dealer crashes customer's Z
 

A few weeks ago, customer brings in his 2014 Nismo 370Z (4 months old) for some concerns with alignment and bearings. Mechanic checks out the car, takes it for a spin, somehow loses control and hits a parked car. The damage was substantial and the Z ended up getting totalled. This was at our store.

Obviously the customer was irate, and that is completely understandable.

Today, we finalized the terms of his new Z. He asked me to get him another 2014 (wasn't crazy about the 2015). We have him financing the same amount that he owed, with a much better interest rate, and waiting on the Armytrix Valvetronic exhaust that we threw in as part of the deal. We matched his down payment, didnt charge any extra for the Audio package and ordered the exhaust for the inconvenience.

(complimentary Audio, complimentary Armytrix, and a 4% lower interest rate which saves him $6k in finance charges)

Unfortunately we couldn't fire the mechanic for the accident, but he definitely won't be driving any customer's cars again.

I don't want rumors to start about how we screwed up, so I figured I would post it here on my own. The customer and I both believe that the end result was more than fair, and he picked up his new Nismo today. Just has to wait 3 weeks or so for his exhaust to come in! Thank you Kevin, for allowing us an opportunity to make this right for you!

Yes we definitely screwed up, but we owned up to it and made good on it.

So what were the concerns with alignment and bearings on a 4 month old nismo?

Did that cause the accident or reckless driving?

embarrassingly enough, I believe it was wreckless driving

Wow. Well done guys. I'm very impressed by the way you're handling this.

I heard about this elsewhere on the web and was wondering what the outcome would be. Sounds like the customer ultimately came out ahead, good to hear.

why can't you fire the mechanic? Union?

exactly - as much as I hate the situation, he is a union employee that had an accident, so can't be fired for that. He sure as hell, wont see a Z or GTR on his lift again

:drama:

:icon17:

Glad you stepped up and made it right. :tup:

I know this is tied up in the union, but I think that's reasonable if he's otherwise been a good and valuable employee and he was honest and forthcoming about the whole incident.

Everyone has a bad day, but unfortunately for him, this one was catastrophically bad.

I'm sure you will NEVER have a problem with him again.

You gents did the right thing -- my hat's off to you, sir :tiphat:

Wait -- the customer turned down a 2015?!

Joe, pics?

So if you owned the business and that money came out of your pocket you would still keep that employee?

I know for sure I would not feel sorry for him as I fired him.

I really am not understanding the seeming hatred for the 2015... I think it looks great.

I hated the 2013 (standard Z) when I saw pictures but then I saw one in person I changed my tune. I wonder if people just haven't seen the 2015 "in the flesh" because it really is a stunning car.

Then again it is a little more subdued with the smaller wing, so, different strokes I guess.

For the most part Dealership such as this have insurance too.

As they say there are many ways to skin a cat. Make this employee life difficult and let him make the voluntary resignation if he is protected by a union.

Let him pay a portion of the responsibility like salary deduction. That would squeeze him and would just quit.