[VIDEO] Lawyer Weighs In On Chevy Technician Who Joyrided a Customer’s C8 Corvette

By
Keith Cornett
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12
34925

[VIDEO] Lawyer Weighs In On Chevy Technician Who Joyrided a Customer's C8 Corvette


On Monday we were the first to bring you the story of a Chevy dealer technician whose test drive of a customer’s C8 Corvette was captured on the Performance Data Recorder showing multiple instances of triple-digit speeds and even a race with a Dodge Charger that reached speeds of 148 MPH on a busy highway.

That video went viral pretty quickly and was picked up by multiple websites including GM Authority and Motorious before it was removed from YouTube Monday afternoon following a meeting the owner had with the dealership. A shorter version of the video is still available here.

As expected, many users on CorvetteBlogger and the other blogs that carried the video featured comments about giving the video to the police or contacting a lawyer for damages. While some might roll their eyes at this, we now get to hear from a lawyer who specializes in automotive lemon laws and other consumer law issues who weighs in the various legal ramifications that could affect both the owner of the car as well as the dealership’s owner.

Michigan attorney Steve Lehto of LehtosLaw.com featured this story on his YouTube channel and he breaks it down for us, first providing an overview of the story as well as how GM’s Performance Data Recorder was used to capture the Chevy Tech behaving badly in the customer’s Corvette. Steve also makes the assertion that you would think a GM technician would know that the car has this technology “but everyone is not as bright as they should be.”

According to Lehto, there are two legal considerations at play here. The first is Owner Liability which means that no matter who was driving it, it’s still your property and it’s your insurance on the car. If the technician got into an accident in the car, you as the owner of the vehicle would most likely be named a defendant in any lawsuit.

The second point he makes is regarding Conversion, which is where the owner of the Corvette gave possession of the car to the dealership, who then used it in a manner that’s contrary to the owner’s legal rights. Lehto uses a famous scene from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to illustrate Conversion.

Lehto doesn’t cover any of the potential criminal liability of the technician, but he does offer advice to dealers in that they should be making sure that their technicians are aware of the law as well as any consequences which may arise once the tech exceeds the boundaries of a normal test drive.


Source:
Steve Lehto / YouTube

Related:
[VIDEO] Another Chevy Tech Takes a C8 Corvette Joyride and Hits 148 MPH in Heavy Traffic
[VIDEO] Frustrated C8 Corvette Owner Shares PDR Video of a Chevy Tech Driving Over 100 MPH in his Car
[VIDEO] 2020 Corvette Owner’s Close Encounter with a Deer Caught on the PDR

 



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12 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you Steve for explaining how a lawsuit can be filed and won even with
    no perceived damages. That was the question I had after seeing the video yesterday.

  2. Thanks for the comments from the profession that has help destroy the USA no room on ladders anymore because of lawyers. 16 year olds can’t work in grocery stores because of lawyers. Playgrounds are becoming extinct because of lawyers. If you do sue and get something over your car don’t forget the lawyer will take 33% plus expenses.

  3. So the C8 PDR doesn’t show the throttle position, brake effort, G-meter, steering wheel position? That sucks. I prefer my C7’s PDR. And it never got out of 5th gear?!

  4. The GM and Service Mgr bear the full responsibility as they hired the guy. If I were the Dealership owner, I’d jettison all 3!

  5. did the customer sign a repair order giving dealership and tech permission to road test and dealer not responsible for accidents and damage ? Its a driveability issue , tech had to road test. Maybe not to 148, but if repair order signed ???

  6. To drive the point home I would call a meeting of all employees, to include the three stooges. I would play the video and warn them of the repercussions of such behavior. I would then fire the idiot who did it and give his supervisors a couple of weeks of unpaid vacation to let them think about it and re-evaluate their hiring practices and management responsibilities. Then all employees know what is expected of them and what would not be tolerated going forward. If I were the owner of the dealership, I would call the car owner in, apologize profusely, and tell him he gets the first Z06 that comes in, courtesy of the dealership. In return, I would ask the customer if he would please accept and call it a day and a deal because it damn sure could have been much worse.

  9. I recently received an offer from GM to borrow my C7 for emission testing purposes.
    After this video not sure I should
    Does anyone have experience with this type of request from GM?

  10. Who is the owner if a loan was used to purchase the vehicle?
    Doesn’t the bank or note holder technically own the vehicle until is fully paid.
    Chris

  11. Chris, I think Steve was saying that it is not who owns the car, but who has the insurance on it that may take a hit.

  12. Service manager should state that all C8’s serviced will have the in car video reviewed.

Comments are closed.