Repairs not up to scratch.

[dishpig]

Okay well a little while ago I crashed my car which was deemed my fault. (see below for crash pics)

I was told by my insurers (just cars) that I had to bring them two quotes and one of them had to be on their list of insurers. So I got one from the choice I had and the other from a reputable place near by. the place I chose was going to replace the left hand side of my tray, the side skirts and the protector strip the rest was going to be repaired. This was quoted $3000ish. The company from the insurance list only wanted to replace the protector strip the rest was going to be repaired (even the plastic side skirts!!!). This one was quoted $2000ish. Obviously the insurance chose the later one.

I picked my car up today and first thing I notice is my wheel hasn't been repaired and the hairline cracks on the skirting. So I tell the guy the wheel hasn't been repaired he said ok and we arange for me to drop the wheel off tomorrow morning and he'd fix it straight away. Then he explained about the skirting and how he couldn't get new ones from ford as they don't make them anymore, and the skirts came back from the repair shop in pristeen condition but when he attached them and tightened it up they cracked a little. After this I was satisfied because the cracks that were there before the crash were bigger then that anyway. And I really didn't see the point in wasting another week without my car over some minute cracks that are fords fault anyway.

Then I got home this afternoon and replaced the wheels so I could take them in the next morning took a second look at the work and noticed a huge stuff up. The front of my ute is out of line with the back of my ute. And it's fairly noticeable and really quite amazing they didn't fix it when they saw it when I expressed I wanted a good job not a fast one. Also I paid a $2000 excess on this which took bloody long to save whilst paying the ute off.

Here's the ute after the crash.



And the tray after the reapairs




And finally the side skirting
Front of skirt...


Back of skirt


This is going to stuff up my life massively as I start my apprentiship in a couple of weeks and I need my ute for it so thanks to some stupid mistake my life is going to be hell. If the insurance had've chosen the second reapirer none of this would've happened and I would have gotten the ute in and out sooner as they were much more professional and the bloke was alot more clued on and informed me he would be able to have the ute the week after I submitted the forms rather then the month after I had to wait for this guy.

[5L]

id be taking it back, sending these photos on to the insurance company.

you pay for the job to get done, you want quality work simple.

[b2tf]

Seems very weird that they could miss that. typically repairers just replace the entire tub as its easier than repairing one.

that skirt has split from that screw being too tight by the looks of it.

[dishpig]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Seems very weird that they could miss that. typically repairers just replace the entire tub as its easier than repairing one.

that skirt has split from that screw being too tight by the looks of it.

That's what I reckon too I just can't beleave ford wouldn't have any more side skirts for my falcon anymore. I'm going to ring ford in the morning and see if they are able to get any.

[Paxton]

Jeez mate, that's not good.

I've always checked one thing with my insurance (and this is the main reason I'm not with Double A Em Eye any more) is Choice Of Repairer. If you stack your car, unless you are an ASIO operative, you can't investigate the quality of their work. Your Ute is confirmation of that.

Take the thing back tomorrow, show them over EVERYTHING you aren't happy with, from the side skirts, to the alignment of the Cab. Contact your insurer and get a hire car for the duration. If they don't offer you one, remind them that the car should have been right the first time. Good luck.

Edit: Their story about Ford not making the skirts any more sounds Bogus to me. The BA Ute didn't change bits like that; the rear is the same. It sounds like a fob-off story to me.

[Peuty]

Take it back mate, simple as that. Dodgy job. Dodgy insurance company.

[dishpig]

Definatly ganna point it all out to the repairer tomorrow and call insurance about the whole debacle. I like the idea about the rental car hope I can get it.

[b2tf]

One of those pics didnt load for me the first time i replied - WTF is that bolt doing in the side skirt?! It should just be glued on and have the screw in it at either end. That's plain ands simply crap workmanship.

It looks like theyve just pushed the dints out, painted it and stuck the kit back on. That tub is bent to buggery and there's no way it should ever have left that way - as I said, the vast majority of repairers pull the tubs off and just put new ones on because its the easiest way to fix them.

If the insurer guarantees their work then you can take it back as many times as it takes until you're satisfied.

[gregaust]

Wow , that's pretty poor. If a tradesman lets work out like that obviously he has no pride in his work and i doubt could even do a good job anyway if he tried. In saying that if the place thinks that work is acceptable i'd be going elsewhere .

I'd be letting the insurance sort out a quality repair even it is elsewhere. The insurance take your $$$ every year so make sure you get what you deserve . A quality job.

[Sam]

Did you pay a $2000 excess?
Was the total cost of the repair $2000?
Who is your insurer?

It is a shocking job, that no insurer would accept once they see it.

[Sam]

I just had another look at the photos and almost choked, "they cracked a little" (because we had to do them up so tight to line them up and hide our crap work)

[ohzone]

Take it back, unacceptable
I subby (PDR) for a number of Panel Beaters and I know none of them would churn out that crap

[dishpig]

Yes $2000 excess - young plus xr6 = I get screwed no matter where i go.
total cost was just a little over $2000 but insurance also paid for the over car ofcourse. Insurer was just cars.

[InfernoSR]

Call the insurers... make an official complaint... after that... Dpeartment of Fair Trading... then go see the dodgey brothers! (aka panel beaters), tell them that you have contacted the insurance company with a formal complaint, and the dpeartment of Fair Trading... let them sort through the red tape... serves them right!

[Grum]

This is why u pay that little bit more to choose your own repairer

[howesy]

Forget the panel beater your insurer is the responsible party as far as obligation is concerned so contact them and be really firm and assertive and tell them it is a sub standard job that you wouldn't expect to see even in a 3rd world country and unless they get it fixed properly you will not only be presenting all photo evidence with an official complaint to the dept of Fair trading but you will also be lodging an official complaint with photos to the insurance ombudsman. If they still carry on go see ACA or today Tonight they love this kind of S@*t.

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by howesy

If they still carry on go see ACA or today Tonight they love this kind of S@*t.

Why does this always seem to be everybody's last resort?

[Cam]

Call your insurer and state your problem with the repairs, then go to the repairer and point out the damage and faults..

Your best bet is to be calm, but firm. Threats and yelling will get you nowhere. Pretend they are your friend and causally make jokes about the problems you have.

Your best bet is being friendly, people are alot more accepting of someone who seems calm, and isn't going off their head..

[BFD83]

When i had my accident and im with Just Car, i just told them what smash repairers that i wanted the car taken to and it was all organised and they did a good job! except for losing the plastic clips that hold the headlights in place!!

[superroo]

Thats dodge mate. But it happens where ever you go. When i had to get mine repaired because of the stupid brother in law, i eneded up going to the most expensive place because they gave me the most confidence in doing the job right, needless to say they didn't.

There was a list of things they didn't do, and then it still had to go back to fix up the mistakes they had made. Wasn't good being a week out from GAFD.

Skirts sound about right being unavailble though. I know you can't get rear tub skirts for a BA XR now, Ford only carry the BF equivilent.

I would approach the repairer first, see what they say, then contact the insurer and let them know what happened. Make sure you don't pay a dime, and that it is repaired to your standards. This is why you have insurance, so your car is repaired to your standards, not some blind, cheap business' standard.

That skirt is stuffed, and i can see where it looks like it hasn't been painted properly too. There shouldn't be a bolt at the front of the skirt either. They are meant to be glued (sikaflex'd) on. I'd say you will need a new fiberglass skirt as your is beyond repair, IMO.

Cheers

[eXi7w0unD]

yea just cars is a little dodgy i too am with them, but u do get a life time warrenty on all repairs. my car got tboned, so they had to take the side plastics off from inside and they messed around with the lining on the ceiling of the car. hand prints every whear! and now they fixed it and shiz, my whole roof lining is falling down, like a massive bubble

and get this its nor the repaires fault or justcars. its my fault cus its WEAR AND TEAR with the car over time. its ign bs, it started to sag when then fixed my car. but nooooo.

and they kept my car in the sun for 6 weeks.... and the front leather seat is rooted. it like melted.. tried to claim that but again wear and tear. its only on 1 half of the seat..
sigh. the car will never be the same.

/end rant

[dishpig]

Well this morning I went and gave the fella my wheel that he didn't fix so now I'm driving on burnout rims for the weekend (luckily they have new tyres). I told him about the tray not being inline and at first he said it seemed alright then it was the same as the other side, to which I pointed out it definatly wasn't. Then he tried telling me he'd unattach the tray and see if he can move it over. So in other words he wants to even up his mistake.

After this I asked him what was up with the bolt. Apparently he didn't know they used screws to attach them. Now i'm thinking this guys just gets better and better and he just constantly tries to sweet talk me into doing nothing.

So I left after that and when I got to work I got confirmation from ford that you can still get those sideskirts, they cost $260 (notice how the reapair would have been cheaper). Called just cars and explained all the stuff ups and he write down everything I told him and is going to send out an assesor on wednesday.



P.S. A note about the choice of repairer thing, I'm not really going to get that benifit for a while because I'm 19 own an xr6 whilst on an apprentiship and due to me being an idiot I've lost my license once. So my choice of insurers is limited due to cash and whether they would actually insurer me for under $2000.

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by dishpig

Well this morning I went and gave the fella my wheel that he didn't fix so now I'm driving on burnout rims for the weekend (luckily they have new tyres). I told him about the tray not being inline and at first he said it seemed alright then it was the same as the other side, to which I pointed out it definatly wasn't. Then he tried telling me he'd unattach the tray and see if he can move it over. So in other words he wants to even up his mistake.

After this I asked him what was up with the bolt. Apparently he didn't know they used screws to attach them. Now i'm thinking this guys just gets better and better and he just constantly tries to sweet talk me into doing nothing.

So I left after that and when I got to work I got confirmation from ford that you can still get those sideskirts, they cost $260 (notice how the reapair would have been cheaper). Called just cars and explained all the stuff ups and he write down everything I told him and is going to send out an assesor on wednesday.



P.S. A note about the choice of repairer thing, I'm not really going to get that benifit for a while because I'm 19 own an xr6 whilst on an apprentiship and due to me being an idiot I've lost my license once. So my choice of insurers is limited due to cash and whether they would actually insurer me for under $2000.

Sounds like the guy really gave you the "Your only a kid, what do you know" routine... :

[bloggs24]

I'm not insured, but i wonder how much i'd have to pay, im 18, own an XR6, lost my liscense once already and the cars already been broken into before...

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by bloggs24

I'm not insured, but i wonder how much i'd have to pay, im 18, own an XR6, lost my liscense once already and the cars already been broken into before...

Well stop wondering, call up an insurance company and bloody well get insured.

[bloggs24]

lol, im too stubborn

[MrXr6Tickford]

Originally Posted by bloggs24

I'm not insured, but i wonder how much i'd have to pay, im 18, own an XR6, lost my liscense once already and the cars already been broken into before...

your part reason why my premium is so high... uninsured people like you...

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by bloggs24

lol, im too stubborn

You deserve to crash then. Good luck when you do.

[HOEBAG]

No he doesn't.
I know plenty of uninsured safe drivers.
Insurance if anything makes people drive more sloppy because their more comfortable and feel protected.
Driving with no insurance actually makes you look left and right twice.

[ILLaViTaR]

Originally Posted by MrXr6Tickford

your part reason why my premium is so high... uninsured people like you...

He can be uninsured if he wants.

Incredibly stupid but it's his point to make.
People shouldn't be forced to give business to a profiteering company (unlike America).