Beaverton Toyota Scratched My Bumper
 

Yesterday I brought my car in for a scheduled first oil change.

I was very apprehensive about the process as my FR-S is my first new car, and this was her first oil change. I was uncomfortable with the fact that a large, filthy, hard plastic service "number" was placed on my car that was clearly just cleaned and well cared-for.

When my service was through and I was shown to my car, I was a bit horrified to find it was parked front-first into a parking spot against a curb.

Sure enough when I inspected the front end of my car, the front lip was over the curb stop with a mere centimeter or two between the front bumper of my car and the curb. The lip actually extends lower underneath the chin, and so this made me extremely nervous. My car is not lowered, and the suspension is all stock.

I couldn't investigate if there was damage due to the turf, and I would have had to get down on my stomach and I was heading to a date for brunch, but when I got home I found the bottom of my front bumper all scraped up.

I never forward-park in a parking spot with a curb at the end because I understand how low the FR-S is and that there is the potential for damage. In the rare case that I have to, I always leave a foot or two of space between my car and the curb stop because I understand how short our car is, and there isn't the need to pull forward much once you're in the spot.

I like to think that I'm someone who rarely gets angry, but I can't believe the service department scraped the fucking shit out of my front bumper. I'm furious.

I take care of my car in the extreme and obsess over it, I had to make a point to tell the service department NOT to wash it when I got the oil changed.


I talked with someone on the phone at Beaverton Toyota earlier this morning, and they said to bring my car in and they would take a look at it and repaint it.

I'm glad that they're accepting responsibility for it, and I appreciate that from them as I anticipated that alone was going to be a major headache. I understand I'm expressing my displeasure with them in this thread, but there customer service has always been respectable for the most part, and that is the reason I chose to purchase my car from them despite their dealership being on the other side of town from where I live.

I've never had something like this happen before. Should I let them repaint it, or ask for some other sort of compensation? After the fact that this happened to begin with, I'm apprehensive about letting them paint it. I don't know if they know what they're doing, or if they'll just have someone slap some touch up paint on it - especially since the scraped area is mostly out of sight.


I'd appreciate feedback from anyone that has advice for me being in this situation - I'm typically someone that avoids conflict, and I've been told that I'm "too nice" and I know I can have trouble standing up for myself at times, so I'd like to be prepared and know what I need to do or say to be firm with them about wanting this made right - I don't want them to do some shoddy touch-up job and call it good.


Here are the images I took after I got home yesterday when I checked underneath the bumper: https://imageshack.com/a/AxEq/1

I apologize for the ranting. Thanks very much if you read through the post.

K

Funny, they did the same to my wife's corolla. We had them fix it and didn't have any issues after that.
What other sort of compensation are you expecting? I personally don't think you're entitled to anything other than them fixing what they messed up.
If you don't feel they're capable of fixing it then see if they'll pay for a third party appraisal and fix.
I'm pretty sure they go to a third party for painting anyway.

I understand your frustration, but they are re-painting it, and to be honest, you're going to do the same thing a month down the road.

Crap! I was thinking of getting all my work done there since it's close to work.

I wasn't really expecting any other compensation other than them fixing it, but I've never dealt with a situation like this and so I was looking for advice on whether or not I should be seeking any.

I met with their assistant service manager today, and he was very helpful. They're going to repaint it next week although I did find a scratch they left on my door as well. I guess that sort of thing is just going to happen if you're getting your car serviced at a dealership.

I don't think scratching the bumper is inevitable if you're careful. I'm anal about where I park, and paying attention whenever I park my car. Like I said I avoid forward parking against a curb, and I'm aware of the dimensions of my vehicle. That being said, I'm glad they're fixing it, and now that I know that is how they park the cars after service I'll make sure to ask them to be careful whenever I have my car serviced at a dealership.

Yeah, for sure - the guy a spoke with said that this has happened a few times with certain cars, and especially the FR-S.

I am too. I am very careful where I park, but sure as hell my bumper is scratched to hell. Just going to happen on all these cars, the FRS especially.

Luckily, the white paint and the greyish white stuff under the paint blend pretty well.

Cant tell unless your under the car.

Watching to see if this is resolved successfully by the dealership.

I've done it a couple times and it sucks, but you're NEVER gonna see it unless (like you said) you're on the ground looking up at it. I get that it wasn't your fault to begin with, but I'd just take the touch-up and move forward.