Ontario driver on the hook for car rental fees as supply chain issues delay repairs by months
An Ontario driver says he has been on the hook for car rental fees after he took his SUV in for repairs in November and was told parts wouldn't be available until February due to supply chain issues.
"They just can't seem to find the parts,” Don Lewis of Mississauga told CTV News Toronto. Lewis has had his SUV in a repair shop since November.
Lewis said another driver smashed into his Volvo in late November and it was taken to a repair shop, but he was told it wouldn't be repaired until early to mid-February 2022.
He says he was relieved he had coverage for a rental through his car insurance and was given a rental car, but after 16 days he was told he had to return it.
"They will pay for a vehicle while my car is being repaired [up to] $900 dollars — whatever comes first," Lewis said.
Now, Lewis says he has to pay for the rental vehicle himself while his SUV sits in a body shop waiting for parts.
“It's costing me money and it's definitely money I don't want to spend,” he said.
Lewis is insured with Allstate Canada and the company told CTV News “as you may be aware, the global economy is currently experiencing supply chain issues which are impacting the availability of automobile parts all around the world, including for car owners in Canada.”
“Regarding this customer's insurance claim, please know that our customer was provided with a rental vehicle for the full period under his automobile insurance policy and his claim will be paid in accordance with his coverage for the at-fault collision in question,” a spokesperson for the company added.
CTV News also reached out to Volvo Canada. A spokesperson for the company said that “unfulfilled parts orders preventing a vehicle from re-entering service are treated with high priority, and Volvo retailers can flag orders as critical for more rapid prioritization; up to and including air freight where permitted, to reduce lead times.”
“This part order was processed by Volvo’s Central Parts Distribution Center in Gothenburg, Sweden, shortly after it was submitted, and is currently in transit to Canada for local distribution,” the company confirmed.
“We will continue to work diligently to ensure spare parts are united with our clients in a rapid and efficient manner. Both the transport of parts via specialist providers and rental car support for repairs not conducted by the Volvo retailer network are matters in which we have no influence,” the statement concluded.
After CTV News reached out to Volvo, Lewis said the company contacted him and said his parts had been sent to the repair shop and he should get his vehicle back tomorrow, saving him thousands in car rental fees.
“I heard from them the next day after we spoke that they somehow had found the parts,” Lewis said. “I have saved about $3,000 in rental costs by having them repair my SUV sooner.”
Meanwhile, it's not just cars that have been in accidents that are waiting for parts — some items like filters, brake pads and engine components are also hard to come by and, due to the shortage, some garages also say parts are increasing in price.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.