The managers of a Wanganui motel are threatening legal action amid a dispute with VCC Rally participants regarding oil that leaked from their vehicles.
Neil and Michelle Stewart claim the fluids have stained the forecourt at Alma Motel.
Mr Stewart said about 14 vintage vehicles had parked at the hotel during the rally and left oil stains around the carparking and forecourt area. Fluid had also been tracked into rooms.
He claims he gave them cardboard to use under their vehicles but they threw it away, and refused to move their cars on to the grass.
Mr Stewart says he considered the stains wilful damage and called the police to come and look at them on Tuesday, but they had been unable to do anything, calling it a civil matter.
A quote from a commercial cleaner to remove the stains came in around $900, but when he asked his rally guests to pitch in to cover it, they refused.
Rally director Bruce Hutton said when it came to their attention there was a problem with oil on the forecourt and the owner wanted the guests to pay for it, he and publicity officer Ed Boyd took the appropriate cleaner and a brush to the motel for the guests to use in cleaning up.
"We acknowledge that old cars leak and we were surprised it was an issue," he said.
Rally guests were asked to use the spray and they were generally happy to do so, a spokesman said, until there was an altercation between Mr Stewart and guests staying in one unit, which resulted in them leaving.
Police were called and the guests were given a refund for the unused nights.
The spokesman said Mr Stewart had dropped off cardboard three or four days into the rally but the pieces had been too small.
Mr Stewart claimed he tried to get hold of rally officials, leaving messages with a Christchurch number unsuccessfully for four days, but neither Mr Hutton nor Mr Boyd, who were in Wanganui, said they were contacted by Mr Stewart.
Mr Boyd said it saddened him that no one had tried to get hold of the local organisers before there was a kerfuffle.
"We are working through it and trying the best we can to sort it out," he said.
It was sad the episode had given a sour taste to people coming from out of town to visit Wanganui, he said.
Mr Stewart contacted Mayor Annette Main, who said she told him she would speak with rally officials. She was assured they were doing all they could to solve the issue, she said.
Mr Stewart said he understood one of the organisers was going to see him in the next few days. If they didn't, they would look at taking legal action.