Handbrake failure compensation

[Greedy]

Originally Posted by M99TT P

Hi

I have just found this site and wanted your opinions on my sittuation.

I Bought a New Civic in July 06 and took it for its first service in Oct 06 (I do a lot of miles). Whilst in for its service I got a call from the Honda dealer to say that they have had an accident with my car!! It turned out that after completing the service the mechanic (who had worked with them for 20+ years) had parked the car in the car park and it had rolled across the car park and hit another car. It The corner of the other car had hit my bumper corner and scraped down the whole side of my car. The mechanic had said he was sure he had left the handbrake on and could not understand it.

I was very unhappy to have them to repair my car as it was only a few months old and I did not want a car full of filler, that's why I bought a brand new car. After a very long back and forth discussions with the Honda dealer they agreed to replace the car but I would have to pay just over £1000 for this to happen. I did get a 56 plats instead of an 06 and it obviously had o miles on the clock but I feel that it was not my fault and I am still unhappy that I had to pay out for this.

Sorry it is so long but I would welcome your opinions.

Honestly M99TTP, I think you did well to get a new car out of them. In theory, if the repair method is to Honda's approved std then a repair is what you would expect. If the damage had been caused in any other way then that is all your insurance would have paid for. While it may not be nice to have had to pay out eh £1000, again I think you did well, to part ex a car after 3 months and 12k and only lose £1000 which is in effect what happened, it pretty good going.

So IMHO while no one wants to have this happen to them, I think you've come out of it well.

Insidentally, the only panel that may have been filled would be the rear qtr (although there is a service panel replacement which is welded in and the only filler is over the weld of the joint if necessary), all other panels would have been replaced.