World · North America · 9 hrs ago
Canadian customer ordered to pay dealership after damaging Corvette on test drive
Kirby Sewell damaged a Corvette during a test drive in British Columbia in 2024.
He had ordered the car from Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC but decided not to buy it after it arrived without some requested features.
Sewell stopped at a Flying J truck stop to inspect and photograph the car, then scraped its passenger side against a concrete barrier while moving it for a waiting truck.
He argued the test drive made him a dealership employee, so the dealer’s insurance should cover the damage.
The court rejected that argument, saying the law protects innocent bystanders, not drivers from their own negligence.
British Columbia’s appeal court upheld an order for CA$17,182 to cover the dealership’s losses, including repairs and the car’s reduced value.
The dealership repaired the Corvette and later sold it for less than its expected price, while Sewell did not buy it.
A British Columbia court ordered Kirby Sewell to pay a dealership CA$17,182.23 after he damaged a Corvette during a test drive.
Sewell argued that the test drive made him a dealership employee under the Motor Vehicle Act, so the dealership’s insurance should cover the damage.
The court rejected that argument, and an appellate ruling upheld the order.
The damage happened in 2024 when Sewell hit a concrete barrier at a Flying J truck stop while moving the car.
The dealership repaired the Corvette and later sold it for less than the expected price; reports differ on the repair cost and final award in US dollars.
- Who
- Kirby Sewell and Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, a dealership in British Columbia.
- What
- Sewell was ordered to reimburse the dealership for damage and diminished value after damaging a Corvette on a test drive.
- When
- The crash happened on June 12, 2024. The appeal decision was issued on Oct. 8; the sources do not state its year.
- Where
- At a Flying J truck stop in British Columbia, Canada.
- Why
- Sewell hit a concrete barrier while moving the Corvette. The court ruled that the law did not protect him from liability for his own negligence.
Kirby Sewell
Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC
Legal responsibility
Kirby Sewell
Sewell argued that he was effectively a dealership employee during the test drive and that the dealer’s insurance should cover the damage.
Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC
The dealership sought reimbursement for repair costs and the car’s diminished value.
Interpretation of law
Kirby Sewell
Sewell relied on section 86 of British Columbia’s Motor Vehicle Act to support his claim.
Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC
The court rejected his interpretation, ruling that the law was not intended to protect a negligent driver from their own negligence.
Sewell damaged the Corvette after stopping at a Flying J truck stop during a test drive.
A trial ruling ordered Sewell to pay the dealership.
Justice Caldwell upheld the order on appeal.
- Customer
- Kirby Sewell
- Dealership
- Gardner Chevrolet-Buick-GMC, British Columbia
- Amount ordered
- CA$17,182.23, according to Yahoo Autos
- Repair cost
- About CA$10,000, according to Yahoo Autos; other reports cite about $7,000
- Later sale price
- CA$115,000, according to Yahoo Autos
3 sources
What people are saying
is not intended to protect a negligent driver from their own negligence.
defies common sense