Question

Miss Snowy

My partner accidentally hit into a parked car on a street the other day, causing very very minor damage. There are a couple of light scrapes at the end of the door close to the tyre and maybe a very slight and very small crease (its hard to make out much unless you look close, and even then we cant see a crease). It was agreed in front of Gardai that it would be dealt with privately but a copy of his insurance details was given in case he didn't follow up. Was said in front of the Guards he would be in touch today or tomorrow. The guards also said the damage was very minor, wouldn't cost much to repair (less than 500), and he told me that he was a witness in the event it was claimed there was more damage than what was spotted by the Guards.

Chap called today, owner of the car, saying my partner never called as promised and that he got a quote from the main dealer looking for 2k. New door, sprayed and the side of the car needs to be sprayed or something to blend it in. I think I can get the car done cheaper, there is a garage in town run by lithuinans who have done work for me in the past (I hit into a car, causing my bonnet to crumple back and my bumper to go out of place - fixed it all much cheaper than main dealers who kept saying a new bonnet was needed). Its a group of them who do tyers, car repairs and body work in two separate units in a business park. The car owner will let them quote, but he doesn't think he will go with them because there not a big business. He also commented and said that the Guards told him the insurance company would take any quotation they were given for third party claim.

Partner went back to the Guards who just said to go through the insurance company, who will send out an assessor and if my partner agrees to just pay back the insurance company his insurance wont rise nor will he loose my no claims bonus. That's all I was told to do, and just not to bother dealing with the owner of the car anymore.

What's the best course of action here?

Thanks!

colm_mcm

If someone crashed into my car, I'd rather it be done by the dealers rather than Fred-in-the-shed. I'd have to sign a document on receiving the car back saying I was happy with the job, if anything went wrong down the road, I'd want to know there'd be a good chance the outfit would still be in business.

If your partner isn't going through insurance then he's pretty much at the mercy of what repairer the victim wants to use.


Also, Garda aren't crash repairers, and their estimate on the damage makes no odds.

bazz26

The injured party is entitled to have their car restored to the condition it was in before your partner damaged it. This means they can go get the repair work done where they feel it will be done to a high standard and will stand over their work, this is why most folk will opt to go back to the main dealer. You can ask them to get a second quote from another garage but again they are not obliged to go with it.

If you are not happy with the quote then you are probably better off letting your insurance companies deal with it.

I know if it was my car then I would want it repaired by a garage that I trust and know their standard of work, I would not just let someone recommend me another place just because it would work out cheaper the liable party.

Senna

I'm sure there is a happy medium between main dealer and fellas in a shed. Most areas/towns (maybe post your location) will have body shops who are both well respected and not as dear as a main dealer.
Maybe find a compromise, but at the end of the day its the person who's car was damaged who decides where the work will be done.

Miss Snowy

He wants to ensure the car that was damaged is repaired and brought back to new (nobody will know for sure what marks were there before the incident). Its just he wasn't expecting that a new door would be needed, a complete spray on the side of the car and apparently the wing mirror needs replacing as part of the job but it looks perfect. He just feels like he is being taken to the cleaners, and is trying to get a fair quote but a job that works. These guys do this for a living, 9-5 job and have a sign over their garage in a big business park with lots of other businesses.

The mark on the car is slight, nothing major. Just seems a lot of money to get it back to new and I have never heard of this insurance claim of this type whereby it wont effect your bonus.

Just looking for advise without getting screwed is all!

Voodoomelon

Most main dealers outsource body work anyways.

Bottom line, you can suggest as many shops as you want, but the owner is entitled to go where he wants. No one wants to go through insurance, but if you don't like the idea of handing over a fist of cash so they can get it done cheap/not done at all, then you don't really have much choice.

Best thing to do is ring around/drop in to some respected body shops yourself (preferably with pictures) and get some quotes done up and offer them to the other party.

Senna

As said, the other driver chooses who repairs the car and if he doesn't know the garage you recommended and then hears that they are lithuinans, he is probably going to be put off by it. Rightly or wrongly, some people will assume a garage run by non-irish will be dodgy, sadly its a fact.

unkel

Miss Snowy wrote: »

Chap called today, owner of the car, saying my partner never called as promised and that he got a quote from the main dealer looking for 2k. New door, sprayed and the side of the car needs to be sprayed or something to blend it in. I think I can get the car done cheaper

The fact that you can get the car done cheaper is irrelevant.

Did he present you with a written quote from the main dealer for a total of 2k? If not he might be bluffing - ask for a written quote, or try negotiating

If he did show you a quote, either go through the insurance or negotiate a cash deal with him.

mickdw

Can't see insurers giving 2000 for this even with new door unless its an expensive car. I'm told the insurers have pricing cut to the bone now and the repair shops have little choice but to go with it. I've seen a repair done very reasonably at main dealer body shop recently that involved a door repair, new wing, new bumper, new headlight, spotlight and odds and ends on an 08 merc for 2800 through insurance.

I suggest you tell the guy that at those figures you will go through insurance but make it clear that its pretty certain that they won't pay anything like that amount.

Mr Benevolent

OP, the guy is entitled to go wherever he wants to get the repair done. Get a written quote or two from the guy and either hand over the cash or go through the insurance. It's simple.

Miss Snowy

Miss Snowy wrote: »

.......... It was agreed in front of Gardai that it would be dealt with privately but a copy of his insurance details was given in case he didn't follow up. Was said in front of the Guards he would be in touch today or tomorrow. The guards also said the damage was very minor, wouldn't cost much to repair (less than 500), and he told me that he was a witness in the event it was claimed there was more damage than what was spotted by the Guards.................

In fairness auto body repair quotes isn't the field of expertise of AGS so what they reckon it costs to repair carries no weight

Ask for a written quote, the chap who had his car slapped is under no obligation whatsoever to go to any garage you recommend.

As the door close to the wheel was damaged is it possible the wing, rear quarter panel or sill was too?

In fairness €2000 though sounding a lot (and is a lot of cash) can sometime go not too far when bodywork is concerned.

The make, model and year of the chaps car would be helpful

bazz26

Just to put things into perspective.

My father had a bit of a tip a few months ago and he was liable. The other party got a quote from their body shop and my father rang them and told them that he would be paying directly to them by cash. So the garage came back with an adjusted price including a discount for paying in cash. The other party still had the repair work done by their preferred garage and everyone was happy.