Dash Cam install with bonus scratch included.

[ShannonC]

Make sure you observe whilst it's being fitted.

 

[Coast GT]

Eek- I bought a Blackvue from Autobarn it's going to get fitted when they're stock comes in. I can feel my blood pressure going up already.

I've had my fair share of horror stories over the years. From Subaru slamming the seat buckle in the door and leaving a big dent in the sill, and at the same service losing the keys! And then saying we never gave them the keys? - Never got them back either.

Having an auto electrician wire something up incorrectly and loose all power whilst doing 60km an hour.

I wouldn’t panic, you can’t base your potential experience on the experience of another in a different State. I had mine fitted by Autobarn in Newcastle and never had an issue, couldn’t fault the install. Unfortunately @Wazz was just unlucky and had a clumsy installer who is now trying to say the marks in the plastic is a prefabbed screwdriver hole made by Kia. I still haven’t stopped laughing at this, but to be fair if it was my car I’d be close to getting arrested if they stood there and gave me that bullshit response. I feel for Wazz, but everyone’s experience is different, just like every service department experience is different. When it comes down to it, nobody will ever treat your car to the level that you do, at least not if you’re like most owners on here and look after your Stinger. I think most of us look after them and hold service department and anyone else who works on our cars to some incredibly high standards, and god help the fool that doesn’t maintain that standard.

 

[Ozstung]

I wouldn’t panic, you can’t base your potential experience on the experience of another in a different State. I had mine fitted by Autobarn in Newcastle and never had an issue, couldn’t fault the install. Unfortunately @Wazz was just unlucky and had a clumsy installer who is now trying to say the marks in the plastic is a prefabbed screwdriver hole made by Kia. I still haven’t stopped laughing at this, but to be fair if it was my car I’d be close to getting arrested if they stood there and gave me that bullshit response. I feel for Wazz, but everyone’s experience is different, just like every service department experience is different. When it comes down to it, nobody will ever treat your car to the level that you do, at least not if you’re like most owners on here and look after your Stinger. I think most of us look after them and hold service department and anyone else who works on our cars to some incredibly high standards, and god help the fool that doesn’t maintain that standard.

Yep you're right you can't judge everybody from state to state store to store. I've been in to this store a number of times and they've all been super professional and helpful. I took on board what to look out for from what you told up at the Hunter. Just got to wait now until the stock comes in.

 

[Wazz]

Yes different stores may be better, Bendigo was hopeless. I finally got a hold of the bloke who looks after the Vic regional stores, got to say he wasn't very understanding. For all my time spend dealing with this, taking time off work twice to address it, several phone calls and emails - they won't come to the party on all I asked for.

They will pay for:
- Respray to fix the scratch (I can now take it wherever) - I don't want a respray, rather get quotes then ask them for the $$$ and I will pocket it.
- new plastic piece which he claims is $400 (can goes in for 3000km checkup on Tuesday so will ask them)
- refund of installation ($210)
- refund and removal of dash cam... needless to say I told him I wasn't stupid and I won't be letting them touch the car again.

I reiterated that I wanted the dash cam for free now and happy to go to VCAT/discuss on local FB forums, he didn't give a toss and said he has no idea why a scratch located where it is, was such a problem that I can't get over!!! After telling him he clearly has no idea about having pride in something, I said as a courtesy I will think about the next step over the weekend but not to expect me to change my stance.

As for the installer, all I heard was "he's won awards", "He's a good guy", "He's professional". I reminded this dude that the installer had not only damaged my car in several places and would have been aware he had done so, he decided to avoid advising me of the damage in the hope I would not notice it. I also reminded him the installer lied to me and tried to convince me the damaged bits of plastic were made like that by Kia for easy screwdriver access (lol). I was then told that the installer is very sorry. He wasn't sorry when I had him look at the damage, he only became sorry when the area manager was made aware of it.

Happy to go to VCAT, only costs $67 and money well spent to get better compensation for the damage done to a then 3 week old car.

 

[Coast GT]

Yes different stores may be better, Bendigo was hopeless. I finally got a hold of the bloke who looks after the Vic regional stores, got to say he wasn't very understanding. For all my time spend dealing with this, taking time off work twice to address it, several phone calls and emails - they won't come to the party on all I asked for.

They will pay for:
- Respray to fix the scratch (I can now take it wherever) - I don't want a respray, rather get quotes then ask them for the $$$ and I will pocket it.
- new plastic piece which he claims is $400 (can goes in for 3000km checkup on Tuesday so will ask them)
- refund of installation ($210)
- refund and removal of dash cam... needless to say I told him I wasn't stupid and I won't be letting them touch the car again.

I reiterated that I wanted the dash cam for free now and happy to go to VCAT/discuss on local FB forums, he didn't give a toss and said he has no idea why a scratch located where it is, was such a problem that I can't get over!!! After telling him he clearly has no idea about having pride in something, I said as a courtesy I will think about the next step over the weekend but not to expect me to change my stance.

As for the installer, all I heard was "he's won awards", "He's a good guy", "He's professional". I reminded this dude that the installer had not only damaged my car in several places and would have been aware he had done so, he decided to avoid advising me of the damage in the hope I would not notice it. I also reminded him the installer lied to me and tried to convince me the damaged bits of plastic were made like that by Kia for easy screwdriver access (lol). I was then told that the installer is very sorry. He wasn't sorry when I had him look at the damage, he only became sorry when the area manager was made aware of it.

Happy to go to VCAT, only costs $67 and money well spent to get better compensation for the damage done to a then 3 week old car.

Might be time to cut your losses mate. Hit them up for the $$ for the respray, give them the quotes and ask them for the cash or cheque made out to you so that you can get it done yourself. Hit them up for the $$ for the replacement plastic piece tell them Kia is fitting it, get a quote from the dealership but again get the cheque made out to you, take the refund for the install that they stuffed up. You’re probably pushing it to get the camera for free. To win that in VCAT or any sort of court you’d have to prove the camera is not fit for purpose or faulty in some way. It would be a nice gesture on their part but I doubt they’ll do it considering they’re dropping close to $1000 for the respray, replacement part, and refund of install. At least if the cheque is made out to you, or if you get cash, then you can decide to pocket it and not get the repairs done or go ahead with them. Just get quotes because they’re not likely to cough up without them. Good luck whatever way you decide to go.

 

[ShannonC]

@Wazz
I think it will work out ok for you and you have every right to be pissed off. If the dash cam is functional why would you let them remove it.

 

[Wazz]

Update: Took to a crash repair as Autobarn will pay for the repair job. An estimate before properly pricing it was "around" $500. This entails having to respray the entire sill and the (panel/skirting underneath). To me this is clearly not an acceptable thing to do so I am going to demand Autobarn pay me the $$ directly upon getting the quote which I think is fair compensation for a scratch, that to be repaired, necessitates a whole section of the car to be resprayed and in turn effectively lowering the value of the car even further. I need a stiff drink, actually at the moment I would accept any drink lol. Really feeling despondent about this and hope Autobarn will pay me directly but think they will want to pay the repairer direct instead. may be a VCAT thing after all, we'll see.

 

[Cashie]

I totally feel your pain Wazz, what they did to your car is shocking, but I'd consider taking their offer and getting the cash off them and moving on with my life. I have a feeling that if this continues to drag on it is going to make it worse in the long run no matter what financial restitution you acheive.

 

[Hydrajin]

That ain't stupid man, I'd give em hell for it regardless of what car it is, I gave the dealer hell for oil stains. Any shop dealing with customers' cars should not hire careless mechanics, bad for their reputation.

 

[Wazz]

I totally feel your pain Wazz, what they did to your car is shocking, but I'd consider taking their offer and getting the cash off them and moving on with my life. I have a feeling that if this continues to drag on it is going to make it worse in the long run no matter what financial restitution you acheive.

I'm happy to accept their offer if they will pay me for the damage directly, not just pay directly to the crash repairer. My point is if I don't want to fixed right now (given the amount of respraying it needs to be done beyond the scratch), they have still done say $500 damage and I want to be paid for that.