Motonovo VT after 4 years

[Steph9269]

Hi, just wondering if I could get some advice. I have recently VT my car with Motonovo after 4 years, which is fine they are coming to collect. However when I got the car it was two years old and on delivery I inspected the car to find several issues with bodywork which was annoying but as long as they were marked down and I wasn’t going to get blamed for it wasn’t a problem. However the inspection report on delivery is now no where to be found by either the dealership or MotoNovo Finance. Dealership doesn’t actually exist anymore. My copy I was given is obviously key word being COPY not in the most readable condition but I don’t understand why I should have to supply this to them when they should have it anyway? What if they lose mine and then I have no proof? I can send it as an image or photo copy but you can’t read it? All seems a bit of a joke to me that suddenly paperwork is lost and Manheim are coming to inspect the car with no original report??? Spoke to the lady at Motonovo and she basically said I was responsible for anything past wear and tear. Which she couldn’t even tell me what that was? So basically all these charges will be down to me Unless I can prove otherwise.
Any help appreciated
thanks

[Laticsforlife]

Oh dear! - regardless of how bad your copy is, don't hand it over. I'd suggest giving the Mannheim guy a copy but it depends on what his brief is - report on the changes in condition or just report on the current condition.

I'd suggest his job is probably the latter, and it is then up to the person in the office to ignore existing damage and just charge for 'your' damage.

You're probably in for a bumpy ride, although I 'd suggest you are in a very strong position as in the first instance I'd write back (when they bill you for all sorts of damage) to say that all the damage was there when you got it and they should look at the opening delivery report (a kind of 'see you in court' letter).

I don't see why it is up to you to prove you didn't damage it, I'd say it's up to them to prove you did.

Note even a new lease/PCP car has a delivery report so they can compare damage marks.

[Steph9269]

Thanks for your reply. The car has gone back today with a report of over £500 damage. I guess I will just have to wait and see what the finance company say now. Manheim was not interested in my report he was only taking note of the condition at present. A bulk of the charge was for a service which was a few weeks late. Bearing in mind the car was serviced by them a week before they gave it to me with no previous history but I guess this was down to the previous owner! I had a brand new car delivered last week the guy had two spare copy’s of an inspection report and gave a third to me! So why they wouldn’t have one is beyond me just hope it plays a big part on my side.

[Laticsforlife]

That's an interesting point actually - if the car came without a service history, what's the point now of having one. it's not like the warranty (if there was one) was any way still valid - can you imagine trying to claim for a cam belt for example, even if you had it serviced, because of earlier missing ones, I'd suggest it'd be refused.

But I'm not sure you have much of a leg to stand on there, you agreed to keep it in good condition, and to that end a service (by you) should have been done at the recommended mileage, regardless of the previous owner.

What else was there if you say the service was the bulk of the £500?

[Steph9269]

Yes my fault for being late I guess but 3 weeks? The car barely met the mileage each year but still not the point I guess. Other charges were alloys £35x4 however there on delivery report as already being marked. And a dent about the size of a grain of rice on the door crease which he said would be wear and tear only if it’s on the flat part of the panel??? But because it’s not it is marked as damage and again marks on the bumper have been charged for.

[Laticsforlife]

Yes, any fold/crease on a panel is a called a swage line, so if it's on the swage (and it always is!) it's chargeable.

So I'd be arguing pre-existing condition for the alloys (£35 is quite reasonable actually) 'as evidenced by the delivery report' (which they will no doubt have).

£300 seems a bit high for a service but it depends on the car I suppose and which service it was due (12m or 24m).

Send them a cheque (whats one of those) for the service and panel damage and say in the letter that it is in full and final settlement, if they cash it then they are accepting your terms.