18yr old apperentice crashes 456
Discussion
Heard on the grapevine over the weekend that an 18yr old apprentice at one of the independants wrapped a 456 around a lamp post. Anyone else heard this or can confirm if its true. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be stupid enough to allow this as undoubtedly the person would have been uninsured. If it was a customer car can you imagine the backlash from this.
Frostie
Frostie
I know of a customer Porsche 968CS that was bent by a garage on a test drive by one of its mechanics. I'm sure it's more common than people realise. If they ask for an extra week as there has 'been a delay getting parts from Europe', maybe it means it's been rushed to a bodyshop... in the 968CS instance, the garage is no longer trading (based in Weybridge, now defunct) and owned up and paid for damage as well as giving customer a hefty discount on future servicing etc. However, how much would residuals be hit as well? I certainly walked away when I saw the damaged rear quarters 
Davey S1 said:
Surely the garages insurance would have some age limit on it anyway?
Thats why I was questioning if it was true. I cannot imagime that any insurance company would cover someone of this age with this type of car. Even if they would, as an owner of a garage would you pay the premium - I certainly wouldn't.
Frostie
I agree with Dom - the predominance of complete cack heads within the car business, at official & indy dealers, means these balls ups will be rife.
When I see some of the knuckle scrapers who service/collect & deliver peeps' p+j, I wince.
Only recently, I was mortified to observe the tell tale swirl marks on a car (a beetle noir, to be sure), that some 9 year old, lump handed turd brain had clearly gone at with an overly abrasive electric polishing device.
Just remember that whenever your dream machine goes in for minor surgery, some of the people handling it will be straight out of the zoo.
Bastards.
When I see some of the knuckle scrapers who service/collect & deliver peeps' p+j, I wince.
Only recently, I was mortified to observe the tell tale swirl marks on a car (a beetle noir, to be sure), that some 9 year old, lump handed turd brain had clearly gone at with an overly abrasive electric polishing device.
Just remember that whenever your dream machine goes in for minor surgery, some of the people handling it will be straight out of the zoo.
Bastards.
frostie said:
Thats why I was questioning if it was true. I cannot imagime that any insurance company would cover someone of this age with this type of car. Even if they would, as an owner of a garage would you pay the premium - I certainly wouldn't.
Frostie
Trade insurance is done by value, not the type of car. Normally it is over 21, but if a garage sells cars then some of them have cover for over 18's for thier customers. so thier mechanics are also covered. It costs alot, but it is done.
In my Lotus Carlton days, a friend told me he once had a phone call froma concerned acquaintance saying that his car was currently doing donuts in the industrial estate where he had booked it into for an alarm/stereo. Make a note of the mileage when it goes in. Sometimes the cars get taken home and thrashed as part of the 'test drive'.
And one tech at an unscrupulous and independent Caterham service centre once boasted to me of a customer's (highly tuned, 250bhp+) seven that had needed 'a 50 mile test drive' for fixing some broken wipers...
And one tech at an unscrupulous and independent Caterham service centre once boasted to me of a customer's (highly tuned, 250bhp+) seven that had needed 'a 50 mile test drive' for fixing some broken wipers...
My golf went in to the local official dealer to check a warning light. I reset the trip and checke the milage (I had previous suspicions). Dropped off at 8.30am, phoned them at 5.25 they said it wasn't ready (what the!!) went round to see it pulling in! Trip said 1h 40min usage an over 60miles!
I was bloody fuming!
I was bloody fuming!
This happened to me. Car went into the bodyshop for a quick blowover on the front bumper. Collected car, checked the trip (which was OK) and then noticed a service hatch sitting in the front boot. Upon close inspection the plug connecting the instruments to the electrics had been pulled out.
I wasn`t very happy...
I wasn`t very happy...
frostie said:
Surely the garages insurance would have some age limit on it anyway?
Thats why I was questioning if it was true. I cannot imagime that any insurance company would cover someone of this age with this type of car. Even if they would, as an owner of a garage would you pay the premium - I certainly wouldn't.
Frostie
Most motor trade policies don't penalise young drivers on their age as long it's for MT use only, i.e they can't drive out of business hours, or for own purposes!
Gave my Colf into a VW Dealer in the city for a service. When I went to pick it up, it had a long scrape down the passenger side.
They of course denied it, until I pointed out that if the car had just been valeted why was there still bits of loose paintwork along the side of my car.They repaired it and I never went back there again.
Even more scary......
My cousin worked at a vehicle paint/repair place. Whenever they had a flash motor (ferrari, merc etc) they'd take it for a spin...or should I say thrash it to near death. They once came round my house in an SL55 and took me for a spin.
They of course denied it, until I pointed out that if the car had just been valeted why was there still bits of loose paintwork along the side of my car.They repaired it and I never went back there again.
Even more scary......
My cousin worked at a vehicle paint/repair place. Whenever they had a flash motor (ferrari, merc etc) they'd take it for a spin...or should I say thrash it to near death. They once came round my house in an SL55 and took me for a spin.
frostie said:
Heard on the grapevine over the weekend that an 18yr old apprentice at one of the independants wrapped a 456 around a lamp post. Anyone else heard this or can confirm if its true. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be stupid enough to allow this as undoubtedly the person would have been uninsured. If it was a customer car can you imagine the backlash from this.
Frostie
Hmmmmmmmmm.... wonder who the independent specialist was.? Anyone know or have any ideas, I am dying to know..
>> Edited by jenzo on Wednesday 20th October 23:07
>> Edited by jenzo on Wednesday 20th October 23:08
domster said:
In my Lotus Carlton days, a friend told me he once had a phone call froma concerned acquaintance saying that his car was currently doing donuts in the industrial estate where he had booked it into for an alarm/stereo. Make a note of the mileage when it goes in. Sometimes the cars get taken home and thrashed as part of the 'test drive'.
And one tech at an unscrupulous and independent Caterham service centre once boasted to me of a customer's (highly tuned, 250bhp+) seven that had needed 'a 50 mile test drive' for fixing some broken wipers...
I know somebody who runs a performance car dealer/servicing company. He actually sold his car because he didn't need it any more. He would take a customer car home every night, and if he needed a car for a weekend trip, he'd just see what nice car was in for a service.
He would always turn up with some poor guy's pride and joy under the pretence of taking it for a test drive.
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