dealer crashes customer's Z

koeppelnissan · 04-18-2015, 05:43 PM

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.

Super Werty · 04-18-2015, 06:24 PM

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

Did that cause the accident or reckless driving?

koeppelnissan · 04-19-2015, 02:00 PM

embarrassingly enough, I believe it was wreckless driving

dP3NGU1N · 04-19-2015, 02:07 PM

Chuck33079 · 04-19-2015, 02:08 PM

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

1LIFE · 04-19-2015, 02:12 PM

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.

Mike · 04-19-2015, 02:59 PM

why can't you fire the mechanic? Union?

koeppelnissan · 04-19-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

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

Davey · 04-19-2015, 03:23 PM

Glad you stepped up and made it right.

Jordo! · 04-19-2015, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koeppelnissan

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

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

Jordo! · 04-19-2015, 05:31 PM

Wait -- the customer turned down a 2015?!

DEpointfive0 · 04-19-2015, 05:37 PM

Joe, pics?

Super Werty · 04-19-2015, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordo!

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.

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.

Davey · 04-19-2015, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordo!

Wait -- the customer turned down a 2015?!

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.

Zoren 370 · 04-19-2015, 09:00 PM

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.

04-18-2015, 05:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
koeppelnissan Supporting Nissan Dealer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: queens Posts: 859 Drives: 14 6MT Trng Spt Nav Rep Power: 17	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. DIGItonium, TerribleONE, Trips and 38 others like this.

04-18-2015, 06:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Super Werty Track Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: AZ Posts: 668 Drives: '13 Sport Rep Power: 13	So what were the concerns with alignment and bearings on a 4 month old nismo? Did that cause the accident or reckless driving? __________________ The Build

04-19-2015, 02:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
koeppelnissan Supporting Nissan Dealer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: queens Posts: 859 Drives: 14 6MT Trng Spt Nav Rep Power: 17	embarrassingly enough, I believe it was wreckless driving brianx42 likes this.

04-19-2015, 02:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
dP3NGU1N A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Irvine Posts: 1,682 Drives: 13 PW sport 6mt Rep Power: 18	TerribleONE, 1LIFE, janglez and 6 others like this. __________________ 35% Hooper Optik \| Takeda Attack CAI \| F.I. HFC \| Hotchkis Sway Bar \| Stillen 24row \| OS Giken Super Lock LSD \| TK Shift Knob \| EVO-R Carbon Diffuser

04-19-2015, 02:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	Wow. Well done guys. I'm very impressed by the way you're handling this. TerribleONE, Trips, Jordo! and 5 others like this. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

04-19-2015, 02:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
1LIFE Track Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Louisville, Ky Posts: 513 Drives: Fast Lane Rep Power: 61	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. brianx42 likes this. __________________ Built GReddy TT "I downshift next to Prius so the driver hears me hurting the environment"

04-19-2015, 02:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mike The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 5,944 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 2186	why can't you fire the mechanic? Union? __________________ NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

04-19-2015, 03:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
Davey A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,766 Drives: '15 NISMO 6MT Rep Power: 117171	Glad you stepped up and made it right.

04-19-2015, 05:31 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jordo! A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: nirvana Posts: 6,394 Drives: 2023 NATM Rep Power: 418	Wait -- the customer turned down a 2015?! __________________ Enjoy it. Destroy it.

04-19-2015, 05:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
DEpointfive0 Premium Member Bitches Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 14,824 Drives: a lot Rep Power: 17151	Joe, pics? __________________ Do YOU want to know what/where I got my username from? ( Click to show/hide ) NSFW due to language:

04-19-2015, 09:00 PM	#15 (permalink)
Zoren 370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: FL Posts: 11,018 Drives: 11 Nissan 370 M6 Rep Power: 1913653	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.

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