Just picked up new car and now home it is has clearly had a dink what would you do?

[nictry]

This looks like a bodge job.

Pic 1
Looks like the paint doesnt match between the 2 panels.

Pic 2 God knows whats going on there, you've got the huge gap and then the other too panels are too tight so the contact between the two panels has damaged the new paint.

Personally, I would return the car and negotiate for something else. I never buy any car that has any evidence of being in an accident.

The colour is a perfect match (the light for the camera shot is just odd)

I agree that the fit is awful which is why it is going back, I guess the question is whether you have in fact bought cars that have been in an accident but the repair was perfect and you never knew? In this case I know it has had either a bump from behind or it has reversed into something, either way as long as when it comes back I can't tell it has had either and there is no damage of the metal underneath the bumper then I have no real issue

 

[prprandall51]

The mention of them taking photos makes it sound like you have not agreed to see the car with the bumper off.

First, lift the rear carpet out and check the boot floor and spare wheel well for any signs of distortion or repair. If it is just a bumper prang you can afford to let them rectify it, but if there is any floorpan damage you need a different car.

Second, is this repair on the car's official history? These dealers do tend to bang on about "9,784 checks in our approved car scheme" and then sell you any old thing. You want to know what was done to this car and by whom (the repair, not the original impact!). You can bet that if you see rust coming through the rear valance in two years that MB won't be stumping up for the repair unless the existing prang was rectified under the cover of the official dealer network.

Third, you should be really firm (but polite) with them from the off. To be honest, to let a car with that damage off the forecourt shows they are a bunch of cowboys. Proceed with care because they will walk all over you if they can.

 

[nictry]

The mention of them taking photos makes it sound like you have not agreed to see the car with the bumper off.

First, lift the rear carpet out and check the boot floor and spare wheel well for any signs of distortion or repair. If it is just a bumper prang you can afford to let them rectify it, but if there is any floorpan damage you need a different car.

Second, is this repair on the car's official history? These dealers do tend to bang on about "9,784 checks in our approved car scheme" and then sell you any old thing. You want to know what was done to this car and by whom (the repair, not the original impact!). You can bet that if you see rust coming through the rear valance in two years that MB won't be stumping up for the repair unless the existing prang was rectified under the cover of the official dealer network.

Third, you should be really firm (but polite) with them from the off. To be honest, to let a car with that damage off the forecourt shows they are a bunch of cowboys. Proceed with care because they will walk all over you if they can.

Cheers for the additional advice, I have checked the boot and floor etc. and there is nothing amiss there (that my eye can see anyway) I have asked for details of the repair so am still awaiting that information

 

[nictry]

You got me thinking so have just crawled under the car!!!! It is totally unmarked underneath, the brackets etc. are totally unmarked and there are no rust spots, bent metal, brackets at all and everything on the passenger side matched the drivers side behind the fixings etc.

TBH I am inclined to think this really was a gentle reversing ding that just pushed the bumper forward on one side but we shall see on Wednesday

 

[Smiley]

From the photos the paint looks very poor quality - it does not look like factory paint. If I were you I would take the car to an independent body shop and ask them to have a quick look around the car for you and point out repaired panels. it will take a trained eye about 1 millisecond to spot if this pic is accurate. If there is more than this piece I would take the car back; you dont pay top money from a main dealer for a bodge up. A car that has original paint will look a lot better in 3 or 4 years time than one that has had a couple of hasty repairs - repaired paint fades at a different rate and the lacquer can peel off later.....

 

[nictry]

From the photos the paint looks very poor quality - it does not look like factory paint. If I were you I would take the car to an independent body shop and ask them to have a quick look around the car for you and point out repaired panels. it will take a trained eye about 1 millisecond to spot if this pic is accurate. If there is more than this piece I would take the car back; you dont pay top money from a main dealer for a bodge up. A car that has original paint will look a lot better in 3 or 4 years time than one that has had a couple of hasty repairs - repaired paint fades at a different rate and the lacquer can peel off later.....

Just taken the car to a local bodyshop (great quality work on a mates car) and he has had a good look, in his words it was a 'sales job repair' he said the panel is fine and untouched (no respray at all and original paintwork) the bumper has been sprayed but in his words it is near perfect as he really had to dig around under the rubbers to check it had even had one. Basically the problem is the bumper has not been put back on properly, the small scratch he thinks is a separate issue and not even related to the minor bump on the bumper that has pushed the parking sensor in on that side (thats still not toally flush)

He said there is no structural damage underneath either so really just a case of removing bumper and putting it back on properly so all good news

 

[Sp!ke]

I agree that the fit is awful which is why it is going back, I guess the question is whether you have in fact bought cars that have been in an accident but the repair was perfect and you never knew?

I dont think I've ever seen a car that been repaired that I havnt been able to spot.

Just thinking about that ... I guess if I didnt spot it, I wouldnt know if its been repaired Saying that, I'm 99% sure I would spot a repair as a potential buyer.