Reply to: Stand-off with accident repair garage

[Wilmslow]

Stand-off update.

Got three calls from garage from 3:30pm yesterday but was in a meeting so could not return call until 6pm, but left a message that I would call back when I was able to.

Got three more voice messages by 9am this morning, all sounding rather aggressive threatening to charge £20 a day for their bloody loan car. Which I am happy to pay under protest and raise with the insurance firm if this gets my car sorted out okay.

I did call the insurance firm though yesterday who advised me that they are waiting for the assessor report, until I get that I cannot be sure that the car is genuinely safe for a high speed long distance commute, so sticking to my guns.

Called the garage back at 9:30 who assured me assessor passed the car, they binned the scratched painted up wheel for a replacement, and the gaps all now aligned ok.

I said I would only believe it once the insurance firm pass on the assessor report and sign off the car. (The assessor receptionist advised assessor shared my concerns which is different to what garage told me).

Garage tell me this report will take days and they need their car back. LV told me should be sorted today.

I said that they need to speak to the insurance firm if they have a problem, as their contract is with insurance firm not me. I also pointed out it is their fault for giving me a poorly repaired car with clear faults on Friday night leading to rejection, but I would also chase up the insurance firm to speed things up as best I could, and also pointed out that I did call them at 6pm yesterday to chase up myself. Also told them I was complaining to the insurance firm about their abusive calls to top off not fixing the car to spec. They hanged up on me.

Is there a local CCUK’er who can be my minder when the boys from the garage come round?? This is a scary back-street operation! They refuse to deliver to my work address claiming too far, as I want to get the car back in daylight, not darkness to inspect carefully before accepting.

Bloody cowboys.

[Wilmslow]

Good news.

Called the assessors – the inspector picked up on the three points I noted, and is reporting back accordingly.

Those being:

1. One of the wheels scratched and damaged, so-called refurb with silver spraypaint
2. Gap between repaired panels incorrect
3. Not driving correctly after the accident

Could get tasty as currently in garages loan car, but I am going to request that the car removed from the cowboys that stuffed it up, and the job goes to a main dealer to sort out properly.

Let's hope the report is all it is crackd up to be.

Why do major insurance firms use back street outfits??

[lilelvis2000]

AFAIK a Cat D repaired vehicle would undergo a more rigorous test than just a basic MOT.

A Cat D is normally an "uneconomical" to repair. My wife had a Cat D when someone rear ended her mx-6, The insurance company gave us £400 and we used that to repair the car, No MOT required. But, if we did give the keys to the insurance company - all it would need is a MOT to put to back on the road.

[MaryPoppins]

I think I saw something on Rogue Traders which will scare you tulipless. And I also saw some a old BMW which just passed an MOT but had severe rot in the frame. A MOT check is hardly proof the vehicle is safe...only that the owner made it look safe enough to pass the basic tests.

AFAIK a Cat D repaired vehicle would undergo a more rigorous test than just a basic MOT.

[BolshieBastard]

You may recall that a lorry drove into the sode of my Focus on the M62 on Monday evening.

Got a loan car from the repair garage (although they were really not happy about lending me one, despite my policy having this as a right).

They returned the car to me on Friday at 6pm. Despite being dark I could easily tell that the rear wheel arch gap was different to the uncrashed side, and instead of a new rear wheel, they 're-furbished' with spray painting with silver paint. Makes me wonder the quality of the rest of the repair.

Needless to say I rejected the car, and kept the loan car, which garage really unhappy about saying they are depserate to get it back.

Called LV on Friday evening, who are going to send round an independant engineer to report and advise, and to check out the suspension rather anally.

I am wondering what rights I would have to keep the loan car in the meantime, and insist on swapping during daylight hours, meaning they will have to take it to work 60 miles away on a delivery lorry, or wait until Saturday morning?

Rejecting the repairs, every right. Regarding the hire \ courtesy car be very careful with this that you dont get stiffed for the cost.

Lots of people think they are entitled to such a loan vehicle while theirs is off the road as the insurance or other party will pay. Wrong!

Lots of people have found out to their costs that such loan cars have to be paid for by themselves due to the small print and more importantly, legal judgement obtained by crash management & insurance companies.

I'd be very careful about hanging onto the loan car without checking your policy and directly with the insurance company.

[lilelvis2000]

Because to get a Cat D car back on the road it has to undergo a safety inspection by an independent engineer, where as a normal repair does not.

I think I saw something on Rogue Traders which will scare you tulipless. And I also saw some a old BMW which just passed an MOT but had severe rot in the frame. A MOT check is hardly proof the vehicle is safe...only that the owner made it look safe enough to pass the basic tests.

[Paddy]

You have the right to remain silent.

In Russia the repair shop would have got their heavies to drag me around back and beat the tulip out of me until I signed a letter of satisfaction.
Also, don't be a jerk that hogs curtesy cars and generally acts like a jerk which results in inflated insurance premiums for good drivers that never have such stupid accidents.

HTH

FTFY

[DimPrawn]

'One reason why I'm happy to buy a CAT D car is that it is more likely to have been repaired properly '


why do you think Cat D means the car has been repaired properly ?

Milan.

Because to get a Cat D car back on the road it has to undergo a safety inspection by an independent engineer, where as a normal repair does not.

[milanbenes]

'One reason why I'm happy to buy a CAT D car is that it is more likely to have been repaired properly '


why do you think Cat D means the car has been repaired properly ?

Milan.

[eek]

Wilmsloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow,

won't this car now be a Cat D and will you have problems to sell it in the future ?

On top of this, driving a car which has already been in a smash, doesn't that make the
car weaker for the future - time for a replacement ?

Milan.

No CAT D is only for write offs (where the car is taken by the insurance company and the owner is sent a cheque).

One reason why I'm happy to buy a CAT D car is that it is more likely to have been repaired properly compared to a car that has been in an accident and repaired cheaply.

[Wilmslow]

Wilmsloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow,

won't this car now be a Cat D and will you have problems to sell it in the future ?

On top of this, driving a car which has already been in a smash, doesn't that make the
car weaker for the future - time for a replacement ?

Milan.

Oh, Gosh, don't get me any more neurotic than I already am!!

[Wilmslow]

Excellent news - Good old LV have arranged for an independant engineer to inspect - he will be calling me shortly, so the helpful text message says, anyway......

[d000hg]

Is The One Show still as good as it was with Adrian and Cristine?

It's like Have I Got News For You when Angus left.

[milanbenes]

Wilmsloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow,

won't this car now be a Cat D and will you have problems to sell it in the future ?

On top of this, driving a car which has already been in a smash, doesn't that make the
car weaker for the future - time for a replacement ?

Milan.

[norrahe]

There's a good chance it was The One Show where I heard it, I was mutitasking at the time. Is The One Show still as good as it was with Adrian and Cristine?

I wouldn't know, I don't pay attention to it if it is on, am usually doing summat else if it happens to be on in the background