Any mechanics in the house?

seren nos

Its not the insurance company you ned to go to D2D..........

they suggested a garage.............you chose your own garage..........that garage assessed the damage and gave a quote..........that was agreeded and paid...........

If you are saying that there is more damage than than originally stated........then surely its the garage that you chose that you now have to pursue to prove that they were wrong in their assessment and repairing of the claim........

Not sure what your beef with the insurance company is.....

MrsK8

I agree with others, it is a waste of time going to the insurers HO. They didn't carry out the repairs & you didn't go to one of their approved garages. They won't do anything, they don't have a working relationship with this garage you chose.  

It's between you & the repairer now.

How long ago was your last service? Was it carried out by the same garage that did the repairs?

MrsK8

If the service had been more recent then you would have more of a chance proving the accident caused the noise but with it being about a year ago they're going to put it down to wear & tear.

Symes

Agree that the disagreement is with the garage not the insurers.

Have to think that £3000 you mentioned is a little on the steep side bearing in mind a bonnet comes in at around £160 and bumper kit around £450, must have put a fair few other bits on it to make the cost up. I've had a complete respray for £2k.

Strictly speaking it's not a classic car either as it was only introduced in '89

Good luck with them, it may be a toughie

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

So why did you trust a garage that you insurance company didn't use, and that you didn't even get to do your servicing ???

You can just see the garage  "Blonde Bimbo Alert" !

They gave you a quote to cover the work, YOU agreed that, and your insurance company agreed that it was happy for the agreed work to be done, and they have paid for it, and you have accepted that that work has been done.

So The garage, did what it said it would, The insurance company have paid for what it agreed to pay for...

Seems like only one person has screwed up

Ultra Saffy

Devoted2Distance wrote (see)

That's just it though - when the repairers gave me it back, they had repaired all the cosmetic damage but then e-mailed me a list of things that seemed to be wrong with it along with this.

Thank christ I have kept this e-mail.

So basically, they have given me a car back that's not fit for the road, now after driving it for 30 miles or so (I was at an exhibition last week so didn't use it hardly at all), it has worsened but now no one wants to know.

So why didn't you follow up the other problems when you got the email?

[Deleted User]

Unfortunately I think you may have a bit of a tough argument with the garage.... if they had any reason to believe the extra work could have been caused by the crash, they would have included it in their original quote as insurance work is a nice earner for them.... if they've proactively found and pointed out problems, they wouldn't have left them out of the insurance quote if there was a chance the insurers would agree to it.

EDIT - Cross posted with you D2D - If they are only a bodyshop, then that may be a slightly different matter - But that's one reason (among many!)  to go with your insurers approved garages.

fat buddha

"Garage has now told me that it's unable to do any work under the bonnet anyway as they are only a bodyshop..."

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.....

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Devoted2Distance wrote (see)

Garage has now told me that it's unable to do any work under the bonnet anyway as  they are only a bodyshop...

So will wait to hear back from complaints department (but will more than likely call them again later to request that they do more to help me as they are atrocious - a few years back, they were supposed to sort out an incident and didn't - I got a bloody courts summons letter because they had just forgot about it?!?!?? plus they screwed up my renewal quote and so I had to spend the whole day on the phone yesterday sorting it because every time someone said they'd sorted it, I'd phone back and they hadn't updated the system)

HEAD. BRICK WALL.

Any chance you could tell us who this wonderful insurance company are ???

(Just so I can check I'm not with them)

Mr Puffy

This is a disgrace, I am absolutely gutted for you. 

I hope none of the cynics on here are going to say "What goes round comes round"

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Devoted2Distance wrote (see)

Now I'm really confused.

Surely the insurance company shouldn't have authorised this garage if they are only a bodyshop? Surely they are not really the right people to be assessing the entirety of the damage if they can only comment on cosmetic damage?

But YOU picked the garage.. Not your insurance company ? Why ???

Your insurance company decided that as YOU wished to pick the repairing garage, YOU had prior experience of the garage, or other recomendations, And were therefore happy for YOU to take the decision.

Notice a theme here ???

Dave The Iron Ex- Spartan

Devoted2Distance wrote (see)

Gladly.

Tesco.

Ah....   So you let the people who flog you baked beans and carrots insure your car......

Let me guess, You get your home insurance from the local florist ?

[Deleted User]

I think you do have a case, although it will be tough.

Who actually paid for the work?  If it was the fault of the recovery truck, their insurers should be picking up the tab.  I'm guessing you are dealing with your own insurer as the go between.

It is your right to choose who does the work.  You don't have to blindly follow your insurer's choice.  And just because you do that it shouldn't mean you are taken advantage of.  Go to an a proper garage, even if it's a main dealer.  Get them to assess the problem and express an opinion on whether the problem is wear and tear or if it was caused by the accident.  Submit that report to your insurers (obviously only if the latter is the case, if the former, you're on your own).  Put everything in writing and say you are making a formal complaint and that you are willing to escalate to the Ombudsman.  Ask for a copy of their complaints procedure.  If you are not happy with how that is handled, you can then go to the Ombudsman (you have to follow the companies complaints process before escalating).  All this will take time.  If you need to get the car repaired in the meantime, keep all receipts but bear in mind that you may not get any money back.

M..o.use

D2D - How was the vehicle assessed for the insurance claim?  Who assessed it?Was it assessed somewhere and then taken somewhere else because the first place was not to your liking?

Can you clarify further on this 'list' of work that the garage gave you? For example, I get the impression it was a conversation something along the lines of:

Garage:  We've repaired the damage as per the insurance claim but are you aware of the following things that you may like to look at:

1) Your rear offside tyre is bald
2) Your brake disks need replacing

I've made this list up, obviously, but you can see from said list that these are things that need doing to the car but are not related to the claim.

Is a driveshaft problem likely to be something affected by the accident?  (We may need third party advice here).

If the car was repaired by a bodyshop, how will they know what's wrong with it mechanically?

All other things considered, you have to be aware that a 1989 car may very possibly develop a problem in the space of 2 months that is completely unrelated to the claim and that this is the most probable answer.

With all due respect, if you calm down a bit and stop mixing your messages, we may be able to help you.

M..o.use

Or what my right honourable friend, BDB, said.

seren nos

D2D.not worth getting stresed about it.........

One thing I have learnt through the years...is to pick your fights carefully...............some you will win.some there might be a chance and some virtually impossible.....................but all of them will exhaust you in the process.............you cannot fight every authority everytime you think you have been wronged......

you have to stand back and say sometimes is there a realistic chance of winning ......and have I got the energy and time at the moment to take it on.....

sometime you have to just sit back and learn from the experience...........ask yourself why you asked a bodyshop garage to do the job.............were you thinking more about the perfect look about the car rather than what is underneath..............sometimes you have to look deeper..........and sometime you have to take responsibilities for your own decisions.

 talk this through with your partner...........thats what partners are there for

Peter Everitt

Until you know what is actually wrong with the car I'm not sure what you think can be done? The first thing is to get the problem diagnosed (by the garage that services the car?) and obtain an independent opinion as to whether it is the result of the accident or whether it was wear. Once you have this sorted you will know what to do next (speak to the insurers or pay to get it fixed yourself). Old cars have worn parts which will go wrong at some point - don't just assume you are being done. Establish the facts first.