Dealership Salesperson Rolls Customer’s New Ranger Raptor on Off-Road Joyride

Pre-delivery vehicle checks usually don't involve off-roading with your buddies while having a drink.
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Dealerships often do pre-delivery checks on vehicles prior to handing them over to eager buyers. Typically, this doesn’t involve getting the vehicle sideways in the dirt while enjoying a drink with a couple of friends, however, which is what the alleged salesperson of a South African Ford dealer is being accused of. As you can imagine, you’re hearing about this because things didn’t end well. As reported by Car Magazine, a customer’s brand-new Ford Ranger Raptor was rolled during what can only be described as a pre-delivery joyride.

The pickup was reportedly already sold to a customer who was eagerly awaiting delivery. Before that could place, an alleged salesman and others got behind the wheel of the powerful truck for an off-road excursion. After hitting some dirt trails at fairly high speed, the driver pivoted the truck into a slide to the right with plenty of lock on, it dug into the ground and rolled onto its roof. And as the video taken from the backseat shows, the driver and passenger were holding drinks in their hands throughout the entire ordeal. It’s unclear whether they were alcoholic drinks or not.

Damage to the truck was heavy, according to pictures obtained by Car Magazine. The roof was caved in and the windshield shattered by the impact. The hood, fenders, and doors also took varying levels of damage. According to the report, the vehicle’s owner sadly learned what happened upon calling the dealership to arrange to pick up their new truck.

It’s a great loss, particularly given the pedigree of the Ranger Raptor. It’s built for antics like these, with its off-road Fox suspension, 33-inch tires, and its 392-hp 3.0-liter V6. Despite being well-equipped for the job, though, there’s still room for user error. As the old saying goes: “All the gear, no idea.”

There are a few lessons to learn here. First and foremost, it’s generally unwise to go hard in someone else’s car. Doubly so if you’re on the job. Beyond that, it also pays to be careful when doing donuts in a lumpy, grassy field. It’s all too easy to dig the wheels in a little too much or hit a bump at the wrong time, and before you know it, there’s grass on the ceiling. The trick is to take it slow and feel out the area before going full send.

With such extensive damage, the truck is likely totaled. Given the video evidence on hand, the dealership may find that it is not covered by insurance in this case, either. That doesn’t bode well for the salesperson’s career. If you do happen to be hiring a car salesman in South Africa this week, be sure to cast a suspicious eye over the resume for a sudden dismissal in the last month or so.

Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com