New Car Possible Hail Damage

picant on 06/02/2022 - 10:43
Last edited 06/02/2022 - 11:39 by 1 other user

Need suggestions how to proceed.

I bought a new car and called dealer to organize pick up. Was told that there was hail over dealer car yard and some cars were damaged. They said that my car was not damaged but they still need someone from their insurance to inspect all cars before any on them can be released.

Now I can't stop thinking what if the dealer wasn't completely fair with me and my car still was damaged. What if there is small damage, can they repair it without telling me and still sell this car as new? Or any other dodgy scenarios?

Automotive

Comments

  • mskeggs on 06/02/2022 - 10:48
    +22

    People worry about weird things.
    Just inspect it for damage when you pick it up. It’s not like they have emergency panel beaters on call over the weekend to quickly fix cars in dealer lots.

    • Caped Baldy on 06/02/2022 - 10:53
      +14

      Just inspect it for damage when you pick it up.

      let's not bring logic into this

    • bobbified on 06/02/2022 - 14:04
      +1

      Just inspect it for damage when you pick it up

      Light hail damage is not always easy to see with the naked eye in certain lighting conditions. But if an obvious one is found, there's a good chance there's more (or there has been more).

      • picant on 06/02/2022 - 14:47

        Any recommendations how to check for light damage…

        • bobbified on 06/02/2022 - 14:52
          +2

          I won't pretend to be an expert at it, but if I was to check for dents, I would go down to the panel's level and look along where a light source reflects. That light should form a line and that line should consistently be straight and/or go along the curve of the panel without any bumps. (I don't know if I'm describing it properly!)

          • apsilon on 06/02/2022 - 15:10
            +6

            @bobbified: Yep, that's the easiest way. Look for a change in reflection. Where a straight line should be there'll be a bend where there's a dent. I always take my own light with me when picking up a car. You'll need to it check the interior as well anyway as that's a very common spot to be damaged with scuffs along sills and bottom of door cards.

      • mskeggs on 06/02/2022 - 14:57
        +3

        If the vendor’s insurer can’t see the damage, and the buyer can’t see the damage, does the damage exist?

        • bobbified on 06/02/2022 - 14:58

          ah, I was assuming you were talking about OP inspecting it himself before the insurer's came through! My bad!

        • OZBargainer in SA on 07/02/2022 - 11:38
          +2

          Depends if they heard THAT tree which fell in the woods

    • HeWhoKnows on 07/02/2022 - 15:05

      So funny but so true

  • Muzeeb on 06/02/2022 - 10:49

    Small hail damage can be repaired

  • apsilon on 06/02/2022 - 10:51
    +5

    Go and take a look for yourself?

    FWIW, new cars are damaged in transport all the time and repaired and still sold as new.

  • Hybroid on 06/02/2022 - 10:52

    Everything is possible. The very first time you take your brand new car out on the motorway, you'll pick up tons of small damage & scratches to bodywork. It's part of owning an in-use car. Don't worry about it.

    • Ughhh on 06/02/2022 - 10:55

      But isn't hail damage a little different? I remember someone said they had difficulty in getting comprehensive insurance because of previous hail damage.

      • Hybroid on 06/02/2022 - 10:57

        There is no pre-existing hail damage so no.

      • Ocker on 06/02/2022 - 11:41

        In the possible event there was hail damage then if it was repaired properly you will never know it was previously damaged.
        Hence insurance is not an issue.

  • pegaxs on 06/02/2022 - 12:09
    +4

    Why do people equate hail damage to vehicle being undriveable?

    At time of hand over, you go over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb and inspect it. If anything on the vehicle doesn't sit right, reject the vehicle as not at the standard or the condition you expected from the contract.

    The only thing that may affect it is, if the car did get damaged in the hail and it was significant enough that it requires insurance to get involved, it may be listed as a hail damaged car on the WOVR and repaired. This will kill the resale value of the vehicle and wont allow you to get insurance on it for any existing damage. You need to confirm with them if it was repaired and if it was done via insurance, and get the contract amended to either reflect the price now that it has a WOVR history or to cover yourself that if they are lying about it and the damage is put in 2 months down the track, that you are covered for any potential loss of resale value.

    • RockyRaccoon on 06/02/2022 - 12:31
      +1

      One point to mention is that a car resprayed, to cover hail damage, is never going to be as good a paint surface as one from the factory. You can see plenty of cars that have been repaired that after 10 years or so have faded paintwork and crazed clear coats, or at best different shades of paint on panels that have been resprayed.

      All can be redone later, but that involves extra costs.

      • Muzeeb on 06/02/2022 - 13:32
        +1

        Most hail dents are popped out using paintless methods.

        • plmko on 06/02/2022 - 14:39

          Yeah it's like $50 per dent. It's not much.

  • orangetrain on 06/02/2022 - 12:30
    +5

    Fishy story. Dealer sounds too honest.

  • loropy9 on 06/02/2022 - 13:15
    +2

    It sounds like they don’t have it in stock and are stalling until the car arrives

    • mapax on 06/02/2022 - 13:38
      +1

      Or they want to sell it to someone else who offered a nice bonus and OP will have to wait until the next shipment arrives…

    • picant on 06/02/2022 - 14:45

      Don't think they want to sell it to someone else. I have the tax invoice for this car with its VIN and my name on it + they already got paid most of it by a third party finance company.

      • mapax on 06/02/2022 - 16:07

        It was a joke but good to hear all the paperwork is in order.

        • [Deactivated] on 07/02/2022 - 00:00
          +1

          Hope the loan is not too expensive too.

  • bloom on 06/02/2022 - 14:43

    Make sure you bring a laser level for the inspection 👍

    • picant on 06/02/2022 - 14:45

      How will it help? (or is this a joke that didn't get)

      • bloom on 06/02/2022 - 14:52

        It’s a joke… relax. Car yard is insured, they have nothing to gain trying to pass defects as new

  • Drakesy on 06/02/2022 - 15:58
    +4

    Geez
    give the dealer a break,
    he's being transparent with you (which is surprising given they sell cars for a living).

    At least he's communicating it with you rather than giving it to you and waiting for you to hopefully not pick up on it.
    Just inspect it with the dealer on the day.
    Geeez, talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill.

  • websterp on 06/02/2022 - 17:47
    +1

    You can have one of these installed on your driveway. Can easily detect any dodgy hail damage repair work don't by the dealer. As a bonus it will also identity any illegal human cargo or organic material you may have stuffed inside.

  • OzHunterNSW on 08/02/2022 - 01:11

    That is why it is called "inspection". YOU inspect the car from top to bottom… and now they have provided a hint of which to look out for.

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