BlindSpot

Funny to me too - the 25 cent lawyers on CF watch too much TV.

Emotional pain and suffering? Prove it - lay out your case. Start with your psychiatrist's bill for all of the months of treatment you've spent out of your own pocket because of the emotional stress it caused.

Punitive cause is a legal action to punish an entity for chronic bad or unlawful behavior - how many cars has this dealer run through the garage door and into a brick wall?

This is why ANY attorney with a license would laugh their asses off at the suggestion of punitive damages or emotional pain and suffering.

Best suggestion already mentioned - get your insurance company involved. Get several prices of C6s (for sale and sold prices), seek replacement of the closest you can come to the damaged car. You might end up with a like or slightly better C6, maybe a little newer. The notion you'll "hit a jackpot" or end up with a C7 or C8 is just foolish thinking.

BadAV

No doubt they are lying about the car starting without the clutch pushed in. More likely it was some flunkie Millennial who doesn't know how to drive a stick that was asked to move the car, got in, started the car with the door open, popped the clutch with way too much throttle, panicked, and thus began the thrill ride.

A lawyer would take more than it's worth to pursue legal action beyond full retail price of the car. Trying to obtain video footage and drug test results would be met with stall tactics for as long as they could stall. Just chalk it up to an unpleasant life experience, make sure you do your homework and get a check for absolute maximum full retail value for the car, a rental for a reasonable amount of time, find a replacement, and move on. Unfortunately 💩 sometimes happens.

danzio56

I don't understand all the hyperbole in this thread. Calling BS on the dealer story, car couldn't start without clutch engaged, lawyer-ing up and all. I didn't read all the posts but I didn't see anything about the body shop not taking responsibility. These things happen every day and just because your car is special to you, the incident isn't so special. It's a 2007 base unit. There are literally thousands of them across the country that would be a suitable replacement. Get your insurance company to do what you pay them for and you will soon have a check in hand and go out and grab one of the thousands of C6's out there and go on with your life. Don't overthink it. Or as they say.....Keep it Simple, etc.

SnakeQ

Zealot

I agree with the keep it simple idea. If it were me, I think I'd ask them to find a replacement for you at auction using the money you will get back from insurance. You may be able to stretch your dollar a little farther, and it doesn't actually cost them anything to do it, so they might consider building a little good will.

Z

ShagVette

2007 - what trim level, and how many miles?

Sorry for your loss. Interested to see what $ amount they come up with.

1bdvet

It's a shame, but here insurance will only pay you what the car is worth, you will have to get better lawyer they have to get anything more!

Keeps us posted!

R&L's C6

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how it happened, the dealer isn't denying it happened at their shop by one of their employees. If the clutch was or wasn't depressed makes no difference.

You will get fair market value for it and that's it, so unless the dealer somehow tries to give you less, no reason to consider a lawyer. Even then you would pay a lawyer ten times more than the amount they are low balling.

Get a check asap and go car shopping.

BlindSpot

^^^^^^^^
this!

FAUEE

I would be cUtious with the whole "lawyer up" attitude. If their story is correct (and if the guy was pinched it likely was), he or the shop could sue you for bypassing a safety system, causing injury to the tech. At a mi imum, they have a valid countersuit that would end up making the whole thing cost more than its worth.

What has the body shop said? Are they planning to fix it for you at.no charge? Are they turning it to their insurance to replace it? It sucks, but shut happens in life. Keep a good attitude and be reasonable for the best chance of the best outcome.

R&L's C6

I was thinking that exact thing.

cinnamon07

This happened on Friday and the body shop is not open until tomorrow Monday morning. They said before I left on Friday that they have already contacted their insurance company.

golden2husky

Just make sure you have the frame and shock mounting points checked on that R8. They are known for serious structural failures. There are reinforcment parts available to take care of the problem. Just make sure you get that done. Somebody on Youtube posted a vid of his auction purchase - a totaled R8 that looks perfect - but was totaled for the structural cracks. Pretty scary looking but he got them repaired and now has a sweet ride. Keep in mind you will never keep an R8 on the road for cheap...

R&L's C6

As other adults in this thread have stated ( not the ones telling you to demand a new car ) Do your homework and figure out what your car is worth and see what they offer you. Stay calm and respectful and I'm sure they will make things as right as things can be under the circumstances.

Does it suck, yep, but unfortunately, that's life. Maybe the dealer will even find you a nice comparable car at a great deal. If you go in ranting like an ******* you will just make the whole thing harder.

SK '08

That sucks to see. I hope everything turns out all right for you.

PAULEB07

Sorry for your loss and agrivation. Try to get as much as you can and buy the newest vette you can! I wish you all the best! Keep us posted!!!

Batman75

These, "look at what happened to my Corvette" and diminished value threads are ridiculous. I've been driving since 1955 and never heard of fighting for diminished value until I joined the forum.

Too many members don't have any idea what they should do so they waste time asking strangers for advice.

golden2husky

If the dealer has some C7 stock sitting for months, perhaps you could get a serious discount on one they have. Between that, a check for the totaled C6, and some cash on the OP's part, maybe this could turn out well. The dealer would get some serious goodwill and the OP gets a C7 for a lot less then they could otherwise. Of course if "lawyering up" is the first thing out of his mouth, then forget it.

An interesting point to this is the other poster here who had the same thing happen to them regarding starting w/o clutch. If there is a latent defect with the clutch/starter interlock then the tech who got pinched might have a case...

BlindSpot

Yep....then the tech or dealer can follow in the path of the Ign. interlock lawsuits against GM that eventually took an act of congress to resolve. Nothing like laying out a path for the next 15 years of your life.

I do like the positive path approach of trying for lemonade out of lemons. Value of the C6 plus some cash plus some dealer good will equals a better/newer car. A win/win....nothing like it and too often overlooked.

C6 Snowboarder

If you settle for an insurance check -- don't forget to ask them also for the amount of sales tax replacing your Nice C6 -- find the car similar to yours and have them pay the full bill. good luck going forward