What should I do?

[twofortyessex]

I work at a car dealership as a technician. On saturday I was told to bring in a loaner to give to a customer. While doing so I sideswiped another customers car in the loaner. No one saw the accident, theres scratch marks across the entire loaner(a minivan) and paint came off the customers car on the bumper (a sedan). The customer took their sedan and didnt notice the damage, and I gave the other customer the loaner. I didnt tell anyone what happened, and I go back to work tomorrow. The loaner hasnt come back yet. Should i tell the service manager or should I not tell anyone and hope nothing happens.

[Razi]

You should tell the manager.
Put yourself in the customer's shoes.

[twofortyessex]

what do you think will happen if i tell the service manager? thats what im scared about. Im just afraid now that i didnt tell anyone on saturday and ive waited too long, i want to tell the manager i just dont know what could happen. Another guy crashed a customers car and didnt get fired or anything so im pretty sure i wont.

[Rev_D21]

It takes huge balls to turn yourself in. If I were a manager I would rather have employees with huge balls than ones who don't do the right thing because they are scared. Think you are scared now? What are going to do if your manager happens upon this thread? You work for a dealership, don't act like a Pepboys employee. Do the right thing, own up to your mistake like a man.

[twofortyessex]

thanks for the feedback. I'll try to go in early tomorrow to talk to him, and see if i can pay off the damages through paychecks or something.

[twofortyessex]

now im just mad, because when i went to pull the van in, i could either have drove it around the entire parking lot and avoided it, or drove it through a parking spot to save 5 seconds, i drove it through the parking spot. i guess short cuts arent always the best decision and can bite you in the a**.

[Zydeco]

thanks for the feedback. I'll try to go in early tomorrow to talk to him, and see if i can pay off the damages through paychecks or something.

I doubt that you'll have to pay of any damages. your works insurance should cover this, s*** happens man up and take what ever happens.

[PEZi]

Now if only you didn't make a different account just to post this...

LOL!

[twofortyessex]

i hear you...ill offer to pay for it, and if he says the insurance pays for it then ill just say ok. I just want to offer something to show i was wrong in what i did. I probably should have told someone on saturday ( Service Manager isnt there on saturdays) but i didnt know what to do

[twofortyessex]

Now that im thinking about it, i know the loaner car will come back to the dealership because the customer has to return it, but what will happen with the other customers car that i hit? i dont know the car and the customer took it.

[alms24sebring]

I think the people are right. I think the dealers do have insurance for this. I would atleast be like yeah I f'd up but hold on to the willing to pay part. You will probly have to piss test too, hope that doesn't worry you. They are ganna see it especially if it is a newer car. It would be extra risky to hope they dont find until a month later, but even then the loaner has damage too. I think not telling them would be more likely to get you fired. Is it something that can be buffed or touched up?

[twofortyessex]

on the car that i hit...i think the paint came off cause u could see some black....on the loaner i have no clue, i pretty much looked at the damage said f*** got back in the car pulled it into the drive, and gave the customer the car, i think you could buff it out of the loaner. theres no dents on either car im pretty sure of. on the loaner its a brand new sienna atleast 08+ and the other car is either a camry or corolla 07+. if the black on the camry or corolla is the base coat then it has to be sprayed or touched up, its only the corner of the bumper. On the sienna its the sliding door i think. its noticeable on both cars tho, if u were to walk on the passanger side of the camry/corolla theres no way ur missing it.

[vocationalzero]

I did the exact same thing at my work (I work at BMW dealership and scratched a $60K 5 series). Same thing happened to me, I just manned up, told the service manager and I got wrote up and drug tested on the spot. They DO have insurance for things like this, but usually they only give you 1 accident to get away with (so you should've made it count ). So just be more careful next time and take your time. Waste the extra 15 seconds and go around. Plus I still have my job so you will be fine, just tell them.

[Dattebayo]

You're gonna get fired because you waited probably. I had a similar accident at a dealer I worked at, but it was so high profile I HAD to tell someone. Every one of the windows on that Exploder imploded from the impact somehow!

[twofortyessex]

I told the service manager yesterday, he pretty much said thanks for telling him, and so many people at dealers hit things or back up into stuff so dont sweat it. Since neither of us knew the car and he wasnt there on saturday, if it comes back and and the owner blames us for the accident he said he'll have the insurance pay for it. As for the loaner, it had already been in a crash with a customer that took it one time, so i probably just added more scratches to it.

[twofortyessex]

neither of us know the car that i hit, and we have no way of finding out....i dont know how thats irresponsible. he said if the customer comes back he will pay for the damages, but other then that we dont have a way of figuring out what car it was other then me knowing it was either a corolla or camry that was silver

[Bubba1]

My advice to you is.....



Sorry I'm late seeing this. It's good you told the truth, as guilt can eat away at you. The dealers all have insurance for such occurances, so overall what happened to you should not be a big deal.