Car at bodyshop, workers decided to take for jolly up

Blackjack Davy said:
This is standard practice for non-dealer workshops in my experience I try and make sure there isn't much fuel in it when I drop it off can remember leaving it with 3/4 of a tank and when I got it back there was barely a quarter left half a tank gone wonder where they went thats enough to get from one side of the country to the other
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We've had it with vans at work, etc. mysteriously delay for a couple of days, comes back to us with dirt in the back obviously someone used it for their own purposes or it was hired out for a couple of days - all we can do is blacklist the company without any other evidence.

Also had to blacklist several tyre fitters, etc. due to how careless they are, but annoyingly they often seem to crop up again sub-contracted out, etc. :(
 
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NoobCannon said:
Massive company

Im tempted to complain anyway directly to the bodyshop but i just dont think im gonna get anywhere with it especially if my company dont seem interested in kicking up a fuss.
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Yeah, if your work aren't bothered probably not worth it but certainly worth it if it was your care. Would be tempting to write to the CEO / owner of the body shop and/or regional manager or equivalent.
 
Quartz said:
They'll care if someone gets a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

I imagine that next time the OP will take a photo of the mileometer.
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I imagine they still won't be bothered doesn't cause them any hassle other than punting standard paperwork off to the OP who then can say they weren't driving
 
Quartz said:
They'll care if someone gets a Notice of Intended Prosecution.

I imagine that next time the OP will take a photo of the mileometer.
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"This is the way"

I am an economy freak and it annoys me to see my long term economy figures mysteriously drop a massive amounty (didnt record mileage), so I assume they just wanted engine warm for tests and let it run for an hour or something stupid... but it grinds!
 
Scuzi said:
Does this qualify as taken without consent, or TWOC as cops call it? Is that even still a thing now? If it does qualify as a crime it could provide some leverage in the discussions?
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That was my thought, could certainly use that even as an empty threat - if the garage owner/manager can't come up with a reason then say it'll be reported to the police.

GravyMonster said:
If the body shop owner says that they didn't know the car was gone, or didn't authorise staff to take it, then yes it would be. If the owner says they did know and authorised its use, then it's a civil matter instead.

In either case the OP, or his company, should have them over a barrell.
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Yeah that should force an answer out of the garage owner/manager.

Although I suppose if he comes back and says it was on an extended test run, if there's no damage any complaints are falling on deaf ears - if you were paying out of your own pocket you could push for some heavy discounts, but other than that they probably don't care.
 
I would be absolutely livid with that. Complete abuse of trust and care there. I would be posting on their social media and google reviews. Send them a bill for 30 miles worth of the most premium Shell V-Power Service Station Petrol prices plus wear and tear out of pettiness, and would ask for a reduction in the bill and an apology. Yes also mention about TWOC report if they don't play ball.
 
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NoobCannon said:
Polestar 2.
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jaybee said:
Send them a bill for 30 miles worth of the most premium Shell V-Power Service Station Petrol
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i-think-we-might-have-a-bit-of-a-problem-we-might-have-an-issue.gif
 
GR63 said:
"This is the way"

I am an economy freak and it annoys me to see my long term economy figures mysteriously drop a massive amounty (didnt record mileage), so I assume they just wanted engine warm for tests and let it run for an hour or something stupid... but it grinds!
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Last service at the Seat main dealer saw 1 hour 20 minutes of run time on the trip computer, distance 0.2 miles when I went to pick it up. They must literally have just left it idling for reasons only they know.

I pay my company private mileage at a flat rate so it made zero difference to me but it does seem a very wasteful thing to do.
 
lordrobs said:
Last service at the Seat main dealer saw 1 hour 20 minutes of run time on the trip computer, distance 0.2 miles when I went to pick it up. They must literally have just left it idling for reasons only they know.

I pay my company private mileage at a flat rate so it made zero difference to me but it does seem a very wasteful thing to do.
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Pretty sure the trip counter keeps going on a lot of VAG cars if the engine has been turned off but the key left in. I'm sure I've come across that before. It's very unlikely it will have been idling all that time.
 
andy_mk3 said:
Pretty sure the trip counter keeps going on a lot of VAG cars if the engine has been turned off but the key left in. I'm sure I've come across that before. It's very unlikely it will have been idling all that time.
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Knowing that dealership I wouldn't be surprised if someone just sat in it with the engine on so they could eat their lunch in the warm! Absolute shower they are in there! Only time I've ever had a service and the car comes back with less oil than when it went in!
 
NoobCannon said:
Hi all.

My vehicle has been at the bodyshop for A few weeks as i hit A small deer at the beginning of the year.

Very minor damage, mostly smashed the splitter off the bumper and damaged the under-trays,no paint damage at all.

Completion date was monday but bodyshop pushed it back to tuesday, i called them and asked if it would be back on tues for def as i was using a hire car. Was told no, repairs arent complete. Thought id check the vehicles app just out of interest and could see that the car was being driven.

I called the bodyshop again this morning and said wheres my car as i can see its been/being driven and its quite obviously fixed. It was magically available to be collected an hour after my phone call. I checked the journey logger in the car when i went to pick it up and it showed they had taken it for a 30 mile joy ride round country lanes etc (provides map of drive, mileage but no speed unfortunately)

Bodyshop have literally no explanation, how would proceed with complaining. Or would you just let it go? If it wasnt a company car id be jumping up and down in the office because its taking the mick
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name and shame the bodyshop.
 
NoobCannon said:
Im tempted to complain anyway directly to the bodyshop but i just dont think im gonna get anywhere with it especially if my company dont seem interested in kicking up a fuss.
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Oh comeon, don't give up that easily. This won't be the first time these ****ers have done this sort of thing, but it might be the first time anyone has any evidence against them.

I'd definitely be making a report for the vehicle being taken without consent - this would fall within this category IMO. IIRC - TWOC can be something such as you allowing your friend to borrow your car to drive to work and back, but then he then decides he wants to go to the cinema in it, then wants to go see his other mate, then he wants to have a gary around in it. When he goes significantly outside the "agreement" you had - this is when he TWOC's the vehicle
 
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I thought this kind of thing had died out. years ago it was very common even for main dealers, to send their staff home with customer cars for the night. My father even came across his car one evening while the saleman had taken out for the evening. I always remember one BMW dealership got into big trouble in York when the salesman wrapped a customers 6 month old BMW round a telegraph post and wrote it off on his way home from work.

With trackers and apps and cameras, I honestly thought places would have stopped doing this kind of thing. Clearly not.
 
Happy to leave a poor Google Review due to what they have done to you :D

Basically will have been taken for a joy ride with 0 mechanical sympathy no doubt.

Surprised the letter box method hasn’t been suggested already I must say.
 
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I had this happen with my first RS6 (non-standard, pretty well modded at that time) when she was left at a bodyshop for a very small repair. Friends phoned me to ask if the car had been stolen as they had seen her being totally thrashed around local country lanes and strangers behind the wheel. They of course denied all knowledge and what makes it even worse is that the bodyshop was only about 200m away from where I lived at the time.....
 
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