Ferrari owner puts it up for sale…and car showroom causes it to be vandalized

An Arab man was surprised to find severe damage to his luxury Ferrari, which he had deposited at a showroom to sell, despite signing an agreement with the showroom manager stipulating that no one would be allowed to use it and that its technical condition should be maintained.

The vehicle owner resorted to the civil court in Dubai, demanding that the showroom be obligated to pay 731 thousand dirhams, which is 680 thousand dirhams, the value of the vehicle, in addition to the legal interest at a rate of 12%, and to compensate him with 51 thousand dirhams, due to the loss he incurred, and the profit he missed during the period during which the vehicle remained in the defendant’s showroom, as he had rented a car with the same specifications, due to his need to use it daily, and compensation for the material, moral and ethical damage, due to the assault and violation of his social status and financial standing to which he was subjected.

He based his claim on the fact that his agent had drawn up an agreement with the manager of the showroom specialising in used car trading, whereby the car would be offered for sale for AED 680,000, non-negotiable, within a maximum period of two weeks.

The plaintiff said that the showroom manager inspected the car, photographed its odometer, and thoroughly and comprehensively examined it to ensure its condition. He concluded that its technical condition was very good and that it had no internal or external defects. In Clause Seven of the agreement, he acknowledged that he bears full responsibility for preserving it and following up on its maintenance. He also pledged not to allow it to be used by others. In the event of a violation of this, the plaintiff has the right to request compensation, in proportion to the case.

He pointed out that he made a surprise visit to the showroom and did not find the vehicle. The manager informed him that it was being polished in the workshop in preparation for its sale. The plaintiff objected to this and considered it a violation of the terms of the agreement, which stipulated that it should not be used. He requested that it be returned immediately, but this did not happen.

He added that the showroom manager procrastinated, and the car remained missing for an additional month, until it appeared at the showroom, and it was found to have serious external and internal damage.

When confronted by the showroom manager, he replied that she had sustained these damages while she was in the workshop. The plaintiff then resorted to an accredited center that determined all the damages she had sustained, her market value after the accident, and the cost of repairing it.

The Dubai Civil Court began examining the case and appointed an engineering expert in the field of car accidents. He concluded that upon examining the car, it was found that it was completely painted, and that there were scratches on its body, in addition to the fact that the airbags were not working, and that there was a change in the colour of the logo on the steering wheel, and it was found that it had undergone a repair process at one of the centres.

He added that the defendant showroom had polished the vehicle completely from the inside and outside, and changed the tires without the owner’s knowledge, and then demanded the value of that. However, the expertise indicates that the showroom does not have the right to make these repairs and changes to the car without referring to its owner, which confirms that it was involved in an accident while it was parked at the showroom, without this accident being recorded by the traffic department.

The expert explained that the damages discovered by the technical inspection center to which the plaintiff sent it after receiving it from the showroom confirm that the car had been repainted in several places, with damage to the lights, poor repair, the appearance of the airbag sign, the replacement of the windshield, and other matters.

He saw the need to oblige the exhibition to repair or pay its estimated value of 100 thousand dirhams.

After reviewing the case, the court ruled that the showroom should pay the owner 100,000 dirhams, the cost of repairing the vehicle, in addition to 20,000 dirhams in compensation.