So, Mrs Dizcostix with the 7month old baby picked up the new (approved used) car yesterday – 10k’s worth, 2years old. Drove it 10 miles home to hear a quiet tapping noise coming from under the bonnet.
Quick google to try and diagnose didn’t really help – could’ve been a few things not too serious.
Rang the dealership to explain and was advised to drive it back to them.
3miles to go and Mrs D says she suddenly felt the steering wheel shudder, 2secs after the front left wheel came off, the car grinding to a halt thankfully missing any oncoming traffic and not being crashed into.
Thankfully wife and child had no injuries, and the incident happened right outside the highway agency depot so someone saw to them straight away and took them to the garage.

I got there as soon as i could – have been given a new courtesy car to cruise round in til a deal can be sorted – they wanted me “to lead the resolution process”. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to do a deal last night but will be receiving some offers later on today.

I don’t really have a yardstick on what to expect out of this – the good natured side of me thinks ill be fine with a replacement vehicle as close as possible but then it keeps coming to mind how serious the accident could’ve been.

any advice?

So, in clear text;
They sold you a car, but probably hadn’t done up one of the wheels, and it fell off?

Bad times – what would you want from it?
You’re probably looking at a ‘good will’ gesture of free servicing (would you want it?) and fixing the car, I’d imagine..

DrP

I would imagine they are getting lubed up as 10 miles in an approved car and a wheel falls off ,how much bad publicity would that bring 😳

Reject the car. Its damage/repaired now for a start.

I’m guessing they are a main dealer.

Sounds like they C@#ked up big time, but they seem open to getting it resolved. The least you should expect would be a replacement vehicle, and apology, confirmation that the offending person (who left the wheel loose) is disciplined and I’d say a goodwill gesture of £250, for the hassle, stress and the fact you haven’t got your new vehicle.

I’d want the money back and free use of a car for a reasonable period until you can arrange to purchase another one from somewhere else.
I wouldn’t trust them to change a wiper blade.

Reject the car. Its damage/repaired now for a start.

This, and a healthy discount off a replacement. Normally I stop reading when I hear the “my child’s face was in the vicinity” but that’s a pretty major cock-up on their part and could have ended a lot worse than it did so screw em.

(as someone who has had the run around from a garage recently I can tell you I have no time for their cack handed approach to most things)

quiet tapping noise coming from under the bonnet… …suddenly felt the steering wheel shudder, 2secs after the front left wheel came off

Mmm…

I would expect a lot for being quiet but I would not take the piss

Courtsey car till you get a replacement car [ from them or elsehwere] and some cash to say sorry – would not trust them to do a service but if you dod they would treat you like a king and double check everything

things happen in garages but not tightening a wheel is pretty basic stuff tbh and could have ended badly

Pretty much same thing happened to my wife.. Took the renault espace to a national tyre place to have the front tyres changed.

Wife was driving home with two babies and a toddler in the back and the front wheel came off (well.. it didnt come off.. it sort of flopped 30degs as the likelyhood of all bolts coming out before wheel comes dislodged is pretty thin). I got car fixed and a verbal apology.

Update: I never went back there again though.

I’d be talking to them about a different car altogether with a good price/same price but better spec/same age or different model/same age but better.

Not a chance I’d have the car back- you wouldn’t feel the same about it. If they play like its anything but their fault advise them you’ll go to the head office/press and if its on finance – CALL the Finance company and reject there.

I did this- told a car had full main dealer history by a main dealer on a approved main dealer scheme. I was in a rush as it was perfect etc etc. All done over the phone. Looked round the car but forgot to check the service history as I was told it was 3 main/3yrs all at their garage…got home and it was one indie stamp in the 3 yrs. Called the finance company up and told them I was rejecting. Within an hour I had the dealer principle on the phone arranging for them to collect.

i told them i didn’t want to see the car again – lost all trust.

they cancelled the current finance package and we now have a courtesy car for ‘as long as we need to sort something out’

wife just received flowers and apology.

just about to return a voicemail with an update…

Happened to my old next door neighbour. I think he got a free service and a tank full of fuel.

Happened to my old next door neighbour. I think he got a free service and a tank full of fuel.

No offence meant to your neighbour at all – but we do circa 80mph on motorways in a conditions. I wouldn’t want to see the car again.

I had a front driveshaft fail on the front of my old Forester. If something fails on the front i.e. like a driveshaft it ‘can’ drop into the ground and easily pitch the vehicle etc into a barrier- doesn’t take much.

Thankfully it didn’t happen 8)

I wouldn’t want a service and fuel as compensation on a repaired car returned to me if was in such a circumstance.

The luxury should be firmly the (new) customers to refuse the car.

Car cancelled, free courtesy car and flowers. Sounds like they are taking it seriously and doing what they can to make amends. I’d be happy to discuss other cars with them.

Of course there will be those who will recommend nothing less than a free car, couple of grand compensation for trauma and the offer of the branch managers first born.

No offence meant to your neighbour at all

Good, he’s a nice bloke but I suspect he could tear you a new one. 😉

He got a new alloy wheel too as it got scuffed when it fell off and rolled away. The bolts were only finger tight after some work had been done on the brakes. I think he only made it a couple of hundred yards before it went.

Audi S3 BTW. Don’t know how much a main dealer service is worth.

I hope that your current situation is that you have already been refunded in FULL any deposit you paid out ??

Good, he’s a nice bloke but I suspect he could tear you a new one.

My record is one defeat in my whole life and that was to a group of lads. 😉

just off the phone – no real update, will hear more tomorrow I think.

and that was to a group of lads

you normally only fight girls?

you normally only fight girls?

Complaining about 5 lads jumping a much smaller mate of a mate saying they were cowardly. So they jumped me. 😆

My record is one defeat in my whole life and that was to a group of lads.

One fight one loss isnt a good scorecard though 😆

Sounds like the garage is trying to do the right thing.

I’d not touch that car again purely on the basis of I know what happened but I’d happily let them source me another. A decent discount, proper warranty & an independent inspection (your choice at their expense)on any prospective vehicle would satisfy me – a free service or two would be nice as well mind.

If they did all of that & you were happy they’d probably see it as a result.

smaller than you we must be discussing girth rather than height 😉

£10 says she tried to park the car shortly before the wheel fell off.

My record is one defeat in my whole life and that was to a group of lads.

Group = 2
Lads = Under 10 years old
😀

Car cancelled, free courtesy car and flowers. Sounds like they are taking it seriously and doing what they can to make amends. I’d be happy to discuss other cars with them.

+1

£10 says she tried to park the car shortly before the wheel fell off.

Nah…

Garage ‘hi did you say a woman drove the car’
Hubby ‘err yeah’
Garage ‘sorry mate, nowt to do with us- theres yer answer’

😆

GREAT RESULT THO!