I have recently had an accident where someone drove into the back of me. The car has been in the insurance body shop for 6 weeks now, i went to collect it yesterday and refused it on number of problems.

The main issue being the rear bumper: The skirt and the bumper don't fit flush and have inconsistent gaps especially on the sides. The garage is claiming that it took so long as they having to order countless bumpers and skirts and keep trying which fits best as they just don't line up and what i saw yesterday is as good as it gets. They are saying that the parts a genuine skoda.

I have contacted the dealer where my car came from a year ago and he gave me contact details for managers at two local VAG approved body shops: Vindis and Gladwins. I want them to advise me weather that is a common issue they are aware of, if not i will be looking for something in writing.

I'd like to know if someone ever had a similar issue before or weather someone actually works in the trade and dealt with vrs bumpers before.

Have they replaced the holding clips? (assuming there are some!)

Had a similar problem on my astra and the issue was them using the old clips which had been stretched ad not replaced so didn't hold it tight to the rest of the body

When I questioned it the guy openly admitted to not replacing them to save money!

I had my lower rear skirt replaced at an independent body shop. Genuine parts used, 2 days later as good as need.

Sounds like there fobbing you off imo, 6weeks

I got rear ended.. I think I know exactly what you're on about..

Do you mean it's like the Spolier part is stuck on too low? This is exactly what they did to mine, I took it, I really shouldn't have done, but as it turned out the poor fit meant it actually started to come away at the wheel arch part only a WEEK later, so I got to tell them to do it again..

I think the problem is that, actully, Skoda did design a bit of a pig of a skirt to fit. In the end I actully suggested that they cut part of the stock bumper away around the edges that the spiler covers to achieve a good fit.. and it worked really well.. it looks almost (say 95%) stock..

I think the biggest issue you'll have with a body shop is (well, my Skoda approved body shop).. refused to paint both parts at the same time after having been bonded,.. but this is how the factory items come (i was looking at Bezzy's the other day)..and the paint fills the gap along the side, but how the factory get that gap sp tight I'll never know. They must have had a huge massive clamp / jig to pin it a into position whilst the bonding agent went off.

I always thought to my self that if a good physical condition factory bumper ever comes up cheap I'd plump for it.. My fits good, but it's not factory.. I honestly don't think the body shop doing my repair would ever have gotten it factory.

Here, some pics of mine..

ist pic, directly below, is factory (after being rear ended I'd add), and following lot of pictures was their 1st attempt...

Then, their 2nd attempt which I lived with (It was winter, I wanted my car back and it was close enough)

Thanks Rob. Thats pretty much what the problem seems to be, the bigger gap and the sides not being flush. At least I now know i'm not the only one with the problem although that doesnt make things any better as I just want my car back to what it was.