Had car repaired via insurance and not happy with job!

Dom29

Had my Audi A3 repaired as the rear quarter got squashed by another driver.

Dropped off the hire car today and picked mine up.

Its had a rear wheel bearing , tyre, new rear quarter and i was happy with the work picking it up so signed the doc saying i was happy.

Drove down the road and the ABS and ESP light came on solid, the car is driving fine but what should i do ?

Also one side of the car has been completely sprayed and is all orange peel effect on the door , its only noticable in direct sun light but im unhappy as none of this was my fault??

Should i contact my insurance ? the garage that repaired it ? because if its going back in i need a hire car again?

Or have i blown it by signing the document saying i was happy?

Thanks

huckster

Speak to your Insurers in the first instance, as they will need to be aware that there could well be two periods for a hire car. Then I expect that you will have to contact the garage to get them to review their work and get it booked in again. The warning lights issue may just need a system reset, after appropriate checks have been made.

With any repair, you have the normal consumer rights and your Insurers are responsible for making sure the car is back in the condition it was prior to the accident. So if you have a problem with the garage, your Insurers should intervene on your behalf.

vaio

Is it a claim being dealt with by your insurer or did you got direct to the at fault insurer?

Did you pick the garage or did the insurer send you there?

Dom29

vaio wrote: »

Is it a claim being dealt with by your insurer or did you got direct to the at fault insurer?

Did you pick the garage or did the insurer send you there?

Thanks for the replys guys

its the insurance that have booked this garage and they chose it , i had no say in the matter.


Annoyingly my insurance is only open monday-friday 9-5 and i work, monday-friday 9-5 so ill have to try and speak to them on monday on my dinner!

C_Mababejive

The golden rule is...you have a right to choose who repairs your car so in your case, an Audi approved repair workshop.

chanz4

C_Mababejive wrote: »

The golden rule is...you have a right to choose who repairs your car so in your case, an Audi approved repair workshop.

Audi approved, just who gives them enough money to use the name nothing more. You will find dedicated workshops do a hell of a lot better jobs too.

Op it shouldn't have orange peel, wasn't howard basford was it? I would call the garage and have them take it back

sussexbhoy

chanz4 wrote: »

Audi approved, just who gives them enough money to use the name nothing more.

If you think that's the way VAG approve crash repair bodyshops, then you have a lot to learn.

vaio

as the insurer chose the workshop then they are responsible. I'd give the garage another chance to sort it out and if you still aren't happy then get your insurer involved.

The ABS & ESP lights both get signals from wheel rotation sensors so the likely cause is the sensor on the repaired corner hasn't been refitted/connected properly

chanz4

sussexbhoy wrote: »

If you think that's the way VAG approve crash repair bodyshops, then you have a lot to learn.

You would hope, but sadly not

sussexbhoy

chanz4 wrote: »

You would hope, but sadly not

Based on what proof?

I work in an independent bodyshop, we're VAG approved (amongst others) and it wasn't a case of just writing a cheque to be approved at all, there's months of work, audits, specialist VAG approved equipment and materials and staff training to become approved and once approved there is still regular audits, walk-in checks and signed customer satisfaction surveys with every VAG car repaired, of which a certain satisfaction percentage has to be hit otherwise you risk losing being VAG approved.

Personally I think the OP should contact the repairing garage to give them a chance to rectify the problems and then if they're still not happy then inform the insurance company and let them deal with it.

Fault codes are easy enough to clear and the orange peel is easily flatted and polished, in total it's no more than half a days work.

VinnieJ

Well said Sussexbhoy, I too have experience of VWG paint & body approval and it is by far the hardest approval to attain and maintain. I don't know what Chanz4 is on about, he or she probably thinks that insurance approved centres are audited annually on their ability to repair cars!

OP

It was your right to have your vehicle repaired but your insurance company would not have told you about this as they would much prefer to 'steer' you into one of their 'approved' centres. When I say 'approved' this just means that they have signed an agreement with the insurer to repair your vehicle at very low rates in return for volume. Your insurance company may well have an agreement with the centre to repair your vehicle for a fixed price, so it was very much in the bodyshops interest to repair your car as quickly as possible and cut corners. They will probably have used non genuine parts to reduce costs as well. You might want to check this out with the bodyshop and the insurer.

If you are happy to return to the bodyshop then it will probably be the easiest and most cost efffective route for rectification but if you have no confidence in their abilities, you can demand your insurer takes it to your chosen centre and pays them to rectify. If you let me know which area you live, i can point you to an Audi approved centre.

Lastly, Audi have launched a new product called ensurance to give customers like you an accident management service and they will ensure it goes to an audi approved centre and the best bit is it's free. you just need to register at insurewithaudi.co.uk