GM employee crashes customers ZL1, refuses to pay

[radioman]

Originally Posted by T4RAWR

On another note, the companies yelp page and google+ is taking a beating, their youtube channel is being hammered and their article on yahooauto and jalopnik have 4000+ and 300+ comments respectively. In the day of the internet and social media, word of mouth is not a powerful tool that can go for or against someone. Im sure most people in the immediate area would be exposed to this story and shop elsewhere considering this is in the local news and on the radio stations in the area.

Again. Owning up and forking over the difference should have been the first thing on these guys minds.

Its funny in my mind. These companies that are starting to create social media accounts to try and get with the times are smart enough to see its usefulness but not smart enough too see how something they do can create such an uproar.

The old dinosaurs of the retail world need to realize things can't be brushed under the rug anymore.

[BoostedBB6]

Originally Posted by lowside67

Seriously, give me a break tough guy - what EXACTLY do you think you would be able to sue for? Even if the dealership had to pay for a brand new car with no insurance coverage (which would never happen), they'd be on the hook for like $55k. Definitely a shitty day for the dealership but if you think you are going to bring a GM dealership to its knees for $55k, you're not being realistic.

Clearly the sarcasm was not grasped.....America....where you sue over EVERYTHING.

BUT it has happened with other dealers on our side of the sand. Bad publicity, legal costs and when it trickles down the line the the head office they can simply pull the plug and stop supporting there dealer....it has been done, dealer in Kelowna my dad use to work at had a similar issue happen to it.

[Presto]

Z: https://www.facebook.com/Wewreckedazl1

[Zedbra]

Originally Posted by Presto

Z: https://www.facebook.com/Wewreckedazl1

That page is funny. Thanks

[godwin]

Just like Budget Brake and Muffler's lot boy crashed a BCBimmer member's e36 M3. By the book that's what shop insurance is for.

[westopher]

What ever happened with that e36? If someone crashed mine I'd take out as many of their organs as was needed to get me up to 20k.
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[FerrariEnzo]

Originally Posted by westopher

What ever happened with that e36? If someone crashed mine I'd take out as many of their organs as was needed to get me up to 20k.
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1 Testicle can buy you a 370z

[BBMme]

WTF
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[Kayci]

Originally Posted by BoostedBB6

Clearly the sarcasm was not grasped.....America....where you sue over EVERYTHING.

BUT it has happened with other dealers on our side of the sand. Bad publicity, legal costs and when it trickles down the line the the head office they can simply pull the plug and stop supporting there dealer....it has been done, dealer in Kelowna my dad use to work at had a similar issue happen to it.

You're right actually. In America, they can sue for a lot. Canada is a bit more strict, you can only sue for what you've lost; rarely are you able to get much more out of it.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by white rocket

$15k to keep one client happy isn't the same as $15k spent on advertising.

Originally Posted by Zedbra

The dealer's facebook page has been taken down - they are also taking a beating on Google. You have to wonder if the bad press is worth the $15k.

This is just it: how much damage control does $15k buy?

Slanted for sympathy or not, every move the dealer makes now is just making them look worse to the public at large (most of whom are not automotive investment experts and lawyers, like on RS) and hurting their reputation with those who would normally be the bread and butter of their business.

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by radioman

Its funny in my mind. These companies that are starting to create social media accounts to try and get with the times are smart enough to see its usefulness but not smart enough too see how something they do can create such an uproar.

The old dinosaurs of the retail world need to realize things can't be brushed under the rug anymore.

The old adage still holds true: a satisfied customer will tell two people... a dissatisfied customer will tell ten. Except these days it's tens of thousands, if not millions, as tales like this have a tendency to go viral.

For AT MOST $15k (possibly even less) the dealer would have gotten a little bit of good local exposure, a few pats on the back on their FB page, maybe a couple of "big deal, it's the least they should have done"... and life would have gone on for everyone involved...

For the lack of that $15k the dealer is now a world-wide pariah, and thanks to the permanency of the Internet, that thread will never go away and will probably still be referenced now and then for years to come. When people use the phrase "they'll never live it down"... this is what they're talking about.

[maksimizer]

[T4RAWR]

soon it'll end up on urbandictionary.


"dude you totally got 1SC'd!"

first state chevy:
-fucking people over
-getting fucked over



something to that liking

[Hondaracer]

guys back on the first page saying they should just get him a 2012, doesnt "replacement" insurance work in such a way that if the car is written off you are getting the newest model in the most comparable trim as possible? dont know if they have replacement insurance in the states, nor on such a car, but i know multiple people who've gotten brand new body style vehicles for writing off their previous gens

Also, if i was this guy and it was dragging out this long i'd just go on an all out media offensive, whether it be to hire homeless people to hold signs out front of the dealer telling the story, taking out huge ad's in the local paper, etc.

All this damage was 1000000% cause of a 3rd party who had no business even touching the car, he deserves the very same car in the very same condition and if that isnt possible then he deserves a better condition vehicle than he had.

Situations like this i kind of refer so situations where whether it be friends, family, or employee's of the company i work with damage somthing, or damage a vehicle etc.

I remember one time at work a guy broke one of my window visors, the thing may or may not have been cracked before but it was still together, he leans on it and breaks it.. I say uhhhh... ok you gonna pay for that? immediately the skid is like hah youre joking right?

me: Oh sorry youre right, i like it BETTER this way than the way it was before..

:rukiddingme:

[westopher]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

All this damage was 1000000% cause of a 3rd party who had no business even touching the car, he deserves the very same car in the very same condition and if that isnt possible then he deserves a better condition vehicle than he had.

Thats exactly the way I feel. If someone destroys my possession that is important to me through sheer negligence or maliciousness, I expect equal or fucking better back. Thats what gets me so fucking livid about insurance. If I crash my car on my own accord, fine, don't pay me for mods or the condition my car was above book value. But if some fuckbag runs a red and t-bones me, why should I get only enough to buy half the car that some asshole destroyed for me.

[Presto]

Well, it looks like the dealership has missed the time to make things right. Their reputation on Internet is completely destroyed. Just searching the name of the dealer brings up related articles by the third result.

[meme405]

Someone made a very important distinction above, and that is that the US and Canadian Legal systems work very differently.

In Canada you can sue for damages, and you are to prove exactly how much someone else's negligence or fraudulence cost you then you are reimbursed for exactly that amount, nothing more nothing less. It all comes down to what you can prove your amount of losses added up to being. It is extremely rare to be awarded punitive damages in Canada. So much so that it isn't even worth talking about (for the unitiated, punitive damages are where the court purposefully awards a much larger settlement to the wronged party, in order to punish the guilty party so they do not do something so stupid in the future).

In the US punitive damages are much more common and I can most definitely see them being awarded if this case ever ended up making it into the courts.

Basically, in Canada it would be very difficult for the couple to try and recoup any costs above that $44k assessment amount; however, in the US it is much more common in cases like these that the couple would see what some may call a "windfall" from an event like this.

There are many documented cases like this in the states which have seen rather large settlement amounts: most notably the incident where the lady sued McDonalds for burning herself with a cup of their coffee. (this being why all hot drinks now have the warning that says "Caution contents are hot".)

[68style]

Yes... super important... since literally everyone in this thread was wondering what would happen if this dealership were to be transplanted to Canada and the entire story changed

[Soundy]

Originally Posted by 68style

Yes... super important... since literally everyone in this thread was wondering what would happen if this dealership were to be transplanted to Canada and the entire story changed

Really, the only change would be in the outcome IF it went to court. The public and social media gutting of the dealership would probably be about the same.

[ADubs07]

Originally Posted by westopher

Thats exactly the way I feel. If someone destroys my possession that is important to me through sheer negligence or maliciousness, I expect equal or fucking better back. Thats what gets me so fucking livid about insurance. If I crash my car on my own accord, fine, don't pay me for mods or the condition my car was above book value. But if some fuckbag runs a red and t-bones me, why should I get only enough to buy half the car that some asshole destroyed for me.

That exact scenario is what happened to me.. ended up getting half of what I put into the car because some idiot ran a red.
Had all my receipts and everything too and ICBC didnt give me an extra dime.

[xpl0sive]

I don't get why this guy is doing all the fighting... what is he expecting to get from this? I get it's a shitty situation, but that's why you have insurance. If he doesn't have replacement cost coverage on the car, his insurance would pay him the actual cash value of the vehicle at the time of the loss. He can then pay off his loan and find another car to finance. The insurance company will then go after the dealership and settle with them or their liability insurer. The guy's insurance rates wouldn't be affected since it would be considered a comprehensive claim...

As far as claiming that a ZL1 is a collectible car and he was going to sell it for his grand daughter's education or whatever... he should have kept his 69 SS...

[meme405]

Originally Posted by 68style

Yes... super important... since literally everyone in this thread was wondering what would happen if this dealership were to be transplanted to Canada and the entire story changed

I am more pointing this out to the people who are saying that all the dealership owes the guy is the 44K and he can forget about getting anything more than that.

I am trying to make it painfully obvious that this is not the case in the USA. In the US it is far more common for the law to punish someone (especially a decently sized company) to make sure that they get the message that whatever crime they committed was a serious thing and that they shouldn't ever do something like that again.

Yes Soundy, this only matters if the case goes to trial, but it seems very likely the couple may be in this for the long haul considering the offers they have rejected so far from the dealership.

[westopher]

At this point as it gains momentum lawyers are going to be knocking down the couples door offering to do it for free if they don't win it for them, as its so in the bag. Not to mention the publicity.

[SoulCrusher]

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[white rocket]

Originally Posted by xpl0sive

I don't get why this guy is doing all the fighting... what is he expecting to get from this? I get it's a shitty situation, but that's why you have insurance. If he doesn't have replacement cost coverage on the car, his insurance would pay him the actual cash value of the vehicle at the time of the loss. He can then pay off his loan and find another car to finance. The insurance company will then go after the dealership and settle with them or their liability insurer. The guy's insurance rates wouldn't be affected since it would be considered a comprehensive claim...

Here's my view based on what I've read. The owners Geico insurance said they would pay $44,xxx all said and done. Their concern would end after they write the check to the owner. They would not go after the dealership for the difference because it would cost too much in legal fees. The fact the owner doesn't have replacement insurance is irrelevant as the dealer should be claiming under their policy AND paying out the difference or supply him with a new car as his car was in their care at the time. It sounds like the dealer doesn't want to use their insurance because their premiums will increase and they don't want to pay anything to him out of pocket. To fuel the fire they cannot locate an exact pre-owned replacement so they offer him a lower quality replacement with some good will discount that is insulting to the owner. That's where all the controversy is arising from and they've essentially shot themselves in the foot and their reputation is being dragged through the mud.

Originally Posted by xpl0sive

he should have kept his 69 SS...

fuckin' A rights! If it was as pristine as the article paints it I can't believe he traded that plus another camaro. It wouldn't have even traded straight up.