ronsc1985

This kind of thing has happened for many years with all kinds of performance cars. Dealers are and have been well aware of it. Some control it and some don't. Find one that does and move on. Getting all aggravated about something that in the end did no harm is foolish and non productive as is expecting the dealer to give some kind of compensation.for a no loss event..

BMadden

And for the 100th time that's easy to say when it's not your car.

Warp Factor

No significant harm was done, this time, but it still shouldn't have happened.
I have my service done at such a high-volume Corvette dealer, that Z06's and ZR1's are a dime-a-dozen, nothing a tech would get excited about. It's about 40 miles further away than my closest Chevy dealership, but worth it.

Range_Rat

Think about how you would feel if the Service Tech took your car out for a spin like he did here, and wadded it all up on a guard rail --- or maybe ran over or into someone causing serious injury …

No big deal? This time maybe --- but, as we all should know, that can change in the blink of an eye. Example below:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...es-to-pay.html

ronsc1985

For the 101st time exactly what good does whining on an internet board accomplish. If you want to feel better I'd suggest a single malt and some energetic sex. Those two will do as much to change the occurrence of these type of events as all these threads i.e. exactly nothing.

Warp Factor

Are you serious? Public accountability for one's actions can accomplish a lot.

Connman

I've left my thoughts on google reviews and yelp.
(and links to the jalopnik article)

BMadden

Him posting about it does a helluva lot more good than you constantly trying to point out it's no big deal.

stoessjc

Seems foolish and risky for any dealership to take the car out for a "test drive" when the work was for airbag/seatbelt software change. With the mindset of that dealership, maybe they should have run the car into a tree just to make sure the seatbelt and airbags were in working order after they did the software change.

Tennispro1986

I think the people that don't appreciate their cars are the ones saying no big deal. If they cared for their car and worked hard for it, they would certainly care. I suppose if I had endless money and my Z06 was just a penny out of my wallet then maybe I wouldn't care as much...but like I said in my previous post I'm a young guy and work my *** off to be able to afford my Z. So this would not go over well with me.

The fact that the service adviser doesn't enforce proper behavior from his employees and doesn't hold them accountable when something like this happens, and furthermore does nothing for the customer shows that the service manager is an absolute piece of **** and doesn't deserve his job.

BMadden

Preach, brother!

Ruderegime

This guy is staring at you're ZO6 like some pervert. He's about to get him some of that.

mig1980

I'm sure it's been said already but are these dealers and techs so stupid that they don't realize when these cars (with PDR) are in valet mode, they are recording? I don't get it. Why do anything that could be taken as inappropriate on a customer's vehicle knowing it is being documented. I take extremely good care of my vehicles so I sympathize with the OP.

BlueDevlZ06

Robbery is the forcible theft of property, this incident is not a robbery. At best, it's borderline Unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle. I would be fuming if it were my Z but I don't see anything criminal with what the tech did. Other than maybe speeding and reckless driving, both of which, unfortunatly would need to be witnessed by a police officer if it were in NY, there isnt anything to charge him with. It has spread all over social media and the Internet already. That may be the best way to get justice. Hope the dealership apologizes and makes it right with the OP. Totally unacceptable buisness practice and the tech should be canned.

seamus2154

True. But most guys don't realize that when they drop the car and sign on those 4 lines, one of them states you give permission to drive the car. I specifically highlight and do not sign that line. I also verbally tell them. I have 2 dealers here who will not work on my car if I do not sign that line!! I have dealt with dealers and my corvettes for over 25 years. I have had almost every issue. This exact situation happened to me years ago in my new 2003 Zo6 for a windshield leak. By chance I saw them driving my car like a##holes. I called the police and the dealer quickly explained I gave permission on line 3!!!! Test driving a water leak???!!!! They bought me new rear tires, and my rear differential went bad 2 months later. True the police need to see it and could not in my day. But today the police lock people up from PDR and youtube videos all the time. It is evidence. You just need to be the complainant. 94 mph is reckless endangerment in most states and a felony, the video is evidence of such. Police need to see traffic infractions not crimes. Dropping off a corvette at a dealer is no ordinary service. You need to get Waaaaaay out in front of these things. They happen everyday. My service guy tells the tech, It goes from this parking spot to the bay, back to this parking spot, it doesn't leave the lot. I make them very aware there is a dash cam, and that the dealer has cameras that can be subpoenaed or viewed by law enforcement. I just don't want to play the game, lets keep it simple, no maybes or assumptions. I tell the service guy and the tech, sorry I tip well, please be nice!!! Always throw them a 20 dollar bill and I always have a parking spot when I come! Money well spent.

BMadden

Smart man.

Ron'sGS

elburrito99

You're correct. LARCENY is the crime that was committed, not robbery (which requires the use of force against a person). When one gives the dealership consent to road rest a car, he does not give consent to break several laws while in possession of the car (driving at double the speed limit, driving on the road side of the road). What if the employee held up a liquor store and used the car as a getaway, but did not harm the car in the process? Under the letter of the law, the moment the dealership's employee goes beyond the consent given by the owner, the employee has committed larceny. The fact that he brought back the car does not eliminate the fact that the crime was committed, even if only for a short period of time.

But if the police wont allow the OP to press charges, the OP can still file a civil suit -- even if just in small claims court.

As for some others who said this was no big deal, or no harm, no foul, they should publish on this forum a time and place where anyone can go drive their car for 15 minutes at up to 90 mph. So long as no one wrecks their car, what's the big deal?

Also, for reference, here is the California statute for grand larceny (most states use fairly similar language):
Grand theft is theft committed in any of the following cases:
(a) When the money, labor, or real or personal property taken is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950), except as provided in subdivision (b).

DevilDog II

I'm guessing that somewhere in that statute there may also be the words intentionally, knowingly or with the intent to permanently deprive someone of said property or services. I seriously doubt that anyone would approve criminal charges for something like this. I'm also guessing that the best recourse, if any, would be some type of civil action.

Jvm728