Reply With QuoteI'd say you were unlucky getting the guy you got to collect it and ultimately, you're bummed and you'll have to pay.
Arguing the toss is well worth it but it might only amount to a couple of hundred quid at best. Give it a go.
My other half had a Polo GTI on lease through Arval which went back last month, the guy who came to collect it from Manheim was an absolute jobs worth and literally inspected every inch. I know this is his job but we have had lease cars in the past and they have never been like this bloke, completely OTT!
Anyway fast forward a few weeks and we get a bill for £660 for the work, Arval wrote off a few of the points he mentioned but still flagged up the following:
4 x Alloy wheel refurb (agreed, typical women driver!)
Small dent in driver door (car park dent, maybe should dispute?)
Re-finish bumper due to scratches
Replace 2 tyres due to cut in sidewall
I rang them today and disputed the front bumper, there was some very faint marks as if the front had swung round and maybe rubbed against a bush but a light T-Cut would remove then.. Arval couldn't even see the damage on the HD pics so wrote that off (£160).
This is my gripe, the car was on a maintained contract for 2 years (tyres and servicing), the day before collection we got it serviced and valeted at VW and they inspected the tyres, mainly the tread judging by the video but still if we needed tyres then we would of got them as they were free. Arval are now trying to charge us £200 for two tyres which I feel is a bit unfair. Should I dispute this and take any legal advice or am I wasting my time?
We paid about £30 more per month for the maintained contract so £720 in total over 24 months, in this time we have had one tyre and a basic service so probably about £250 worth of work.
Maybe I am wrong and should pay up but its bloody annoying when the day before we could of had all four tyres changed for the fun of it at no cost but now were stuck paying £200. On the email they have also said that if we dont agree and pay for the tyres they will not process the £160 charge back for the bumper so basically pay the £500 bill or pay £660, even though the manager and women on the phone both said they cant see any damage to the bumper so cant charge me.
No money has been exchanged yet.
Thanks in advance.
I'd say you were unlucky getting the guy you got to collect it and ultimately, you're bummed and you'll have to pay.
Arguing the toss is well worth it but it might only amount to a couple of hundred quid at best. Give it a go.
If they would just include the tyres I would be happy, that would take it to £300.
Bloody annoying though as I would have just put a set on for nothing if I had known!!
If you can get paperwork from the VW service stating wheels are fine that should be enough to get it taken off. Or failing that paperwork from Arval stating they need replacing, take that to VW and get them replaced.
Can't see any situation where you should be out of pocket for it. I'd tell them to get stuffed if they won't let you get them replaced.
We have a video from VW where the technician is doing a walk round of the car and underside, pads, discs etc. He measured and marked on the tyre the tread. I will see if we can find the video as it was on her old phone, if we cant I presume VW will still have record of it so maybe worth calling them.
Found the report and video.
What are peoples thoughts, should send this to Arval and then pressure VW to cough up?
Link to video: https://video.citnow.com/vtc7x6fmN9J
Report:
VW haven’t commented on the condition of the tyres, only the tread depth. Tyre cuts, unlikely to be MOT fails so what are the grounds for them being ‘required’? Have the lease company offered images of the cuts?
Are you sure that cuts to the sidewall of a tyre are covered by the contract, or is it just normal wear that is covered?. I'd have thought just the latter, although I'd be pleased if tyre damage was also covered. Last time I damaged a tyre sidewall I had the tyre replaced & paid for it myself. I've got some vague memory of somebody advising me that the damage would not be covered under the maintenance/tyre part of the contract. Might have been the lease company or the tyre fitter.
To be honest I am not sure but I will check the contract if I can find it.
Here is some pics, I am certain that if we took it to a national tyre chain they would have just replaced them. Last time we went the tyre had a slow puncture so we popped in to a branch & explained it was leased, the guy behind the counter didn't even check and just got one of the lads to change it then bill Arval. If I had known they were going to be this bad I would have done the same and had them replaced.
Front tyre (I think there was one or two cuts on this one):
Rear tyre:
I'd buy some alloy gators for the wheels on your wife's next car, I'm assuming the sidewall cuts have occurred when she has smacked the alloys on a kerb, thus not wear and tear as is borne out by the fact the tread depths are fine and as such not included in a maintenance contract.
Those cuts all appear to be to the curbing edge, they aren’t illegal so what justifies them being changed? (2nd picture would need closer inspection)
The one on the last pic is tiny, looks as though just a slice has came off but probably not gone that deep.
There argument is that the guide line for these rental cars says no marks on the sidewall so I may struggle to fight this.
At the end of the day it looks that way which is frustrating but I will try and drag it out a bit.
Luckily I purchased a car so wont have this hassle in the future and its unlikely I will lease again.
I know for sure that I'm not covered for punctures. Unless the tyre happens to have enough wear to warrant replacement on that basis. The cuts look bad enough to warrant tyre replacement to me. But i'd expect to have to foot the bill myself. Unless your contract specifically covers accidental damage, not just reasonable wear & tear
handbrake on, 5500 rpm, dump clutch, make smoke until the tread is at 0.5mm, get replaced, job done.
It's not the legality, it's the fact that it will affect the resale valueOriginally Posted by anz3001
I’ve never leased a car, but if ‘affects the resell value’ is in the T&Cs in relation to the tyres, then I’d say you’re paying up.
Frustrating that you’ve been caught in no mans land really as you’re not likely to get anything back from the health check either.
Would you buy a car with side walls like that? I wouldn't. As mentioned it looks like impact damage, not wear and tear. Can't see much wiggle room here, sorry :(
Thats fair enough guys, worth getting a second opinion.
I will try and argue it with them but likely end up paying the full amount. Worth a shot I suppose!
I’m also handing back a lease car this month, and dreading a similar experience. From what I can see I need a new windscreen as I have stonechip! Nightmare and hope your fixes are resolved without too much expense.
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Also the driver dent sounds like it may come under “acceptable wear” if “up to 10mm in diameter, no more than 2 per panel and paint is not broken”
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Seeing the state of the wheels/tyres I think if it was me I would pay the money and move on
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