Canada’s judicial system is applying the business adage “You break it, you buy it” to prospective buyers who damage high-performing sports cars during test drives.
A Canadian judge ruled that Kirby Sewell needed to cover the $12,250 repair bill he left with a Chevrolet-Buick-GMC dealership in British Columbia after Mr. Sewell dinged a new Corvette Stingray when he sideswiped a concrete barrier in 2024.
After the accident, Mr. Sewell told the dealership he had no interest in buying the car that he had ordered.
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He took it a step further by citing the Motor Vehicle Act and claiming he was essentially a dealership employee during the test drive, and that the dealer’s insurance policy, meant to cover minor scrapes during test drives, should cover the damage.
The dealership sued, and a judge ruled that Mr. Sewell’s interpretation of the law “is not intended to protect a negligent driver from their own negligence.”
When Mr. Sewell appealed, the appellate court upheld the original ruling and said that the careless driver understanding of the Motor Vehicle Act “defies common sense.”
The dealership paid about $7,000 to repair the damaged car, and sold it at a reduced price of $82,000, Auto News reported.
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