help with main dealer insurance excess charge

mad_mam_of2

Hi all, just after some advice if anyone can help? My car was booked in to our local vauxhall main dealer to have the ECU removed, sent off and refitted. They have had the car for 2 weeks already. They have provided me with a courtesy car (first one was a tiny 3 door peugot with 4 seats- this was fine for the first week cos i was only using it for work) they then changed it to a 4 door 5 seat vauxhall corsa. I drove to manchester in the corsa and whilst the car was parked outside my parents home packed up ready to drive the 3 hours back to cumbria, some lowlife smashed the rear passenger door window. The police were infrmed immediately. This happened bank holiday Monday so we knew we weren't going to get it repaired. I rang the garage (out of courtesy to check if they had anyone i should ring.. no, and the salesman i spoke to wasn't sure if i was covered in the car outside of cumbria!). We patched the car window up- with a lettuce box and lots of duct tape, and drove home. I've been to the garage this morning to be told that I will have to pay the £1000 on the excess for the damage. I know I should have read the form as i signed it to take the keys, but the man behind the desk didn't imply it was of any importance, very blase, "just sign there to say you've taken the keys". My problem is, I barely have the £500 its going to cost to pay for my own cars repairs, never mind another £1k on top. Do I have any leg to stand on or am i stuffed? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Nodding_Donkey

A grand for a window? Are you sure?

mad_mam_of2

yes Nodding Donkey i was quoted £210 to get the window repaired by autoglass, but the main dealer has told me the excess on the insurance that i have to pay is £1000

Auntie-Dolly

Can't you get it repaired? They can't charge you £1000 if the repair isn't that expensive. Might you be covered on your own insurance?

Tiddlywinks

(You signed an agreement... you should have taken time to read it.)

Anyway, the policy appears to have a £1,000 excess... That means the liability for the first £1,000 is yours. It doesn't mean you will have to pay £1,000 even if the repair will be far less.

Speak to the garage and ask to be billed directly so that you can see the actual cost of repair.

Aretnap

It might be more than just the £210 repair cost - they could also potentially bill you for the loss of use of the courtesy car while the repairs are being done, staff costs if arranging the repair etc. £1000 still sounds very high though. I'd ask them for a breakdown of how it's made up.

InsideInsurance

An excess is only payable if the repairs exceed it. If the repairs are below it then you only pay the cost of repair. There may additionally be an admin charge from them and a loss of use claim but these should be tiny.

Presumably it is purely glass damage and no damage to the paintwork etc?

Mankysteve

If you stuck duck tape to the body work the damage could well go into the £1000s, but as others have said they cant charge you more than the repairs actually cost.

mad_mam_of2

Thanks for your replies guys...I took the car back to the dealer this morning. After they removed the duct tape ( which just left a slight glue residue- no other damage). The bill came to £280. Still slightly miffed that I have not only had a £300 laptop stolen, but have been landed with an unexpected bill but hey..thats life, and as some of you pointed out. It could have been worse.

arcon5

Just take it to a local place, have it repaired and return it in the same condition received. Thus avoiding stupid dealer prices.

Edit: sorry just seen your more recent post. Just should how you can be miffed by it though - the vehicle was damaged in your care outside of normal wear and tear and you pay.

oscarward

mad_mam_of2 wrote: »

. Still slightly miffed that I have not only had a £300 laptop stolen.

Was the laptop on display in the car?