Accident repair - Help please.....

[merc110913]

Hi All
I had a prang in my 2005 CLS, fortunately no-one hurt. I was doing about 5mph and a Nissan Micra doing about 30mph drove across the front of me. The result was a dent in the Micra which wouldn't allow the driver's door to open. My number plate cracked in two and fell off and my bumper is scraped up badly though not dented and the panel below the wing on the passenger side has moved backwards. The front panel containing the grill has also moved backwards against the grill. It also seems the passenger side wing has moved as the gap between the wing and the bonnet has widened towards the front. My questions are:

• Do you think this is a bodywork repair and no structural damage and the car is thus driveable?

• Would people wait for a mobile repair service to look it over before driving it, as I've been offered by my insurer?

• Do you think it would be quicker to get the car taken to a bodyshop straight away as the job will be too much for a mobile service?

• My insurer uses Nationwide repair services, would you use these or have an MB dealer complete the work?

Living in the country I've been stuck here for 2 days as nobody has come to see the car yet so I want to go back to the insurer to sort this out asap tomorrow morning as the kids are going stir crazy at home! The object is to get the car done asap and get a courtesy car but this seems to be easier said than done so far!
All opinions of what you'd do in this situation gratefully accepted. Thanks in advance

 

[Dieselman]

Does it still drive in a straight line, if so it will be structurally ok, just drive it.

Use an approved MB repairer, some of the Nationwide ones are shockingly poor.

 

[cliveBRABUS]

Think twice about an MB repair take it to an MB specialist

 

[merc110913]

Thanks Dieselman. Now that's a good comment cliveBRABUS, what was I thinking? Although I have recently gone to an MB dealer for an issue my indie couldn't solve as he needed extra kit and got good service!

If panels have moved as opposed to just dents and scrapes, I assume that is a bodyshop repair rather than a mobile body repair?

 

[Rashman]

Some MB bodyshops are ok.
But you tend to have to stand over them while they work, wielding a club of some description.

If you can, find a good independent Bodyshop.
They will often take the extra time over the job and get it right first time.

Sorry to hear about the incident and hope you get it sorted soon

 

[cliveBRABUS]

Thanks Dieselman. Now that's a good comment cliveBRABUS, what was I thinking? Although I have recently gone to an MB dealer for an issue my indie couldn't solve as he needed extra kit and got good service!

If panels have moved as opposed to just dents and scrapes, I assume that is a bodyshop repair rather than a mobile body repair?

PM me

 

[merc110913]

Hi cliveBRABUS, I've tried to email you, not sure if it worked as apparently you need to have posted 30 times to pm, which I haven't. Any chance if you don't receive my mail that you can try to pm me? Cheers.