Dealership Damaged My Rubicon!

[GraniteRubiGA]

I have had a hard time getting the dealership to fix my passenger side seat. It has 7,800 miles on it and the track has been broke since about 1,500. They finally agreed to replace the track last week. I dropped it off Monday and I flew out for business. They left me a voice message yesterday saying they fixed the seat. However the tech dropped the track against my Jeep. They automatically sent it to paint without even speaking to me. I went up there today and seen the pictures. It got the back door, behind the front door, below the front door and the inside sill plate of the front door. What should I do?!? They just automatically started sanding my NEW $65,000 Jeep without consulting with me first. I also have a $1,500 Ceramic coating on it that is now shot as well. They said they would reimburse me to “touch that up”. I am highly pissed at this point and at a loss for word! Does anyone have any advice on what steps I should take? I am worried it will not match, I will never be happy with it and it will also show damage on the vehicle report. Thank you in advance!

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[Bearded_Dragon]

Wait and see what it looks like when they're done. It's a brand new vehicle so matching it should be easy if they're a good shop. Do you still have the receipt for the ceramic coating?

As for the damage report, usually when insurance companies are involved then it goes on record. Ask the dealership if it will be on the history report and if they say no, try to get it in writing.

 

[D60]

As in a sliding seat track? How did it do so much damage? I'm very confused.

Either way seems like the dealer is trying to make it right.

I'm not cool enough to know what a ceramic coating is except on my CeraPan frying pans.....but my $46k Rubi has trail pinstriping ....I thought that's what Jeeps were supposed to have?

 

[Roky]

I have had a hard time getting the dealership to fix my passenger side seat. It has 7,800 miles on it and the track has been broke since about 1,500. They finally agreed to replace the track last week. I dropped it off Monday and I flew out for business. They left me a voice message yesterday saying they fixed the seat. However the tech dropped the track against my Jeep. They automatically sent it to paint without even speaking to me. I went up there today and seen the pictures. It got the back door, behind the front door, below the front door and the inside sill plate of the front door. What should I do?!? They just automatically started sanding my NEW $65,000 Jeep without consulting with me first. I also have a $1,500 Ceramic coating on it that is now shot as well. They said they would reimburse me to “touch that up”. I am highly pissed at this point and at a loss for word! Does anyone have any advice on what steps I should take? I am worried it will not match, I will never be happy with it and it will also show damage on the vehicle report. Thank you in advance!

Let them try to make it right, you may be surprised, if your not happy, I’m sure they’ll pay to have it fixed to your satisfaction.

 

[mikegcny]

my $46k Rubi has trail pinstriping ....I thought that's what Jeeps were supposed to have?

Trail stripes, not Clumsy Mechanic stripes.

 

[grady2hig]

Shit happens. Everyone messes up sometimes. Let them try to make it right...

 

[GraniteRubiGA]

I don’t know the answer to that. But it is scratched in about 6 different places.

 

[Carlton]

Sounds like they are being stand up and making it right. If they sent it to their body shop there won't be a damage report recorded.

You seem unhappy that they started repairing it. What is the other option?

 

[GraniteRubiGA]

Sounds like they are being stand up and making it right. If they sent it to their body shop there won't be a damage report recorded.

You seem unhappy that they started repairing it. What is the other option?

They did take it and admit it. I give them that. There are other issues I have had and this just gets me highly pissed.

 

[EZMFE]

It got the back door, behind the front door, below the front door and the inside sill plate of the front door.

That sounds like quite a bit of damage for a simple seat bracket. I'm imagining the guy/girl swinging it around banging on everything on the way out....

For one thing it should of been brought to your attention before sending it to their body shop. You might not trust their work at that point or would just prefer to take is some place else. It should be your decision on how it was to be fixed. Who are they to make that decision for you? That is most likely why they automatically sent it over so it would not hit their insurance. You have to wonder why they didn't just call you when it happened. I'm surprised they didn't just fix it and give it back to you without saying anything... since they never informed you in the first place.

So when it is time to sell your Jeep, the value of your vehicle will be less than one that is equivalent but had no damage. The Jeep may be perfectly color matched and the damage not noticeable at all but it still happened....

Say I am interested in buying your Jeep at some point and I find out that it has been repainted in spots. What else was done? Was there any filler used? How do I know as a buyer that there was not more damage than what you have explained? All I can do is take your word for it and that might not be good enough. With a Jeep that didn't have this type of damage, I wouldn't need to worry about what "might" of happened. I would get a hold of the pictures of the damage and keep them for future use.

I am no expert on how insurance works but there could be a diminished value claim in your future. That is how I would approach it but not sure in the end how much the damage will be valued. It would be the dealerships insurance that would be responsible so you should be asking for their insurance info so you can file a claim. Might even need a police report to be filed depending.

 

[cOtter]

I can definitely understand your frustration. It’s going to sound like I am talking out of both sides of my mouth...... One of my primary roles as a Program Manager is “Public Relations”.

It’s a lost art in my opinion. So may people now what to put up walls (no I am not talking about some in DC.... could not resist)

On one hand, they started the activity without telling you. I think that is a huge part of the frustration. Of course what lead up to it.... you having to basically push them to repair the passenger seat.... of course they damaged your ride.

One the other hand they are trying to do something. Partly because they know they damaged your ride. They also know that you have been pushing to get your seat fixed.

Either way.... there is history.

I have found that In many if not all cases, calm prevails. You can be firm but also calm.

I think that in this case, the best thing you can do is to schedule time to go talk with the dealer / Shop manager. They know they messed up. Allow them to explain in detail their plans to make it right. I’d go in with a list of questions and concerns. Keep your cool. See what their intentions are and go from there.

For example:
• Will they provide you a nice loaner for example while they are taking care of the issue.
• What is their back up plan if their fix does not work? As you mentioned you have concern about matching.
• What do they plan to do about the ceramic coat your ride had?

That is what I would recommend.

But these points are coming from a person who’s wife has beaten breast cancer twice. So I tend to look at many things with very different perspective.

Best of luck.

Who knows. If the dealer takes care of it top notch, you will look at them from a different view as well. Possibly even recommend them to others that need an honest dealer to work with.

 

[Texan42]

^ well said.

 

[quicksilvergoat]

I have had a hard time getting the dealership to fix my passenger side seat. It has 7,800 miles on it and the track has been broke since about 1,500. They finally agreed to replace the track last week. I dropped it off Monday and I flew out for business. They left me a voice message yesterday saying they fixed the seat. However the tech dropped the track against my Jeep. They automatically sent it to paint without even speaking to me. I went up there today and seen the pictures. It got the back door, behind the front door, below the front door and the inside sill plate of the front door. What should I do?!? They just automatically started sanding my NEW $65,000 Jeep without consulting with me first. I also have a $1,500 Ceramic coating on it that is now shot as well. They said they would reimburse me to “touch that up”. I am highly pissed at this point and at a loss for word! Does anyone have any advice on what steps I should take? I am worried it will not match, I will never be happy with it and it will also show damage on the vehicle report. Thank you in advance!

I’d make them take it to Magnum to fix it.

 

[EnjoyLife]

My body shop said that if I didn't make the claim through insurance, the accident wouldn't be on the CarFax. That being said, if the accident does get reported to CarFax, depending on the stat that you are in, you may be owed Diminished Value. I do not believe that this is the case in this instance, however.

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