Car insurance....pah

[Benny]

I managed to crash my 520 last week. It went into the body shop and I was given a hateful 1.0 Fiesta on my existing policy. Tip 1, read the small print. A 520 in exchange for a Fiesta. 60mpg in exchange for 30.....all at additional cost.

I got my car back last night and checked it today. The light on the drivers side isn't flush to the body, out by about 2 or 3 mm, enough to feel the difference between the sides. The bonnet lip isn't flush with the grill, again, about the same gap. Am I entitled to cause a fuss (which I've asked them to take it back) or should I accept I crashed and it will never be quite the same?

[Blunt]

Last year a granny ploughed into my old 68 mini (which now belongs to son no.1)
To our amazement the insurance company said they'd repair it. I saw the pictures and  TBH considered it a write-off.
The repair shop took ages to complete the work and when it arrived back my son made a long list of all the new faults it had.
Doors mis-aligned, bumper hanging off, bonnet not sitting square, to name a few. it was a right state.
He wasn't prepared to accept it back so returned it for more work...3 times!
It is now fixed, but it took 12 months for them to get it right.

So don't accept it.
kick up a fuss. It doesn't matter to the garage or Ins. co who's fault it was; once they've agreed to fix it, it should come back the same as it was before the crash.
After all, as it is now it's worth less than before the smash, and that's what you pay you Insurance for.

[BrotherTobious]

Send it back not the same but I spilt water in to a pc and claimed on the insurance and they sent to the Dixson group to fix it when I got it back they had scratched the case so I said that I will find another company to get it sorted.  So complian away they words fixed not kinda fixed as it will also be picked up if you try and sell it layer down the road.

[DuVeL]

Cars, don't start about them. Last Monday I was driving to work. In a corner my front window fogged up so I couldn't see a thing. I hit another car. The bad thing was, I'm driving this car for 11-12 years and it's now a wright-off. Worst thing is, I bought the car from my mom as it used to be my dads before he passed away. Currently looking into a new one.

Hope you'll get yours sorted m8.

[smilodon]

Here's my thought. Assuming it's an insurance job that your complaint should be with the Insurance Company. Who they actually get to repair your car isn't something you're directly involved in. You pay the premiums to the Insurance Co not the garage and so it's them who should be making sure your car is repaired.

I'd contact the garage and tell them you're going back to the Insurance company to ask them to get your car fixed possibly. As insurance jobs are bread and butter for repair garages they may well jump about and beg you to let them have another go at fixing it. If they don't then speak to the Insurance company, You're their customer not the garage and you're the one that will walk away from them at your next renewal date if you're not happy. They'll probably be as ****ed as you about the poor repair but things will move along far quicker IMHO if it's a big Insurance company phoning the garage and telling them to have another go rather than you.

[JonnyAppleSeed]

Both the grill and the light are not major tasks to adjust .... Just let the garage know tho it may mean another day looking good in the Fiesta, Its worth getting done right as thats the sort of thing that people look at when you come to sell. Some tollerance is allowed between panels 2/3mm seems a bit big and if obvious to look at then its a no no

[DarkAngel]

Smilo got it in one, threaten the garage with going back to the insurance company (if they get arsey). Had a simular thing happen to a friend, and they will do anything to keep the contract with their insurance company.