Car damaged during tint install
04-06-2013, 09:04 AM
#16
Don't you have to pay for bodywork issues on the return of lease? If not then don't worry about it I guess. You are still paying to have a nice car and I'm guessing the reason it cost so much is because where it is it just can't be pulled out like if it was somewhere else on the door.
I believe if you let them off the hook you will be sorry in the end then you will catch hell trying to get the money later. If the dealer is gonna charge you to fix it, it's gonna cost more money than that.
I believe if you let them off the hook you will be sorry in the end then you will catch hell trying to get the money later. If the dealer is gonna charge you to fix it, it's gonna cost more money than that.
04-06-2013, 09:11 AM
#17
I agree that the poor shop made a mistake, and accidents do happen - no one is perfect, but what about poor me? I paid good money to have a brand new car, I don't have a problem holding someone accountable for their ****up. My main concern right now is - do I live with the damage or do I live with the car painted over?
04-06-2013, 09:25 AM
#18
Registered User
That looks like a very minor issue that a lease inspection would not even notice or care about. I'd just have the tint shop pay for the tint and go on my way.
My experience with my cars and friends cars in the past is when you get a small blemish fixed, shortly after something major will happen like hitting a deer or a fender bender. Plus it could turn into a nightmare at the body shop with time delay and accidents there. My brother took his BMW to get a new front windshield installed and while there, they dropped something on the roof and hit the curb with the front end of the car. The window install ended up taking 3.5 weeks to get everything they screwed up fixed.
Its tough because its a brand new car but if this would happen 2 years into the lease, you probably would not even care. Its just human nature.
As to buying out the lease. If its a good deal, go for it. Its going to depend on the market value of the car at the end of the lease compared to your buyout price. Or you just love the car and it's treating you good.
My experience with my cars and friends cars in the past is when you get a small blemish fixed, shortly after something major will happen like hitting a deer or a fender bender. Plus it could turn into a nightmare at the body shop with time delay and accidents there. My brother took his BMW to get a new front windshield installed and while there, they dropped something on the roof and hit the curb with the front end of the car. The window install ended up taking 3.5 weeks to get everything they screwed up fixed.
Its tough because its a brand new car but if this would happen 2 years into the lease, you probably would not even care. Its just human nature.
As to buying out the lease. If its a good deal, go for it. Its going to depend on the market value of the car at the end of the lease compared to your buyout price. Or you just love the car and it's treating you good.
04-07-2013, 12:34 PM
#20
Couple of issues to keep in mind.
First, if you can't notice it then you will most likely forget about it.
Second, if you get it fixed, the repair will most likely end up on your Carfax or Autocheck report. This will greatly reduce the value of the car. You definitely do not want to buy out a lease with a bad Carfax.
Third, you run the risk of something more noticeable after the repair. Yes, in your mind you will always remember the ding but whats worse...? Remembering a ding or that the entire door and back are repainted?
Lastly, the tint shop did the right thing by showing you their mistake. That type of ethical behavior is very rare these days. I wouldn't slam them for $1200 after showing you such honesty.
Oh also, Infiniti is subsidizing leases with inflated residual values. This why the monthly payments are so low. You will most likely be able to purchase a dealer CERTIFIED pre-owned for less than the price you will be able to purchase you car.
First, if you can't notice it then you will most likely forget about it.
Second, if you get it fixed, the repair will most likely end up on your Carfax or Autocheck report. This will greatly reduce the value of the car. You definitely do not want to buy out a lease with a bad Carfax.
Third, you run the risk of something more noticeable after the repair. Yes, in your mind you will always remember the ding but whats worse...? Remembering a ding or that the entire door and back are repainted?
Lastly, the tint shop did the right thing by showing you their mistake. That type of ethical behavior is very rare these days. I wouldn't slam them for $1200 after showing you such honesty.
Oh also, Infiniti is subsidizing leases with inflated residual values. This why the monthly payments are so low. You will most likely be able to purchase a dealer CERTIFIED pre-owned for less than the price you will be able to purchase you car.
04-07-2013, 05:06 PM
#21
Registered User
Personally I would have the shop pay me for what it would cost to fix, and hold that money till the lease is up. If the leasing company charges you for that damage, use the money then. If they don't charge you - profit. It's small enough I wouldn't worry too much about fixing it, but I wouldn't want to be on the hook for it if they make a big deal over it later either.
04-07-2013, 06:29 PM
#23
Registered User
DO NOT GET A FREE TINT IN EXCHANGE FOR $1300 WORTH OF DAMAGE. ITS LAUGHABLE THAT ANYONE WOULD SUGGEST THAT.
I actually just had the same thing happen to me kind of. I was at Walmart and an employee hit my car from the back while he was collecting shopping carts. I was in the car at the time and I snatched him up and filed paperwork inside the store. Long story short they settled for 1400 and I used the money for a new front lip, grill, and eibach springs. Now in all fairness my scratch was smaller and harder to see then yours, but paying I felt I was due the money because of the time and aggravation that goes along with someone messin with your ride. I thought about getting it fixed, but the truth is you pay 600 to fix it and within a week someone else scratches in a lot when you're not around and you have to live with it, but whatever you do don't miss out on getting paid for what its worth because the shops have insurance and the pain of getting dent stings a little less with 1500 in your pocket.
I actually just had the same thing happen to me kind of. I was at Walmart and an employee hit my car from the back while he was collecting shopping carts. I was in the car at the time and I snatched him up and filed paperwork inside the store. Long story short they settled for 1400 and I used the money for a new front lip, grill, and eibach springs. Now in all fairness my scratch was smaller and harder to see then yours, but paying I felt I was due the money because of the time and aggravation that goes along with someone messin with your ride. I thought about getting it fixed, but the truth is you pay 600 to fix it and within a week someone else scratches in a lot when you're not around and you have to live with it, but whatever you do don't miss out on getting paid for what its worth because the shops have insurance and the pain of getting dent stings a little less with 1500 in your pocket.
04-07-2013, 06:38 PM
#24
I'd let it go. Its just a car, albeit a new car. Even then have them comp the tints for you and call it even. Use some scratch X and do your best to clean it up. I don't know about you, I'd be more upset about repainting multiple panels and doing body work on a new car than just letting it go.
04-07-2013, 06:41 PM
#25
Registered User
DO NOT GET A FREE TINT IN EXCHANGE FOR $1300 WORTH OF DAMAGE. ITS LAUGHABLE THAT ANYONE WOULD SUGGEST THAT.
I actually just had the same thing happen to me kind of. I was at Walmart and an employee hit my car from the back while he was collecting shopping carts. I was in the car at the time and I snatched him up and filed paperwork inside the store. Long story short they settled for 1400 and I used the money for a new front lip, grill, and eibach springs. Now in all fairness my scratch was smaller and harder to see then yours, but paying I felt I was due the money because of the time and aggravation that goes along with someone messin with your ride. I thought about getting it fixed, but the truth is you pay 600 to fix it and within a week someone else scratches in a lot when you're not around and you have to live with it, but whatever you do don't miss out on getting paid for what its worth because the shops have insurance and the pain of getting dent stings a little less with 1500 in your pocket.
I actually just had the same thing happen to me kind of. I was at Walmart and an employee hit my car from the back while he was collecting shopping carts. I was in the car at the time and I snatched him up and filed paperwork inside the store. Long story short they settled for 1400 and I used the money for a new front lip, grill, and eibach springs. Now in all fairness my scratch was smaller and harder to see then yours, but paying I felt I was due the money because of the time and aggravation that goes along with someone messin with your ride. I thought about getting it fixed, but the truth is you pay 600 to fix it and within a week someone else scratches in a lot when you're not around and you have to live with it, but whatever you do don't miss out on getting paid for what its worth because the shops have insurance and the pain of getting dent stings a little less with 1500 in your pocket.
04-10-2013, 01:57 AM
#28
Registered User
Thread Starter
So I ended up settling with the installer. He was very sincere and apologetic, and was very professional about the whole thing. He wanted to make sure that he does the right thing. He gave me the money to cover the cost of repairs at a body shop to do it right, plus to cover my car rental while the car is at the shop, and the tint was half price. A very stand up guy, I wish more people took responsibility like he did!
I will ask some dent repair places but I doubt it will come out completely. I don’t want to repaint two body panels right now, I still want to enjoy the new car smell for a little bit, rather than “just out of body shop” smell.
The dent bothers me less this week. It is more of a ding really and you cant even notice when you walk by. If you do close inspection (about 10 inches from the door), you can see that something is off though. Meh, it’s a car, not an obsession.
The important thing is that a decent human being made me whole, and I now have the option to repair this correctly and completely right away or a bit later or just forget about it.
Thanks for your input guys. For a while, I was sitting on the fence about how to proceed.
I will ask some dent repair places but I doubt it will come out completely. I don’t want to repaint two body panels right now, I still want to enjoy the new car smell for a little bit, rather than “just out of body shop” smell.
The dent bothers me less this week. It is more of a ding really and you cant even notice when you walk by. If you do close inspection (about 10 inches from the door), you can see that something is off though. Meh, it’s a car, not an obsession.
The important thing is that a decent human being made me whole, and I now have the option to repair this correctly and completely right away or a bit later or just forget about it.
Thanks for your input guys. For a while, I was sitting on the fence about how to proceed.
04-10-2013, 04:28 PM
#30
So I ended up settling with the installer. He was very sincere and apologetic, and was very professional about the whole thing. He wanted to make sure that he does the right thing. He gave me the money to cover the cost of repairs at a body shop to do it right, plus to cover my car rental while the car is at the shop, and the tint was half price. A very stand up guy, I wish more people took responsibility like he did!
I will ask some dent repair places but I doubt it will come out completely. I don’t want to repaint two body panels right now, I still want to enjoy the new car smell for a little bit, rather than “just out of body shop” smell.
The dent bothers me less this week. It is more of a ding really and you cant even notice when you walk by. If you do close inspection (about 10 inches from the door), you can see that something is off though. Meh, it’s a car, not an obsession.
The important thing is that a decent human being made me whole, and I now have the option to repair this correctly and completely right away or a bit later or just forget about it.
Thanks for your input guys. For a while, I was sitting on the fence about how to proceed.
I will ask some dent repair places but I doubt it will come out completely. I don’t want to repaint two body panels right now, I still want to enjoy the new car smell for a little bit, rather than “just out of body shop” smell.
The dent bothers me less this week. It is more of a ding really and you cant even notice when you walk by. If you do close inspection (about 10 inches from the door), you can see that something is off though. Meh, it’s a car, not an obsession.
The important thing is that a decent human being made me whole, and I now have the option to repair this correctly and completely right away or a bit later or just forget about it.
Thanks for your input guys. For a while, I was sitting on the fence about how to proceed.
Maybe you can find a place to make it "acceptable" so when you turn it in they won't really ding you for it, rather than going the full blown door repaint route.