Any one know how to fix this?

**ghostrider** · 20th July 2006, 22:42

Any one know how to fix this?

A bigger car than mine hit me at quite a speed, whilst I was stopped behind other cars for lights!

Not to worry though, things are with the insurance, but they have taken the car to FORD dealership for repair..... Any one had any experience of FORD repairing their VAHXHALL?

What do I look out for when accepting the car back?

The rear of the car is bad, but the front of the car, where I was pushed into the car in front is not too bad, but new lights, bumper and bonnet are required.

Thanks.

**jonno_07** · 20th July 2006, 22:45

neaver heard of taking it to a fraud garage before!

**Jamie** · 20th July 2006, 23:14

My Astra G went to a Ford garage for repairs after a shunt... they did a shocking job.... bad colour match, panel gaps not being right etc etc.

Next time a similar thing happened I insisted on it going to a Vx garage.... the insurance company argued as the nearest Vx approved repairer was a few miles further away than the Ford one, but when they looked back at the problems I'd had at the Ford dealer, they agreed with me!

Check all the panel gaps and shut lines, check the colour match, check the quality of the paint finish... if there is anything at all you are not happy with, don't accept the car back from the garage, and speak to your insurers.

**david-bell** · 20th July 2006, 23:48

o jeeze mate you must be gutted i had this happen to me shunted up the back about 8 years ago . when i had a fraud escort and it went to a peugeot garage coudn.t fault tha job they had done

**Duncan** · 20th July 2006, 23:56

Sorry to hear about that!

If it's not too late - you are totally within your rights to insist that it goes to a garage of your choice. Doesn't have to be one of the insurers Approved Traders. In fact, best if it's not as the insurers will always try to screw them down on price and that's when the repairer starts to cut corners.

When I had the smack from behind, from the start I said I want it to go to my local dealer, not the insurer's Approved Repairer, as I knew the quality of work/level of service at my dealers. It went straight there with no problems.

They (your insurer) can't insist you use a repairer they recommend.

D

**ghostrider** · 9th September 2006, 18:26

Well, after 9 weeks at the bodyshop and £6100 of repair, I went to pick the car back up this morning. What a shocking job! For instance, they had replaced the radiator, bonnet etc, but put the smashed licence plate and grill back in

They had not bothered to put back the covers for the fuse box in the rear. The cover for the spare tyre was still smashed and broken and the rear bumper only had 2 of 4 bolts in. The metal work at the rear, near the spare tyre was also still mangled

In all a totally

job. I gave them the keys back, said ring me when you have finished the job and left.
Phoned the insurers and told them the garage was

and that I want the car checked out by an independant VX rep when it's finished, they agreed.

Honestly, a totally shocking job. Courtesy of Ringways, Leeds.

**S888 SRB** · 9th September 2006, 18:45

oh **** mate, thats not good.

Got to give them one chance to rectify it but i know from our bodyshop that you expect the (paint)work not to be up to scratch first time every time, but not to have broken parts re-fitted.

It could be the case that the insurance assessor decided to pare down the estimate and get away with what they could as the car was not at an "approved repairer". which is not really the bodyshops fault but this should be explained to you.

I do know that if the car is not at an approved repairer then the insurance company is unlikely to get the discounts it could if the car were with one.

**bobbyboy** · 9th September 2006, 19:09

this is totally typical of main dealers in this day and age...overall their standards and quality of workmanship is ****e ...yet they want to charge ridiculously expensive amounts for it.......

good on you mate for refusing to accept your car back when the repairs are obviously sub-standard...I hope you get sorted....

**ghostrider** · 9th September 2006, 20:50

The car was repaired by the insurers recommended bodyshop. If I decidied on the repairer, then i wasn't guaranteed a courtesy car.... So had to go with the insurers choice. BAD CHOICE. The Paintwork that has been repainted is very good, no mis-match in colour anywhere; the body work is also very good.
Although, most of the external bodywork has been replaced I should expect so. It's just the obviously obvious bits that have not been replaced, plates, bent metalwork etc. That leaves me to distrust any of the work that has been undertaken on the car, especially the parts I can't see......Thats why I've insisted on an independant survey of the car when when it's "repaired".
And a penny won't be leaving my wallet untill it's sorted. It's not the fact of the £6K+ that bothers me, the insurance will take care of that. It's the £250 excess that I have to pay and the 9 weeks+, that i've been without the MY car. A little 1Ltr ford fiesta is not much compared to a Vectra Estate is it? Now they have to wait upto 4 days for all the parts that they "forgot" to order to arrive and them allow 4 days to fit them. All in all a

service.