort. If you need an explanation, please let me know.
For reasons that I cannot fathom, many people seem to think that the BBB is a governmental agency, when–in fact–it is merely a business “club” that a company can opt to join. While there are potential benefits for the dues-paying business, the benefits for consumers are…almost non-existent.
If someone wants to file a complaint that has any chance of success, it would be much more appropriate to file it with the local Office of Consumer Affairs, which has both regulatory and punitive powers through its affiliation with government prosecutors.