Drivefly Heathrow

mindyourlanguage

I recently used Drivefly at Heathrow. On collection I noticed the car had been damaged, it needs a new bumper.

They asked me to get a quotation but not from a main dealer which I did. They have agreed to pay for damages over 3 monthly installments. The cost of damages is just under a £1000, I refused there offer for monthly installments. They said take it or leave it basically, surely this isn't right.

Not only do I lose a days work being a taxi driver but I have to pay for the damages out of my pocket and then wait 3 months to fully have it back.

DUTR

Then use your insurance.

mindyourlanguage

will this not affect my no claims

DUTR

mindyourlanguage wrote: »

will this not affect my no claims

I wouldn't know, I'm not your underwriter, however from what you described you are to lose income etc whilst it's being resolved, which is the lesser of evils?

Mercdriver

Name and shame them with one of the national newspaper consumer pages. There is no way that you should be expected to be paid in instalments.

Aylesbury_Duck

A quick look at their online feedback suggests they might not be too bothered. It looks a pretty basic service. As with all these things, you get what you pay for. A yard, a minibus and some questionable claims processes.

It surprises me that people spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds on flights and holidays will hand over their car (itself worth thousands) to someone for the sake of saving a few quid on proper airport parking.

[Deleted User]

You could threaten to take them to Small Claims Court, and then do it if they refuse.

mindyourlanguage

Thanks for all your input, in the future I will do my research. Not decided which route I will go down yet.

Mercdriver

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

A quick look at their online feedback suggests they might not be too bothered. It looks a pretty basic service. As with all these things, you get what you pay for. A yard, a minibus and some questionable claims processes.

It surprises me that people spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds on flights and holidays will hand over their car (itself worth thousands) to someone for the sake of saving a few quid on proper airport parking.

Even APCOA who run the official valet parking will try their luck. About 5 years ago, we had used valet parking when doing a trip to Vienna from Heathrow. We got back to the car before going to the office, which is the normal way I do this when using valet parking at Heathrow. Reason? Because they try and make you sign to accept the keys back and acknoledge car undamaged. I look the car over first.

Anyway, this I did. There was a scrape on the front offside bumper and a scratched alloy on my wife's X5. I went to the office and reported it. They first tried to fob me off by saying to drive away and email in. I told them, that we would not do that as they would then claim it happened elsewhere, and we wouldn't be able to prove otherwise. I insisted on the attendance of a manager.

Then the guy in the office said that the mark was there before. Never mind the fact that there was a corresponding mark on the pillar. He came over to inspect it, and said that the damage was old. He didn't account for the fact that I always travel with a number of lenses and 2 cameras. One of them was a 50mp Medium format camera and I had a macro lens with me. So I took a photo at 1:1 which proved that the damage was fresh. No dirt in it, no wind effect. Newly damaged fibreglass.

Again he said to drive away and sort it out over email. Again I refused and insisted on the attendance of the manager. "He's busy" was the response. "I don't care" said I, "I will wait for him."

After about 30 mins the manager arrived from Terminal 5. I showed him the damage, showed the mark on the pillar and showed him the photographs which I had downloaded on to my laptop. He immediately accepted responsibility on behalf of the company, backing it up in writing on headed paper. He said someone would be in touch to deal with it. Turns out the guy who said the damage was historical, was the guy that had parked my wife's car against the pillar. I wonder why he wanted us to drive away...

The Accident Management Company, Kindertons got in touch the next day and it was fixed with a XC90 as a courtesy car. I also got 5 years of "the insurance company is sitting on thousands..." which Kindertons were adamant was nothing to do with them...

I don't use Valet parking anymore. I either drive up to Heathrow and get somebody to drive my car back if I am away for a while (a month so far with 2 weeks to go til I return home) or else I book short stay in advance and park the car myself. It's more expensive than long stay, if there isn't a hotel and parking deal at Heathrow Thistle with the use of the pod, but it is easier. Walk across the bridge and drive home...