smashed up rev 5 turbo

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iv got a 99 t reg turbo which is pretty mint and very rare and the gf took it to get some new tyres on the back . £330 for the pair . then I get a phone call from her saying that they took it for a test drive as they always do after fitting new tyres. some nobhead fitter got about 50 yards before crashing it. into a concrete post and through a wire fence. he would have done less damage if he'd hit a brick wall. the nose cone is destroyed, both front tyres are burst one wheel is very bent the windscreen is smashed a mirror suround is cracked the ariel is snapped. the radiator is bent but not burst. the worst bit is when it went through the wire fence it scratched every panel on the car , even the rear bumper. they are going to deal with it and I've been given an estimate of £3000 grand and I was thinking "is this a cheap job cause it needs a full respray and all the other stuff. iv got bobs tyres courtesy mondeo so this weekend I,ll be finding out what it will do 0 60 in.

[dan mkii]

Sounds like too much damage for the car to ever be the same again.

Personally I wouldnt want it back.

Why do the need to test drive it after fitting tyres??

[shinny]

Man, that's really rough! I'd get in touch with CAB if I were you, so you can get good advice as to what they should have insurance wise so they don;t cut corners on the repairs. They certainly should let you chose the body shop to do the repairs to make sure it's up to the standard you're happy with.

then I get a phone call from her saying that they took it for a test drive as they always do after fitting new tyres

What on earth??? I've never heard of that before... sounds like a tyre fitter just wanted to blag a joy ride to me. One has to ask what he was even doing to put the car through a fence, because, as every tyre fitter will know, brand new tyres dont; give as much grip for the first hundred miles or so and should be driven carefully.

[RikH77]

take them to cleaners - 3k..for a respray only maybe!

[synXero]

xxxx that mate you should ruin them for it.

Taking it for a spin after fitting the tyres... Man you'd have a hard time getting that one past me.

I expect you're looking at 5-6k to get it sorted mate, and even then I'm not sure it'd be worth it, to be brutally frank with you. If the structural panels are bent, and all the bodywork is xxxxx, and things are wrong with your cooling systems and so on... I'd painfully extract the maximum amount you can from them and get yourself another.

Sad to hear this of a rev5 turbo though.

[Harold]

Sorry to hear that, and as said above I've never had a car road tested after having tyres fitted and really can't think why they'd need to. And 3k is nowhere near enough to fix all the damage, I'd expect to pay about that much for a decent full respray. And on top of that you need a new bumper, radiator, front wheels & tyres, AC rad if you have it, new windscreen and fixing all the structural damage and anything else they've bent. In other words a hell of a lot more than 3k, get a payout and walk away.

A real shame to lose a rev 5 turbo, they're rare enough as it is.

[dawesy]

never had a car road tested after new tyres
think id be in touch with CAB as already stated. from the sound of the damage i doubt that £3K would touch that if it were having a proper repair.
tell them you want to get a second quote at a repair shop of your choice and see what they say.
glad the MoTec ecu has a speed limit function which gets set to 30mph if ever it gets left at a garage

[craig]

I would be livid! In the 14 years I've been driving/owned cars, I have NEVER heard of a tyre garage test driving a car they've fitted tyres to.

Why would they need to?! The guy clearly wanted to blag a free blast in the car and lost it.

I'd go to town on them for that! Sorry to hear of your woes buddy, and all the best with getting it sorted/paid out.

[Marf]

I wouldnt let them deal with the repair under any circumstances. Let them know you'll be recovering the car to an MR2 expert at their cost and they can wait for the bill.

F-cking tossers.

[Charged]

It will most likely be a write off. I suggest you start gathering some evidence of how much REV 5 Turbos in similar (pre-accident) condition sell for.

[glen n]

That's a hard thing to deal with,you must be furious mate! Like everyone has said I'd be wary of them tarting the car up and cutting costs, that's what will definitely happen. Going through insurance may mean the car is written off which is a bummer. Best bet as mentioned would be getting the car to a specialist who can give a quote to repair the car properly,then give the tyre place the quote,either they pay upfront ( saves you being left with a huge bill while they try to worm their way out) to the repairer or you will report them and go the legal route. Get a log made with pictures and all the info you have,conversations with them etc,may be handy at a later date.

[Ryan S]

any updates as to what the garage have said?? i'm gobsmacked by this, clearly some apprentice blagging a ride in a nice sports car, i really hope you take them to the cleaners bud

[alanmr2turbo]

Yep, i would certainly be asking for proof they have insurance for driving customers cars. Then i would take legal action against the company.

Never in all my 26 yrs of driving heard of any garage testing driving it for having tyres fitted. Lets face it, that's why they have tyre balancing machines LOL

Screw them into the ground.

[l300mrt]

No tyre company sould take your car out their is no need form them to do that . They only do it to rag the crap out of your car .

I would be doing my nut and they should be giving you the tyres for free

[Driftlimits Performance]

Like for like replacement end of.

[synXero]

Rgb have you ever heard of a tyre fitter doing this? Is it normal in your neck of the woods?

[JohnnyC]

Let your local newspaper know too.

[raptor95GTS]

turbo MR2 and female driver, yep the garage decided to take the p1$$ and blag a free ride. 50 yrds he got? Bet the stickers were still on the tread. I'd be calling the cops too

[Gullzter]

I guess i dont need to make my anger felt as all is said above, i do know though through a family member working in a garage that alot of them like to blag free rides, hence why i am always wary about my car wherever i take it to get something done!
£3000?? What a joke, as said its gona be close to double that possibly.. If they have to write it off make sure u get a good enough sum to be able to have the option to buy another rev5 tubby with similar mods etc!!

[Kinsy]

iv got a 99 t reg turbo which is pretty mint and very rare and the gf took it to get some new tyres on the back . £330 for the pair . then I get a phone call from her saying that they took it for a test drive as they always do after fitting new tyres. some nobhead fitter got about 50 yards before crashing it. into a concrete post and through a wire fence. he would have done less damage if he'd hit a brick wall. the nose cone is destroyed, both front tyres are burst one wheel is very bent the windscreen is smashed a mirror suround is cracked the ariel is snapped. the radiator is bent but not burst. the worst bit is when it went through the wire fence it scratched every panel on the car , even the rear bumper. they are going to deal with it and I've been given an estimate of £3000 grand and I was thinking "is this a cheap job cause it needs a full respray and all the other stuff. iv got bobs tyres courtesy mondeo so this weekend I,ll be finding out what it will do 0 60 in.

Take them to the CLEANERS. What a bunch of muppets.

You need to be making them pay for every hour that car isn't on your driveway. You need to be getting the car fully repaired to YOUR standard by a bodyshop of YOUR choosing. Do not accept any quotes they give you.

Sounds to me they put the new tyres on and took it straight out for a thrash. The last 3 times I had new tyres fitted just leaving the fitters at 20mph had the back end swinging! Do they not realise tyres need scrubbing in a bit? And doing it on a RWD mid engined sports car is a bit different to the shopping carts they get in?