Is my Mum being scammed?

Noreen

rs65 wrote: »

So, how much more are they charging?

How would I know that?
It'll be between the garage and the insurance company.
But since they've had the car for three weeks so far:eek:, and they'll charge them large amounts for three weeks (and counting) of courtesy car, it won't be pennies!

rs65

Noreen wrote: »

How would I know that?
It'll be between the garage and the insurance company.
But since they've had the car for three weeks so far:eek:, and they'll charge them large amounts for three weeks (and counting) of courtesy car, it won't be pennies!

It is likely that the garage has to bear the cost of such cars.

Noreen

rs65 wrote: »

It is likely that the garage has to bear the cost of such cars.

Really? This will cost them a fortune then.
Surely they will charge the insurers enough so they make a profit on the job?

Muscle750

Did she still have a unprogrammed key? If not they would have to put in a new lockset and reprogram the key. You do not have to replace any ECU or anything like that you just have to reprogram it end of. However when you say VW garage is it a proper VW dealer or another setup

rs65

I remember a deal between a garage and an insurer where the garage had to have 4 courtesy cars available to be classed as an appointed repairer. The garage had to fund these cars themselves to get repair work. It also encouraged them to repair cars promptly to get the courtesy car back to lend it out again.

Noreen

Muscle750 wrote: »

Did she still have a unprogrammed key? If not they would have to put in a new lockset and reprogram the key. You do not have to replace any ECU or anything like that you just have to reprogram it end of. However when you say VW garage is it a proper VW dealer or another setup

Yes, she had the spare unprogrammed key which worked perfectly.
It's a main VW dealer- just looked them up.
They had the car from 4th Feb until at least 19th; first we've heard today about it being sent to the Fiat dealer.

Tilt

Should of gone to a Fiat dealer in the first place. They would of sorted it all out probably in a few hours.

If it's a Grande Punto, Evo or a current model, the master remote key can be used by a specialist auto locksmith to programme spare keys. As I understand it, the car actually re-codes the key every time it it's used to turn on the ignition providing the key is recognised. But if it's the main remote key we are talking about then I think only a Fiat dealer can re-programme or replace it.

jimjames

Noreen wrote: »

OK, you're right- my poor choice of words.
I suppose I suspect my Mum may be involved in a scam on the part of the garage.
(She will also have to pay £250 which is the excess on her insurance which she didn't realise when getting the insurance company involved, but that's not their fault- though it would have been nice if SAGA had checked that Mum understood that before going ahead. We could have got it done far cheaper and quicker- so I'm cross and frustrated about the whole thing!)

Ouch! £250 to get a new key. I'm sure you could have gone direct to a specialist for about half that

Noreen

jimjames wrote: »

Ouch! £250 to get a new key. I'm sure you could have gone direct to a specialist for about half that

Indeed.
Think I'll ring the insurance company in the morning and suggest they could have been more helpful to their 86-year old customer by reminding her of the excess- she's never made a claim before and didn't realise.

Tilt

jimjames wrote: »

Ouch! £250 to get a new key. I'm sure you could have gone direct to a specialist for about half that

Not for an original remote Fiat key she couldn't. BUT she may as well of gone direct to a Fiat dealer and paid maybe £50 more an got it all sorted in about 2 days tops.