My car repair

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tlzeebub

Active Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
259
Location
Rochester, Kent
Car
2003 S320CDi, Ducati916
Someone drove into the back of my car a while ago,so i took it in for repair to the insurance approved repairer, basically it needed a new rear bumper and the tailgate repairing and painting, anyway after 3 yes 3 weeks they rang me back, after me badgering them as to when my car will be ready, only to tell me that they cant get the central locking to work on the tailgate and was i aware of this, so i told them that the central locking was working fine pre and post accident, they obviously didnt agree so i told them dont bother with it just give me my car back i'll fix it myself. Its all very well having a rental car but even though there was ten years difference between my car and the rental Subaru Forester, the Subaru has no class about it, noisy, tinny and cheap feeling although a lot faster than my car, but then it's not all about going fast, Also the high level brake light doesnt work either so i took the card off the tailgate to investigate the central locking and change the bulb and low and behold they've put a screw through the yellow vacuum pipe which obviously they're going to deny doing should they ever bother to ring me back. Also they adjusted the position of the tailgate for some reason and the fit isnt as good as it was, where they've filled the tailgate they havent rubbed it down properly on the edge which is rough to the touch, and they've also lost what i would describe as a hinge that connects the o/s side compartment to the floor(sorry for poor description), anyway thats my rant over with, but i do have a question, how can i check if my heated rear window still works without ice on the glass? tia Chris.
 
Presumably it will be slightly warm to the touch?

PS If the job is as bad as it sounds I'd ask the bodyshop to have another go, and if that fails speak to the insurance company.
 
Someone drove into the back of my car a while ago,so i took it in for repair to the insurance approved repairer, basically it needed a new rear bumper and the tailgate repairing and painting, anyway after 3 yes 3 weeks they rang me back, after me badgering them as to when my car will be ready, only to tell me that they cant get the central locking to work on the tailgate and was i aware of this, so i told them that the central locking was working fine pre and post accident, they obviously didnt agree so i told them dont bother with it just give me my car back i'll fix it myself. Its all very well having a rental car but even though there was ten years difference between my car and the rental Subaru Forester, the Subaru has no class about it, noisy, tinny and cheap feeling although a lot faster than my car, but then it's not all about going fast, Also the high level brake light doesnt work either so i took the card off the tailgate to investigate the central locking and change the bulb and low and behold they've put a screw through the yellow vacuum pipe which obviously they're going to deny doing should they ever bother to ring me back. Also they adjusted the position of the tailgate for some reason and the fit isnt as good as it was, where they've filled the tailgate they havent rubbed it down properly on the edge which is rough to the touch, and they've also lost what i would describe as a hinge that connects the o/s side compartment to the floor(sorry for poor description), anyway thats my rant over with, but i do have a question, how can i check if my heated rear window still works without ice on the glass? tia Chris.

this is why I would never let my car be repaired by any insurance companies approved repairer

a few years ago my why had her car run into, the other driver admitted fault and her insurer rang to say they would be happy to take care of the repair work and even delivered us a nice new people carrier to drive around in while repairs were carried out

they had the car for 2 months :eek:,
and when they finally called to say the work was completed we found that they had only bothered to repair damage on the drivers side and not replaced a badly bent wheel on the passengers side and also missed a nasty dent in the n/s front wheel arch:mad:
when we asked why, they claimed that this damage was already on the car and nothing to do with the accident even though the wheel was so badly bent the car couldn't have been safely driven with it on:rolleyes:

after refusing to accept the car back and basically threatening them with legal action they finally caved in and changed the wheel but still wouldn't repair the dent.

if I were ever in this situation again, I would exercise my right to have repairs carried out by a repairer of my choice and take it straight to the authorised dealer
 
if I were ever in this situation again, I would exercise my right to have repairs carried out by a repairer of my choice and take it straight to the authorised dealer

what happens when your insurance company tells you to use the same bodyshop as the dealers use even though the staff at the dealers suggest taking it somewhere else?

If your dealership doesn't have it's own bodyshop (or even if it does) talk to the guys in the parts/service department and find out who they recommend :)
 
You have the right to take the car to be repaired where you wish,

David
 
For the HRW try breathing on it to mist it a bit, then switch on the heater.
I would contact your insurance company and reject the repair and have them inspect it, then push for a repair at a better establishment.
Approved bodyshops are always the worst due to being the cheapest.
 
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Thanks for all your replies, being that the fella i need to speak to seems to be permanently at lunch and wont return my calls I'm going to take my car back to the repairers later today unannounced and put my case forward to him, I will give him the opportunity to repair it, if he just fobs me off i'll contact my insurance company and take that route. It seems that my HRW does work.
 
what happens when your insurance company tells you to use the same bodyshop as the dealers use even though the staff at the dealers suggest taking it somewhere else?

If your dealership doesn't have it's own bodyshop (or even if it does) talk to the guys in the parts/service department and find out who they recommend :)

Interesting point,

Tbh in my experience, the "approved repairers" seem to be affiliated with the insurance companies and are probably seldom used by any main dealer,

+ they're most likely geared towards keeping the insurance companies costs down with preferential rates and also seemingly doing as little repair work as they can get away with.

I believe that when you choose the repair agent you are their client and that they are looking to meet your requirements,
whereas if you allow the insurance company to take care of things they are the ones dealing with the repair agent which would make them the client and you just the owner of the vehicle, meaning it will be the insurance companies interests put above yours

I am by no means an expert on this subject,
but I have spoken to a few people who have also allowed the insurance company to take care of repairs using their own bodyshop and each was left feeling they had been badly treated

this may not always be the case, but I can only go by my own experience and that of other people I've spoken to.

Btw... my local dealer doesn't have it's own bodyshop, but instead uses a independent shop close by which has been fully approved by Mercedes to carry out repairs and warranty work,
they where recommended to me by the lads at my local dealer when I wanted some work carried out and they do excellent work:D
so I agree that asking the tech guys for advice on where to go is a good idea :)
 
Approved bodyshops are always the worst due to being the cheapest.

And hence why more MB goodwill rust repairs are of dubious quality than should be.
 

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