Courtesy cars - an item to ponder over

[Big Dav]

A friend of a friend runs a small garage repairing many makes of cars. Some parts are not available "off the shelf" and have to ordered in. To preserve his customer base the garage owner comes up with the idea of making a courtesy car available for customers and even arranges an insurance policy for such use too.

Soon a customer arrives with a car for repair. The fault is obscure but the defective part is identified. Suppliers are contacted and reckon it will take 3-4 weeks for the part to arrive. Customer accepts this especially as a courtesy car has been made available.
Everyones happy.

At the end of the first week, the parts arrive, the garage man is overjoyed as he can reunite the customer with the car far sooner than was expected.
The repair was carried out and the customer advised their car was ready.
Customer arrives and the bill is passed to the customer.
The customer accepts the bill is fair and as agreed at the outset, but then announces they want a discount of mega dosh because the customer had fuelled the courtesy car and then commenced a rant that, in short, the car was ready too soon.

Finale, courtesy car facility withdrawn at garage.

[MG Autos (Mark)]

Sadly not really suprised.

A lot of customers want "somthing for nothing". They go to smaller independant garage's as they are unable to carry out the work themselves and don't wish to pay main dealer prices, yet expect main dealer services.

Courtasy Cars are always sort after and a huge bonus for any buisness. Most people use a pro forma rental agreement that the Customer is asked to read and sign which baisically states that they are responsible for fuel and normally the first £500 that may arise from any insurance claim, did he not have the same ?
Don't do away with a Service that could hurt the buisness, do what most smaller firms do, offer the car, clearly state terms & conditions including the fuel and ask them to cover the vehicle on their insuarance and save yourself a small fortune in additional premiums. The majority of Customers are "Fully Comp" anyway and as such most policies cover them to drive "Loan Cars" in their T&C's and they don't even need to ring their insurance company.


Most customers are good as gold and there's always two sides to every story I suppose. The cliche of "you can't please everyone all the time" comes to mind.
Don't let one bad customer ruin it for all the others and have a negative impact on the buisness as well.
Could always consider having a Customer Service Manager to mediate any dispute. Mines called Jeager and he's a very large retired Police Dog

[Big Dav]

Mark, he had all avenues covered but just had this awkward customer that was a complete drain on his patience. So he's thought, stuff it, and sold the courtesy motor.

[Drift]

Always send the car out with a full tank and expect a full tank on return, if not add the top up charge to their bill. sorted

[Big Dav]

[bigdazz]

this-is sad but very true dav

[Rifleman]

My mate gives a car to certain customers, but he always gets it back with no fuel.
Ive told him to fill it, and tell them to return it full again, as you would with a hired car. But it never happens.
He wont add the fuel to their bill though, in fear of them not returning.
So I suggest not giving them the option of the car the next time.

[snapper]

[gregster]

Filled up is the way to go...I cheat if I have a courtesey car though and fill it up with the ignition on and watch the gauge go up...and fill it only to full, reckon I can save an easy gallon or so and the gauge still reads as near as dammit full...
A fella I know jacked a hire car up under the tank, such that it bent and read full and gave the car back with 1/2 tank that read full...bad man!

With reference to the customer in question, I would say that you mate identified a "customer to be avoided" quite painlessly...Its worth a few quid discount to know who to barge pole in future...
I can see the punters point if he got the car on empty...and then stuck £60 in it thinking he was keeping it for a week or so...
and if he asked nicely then a deal should have been reached ideally....
but if immediately went into rant I would have given him nought off...
....and would have kept him waiting in the office while I siphoned all the fuel out of his fixed car in the workshop, and he could have had that back empty as a lesson in not ranting without being civil first!!!

[stretch]

When ever i've had a courtesy car I return it with about what it had in it in the first place. The option is like others have said fill it up and get the customer to do the same on return, put a clause in saying they will be charged £2 per litre if not done which will make them more likely to do it.

[jimmybhoy]

Ive been in places before that gave you vehicle empty & stated any fuel in it @ end of hire agreement was lost. They gained 1/4 tank.

[meooo]

We have 5 loaners, but its never enough. People want them for an MOT or a 1st service (1 hour jobs)...we make a "while you wait" booking for them.
We tried Out full, Back full...but it don't work "I only went a mile home and back" or "I only went into town shopping"...so now they go out empty. We tell customers to put in just enough for what they're doing, some complain, lots try it on "why should I put fuel in?"...simple answer "because you want to stay mobile....if we fill it, you pay as per a rental vehicle, at the moment is a new car, insured and free...." If they do continue to complain, the offer is withdrawn, plenty of other customers will take the car.
Its just the luck of the draw...one woman complained she had run out of fuel on her drive way and what were WE going to do about it..our reply was simple...£75.00 callout and £10 for the fuel madam.....she found a gallon in her garage and returned it under her own steam