Body Shop advice

ToxicPaddy

Looking for some advice here guys..

Last Thurs night the drivers side of my car was destroyed by a truck, from the edge of the drivers door right up to the light at the front.

It was parked on the side of a street and the truck clipped it when turning a corner..

Its all being sorted now at the moment, fingers crossed, by the company who runs the truck and I want to make sure the car is repaired to the original state it was as it was in spotless condition, not a mark outside it and only 75k miles on it and maintained no matter what the cost.

From what I can see, the drivers door, mirror, front quarter panel, alloy wheel and tyre were damaged beyond repair and need to be replaced.. so I need to get someone to put it on a lift and check everything else underneath.

Any recommendations for a good bodyshop to bring it to?

Should I go through a main dealer, as most really do just outsource it to third parties for these type of repairs anyway??

Its an 01 Audi A6 by the way.

Tox

Anan1

I'd steer well clear of main dealers, most do substandard work compared to a good independent body shop in my experience.

smash

Your insurance accessor should be able to get all that done.

ToxicPaddy

It wont be going through my insurance, it will be going through theirs and I'd prefer to go to someone I have a recommendation of as I've heard of horror stories in the past of people getting their cars done through the other persons insurance company and seriously shoddy work coming back as they did it on the cheap and person chasing it for months afterwards trying to get it sorted..

So any good recommendations in the Dublin area would be appreciated.

Thanks..

Dazzy

I was very happy with two jobs I got done by Dennings. They are just off the M50 roundabout in tallaght. Approved by BMW and could be approved by Merc also.

I've also heard very positive feedback about Crofton Motors in Kimmage.

smash

If I was you, I'd contact my insurance company anyway and let them know. They'll probably send an accessor out because they wont want to insure a car that has been badly repaired and may be dangerous. They'll also recommend a repair centre to you.

Drummerboy08

Am I the only person who feels a 01 A6 could possibly be a write off with that amount of damage? That bill could easily come to 2k - what is the car worth? 3k?

ToxicPaddy

Its worth more than 3k mate..

75k miles, Full Audi Service history and not a scratch on her until last Thursday,

Minimum Id accept for her would be around €5k if I was selling it in the morning.

Its not anything serious apart from panel damage.

Took it for a good drive and apart from the cosmetic stuff, she is driving perfectly.. brakes are good, steering is perfect, no problems with the suspension or engine.. nothing leaking.. lights all working perfectly..

ianobrien

OP - The first thing to do is to tell your insurnace company, also telling them that the other party admitted liability and are putting it through their insurance company. They'll be the best to advise you then. (anyway, you're going to have to tell them anyway as they typically ask had you any accidents in the last year when renewing)

Also, if the other insurnace company decide it's a write-off, you'll need your assessor to fight for you. However, if they decide it's a write off, you'll need to have your homework done on the value of the car.

From what you've described, I reckon its a write off with door, wing, possibly light, bumper, bumper brackets paint & labour as well. However, if you would fit second hand stuff from a scrapyard, they car mightn't be a write off.

I priced wing, bonnet, one headlight, one foglight, one bumper and bumper brackets from a main dealer (for a 2000 Primera) and if memory served me right, the price was either 900 or 1100 euro. Labour/paint was the same again.

ToxicPaddy

Phoned my insurance company already and let them know..

The bumper and lights are fine.. some how they survived unmarked.

Its the door, wing and wing mirror.

The door might be repairable but not sure to be honest I'm no expert but the wing definitely is not worth even trying..

Here is a pic of the damage.. someone in the motor trade might have a better idea than I have

car.damage.1.JPG

Tox

Mr Benevolent

Your pic isn't showing.

Neilw

Had work done by AJK motors in Rush Co.Dublin, they did excellent work.
CCR in Tallaght come recommended too, James is the owner.

ToxicPaddy

Confab wrote: »

Your pic isn't showing.

Should be working now..

the_syco

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Should be working now..

Still not showing. Try just copy and paste the link to your post.

ToxicPaddy

ok is it working now???

You'd think I could work this site by now..

macroman

My Dad had the side completely done on his Combo by Ace Autobody after a drunk driver hit him. Complete side panel, door, wing and some jig work. They had it back to him in under 2 weeks and the job was seamless.

Neilw

Looks like it needs a new wing and door. Did the wheel get a bang, any suspension damage?

ToxicPaddy

No apparent suspension damage.. Ive driven it a bit now and apart from the tyre rubbing off the inside of the wheel arch if I go over a big bump a bit too fast all is ok..

The alloy wheel got a bit of damage and the tyre was brushed by the back of the truck too.. you can see it on the side wall, so I might push for those to be sorted too.. the wing and door are more important at the moment..

Having to climb in from the passenger side is getting to be a real pain as I cant open the drivers door..

the_syco

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Having to climb in from the passenger side is getting to be a real pain as I cant open the drivers door..

Should we start calling you "Bo", then? :P

ToxicPaddy

As long as Daisy is floating around you can call me whatever is deemed appropriate..

ToxicPaddy

Update on this:

Their insurance company called me and its all being sorted, so I just need to get a quote into them. My insurance company has recommended 2 places near me, anyone have any dealings with any of these guys?

ACE Autobody in Fairview

Wesley Motors in Bluebell Ind Est Dublin 12

Tox