[GTO]

This is the first time in over 7 years that one of my cars will require a new body panel. The last such accident was in 2001 when a driver had banged up my Lancer outside Oberoi Hotel.

So this morning, my driver comes up to talk to me. I was busy in a meeting, but instead of waiting, he calls home and takes permission from my Mom to renew the Benz' PUC. First mistake : I have given crystal clear instructions to my drivers NOT to take the car anywhere, but the authorised service station for even the smallest of jobs. Heck, 10 days back, I sent the C220 to Auto Hangar for a silly bulb change!

So he goes off to "Gateway Auto Services", a petrol pump right behind Regal Cinema. Car keys are handed over to the service attendant, who parks the Benz in the service bay, It has a pretty sharp incline. The idiotic attendant wants to pop open the hood. Instead of pulling the hood release lever, he pulls the handbrake lever and thereby, disengages it. The C220 starts rolling backward with the drivers door open. WHAM and CRUNCH! The door hits a pillar on the right hand side and literally crumples in. I will let the pictures do the talking.

I reached the pump with 10 minutes and burnt their house down. I mean, what the heck??!! If you are unfamiliar with a car, crosscheck with the driver. Plus, the car is being tested on a slope, so you better have some blocks put behind the tyres. So many Indian cars dont even have their handbrakes working (Jeeps, Sumos etc.). The car could have rolled backward and straight onto a road which is barely 10 feet away!

The owner and manager of the petrol pump profusely apologised and have agreed to foot the entire bill. Its only straight-forward; their service attendant damages the car in their service bay. Its but obvious that they should foot the bill. One of my managers is with them at the police station formally recording this incident. I have also videotaped their confession and told them in no uncertain terms that a bill of about 1.5 lac rupees should be expected. I know Auto Hangar and Merc's pricing pretty well by now. The entire door shell will need to be replaced.

Bad day, but crap happens. Gulp it down and move on. As for my driver, let him just come back to work. I will take the strictest of displinary action against him.

[kb100]

OUCH!

Than can hurt! One can never be too careful these days!

Hope your car gets back in shape soon!

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Oops thats bad Rush! The service attendants, valet parking guys are so casual and will never understand the pain caused to the owner when such things happen. It was utter common sense and damn they did not heed to it.

[finneyp]

It really pains to see our Car damaged coz of the stupidity of others!

I am wondering if the Bunk owner will cough up Rs 1.5 lacs to fix the damages, he may resort to some short cuts.
Service attendant's life is ruined for sure!

[Elito11]

Originally Posted by finneyp

It really pains to see our Car damaged coz of the stupidity of others!

I am wondering if the Bunk owner will cough up Rs 1.5 lacs to fix the damages, he may resort to some short cuts.
Service attendant's life is ruined for sure!

I wonder the same too.

What we really need is people to understand the value of good work/customer care AND be willing to pay for it! That is the only way incidents such as these can be avoided.

@GTO - Really sad man, take it easy

Elito

[shuvd]

Dayyum! Good that they agreed to pay for the damages.
Wishing your baby a quick recovery.

[Technocrat]

Ouch Thats a bad one.

I hope the car gets fixed soon as it really hurts to see your baby like this.

Btw why did the driver rushed so much for the PUC?

[Sam Kapasi]

Oh dear! That IS a bad one. Good luck GTO.

[gd1418]

It sure does hurt to see the damage. Hope it gets rectified at the earliest and without you burning a hole in your pocket.

BTW, you mean the driver vamoosed after this incident? Wasn't he there with the car for PUC?

Originally Posted by GTO

As for my driver, let him just come back to work. I will take the strictest of displinary action against him.

[vvnagan]

Ouch!!!! It hurts to see such a beautiful machine damaged. I dont own a MB but absolutely adore the three pointed star. So if its hurting me so much, I dont have to think what GTO is going through.
On another note, I never allow these service attendants (at least when I am present), Valet parking guys to touch my car. Seeing the way they handle cars gives me a shudder.

[gods-envy]

hope you get your car back in good shape soon GTO!

agree, the service attendant's life is gone to dogs for sure..

[suman]

My God, that's a bad one! Is your driver a temp guy or an old one? I'm shocked at his handing over the keys of a Benz to a service station attendant

[aaggoswami]

Its ugly and its purely out of somebody's mistake. Completely avoidable. It was surely a bad day. Really painful to see the car damaged that too a Three Pointed Star.

Hope it gets repaired and is back again.

[n_aditya]

Ouch. Thats a bad one Rush. Hope you get the car back in shape very soon.

Originally Posted by GTO

So many Indian cars dont even have their handbrakes working (Jeeps, Sumos etc.). The car could have rolled backward and straight onto a road which is barely 10 feet away!

Really dumb of those people to leave cars on an incline with no bricks or wooden blocks behind the tires. Luckily it did not get to the road. That would have been nasty.

Originally Posted by GTO

told them in no uncertain terms that a bill of about 1.5 lac rupees should be expected.

Whoa. 1.5 lacs for a door ? I'm sure next time they'll be more careful.

[SumitB]

GTO that is a bad! What's worse, the service attendant and those who depend on him (as in, his family) will have to suffer due to this. I feel sorry for the car and you (since its not at all your fault) while at the same time, a thought is running in my mind for the service attendant. Best of luck.