Oops! 96 Cars vandalized at Audi Dealership

DW849 · 12-20-08, 09:34

Happened in Concord Ca. I thought it was an interesting discussion on whether or not it would be disclosed when cars were sold that they were re-painted.

www.CLAYCORD.com: 96 CARS VANDALIZED AT CONCORD DEALERSHIP

BigAl3 · 12-20-08, 10:10

wow, and i'm sure every one of those will be sold as new without informing the customer...

jdoria · 12-20-08, 10:54

BigAl3 - they are still new.

Could be a pissed customer.

I cant see the owner of the store doing it. Unless he just wants to make a claim to get him through his monthly float from Audi. Vandalism is covered on the stores insurance.

Accumulator · 12-20-08, 11:03

Hmmm...interesting comments on that link.

As for not telling the customer that the vehicle had (significant, vandalism-related) paintwork, I know that *my* Audi dealer wouldn't try to pull that.

BigAl3 · 12-20-08, 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsatek

BigAl3 - they are still new.

Could be a pissed customer.

I cant see the owner of the store doing it. Unless he just wants to make a claim to get him through his monthly float from Audi. Vandalism is covered on the stores insurance.

i know they are new, what i meant is after they repair them they will still sell them as new and not inform the customer to the damage...

Picus · 12-20-08, 12:00

The people saying 10k will buy you a show car paint job in California are crazy. Maybe if you own the paint shop; but labour alone for a "show car quality" job is usually over $10,000. Amazing how little most people know about automotive paint and body work.

jfelbab · 12-20-08, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAl3

i know they are new, what i meant is after they repair them they will still sell them as new and not inform the customer to the damage...

It's a common practice. No dealership I know of tells their customer that the new car they are buying has had paint damage or even minor body damage repaired. They are not required to do so under current laws in most states. I believe the most restrictive law covering this is CA's and that law states:

Quote:

Vehicle Code section 9990 requires motor vehicle dealers to disclose prior repaired material damage, while section 9991 defines material damage is damage requiring repairs consisting of more than 3 per cent of the MSRP or $500, whichever is greater.

So under the VC9991, if you are buying a new $50,000 car in CA and it has been damaged the dealer can repair it up to a maximum of $1,500 (3%) without telling you.

This vehicle code (9991) has in fact recently been tested in the courts and won by the dealership. Seems that a Hummer dealership had a vehicle vandalized by the Earth Liberation Group and was repaired and sold as new. The buyer discovered the repair and sued the dealer. The dealer won.

Accumulator · 12-20-08, 02:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picus

The people saying 10k will buy you a show car paint job in California are crazy. Maybe if you own the paint shop; but labour alone for a "show car quality" job is usually over $10,000. Amazing how little most people know about automotive paint and body work.

Yeah, ain't that the truth.

Not that such work will probably be required to make those Audis sellable...not like most new-car customers notice/care about the paintjobs all that much anyhow IMO, especially the people who are leasing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfelbab

.... No dealership I know of tells their customer that the new car they are buying has had paint damage or even minor body damage repaired. They are not required to do so under current laws in most states.

Yikes, that's too bad. It's a sad situation when they only do what's required by law. Glad I patronize a better Audi dealer.

Come to think of it, the IL Audi dealership where we got our first two was also up front about something like this: somebody had attempted to pry the "S4" badge off the trunk lid while the car was awaiting shipment, leaving some marring that they didn't want to completely fix by wetsanding. The dealership called me up to tell me about it and said that if things weren't acceptable to simply refuse delivery and they'd get me a new/undamaged one. That dealer was Isringhausen Imports (they no longer sell Audis), IIRC the guy who called was Geoff Isringhausen. I might as well give them the plug as it sounds like such honorable behavior is unusual.

BigAl3 · 12-20-08, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfelbab

It's a common practice. No dealership I know of tells their customer that the new car they are buying has had paint damage or even minor body damage repaired. They are not required to do so under current laws in most states. I believe the most restrictive law covering this is CA's and that law states:

So under the VC9991, if you are buying a new $50,000 car in CA and it has been damaged the dealer can repair it up to a maximum of $1,500 (3%) without telling you.

This vehicle code (9991) has in fact recently been tested in the courts and won by the dealership. Seems that a Hummer dealership had a vehicle vandalized by the Earth Liberation Group and was repaired and sold as new. The buyer discovered the repair and sued the dealer. The dealer won.

yeah, that's too bad...