[ACCIDENT] Dealer Tech Wrecks a Customer’s Mint C6 Corvette with 38K Miles

1. It had to be quite an impact for the left rear quarter to be pushed into the left door with such force to split it open after making contact with the left front fender! Such hard impacts can also cause structural/floor damages. Prior to any repairs, a technically qualified estimator should ascertain the extent of any structural damage. It may not look bad, but the car may be a total loss due to structural or floor pan damages. If it were mine, I’d negotiate the best buy-out price from the dealer and let them live with the branded title and diminished value after repairs.

2. I’d get a lawyer and keep it on the bench until the dealer wont agree to my terms which would be for them to repair the car to your satisfaction, and for them to do the work it was scheduled for , free of charge. Clearly, traditionally the way it works is that their opinion of what your car is worth is not even close to what you think its worth so I wouldn’t pursue that, they probably wouldn’t come up to your perceived value and you shouldn’t come down to theirs. they messed up you didn’t. You could always up your willing to pay half the cost of the originally scheduled work. There is no reason in the world why you should lose on any of this. Good luck , I would remind them that the internet is a powerful tool and the public thrives on stories like this. Peace !

3. Like dealing with an insurance company, DON”T settle on any 1st offers- you know they want to low ball you. Get an idea of what it would have gone for B4 the accident and take it from there. LAST, try to avoid a lawyer, you know who is going to end up with the most $$ out of that deal!

4. Not relly a collectors anyways…not like a older Corvette….no big deal

5. You definitely do not need an attorney! Especially any attorney who isn’t a “car-guy”; or an attorney who won’t give your case priority and just runs up his billable hours. The key is to find another Corvette that is as close to yours as possible – same model year with close mileage and the same options. Additionally, there are appraisers out there that can accurately establish the true value of your Corvette. As a last alternative you can claim the loss on your insurance and have them surrogate against the dealership. My 34 years as an insurance claim manager leads me to believe the Dealer will settle with you and wholesale the damaged vehicle. Good Luck!

6. Darn auto-correct. That was SUBROGATE not surrogate.

7. dealer put my engine thru my hood while motor mounts were not connected.
   also my mecahnic dropped a car off the lift

8. Just a curious question.
   If the car was in the shop for “a lot of work” and “was going to cost $3k”, how the heck was it “mint” ?!?!

9. HOW DID THAT CORVETTE START WHILE IN GEAR?
   Neither my 1980 nor my 2013 GS, both manual, can be started IN GEAR!
   And if it is an automatic, well, same question.
   The dealer’s and the tech’s story are BS. Get a lawyer.
   Unless, of course, the owner had that disabled, then……….all bets are off.

10. Get hagerty #1 value and make them order a new C8 at MSRP for you if you can afford. It’ll be worth 20,000 more if you had to sell it. Negotiate it!

11. Make them buy the car from you at the current market value and move on. Upgrade to a C6 or C7 GS which are better cars.

12. Do not threaten to get a Lawyer. Instead, having him at your side while you negotiate a fair settlement for you both. You have a nice car but it’s not a “crown jewel” and I’m sure you can find a suitable replacement out there if they come up with the right amount of bucks. Example. One of my Corvettes is a 2013 GS Conv. with 8K miles If a dealer screwed it up and offered me a 2017 GS Conv. with like miles, Heck yes, Done deal, Case closed.

13. As a bargaining chip to keep in your back pocket for the appropriate time I would tell them if you come to terms (your terms) you won’t inform Chevrolet Corporate.

14. i know a guy with a FIREBIRD. dealer ruined the engine and they offered him a YUGO in exchange… once its wrecked DUMP IT! it will never be the same. C6 in need of 3k repairs is not mint and that model is nothing that great.
    .

15. one more thing, tell the mecahnic that JIFFY LUBE is hiring…. he can probably handle that job..

    BTW, why did the C6 start in gear?

16. Get as much cash as possible out of the deal, and upgrade to a C6 or C7 GS. Way nicer cars.

17. Don’t waste your time talking to the dealership, let your attorney handle this.

18. The dealer must have insurance for this sort of thing. As previously stated by others, avoid a lawyer if possible. he/she will be the one coming out ahead on the incident. Have them fix the car if it is fixable and you like it so much. (It is a really nice car, especially the colors.) Or get an upgrade for next to nothing.

19. Get a 2nd opinion on the cost of repairs.

20. I recently went thru something like this! I hv 2019 LT1 wth 3500 miles, pristine condition! I contacted a firm that does only diminished value on cars due to accident! They have a formula they use. It’s a 15 page report! It cost you $350, there’s no charge if they can’t get you anything,they valued my car at $65k, after diminished value it was $56k, a $9k difference! They help you do what it takes to get what you are owed! It’s called Auto Loss, ask for Monica!

21. I would sell it to them the market value prior to accident and get a new allocation on a C8 as a priority order. Your ” fixed” car has lost so much value on the resale due to body work.

22. I’ve owned Corvettes since 1962, and experienced decades of grief having them serviced by Chevrolet dealers. It may be Chevy’s a halo model, but the car and owner are treated as if it’s a Chevette. After an oil change, my new ’62 caught fire. My new ’69 had its nose chopped off by the ceiling going up a dealer’s elevator. The list could go on and on to document how Chevrolet dealers I’ve used in multiple US states provide marginal techs to service their premium model — and why I am not buying a C8.

23. Won’t that accident be on the title now and affect resale value. Who knows what other damage may show up eventually. Personally I would want them to take the car and give me another Corvette.

24. Hugs. My heart sank reading this. Good luck! I had my child (68 corvette) at a local shop, which turned out fine, getting new tires on my rims recently. I was in panic mode just thinking about someone’s greasy hands and dirty jeans sitting in my car let alone having something horrible like this happen to you. So sorry!

25. Not buying that story you were told about the car starting in gear. They are lying. Let your insurance carrier handle this. I’d get the dealership’s offers then go see your agent. Do not try to deal with the speakership on your own. You will get burned.

26. That will never be fixed to your satisfaction. Take the best deal on cash you can make (with or without attorney) and go car shopping. Maybe get yourself a nice Hellcat ?

27. This entire story is garbage. What kind of POS needs $3k worth of work at 38,000 miles? How did it start in gear? How could a tech be under it far enough to be dragged with it on the ground? The door has been folded backwards. That had to be from hitting a lift post or the wall as it went out the door. If it was going backwards, how did it hit a wall instead of going out the door or hitting another car (depending on shop design)? Nothing in this story adds up.

28. @ Jason.
    POS?
    How would you know?
    $3K in repairs/rejuvenation is not much on a 17 yr old Vette.
    Not knowing why it was in the shop just puts speculation into play.
    Tires $800-1200.
    Exhaust $1000-2000.
    Tired suspension….$???
    Easy to run up $3K now isn’t it?
    Personally I would now unload the tarnished formerly mint Vette and the memories associated with it. Make the dealer pony up and make their mistake right. If they don’t,
    do as has been mentioned and let them know the next conversation will be with an attorney.

29. I agree with most of the comments, with one caveat, the insurance also is not your friend, they also have one thing in mind: to get away with paying the least amount. Do your homework, get the fair market value, which isn’t what the dealership or the insurance offers it’s you checking what other cars like yours are SELLING FOR I think it would be good to have an attorney in your back pocket, just in case. No money should come out of your pocket either for the attorney or dealer. Never show your emotional attachment to the car. Also agree their story is BS, they are covering for someone or something. Hope it works out

30. Please listen to those suggestions mentioned in the story. And please, DO NOT BE FOOLED. THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS, no matter what they say, offer, propose etc. You are not their first casualty and you will not be their last. Everything that they tell you will have been calculated, scripted, tested, and approved by an enormous bank of lawyers, accountants, and other scum bag bottom feeders to benefit ONLY them. If anything good comes to you out of it that will be a fortunate fluke.

31. What’s the problem here? A situation like this is what I call a BONUS! Stop your crying you got them by the balls with a thumb up their rectum. All you need to say is 2023. You want a 2023 and that’s your bottom line.

32. Listen……that’s why there are a trillion Attorneys……USE a hood one! One that the dealership is going to pay for when the song is over!
    You’re a absolute FOOL to go up against them yourself. You don’t think they have a Attorney on a retainer???
    Would you get into the ring with Mike Tyson if he promised not to hit you hard?
    Duuuuuuh
    They’re at fault and THEY KNOW IT, don’t be sucker punched ..,..HIRE A “GOOD” ATTORNEY….,,NOW!!

33. Get a lawyer out of town.

34. I’d research what market price was before they crashed it and not settle for a penny less. I seriously doubt they’ll fix it plus pay you diminished value although that’s the only other acceptable outcome.

35. I have a 2007 convertiblr with 35K miles.
    #1, I refuse to go to a Chevrolet dealer for anything.
    #2, anyone that says putting 3K into a 15 year old Corvette is foolish, doesn’t know much about Corvettes.
    #3, use a custom insurance.
    Grundy, Hagerty, etc. Put a value on it for the least amount you would settle for.
    #4, go for the jugular, it’s a “accident” the dealer or their insurance company should match what you have yours insured for. Not a dime less.
    #5, DEMAND the car is repaired to factory condition at NO cost to you.
    #6, Pay the 3K in repairs.
    If the car is placed under a salvage title, demand the difference of appraised value.
    #7, you do not need a attorney. Your insurance company will supply one for you.
    #8, don’t let anyone stand in your way of a fair settlement “out of court”

36. Dont let them screw you. Make a good deal to get out of that Vette. CARFAX report will devalue you car should you go to sell it.
    Just to get an idea of ballpark value before you have it appraised.
    Go to VROOM AND CARVANA and feed your Vette info into them.
    They will come up with a value for you. Its just to get a BALLPARK IDEA of its worth.
    Good luck to you. Maybe a nice low mileage C7 would fit in your life…..

37. You might do a little research for an attorney that has dealt with that dealership before and has kicked their behind. Have a good legal aide research cases in your county for the name of the ownership group and cases that they lost. Then call the law firm that beat them down. If you go the attorney route, get one that has prevailed against the dealership in the past and then manage the attorney correctly. Check the possible attorney on martindale before engaging them as well.

38. Sounds like the dealership is scamming you. They damage the car on purpose, settle with you repair at their cost (probably used or aftermarket parts), and sell for. A huge profit to someone they probably have waiting in the wings.
    Take it to the cops and the the attorney!!

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