Airport Meet & Greet - damaged my car

Kemik · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:15

Hi guys,

Left my car with Luton DriveFly using their Meet & Greet service from Friday to Monday. Checked over the car at the airport and couldn't see anything but it was covered in mud. Figured I should check my dash cam.

They reversed into another car. I've checked and there is a scratch on the left side bumper.
They left it running for at least an hour and a half.
They took it for a jolly into Luton, driving over the speed limit and over speed bumps.

Called them just now and their bloke said he would let the manager know. He also asked me to email their head office and told me to save the video.

What would you be asking for in compensation? Events like this really ruin the trust in these kinds of services.

subbytna · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:16

Bill them a garage once over by a friendly mechanic and split the cost with him. Take them for a couple of grand.

Mynight · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:16

It's a shame as you pay an awful lot for it iirc.

I'd at least look at getting my money back.

Artery · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:19

I thought it was common knowledge this service was kind of poor.

At very least you should get them to pay for the damage, the fuel they weren't permitted to use and any time off you have to take to get the car fixed.

JanM · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:38

Dare I ask what car it was?

Johno please? · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:45

Luton.... say no more.

Participant · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:52

Why isn't this sort of thing criminal?

Everyone's talking along the lines of 'oh at least get your money back', but I think it's (or should be) more serious than this.

leaskovski · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:08

It should be, surely taking the car out, outside of driving it too and from the airport, is outside of the insurance coverage for the business, so whoever was driving the car is driving without insurance. Isn't that a crime?

adolf hamster · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:09

Participant said:
Why isn't this sort of thing criminal?

Everyone's talking along the lines of 'oh at least get your money back', but I think it's (or should be) more serious than this.

I guess it could technically count as theft, as they drove it without the owners permission, or at least the owners permission extends only to driving nessecary to park the vehicle.

Raumarik · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:28

Newspaper love this sort of thing, best to remind them of that.

Dis86 · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:31

adolf hamster said:
I guess it could technically count as theft, as they drove it without the owners permission, or at least the owners permission extends only to driving nessecary to park the vehicle.

Not theft. For it to be theft you have to permanently intend to deprive the owner of their possession. This at worst case is taking without consent.

hyperseven · 26 Jul 2016 at 22:32

Coincidentally heard this on the radio today and in local paper too.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...hester-news/you-know-your-meet-greet-11662580

Hades · 26 Jul 2016 at 23:05

I would imagine they were driving without insurance if their company insurance states they are only covered to drive cars with the owners permission.

shifty_uk · 26 Jul 2016 at 23:08

Halfmad said:
Newspaper love this sort of thing, best to remind them of that.

Second this

Quartz · 26 Jul 2016 at 23:11

Is it worth reporting the speeding incident to the police? You don't want to be getting a speeding ticket in a week or so.

danielanthony · 26 Jul 2016 at 23:31

There's been reports on to about these companies just pilling cars up in a nearby field and using them as their personal vehicles whenever they feel like it. I'd never use a service like this, especially when for less money you can park your car <200m from a check in desk (Heathrow T2).

Rroff · 27 Jul 2016 at 00:52

danielanthony said:
There's been reports on to about these companies just pilling cars up in a nearby field and using them as their personal vehicles whenever they feel like it. I'd never use a service like this, especially when for less money you can park your car <200m from a check in desk (Heathrow T2).

Been a few reports of people parking a dozen of them outside their house while the vehicles were supposedly in "secure" parking, one lot around where I used to live in London got busted for "renting" out the nicer cars to other people.

Efour · 27 Jul 2016 at 00:56

Cool story. What car is it?

Caged · 27 Jul 2016 at 01:18

Someone needs to get a car that would appeal to these types of people as one to take out and thrash around for a bit, wire it with hidden cameras and a 4G radio and then remotely activate the immobiliser when the driver is miles away from any legitimate airport -> parking route. See how the company explains the car needing to be recovered from that location, shove the panicking footage taken from inside the car on YouTube.

Angilion · 27 Jul 2016 at 02:13

Participant said:
Why isn't this sort of thing criminal?

Everyone's talking along the lines of 'oh at least get your money back', but I think it's (or should be) more serious than this.

Hitting another car shouldn't criminal unless done deliberately, but driving it to Luton just for fun should be at least a civil case and possibly a criminal one. All the more so because they drove it without consideration for the car (excessive speed over speed bumps) and illegally (speed limit) which could cause problems for the owner of the car.

The owner had consented to them driving the car, but that consent was explicitly conditional and they deliberately and knowingly broke the conditions. It could be considered taking without consent.