New Car Damaged by Dealer, My 2 Options

[Doug Garson]

If it's just the hatch that is damaged I'd insist they replace the hatch with a new one c/w factory paint. No need for any discount other than to compensate for the delay in delivery. I'm surprised the dealer didn't just do that.

[Rick Potter]

Let me guess.

Is it a Model 'Y'?

[Mel Fulks]

I just remembered ( flash backed ) to what selling cars in 1960’s was like. The show rooms would have the big glass windows covered
with ugly brown paper ,while the buyers stood around yelling “I wanna see the the ,NEW CARS”. People would push on the glass and
the guys inside just hoped they wouldn’t be killed by the mobs pushing on the windows .

[Bill Howatt]

I also remember back then when the new cars came out in the fall each year and it was a big event.
I think the manufacturers destroyed that when the started coming out with new models throughout the year like the 19xx and 1/2 model. The increased number of imports didn't help since they had their own schedule so there was always some new model making the scene.

[Alex Zeller]

I think you made the right choice. If you plan on owning the car for long enough sooner or later you will see the difference in paint. On a side note when I was about 10 years old I remember watching the older kids pelt rocks as trains passed by carrying new cars down from Canada. They would line up at the side of the tracks when they heard the train coming. I couldn't believe that the police didn't stop it. I think the goal was to break a window but I'm sure lots of doors and fenders were damaged. Finally they put steel panels up on the sides of the railcars. For months this went on every day ending when school started in the fall. I'm sure all those cars were fixed and sold as new.