Bad insurance repair & request for help

[Vectramatic]

Hi everyone

I got my car back on Thursday morning from the repairer. The pictures posted below speak for themselves. The insurance assessor and the manager of the body shop insist that this is the best they could do and is supposedly an 'acceptable' repair. The assessor approved the repair as satisfactory (the day prior to my collecting the car).

Please comment on what you see.

I would be immensly grateful to anyone who could post photos of the back of their Vectra Hatch (particularly if it's silver) so that I can print them off and hand them to this incompetant repairer as a reference of what the car should look like when correctly assembled. I am particularly after pictures of the gaps and joins in the bumper/guards, and the edge of the tail lights where they meet the back bumper

Thanks in advance all
- Blake


http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7588.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7585.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7578-1.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7580-1.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7579-1.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7582-1.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7583-1.jpg







=

[Shay]

TBH mate, looks fine, same as mine and AFAIK mines never had a hit.

[Vectramatic]

TBH mate, looks fine, same as mine and AFAIK mines never had a hit.

Hi Shay thanks for the reply mate. Definitely is not fine, photos don't do justice. One side looks different to the other, it never used to be that way.

[guy 27]

Take it back and tell them to fix it. If they refuse get a couple of quotes from other repairers and send them to your insurance company stating that you want the amount paid to get the work fixed within 30 days or you will seek legal action. if they refuse take the matter to small claims court.

That workmanship is not on. Colour match is out and the refitment of items is very poor.

[chrissn89]

TBH mate, looks fine, same as mine and AFAIK mines never had a hit.
Im with Shay on this one, from memory looks smilar to my old girl. Ill try and find the big versons of these pics tonight. I might be wrong tho, will have to wait and see if i can find large pics.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm213/chrissn89/veccy4sale017.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm213/chrissn89/vectraadj.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm213/chrissn89/veccy4sale001.jpg

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm213/chrissn89/veccy4sale003.jpg

[Vectramatic]

Take it back and tell them to fix it. If they refuse get a couple of quotes from other repairers and send them to your insurance company stating that you want the amount paid to get the work fixed within 30 days or you will seek legal action. if they refuse take the matter to small claims court.

That workmanship is not on. Colour match is out and the refitment of items is very poor.

Thanks Guy

They will be taking it in for a day on Wednesday after 'agreeing' to rectify the defects. Our house and both cars are insured with this insurer, so they have a lot to lose in not doing the right thing. Actually the colour match was one thing I was happy with, maybe the flash is affecting the pictures. This panel shop is capable of much better work, I just wish they had given me the option of contributing to the cost of the repairs in order to get it right. In other words it has been done to a price.

But really how can it work? The assessor supposedy tells the bidding panel shops what the job is worth before they even see it? When I re-insure I'll be paying closer attention to this. I think it is better to go around and get quotes, and then take it to the assessment centre. That way you have more control.

Honestly, I don't think it will take much to fix this....I just hope they make the effort.


Im with Shay on this one, from memory looks smilar to my old girl. Ill try and find the big versons of these pics tonight. I might be wrong tho, will have to wait and see if i can find large pics.

Chris, thank you for taking the time to add those pictures. It will be very helpful.
Can you remember if the bottom of the tail light lens is supposed to line up with the lip on the top of the bumper? I can't remember now.

[Vectramatic]

I got a shock when I looked under the car this morning to see this:


http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7593.jpg

[Taffy]

Hi Vectramatic,

Pic 8 of 18 (the tail light). I've checked mine and it's the same as yours, ie. not flush with the bumper. The bumper protrudes about 5mm further than the light, so that one looks Ok to me.

Not so sure about the others though, some of those gaps are pretty big but then again it might be classed as 'satisfactory' to your insurance company depending on who they are...maybe check the exact wording on the product disclosure statement.

Who are you insured with?

[Vectramatic]

Hi Vectramatic,

Pic 8 of 18 (the tail light). I've checked mine and it's the same as yours, ie. not flush with the bumper. The bumper protrudes about 5mm further than the light, so that one looks Ok to me.

Not so sure about the others though, some of those gaps are pretty big but then again it might be classed as 'satisfactory' to your insurance company depending on who they are...maybe check the exact wording on the product disclosure statement. Who are you insured with?

Thanks Taffy, that clears that aspect up. I'm not sure if I can say the name of the insurance company here without getting into trouble... Thanks again !!

[JohnBu]

I got a shock when I looked under the car this morning to see this:


http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/Nadena_2007/Vectra%20Insurance%20Repairs/100_7593.jpg

looks like they didn't replace the parts that needed to repair it correctly.

I can't comment on the paint/alignment as it's hard to tell from a photo, but underneath, it looks dodgy.. show your insurance company this.

[Vectramatic]

looks like they didn't replace the parts that needed to repair it correctly.

I can't comment on the paint/alignment as it's hard to tell from a photo, but underneath, it looks dodgy.. show your insurance company this.

Hi JohnBu

Thanks for your reply, that's exactly what is happening tomorrow morning. The assessor has agreed to meet me on site. He also said that he did not look under the bumper and therefore did not see this particular broken part - at least he is honest.....

[chrissn89]

Sorry I have not up loaded the high res pics, I have been working alot and haven't had a chance to jump on the computer at home. Sounds like your getting it all sorted now.

[Vectramatic]

Sorry I have not up loaded the high res pics, I have been working alot and haven't had a chance to jump on the computer at home. Sounds like your getting it all sorted now.

Chris that's fine, I have the process underway. They still won't put on a new bumper and insist on repairing this one.....I will get it back tomorrow with any luck.

[Vectramatic]

Thanks to everybody for your participation in this thread. After another failed repair attempt, the insurance company have finally decided to replace the bumper cover. Not at all a cheap exercise for them, bar alone is $950 (P/N 09118644, comes pre-primed). They have had the 3 days now, should get it back on Tuesday.

Will post pics

[duck]

insurance companies are such a headache to deal with. The only time insurance is really any good is when your car is a total write off otherwise you're better off paying for it yourself and getting a decent job done the first time

[Vectramatic]

Yes perhaps you're right. I was almost going to have a crack at it myself. I'll reserve my final opinion (about the panel beater / insurance co) until I get it back, hopefully tomorrow afternoon!

[Vectramatic]

Hi all

Got it back today, new bumper looks great. However I am curious about something......

I drove out of the panel beater's noticing that the air conditioning was not longer cold. I decided to drive straight to the auto electrician to get it checked out. The end result was that it was low on gas and needed a re-charge, which cost $110. They checked everywhere but couldn't see a leak (using the dye test).

There was no issue with the air-conditioner when I dropped it off (I use it all the time).

Spite or co-incidence?

[guy 27]

Spite or co-incidence?

co-incidence. panel shop wouldn't care about the extra work as they will just invoice the insurance company for the additional labour.

[djlech]

of course they care. Panel shop can't just invoice the insurance company cos car is going through the assessment and after the assessment if anything else is broken they need to call insurance company for another assessment. I was going through the same thing it took repair almost 3 months before my car was fixed properly! Unlucky I'm with AAMI.

[Shay]

are you sure right? cos guy has done repairs for insurance companies...

[Keep'emRunning]

..sometimes the insurance companies will make the repairer stick to their original quote, or in this case make good on a dodgy repair at their own expense.

If it's a cost based bidding system, they may receive a penalty or formal warning for underquoting the cost of repairs in order to get the job.

All part of the cut-throat world of insurance unfortunately.

[Vectramatic]

Thanks all for the replies. Reported to my insurance company today, they had their doubts.

Anyway, I am trying now to put it out of my mind...Just glad to have it back, finally