As some of you might know someone run into the side ofmme the other week, resulting in me need two new rear wheels and body work repair. The tracking was also knocked out. Got the car back yesterday and took it for a drive today and it's not right at all. Tracking is still off, (wheel is not central) and the handling is totally off. A corner on my local slip road I know I can take comfortably at 70 now I'm hanging on at just 55! It's twitchy and just doesn't feel right. Since the repair I think I can hear a dull hum comin from the back of the car but it's one of them noises you can only hear sometimes. Goin to get back onto insurance company in the morning. Would it have just been assessed bodywork wise when they was doing the repair? To me something has gone wrong somewhere with the chassis.

Obviously you will have them sort it out, correctly checked by mechanics and not just Body Shop repairers.

Get professional alignment done.

 

Have you checked your tyre pressures.

& Have you checked your wheel nuts the tightness since getting it back?

 

Get it on a ramp when its at the Alignment Centre and have the exhaust checked, incase thats now hitting the floor,

have the repairs closely inspected.

 

Take nothing for granted.

It got winched onto the Transporter did it not, or was it driven on?

 

Was the car Assessed for the Accident damage before being taken away or only once they had it?

Have you got a copy of the report?

 

george

Would it be worth getting it in a hunter tracking system to see what's what?

I know it would be at your expense but at least you'll be able to tell them what's not right? Ie camber or toe.

It will not be at his expense, (unless he allows it to be.)

the work has to be guaranteed, there should be an alignment check report with the vehicle now.

 

Too many micky mouse cosmetic repairs being allowed by insurance companies.

Seat belts do not get replaced when required etc, Or even specified in the type of RTA that may require them to be.

Tyres not properly checked.

just budget repairing.

 

If un-happy and you know a car is not right, you give them the chance to get it right,

& if not you get an 'Engineers Report' done and they will be covering the expenses for not 

doing their duty of having the customers car safely and properly repaired.

 

george

Thanks for that info George. That's what ill do. It's so frustrating

Just a quick update, the car is un drivable now, just been coming back from work and it just didn't want to go round a corner at all! It's like driving on ice. The wheel that got hit is definitely toeing in. What is more that likely damaged? Is it fixable or is there possibilities of it being written off?

don't know if you can make it out much in a photo though.

Needs inspected to see where it is out of alignment, rear axle, hub assembly or what ever.

 

george

Take it back and ask to see the alignment print out.

 

 I damaged an Audi A4 on the rear nearside resulting in a new subframe and suspension, when I got the car back it felt very nervous to drive and the wheels looked very out of line, I took it back to the repairer who showed me an alignment print out that was "within tolerance" their words.

 I then took it to a Porsche specialist who set cars up for the track, I paid £85 for an alignment and report, which they did and it confirmed the repair was inadequate, from here I went back to the body shop who said "it has been approved and invoiced, as far as we are concerned it is ok"

 Armed with my info I went back to the insurance company, they sent the Audi to an official Audi repairer and the work was done again, which I might add was still not quite right as the car munched through rear tyres within 10,000 miles. The insurance also reimbursed me for the report from Ninemeister.

 

 I sold the car in the end as I was not happy with it. 

Thats my concern that when I do get it back its not perfect. Was thinking of swappin anyway but don't want the decision to be made for me.

First polite and business like but ask them to carry out correct repairs.

Nice and simple request. not too emotional, just calm. (Difficult i know.)

 

With the money already spent on your hire/courtesy car & the body repairs, they will have to bite the bullet i would imagine and 

have the mechanical repairs now completed correctly.

 

Insist on an Vehical Engineers report to be carried out now before further work continues.

Not their Approved Body Shop doing a Report, a Qualified Vehicle Examiner.

 

Sorry if i sound like it is all easy,

but actually it is, if there is any messing about, you bite the bullet, commission a report on the vehicle and let the Insurance Company know that 

the Invoice will be going to them to reimburse you.

 

Do this in writing, Phone Call & Email tomorrow, then a letter, but then you need from them responses in writing.

 

george

Hmm if the alignments out then is thought it'll be a new rear beam.

Was their and damper damage?

Not sure, looks to me like they have only looked at the body work

The panel gap to the left of the lights doesn't look right.

Rear beams twisted

New beam required

Hmm will have to have a closer look at that in the morning

Update. Had it back to the garage and all 4 wheels where out of ****. It needs a new rear axel. Insurance have oked it and I'm in my second courtesy car. It's a.....

Nissan pixo! No lie its better then the astra. More fun and quicker lol

Have they explained why they didn't spot this first time round?

The explanation will be their lack of Proper & Professional Accident Examination by a Qualified person,

Costing and Estimation or Parts requiring replacing,

then of a Professional Alignment check of Mechanical and Body before repairs are started.

& a proper inspection after the repair is completed.

 

But thats just how things are these days, 'National Repair Centres' & 'Approved Repairers' and no better than Kerb Side Autos were in the past.

 

Blame the Insurance Companies/Shareholders and their drive for Profits, while the Public drive for lower insurance prices.

Providing Cheap Courtesy/Hire cars while they do a proper job seems fine to me.

A few days and a Quality Repair done, seems like a result.

 

george