Who is liable?

[missprim]

The daughter of a friend of mine has been given a courtesy car while her car is in for repair. Unfortunately she got a puncture in one of the tyres and it couldn't be repaired, so she bought a retread for about £40.
However that tyre is different from the others as a new one would have cost a lot of money, it's an Audi.
The question is, is she liable to pay for a replacement tyre on the courtesy car, and if she is, will the garage insist she buys a new one?

[Prudie]

Did she not contact the garage when she got a puncture (and wasn't there a spare tyre?). Personally I'd have thought the garage were responsible for paying for a new tyre but one of their choice - which wouldn't be a retread. They may well not refund her.

[dotty.]

the garage loaning her the car surely would have sent a repair truck out to change the tyre.

[missprim]

I don't know why she didn't contact the garage unless it happened at night when the garage was closed.
I don't think she's worried too much about getting a refund, she's more worried about having to pay possibly a few hundred pounds for a new one when the car goes back.

[JonnyBoy12]

This is a very hard question and I feel quite 'tyred' just reading it. Sorry I can not be of any help.

What did the bicycle say when it fell over?

"I can't get up; I'm too tired."

[phleb]

they always give you a telephone number to call in case of problems with the car. They also come and fix the problem or give you a different vehicle. They should not make her buy another.

[MASS1961]

I don't think they will charge her for a new tyre, at least she will return the car to them without them coming out to replace.
They probably won't reimburse her the £40 but will replace the tyre with a new one as they would have had to do anyway.

[missprim]

Thanks guys, will let my friend know what you've all said, except you JohnnyBoy.
Is that 12 after your name actually your age? :-)

[Canary42]

She may possibly have to pay an insurance "excess" on the new tyre which the garage will inevitably fit, it all depends on the small print on the garage's courtesy car agreement (and the garage's attitude towards retaining customer "good will").
Anyway she should contact the garage at the earliest opportunity and advise them of what she has done, and not wait until she returns the car.

[missprim]

Thanks Canary I would agree with you there. from what I can make out, I think she was going to return the car and not mention it.

[furrypusscat]

They would need to be told. The tyre rating could be different, ie sports models have to have higher rating tyres so if it doesn't comply or differs greatly from the ones fitted, then safety of others could be compromised. I wouldn't have thought she would be liable.

[Hopkirk]

Unless the insurance covers the tyres, I would have thought she was liable, as she was in charge of the car when the damage occurred.

Didn't it have a spare tyre?

[chas2008]

we have 10 courtesy cars, the customer is liable for ALL damage including tyres ,they sign an agreement to that effect.
Not sure if this is a mechanical or body repair but in the bodyshop world courtesy cars are supplied FOC by the repairer ( as part of the agreement with the work provider) not the insurance company as many people believe.
So why should they foot any repair costs ,which could exceed the profit in the repair..

[Thatcherite]

as chas says she's probably liable for what she has spent, she must have signed somthing. Now the issue of replacing the tyre with a new expensive brand, They'll probably try it on but I'd just give the car back and say nothing.

[furrypusscat]

Fair comment chas.

[chas2008]

i have to be honest though, we dont check tyres when they come back..and if one does require a tyre or tyres through normal wear we dont go for original tyres,we usually go mid range (ie not budget tyres)..as we have to stand the costs.

[JonnyBoy12]

No, the number 12 is the number of people in a group of a dozen I can make laugh. People who have a good sense of humour, that is!

[woofgang]

Better change you numerical suffix to zero!

[joko]

well given that they have likely provided a spare tyre inside the vehicle there was no need for her to buy a new tyre... no i doubt they will refund that money.

she could change to the spare now and keep the new one as a spare for her other vehicle i suppose