[alanfo]

Insurance repair not happy with the work done by the garage , picked the car up thursday 5pm dark and wet got home and could see things wrong just under my outdoor flood light. so i gave them a bell that night , they sed ring back friday as some of the lads have gone home. phoned my insurance brokers friday witch say i can take it back and then phoned ford they told me to take it back monday .
ive done a list to give them a list
bonnet still not lined up properly near driver's side window and to low at drivers wing
bonnet feels like it needs to be slammed to shut properly
exhaust heat shield NOT secured to the body work rear of car it rattles
both washer jet covers to bumper are NOT for my car
passenger door handle trim loose
fuse box cover to passenger footwell loose, clip missing
both side skirts to wing coming loose
paint on door window trim inside
PAINT WORK
paint work patchy on drivers door
passenger door paint peeling to the trim
top edge of bonnet looks yellow like the metallic paint has not been finished round the edges and a scratch to the edge
wings chipped where lights have been fitted
both lips to the front wheel arches and where the wings meet the bumpers to both sides of the car look like the metallic paint has not been finished round the edges and dose not look right, ie hint of yellow and you can see where the masking tape has been
there's a slight scratch to rear passenger side wheelarch and very bad marks to paint next to the glass near the door where it looks like some things dropped on it
bumper is full of scuffs underneath
the towing eye has not been removed prior to painting
excessive swirl marks to the bonnet

what happens if they can't get it 100% right

 

[fishface31a]

The insurance company will send an inspector to have a look at the car. If my experience is anything to go by he will tell you that the repairs are up to standard and that the insurance company wont do anything more to help you! The best tack is to refuse to sign for the repairs untill youve had a chance to examine the car properly in daylight! Mine went back 5 times and the Ford Bodyshop had it for a total of 11 weeks! They still couldnt manage to get good colour matches or even an unblemished surface finish! They also couldnt line the exhausts up straight despite a mechanic friend doing it in about 30 mins! The insurance company did make the Ford lot pay £75 to have the exhaust fitted properly though! Keep taking it back and be a real pain in the butt and you should get a result! DONT rely on your insurance company to help you though! They dont care what your car looks like as long as they get your money!

 

[Dave-2912]

This rings a few bells with me as I was recently crashed into and it took 5 months of arguing to get the car back in shape.

The first set of repairs carried out on my car were shockingly bad, (sounds like you're having the same experience) so I wrote a letter to my insurance detailing every fault with the car. At the same time I gave a copy of the letter to the garage and showed them the areas on the car I was not happy with.

The insurance sent an engineer out to view the complaints I had made, who subsequently wrote a report for the insurance and garage stating that all my areas of concern were justified and all the work should be carried out again.

From that point on, I spoke to the garage almost every day for updates and didnt give them a moments peace. They knew that I would not accept any flaws.
Finally (5 months after the accident) the car was completed.

I really hope it doesnt take that long for you, but just keep fighting until you're happy!

 

[glennboysst3]

wifes old focus went in for a repair at a local bodyshop "now this car was immaculate for its age "went to pick car up and refused it there and then .
they got funny stateing its a quality repair so i handed the keys back to wifes car went out aand drove off in there courtesy car despite them saying i cant use there car as the repair was good ,spoke to insurance company who sent a guy down to check it and he basically said "its a four year old car why are you being so fussy !!
i then pointed out the front scuttle tray had not a single clip on as theyd broken them putting the new one back on so its just sitting there ,the fact that the windscreen had been cracked whilst the car was in the body shop and the overspray all over the front of the car .
i had a battle with him to agree that this was not acceptable ...so they sort it out i go to get the car again all done ,just check the scuttle tray .....not a single clip left on it broke again !!
car left there again ,this happend four times with the tray ,on one ocasion they tryd melting the clips theyd broke back on !!
if i pay good insurance premiums i expect a quality repair at least up to the standard the car was originally made in .
just shows you that you have to stand your ground at times as they will try to fob you off .
got the car back and cancelled the insurance and went elswhere .

 

[Dabhand16]

My Son had the same trouble. Eventually he got an independent inspection from DEKRA and used that to show the repairs (that the insurance insisted were OK) were below standard. This was after the original repairers had the car back three times. He wrote to the insurance to tell them he had no confidence that their repairers could make proper repairs and with the independent reports he commissioned. He than took the car to a repairer of his choice - the insurance conned him into using their approved repairers - and the repairs were eventually carried out to a satisfactory standard.

Got all of his expenditure back plus compensation for the hassle, but it took about 3 years in the end!

 

[alanfo]

i did sign for the repairs on thursday but it was dark and rainging so could not tell . anyway took it back today in the day light and pointed it all out and they said they would address the problems to the front end but as for the exhaust heat shield and the rear panle they said it was like that when it got here and they just tuched it up as a good will jester, if so i said they should of rung me about it wot a cop out i know it was not there.so i must of

them off as they gave me old ford ka full of bird

so i handed them the list drove off so i phoned the insurance broker to let them now ive given the garage the chance to sort it all out first and it's on record
o yes they put 9 miles on it and the average fuel was 6.5 mpg ive never got it to that

 

[Phil]

The repair should be guarantied, whether you signed or not, did they do a pre check of any damage to your car?
I refused my people carrier 5 times and norwich union had the car 9 weeks. If your not 100% happy complain and don't take no for an answer.

 

[alanfo]

he did not say about a pre check he just sed the sprayer mentioned it to him but i now 100000% it was not there . when they say its done im gone to get someone to take me so im not in there car and look at it in the day light , it dose not help working with 30 painters and they can see the colour is not right

 

[BadgerST2]

I had this problem with my old civic type r the repairer painted the car a totally different colour i instantly rang the insurance company and told them not to pay for the repairs and after it was repainted i wanted the assessor to inspect the car prior to me getting it back to say the least the repairer s**t themselves and the job was top notch in the end so dont be afraid to shout up and dont expect anything less than perfect in this day and age a car should be able to be repaired as good as new

 

[morty1970]

Ive been in the same boat...I had some light damage on my Ford Puma and the repair work was shocking, I rejected the work twice and in the end the insurance company sent out an independent inspector who agreed with my findings and said the work should be re done, again the work was sub standard so I refused to take the car back and in the end it went to my local Ford dealer who did a worse job than the original repairers...it ended up ok after I took it to another garage but this took nearly 3 months in total...I did get a grand compensation though

One thing to remember NEVER EVER pick your car up in the dark or if its been raining as the rain will hide everything and never sign if your not happy with the work, not really sure where you stand once youve signed.

Good luck mate.

Nick

 

[alanfo]

well went to look at it tonight they put it out side in the dark and under a spot light and the bonnet looks patchy was not happy as them if i could see it in there work shop under better light but he was a **** with me so rang the insurance brokers and they got hold of the insurance company then witch rang the garage witch put the insurance company on hold and left them there till they hung up but the garage sed i could not take the courtesy car but the insurance sed i could so i had to drive home in the patchy car carnt wait to see it in the light but ive stress to the insurance that any more work not to be carried out by them omc at castleton are no good at spraying and rickthe noob that was sorting it out there he has one big attitude
might sell the dam thing and get a volvo

 

[glennboysst3]

just make sure your insurance company are aware your not happy with the quality of the repairs again and stand your ground ,dont give up ,dont sell up,and dont get fed up .
had this as stated but in order to get a repair thats good you must keep going at your insurance company .
personally id of left the car there and got a cab home or as ive done before just give them the keys back to your car,walk out and drive off in the courtesey car as your insurance company have said you can still use the courtesey car your still insured so sod em id of just taken there car again !!
keep going and dont give up untill your satisfied you have a good repair ,and id inform the insurance company that i dont want them touching my car again and i want it done elswhere ,that way the insurers may not pay them for there poor atempts at a repair!!
good luck and keep us posted matey .

 

[Dennis]

This is all something I learnt bout 15 years ago, I had been barred from about 5 bodyshops due to poor workmanship.

The difficulty you have is that it only has to be repaired to a reasonable standard, that could go as far as the paint not matching etc.

The only anwer to this is find yourself a decent bodyshop and use them everytime regarless of how hard your insurer pushes you.

When I crashed my Elise I had just had it painted in a 7 way flip gosting £6K, it had a special twist to it to make the effect even better. Anyway the insurers tried to ge tme to send it 150 miles awy to their recomended repairer who deals in standox paint (the manufactuer of the paint) Thye could not guarantee a match but if they can not match it (which they wouldn't due to the extra twist) they will just repaint the car how standox recomended and thus give me a diffeent colour.

The argument went on for 10 months!!!

I eventually got the car repaired where I wanted (It did change colour though.....to a 21 way flip)

The simple answer is Do not use an insurance approved repairer, they are working for the insurer not you (they rely on the insurer for the majority of their business) and don't use a manufacturer aproved repairer s they are not bothered as they are guranteed a flow of work from people who think they have to use them for warrenty etc.

Get an independant specialist/customer painter who you know works to YOUR expctations

Back to your difficulties, forget asking the insurer for help, get your own report (search under assessor on yell.com) it will cost you about £80-£100, send this to your insurer, advise them you have a contact with them to repair your car, they have failed and you look to them to retify the car by doing X, Y an Z etc. Make sure you state it is a formal complaint as this forcesit through the complaints proceedure, rather than being classed as a notice of disatisfaction

 

[chrisd]

QUOTE(Dennis @ 19 Nov 2009, 11:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The difficulty you have is that it only has to be repaired to a reasonable standard, that could go as far as the paint not matching etc.

The only anwer to this is find yourself a decent bodyshop and use them everytime regarless of how hard your insurer pushes you.

The simple answer is Do not use an insurance approved repairer, they are working for the insurer not you (they rely on the insurer for the majority of their business) and don't use a manufacturer aproved repairer s they are not bothered as they are guranteed a flow of work from people who think they have to use them for warrenty etc.

Get an independant specialist/customer painter who you know works to YOUR expctations

Agree 110% on all points mention above. If you find a good, proven paintshop, most of them will be happy to handle your claim also. When someone hit my Impreza, I waived off the insurance companies pleas to use their approved shop and went to a local repairer. I saiod if they were happy to chase the other guys insurance company etc for payment, they could have the work. They agreed, rang me when they had cleared it with the guys insurers, and my car was done and dusted. No hassling my insurance, no excess to pay/claim back, and the job was spot on.

If your that unhappy, my first suggestion would be to ring trading standards. By law you have to give them the chance to rectify and problems, but if your still not happy, I'm pretty sure the law is on the consumers side in most cases

 

[alanfo]

i did give them the chance to rectify all the problems but its just made it worse you can see yellow paint under both rear quarter glass and when you open the both doors you can see where they have taped up and yellow paint agian the paint looks patchy in certain lights as its winter would had to see it in the summer the door trims have been replaced as they painted over the others and they peeled so insted the just painted over the rear trim witch is starting to go and both lips to the front wheel arches and where the wings meet the bumpers to both sides of the car look like they have been air brushed , washer jet cover fell off to day out side my house but out off temper ive scuffed under my bumper cumming off the drive . i loved that car ive graffed my **** off paying for it and now ive had it
insurance asked i would let the garage sort it out ive sed NO i gave them a chance so there haveing someone come and look at it
sorry rant over

 

[Dennis]

trading standards are a waste of time, get that report ang go straight to the insurer for the cost to do the job right but be quick about it

 

[Si]

QUOTE(chrisd @ 22 Nov 2009, 06:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If your that unhappy, my first suggestion would be to ring trading standards. By law you have to give them the chance to rectify and problems, but if your still not happy, I'm pretty sure the law is on the consumers side in most cases

If the insurance company settle direct with the body shop I am not sure that there is a relationship at law between the owner of the car and the body shop. The relationship is between the insurer and the body shop in just about anything other than negligence causing damages.The relationship in regard to the repair would be between the insured and the insurer, though I guess if you began an action against the insurer they would add the body shop on a Part 20

 

[alanfo]

well a inspector came out to look at the car but all the could say was it the characteristics of the paint because it's a flip paint . looks like i will have to pay for one that will look at the paint properly

 

[Phil]

QUOTE(alanfo @ 25 Nov 2009, 04:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>well a inspector came out to look at the car but all the could say was it the characteristics of the paint because it's a flip paint . looks like i will have to pay for one that will look at the paint properly

Was this an independent inspection or from your insurance company/body shop. You need to put in writing all your not happy with, get it cost-ed by a reputable body shop and send it to your insurance company.

I would write to them first telling them your not excepting the bad workmanship.

 

[morty1970]

QUOTE(alanfo @ 25 Nov 2009, 04:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>well a inspector came out to look at the car but all the could say was it the characteristics of the paint because it's a flip paint . looks like i will have to pay for one that will look at the paint properly

What a load of tosh, this guy obviously knows what hes talking about...not!

Cant believe he wasnt willing to help, Im certain this isnt an independant inspector like the one I had.
Mine was hired by my insurers and was totally independant...if you know the work is **** then it obviously is!

Dont take no

.

Nick