Car Insurance Claim - Car still being repaired after 4 months!

JOEJOETHEJOEY

My car has been at the repairers for just over 4 months now and they keep saying that they are waiting for parts from Japan. They could have built a brand new one in that time frame!!!

The car is on finance and I'm paying every month for the privilege of "NOT" driving it (not including the road tax and the actual insurance cover). Am I legally entitled any compensation from my insurance company for at least the financing side?

I'd be grateful if someone can point me in the right direction for assistance or more details with regards to compensation claims. Thanks and Happy New Year!

rs65

I think you might have difficulty claiming any compensation from your insurer - doesn't sound as if they are at fault here.

What car is it and what parts are needed? Might be worth finding an enthusiasts forum (if there is one) to see if others have the same problem.

JOEJOETHEJOEY

Thanks for the reply rs65.

I know it's not their fault for the repair taking so long. I'm blaming the garage. But I'm out of pocket at both ends with no car. Would my finance company be able to offer any compensation?

The car is a Nissan and parts are taking forever to come from Japan for some reason.

GSMAnon

JOEJOETHEJOEY wrote: »

Thanks for the reply rs65.

I know it's not their fault for the repair taking so long. I'm blaming the garage. But I'm out of pocket at both ends with no car. Would my finance company be able to offer any compensation?

The car is a Nissan and parts are taking forever to come from Japan for some reason.

Why are they even importing them from Japan? There's Nissan factories in the UK, notably in Sunderland.

They're also an extremely common car... I'd expect most garages to have suitable parts in stock or be able to get them into stock within a few weeks at a maximum. You could probably buy the part yourself without much trouble, even if you went to a scrapyard.

I think you're being lied to... seems very fishy that parts from such a common car manufacturer who has a massive factory and distribution centre in the UK are taking 4 months to outsource parts from Japan.

What kind of Nissan is it? Unless it's an exotic sports Nissan like the 370z or something, I can't imagine what the issue would be.

JOEJOETHEJOEY

It's a GTR. Granted it is a rare car. But 4 months is outrageous!! It took less than 5 months for delivery!

JOEJOETHEJOEY

Now March and still haven't got my car back!!! Can anyone advise where I stand on compensation? Am I allowed to sue them?

dacouch

JOEJOETHEJOEY wrote: »

The car is a Nissan and parts are taking forever to come from Japan for some reason.

Tectonic plates colliding

wantonnoodle

Yep, its all down to the earthquake and tsunami they suffered last year. My partner's sister has a Toyota and last year needed a new gearbox in it. She was forced to get a reconditioned one as they didn't have any new ones in the country.

Just because the cars are built in this country doesn't mean all the components are produced in this country. My partner's family are from Sunderland and know people who work there and they have had short working time due to lack of components being shipped in from Japan. So maybe the parts your car needs are in that category, hence the delay. You also need to bear in mind that a good number of the parts being shipped at the moment will be components ordered months ago by the plants and dealerships which have been delayed. All the orders outstanding before yours need to be filled first.

Quentin

Is there a third party responsible for your damage? If so, if you need a car you can see if the third party insurer will supply one (though be prepared to answer how you have managed so long!)

But if you were to blame, then just be patient!

JOEJOETHEJOEY

It was actually a theft, so there's no third party. The thing now is that they still can't guarantee when I'll get my car back and they've already sent me out a renewal quote. What are my options? The most irritating problem is that it's a multi-car policy. My insurance expires on 6th April, but the garage can't give me a date of completion. Any idea who I should contact to get assistance? Would financial ombudsman be any help?

mikey72

wantonnoodle wrote: »

Yep, its all down to the earthquake and tsunami they suffered last year. My partner's sister has a Toyota and last year needed a new gearbox in it. She was forced to get a reconditioned one as they didn't have any new ones in the country.

Just because the cars are built in this country doesn't mean all the components are produced in this country. My partner's family are from Sunderland and know people who work there and they have had short working time due to lack of components being shipped in from Japan. So maybe the parts your car needs are in that category, hence the delay. You also need to bear in mind that a good number of the parts being shipped at the moment will be components ordered months ago by the plants and dealerships which have been delayed. All the orders outstanding before yours need to be filled first.

It was the floods in Thailand in 2011.
Most Japanese car manufactuers ground to a halt, most of the parts, and indeed a lot of car production is carried out there.