My Brand New Golf 7 Gti damaged by salesman from dealership

<p>My name is Thamo Naicker and I have recently purchased a brand new VW Golf 7 GTI on the 13 March 2017 from VW Alpine Motors, Pinetown and my vehicle was sent in to the dealership to have smash and grab fitted on the 6 April 2017. My parents had dropped the vehicle off at the dealer and the salesman had given them his company vehicle to use until mine vehicle was finished. The salesman was returning my vehicle that evening and had an accident with it. </p> <p><br />The damage is quite bad as you will see in the attached pics. I did ask the salesman to arrange for a tow truck and that the dealer be responsible for sorting this out. The tow truck was then arranged by the dealer. I also told him that I will not accept this vehicle to be repaired and given back to me due to it only being three weeks old and having such a bad accident where the side airbags even deployed. I asked for the vehicle to be replaced with a new one exactly as the one i bought. </p> <p><br />I met with his manageress the following morning and explained to her what had happened and she assured me that they are with me and i should not worry but there are just a few procedures that they need to follow for their insurance. I did tell her that i am not lodging a claim with my insurance but I will notify them of the incident. After speaking to the salesman afterwards he did apologize and he told me he already had a replacement vehicle in mind and it was exactly like mine except it was a demo model. I then told him that I wouldn't be happy with a demo as mine was brand new. I then tried to follow up with him on Monday 10 April 2017 when he old he had found another car but was missing some of the features mine had. I told him i was also not happy with that. On Tuesday 11 April 2017 when I tried to follow up, the salesman told me he was waiting for his manageress and director for instructions, which sounded a bit weird to me because a day earlier he was looking for my replacement vehicle, so i told him I would speak to his manageress. I managed to get a hold of her after a while and she said that she was with a client and she would call me back as soon as she was finished.Two hours went by and i did not receive a call from her so decided to stop by the dealership when i met with her and the salesman and she told me that they are waiting for a second quote and that their insurance needs to liaise with mine to sort out. I told her that I am not lodging a claim with my insurance and that i do not want that car back. I then forwarded her a letter from my insurance stating that they acknowledge the incident and that a claim will be done from the third party. </p> <p><br />I left the dealership but was troubled with how the dealer is handling this so i tried for the rest of the day to contact the dealer principal Mr Garth La Reserve. I finally managed to get a hold of him almost at the close of day. I explained to him who I was and he told me he was aware of what happened but is waiting for insurance feedback. I explained to him that i do not want that car back, he then started sounding defensive and saying things like "its not really their responsibility" and they are "just helping" me. I argued with him for a bit, but left it there as I saw that they are not operating very ethically. I am still awaiting feedback up until now and still no proper feedback even after sending them a few emails which I have attached below. I have even called VWSA and am awaiting feedback from them. </p> <p><br />I a;so called for the assistance from VW financial services as I will not accept that vehicle back due to it being brand new and already having so much of damage done to it by the dealer representitive. I have financed this vehicle with VWFS on a residual type contract deal with the intention of trading the vehicle in, in a few years for a new one. I am sure i would get a very low trade in for a vehicle that i am going to be paying almost R800000 for and with that amount of damage it has, its going to definitely lose a tremendous amount to the value of it. And this damage was the doing of an Alpine VW representitive. </p> <p><br />Kind Regards<br />Thamo Naicker</p> <p><br />From: "Thamotharan Naicker" ********** />Date: Apr 18, 2017 8:50 AM<br />Subject: Re: T Naicker Golf 7 GTI<br />To: "Vinesh Pillay" ********** ********** ********** />Cc: </p> <p>Dear Alpine Motors representative.</p> <p>Please be advised that I am still awaiting feedback regarding the replacement of my brand new Golf 7 GTI that was damaged by an Alpine Motors representative . Its been 12 days now and I still haven't received any proper feedback as to having my vehicle replaced. I hereby state again, and put on record that I will not accept that damaged car to be repaired and returned to me.</p> <p>I bought a brand new vehicle. I left a brand new vehicle in the care of Alpine Motors. My brand new vehicle was damaged by an Alpine Motors representative. I not accept anything less than a brand new vehicle with all the extras exactly like the brand new vehicle that I purchased.</p> <p>I await for a response from Alpine Motors until lunchtime today. Failing to receive any feedback by lunchtime, I will be contacting VW South Africa for assistance.</p> <p>Kind Regards</p> <p>T Naicker</p> <p>On Apr 12, 2017 10:46 AM, "Thamotharan Naicker" ********** wrote:<br />Garth La Reserve</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>My car was in an accident by one of your drivers/salesperson Vinesh Pillay on the 6th April 2017 at around 18:20pm. I have since received no proper feedback from Alpine motors as the day after the accident , I was reassured by sales manageress Laura McCallum that Alpine motors will take care of everything and I did inform her that , I will not be putting in any claims with my insurance since the damages was not caused by myself and the car was still on route to me.</p> <p> </p> <p>After speaking to the Dealer principal Garth La Reserve, yesterday afternoon, he told me that Alpine Motors is not actually responsible for the damages to the car. Vinesh Pillay is a representative of Alpine Motors. If that is the case, I want this in writing so that I know how to proceed forward.</p> <p> </p> <p>The car was sent to Alpine Motors to get Smash and grab fitted because Alpine Motors was unable to get the vehicle registered and I had to get the car registered on my own. To offset the amount, I was requested by Alpine Motors to bring in the car for smash and grab.</p> <p> </p> <p>I had purchased a brand new car, and took delivery on the 13th March 2017. I want nothing less than a brand new vehicle exactly like what I had purchased. The damages caused to the vehicle was by Alpine motors driver and according to Laura McCallum the value of the damages is R100000. I refuse to take back an accident damaged vehicle. I hold Alpine motors Fully responsible and have contacted Wendy Knowler and my attorney. I will also involve the motor industry ombudsman and the consumer protection council. I am aware of my rights as a consumer.</p> <p>I require urgent feedback from Alpine motors regarding your offer to me as a consumer. I will not get my insurance involved and have already handed in a letter to the dealership from my insurance stating that the dealership insurance will take care of everything.</p> <p> </p> <p>I await your response.</p> <p> </p> <p>Kind regards</p> <p>T Naicker<br /> <br /> </p>