A DRIVER is at war with his dealership after his window was shattered while in their shop getting repairs.
Kam Singh is sparring with Highbury Ford over who should foot a $426 repair bill after an intruder stormed the service center and vandalized his Ford F-150.
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Singh went to the dealership in Ontario, Canada, on October 12, after his truck engine abruptly shut down and had to be towed to safety.
Four days after dropping the $90,000 truck off, Singh got a call that an intruder had smashed the windows and stolen some of the driver’s belongings, CBC reported.
He was outraged to hear the news and demanded the dealership pay for repairs since his car had been entrusted into their care.
However, Singh got a shock when he was told he’d be footing the bill.
The dealership felt the driver should file a claim with his insurance and get them to cover it, but Singh said that wasn’t an option.
This is because he has a high-deductible plan and knew the windshield replacement wouldn’t meet his $5,000 minimum.
“It’s worthless to go through insurance,” Singh said.
“Any damage less than $5,000 isn’t enough, and it’s only going to increase my insurance next year.”
The dealership’s parts and services director, Peter Sandor, offered to fix the windshield for free as long as Singh paid for the parts, but the theft victim refused to pay a cent.
Customers are warned before getting service that they’re liable for any damage that happens while their cars are parked on the dealership’s lot, Sandor said.
“The reality is that when you bring your vehicle into a service facility, no differently than if you go to a shopping facility or the movies, your insurance does not stop when you drive on our lot,” said the director.
Because the damage came from a crime and not from one of their mechanics, Sandor said there’s nothing he can do.
Singh bought his car four months ago, and is furious he has to tack on more expenses after draining his pockets.
Not only did the service cost $426, but the driver also lost hundreds of dollars of stolen struck parts and safety gear that was in his backseat.
How to save money at the mechanic
THERE are several services offered by mechanics that drivers should never pay for, according to a car expert.
Ron Krauch, an automotive writer, warned drivers not to trust everything they hear in the shop in an exclusive conversation with The U.S. Sun.
He said it’s important for vehicle owners to recognize the difference between their car’s manufacturer’s service schedule and what mechanics are trying to sell.
Any work referred to as a “dealer recommended service” is often an attempt at upselling, Krauch warned.
One of these useless upsells is fuel injecting clearing, which removes built-up dirt and debris from a vehicle’s fuel system to improve performance.
“Modern vehicles typically have fuel systems that are designed to stay clean, especially with the use of high-quality gasoline that contains detergents to keep injectors free of deposits,” he said.
Drivers should also always say no to engine flushes, as modern vehicles don’t need any help cleaning out “sludge or deposits.”
“Most modern engines and oils are formulated to stay clean, and if you regularly change your oil on schedule, you shouldn’t need this service,” he said.
And finally, no one should spend extra getting a premium oil change.
“Shops often upsell customers to synthetic or high-performance oils – even if the vehicle’s manufacturer doesn’t require them,” Krauch said.
Now, he doesn’t feel comfortable ever using the dealership again.
“It’s really frustrating,” the driver said.
“I can’t leave my truck with them because I don’t want it unattended.”
Sandor hit back that his dealership is gated for safety, so he refused to take responsibility for a crime.
“We do feel bad that it happened but unfortunately, crime is not something the dealership can take responsibility for,” he said.
“We tried to do our best in a bad situation that we didn’t create.”
