Off Topic Crashed

[stu0710]

TBH - this guy is trying to save premium hikes on his trade insurance, so will be desperate to keep a claim from going through. I wouldn't let him near my car as you have no comeback if it goes pear-shaped and it could invalidate your warranty.

This happened to me in Jan with my 12 month old Volvo. A guy left the handbrake off his works van and it rolled across a car park and damaged my rear bumper. He worked for a car valeters and his boss phoned me 20 mins later to say no problem they could get my car fixed and the bumper repainted via a contact of his with a body shop - I told them no thanks I'll go through his insurance and get it done properly with a Volvo approved body shop. In the end he agreed to pay this out of his own pocket direct to the Volvo approved body shop - it needed a whole new bumper & trim assy (supplied by Volvo already painted) which cost him £900?

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

TBH - this guy is trying to save premium hikes on his trade insurance,

Not forgetting it is likly to also help prevent an increase on the OP's premium also. Most insurance companies will increase a premium ever so slightly, even though the claim is none fault

 

[SG123]

Yes he have me a courtesy car & said that they aren't gonna rush doing my car as its brand new & want to get it back to me in the same condition.. Also as fiat messed up with the insurance & didn't tell me that meant I was only covered 3rd party.. I've done alot of research on the bodyshop & it's a family run business which has been around since 1922 & they have a lot of good reviews... I'm gonna just wait until the car is back & then see what's what.. I personally think they'll do a good job & if they don't ill be having a new car!!... But like I say I think it'll be fine..

 

[Heidi]

I don't think you have a choice anyway because you were uninsured at time of bump.

Hope all goes well - I'm sure it will

 

[dave]

Yes he have me a courtesy car & said that they aren't gonna rush doing my car as its brand new & want to get it back to me in the same condition.. Also as fiat messed up with the insurance & didn't tell me that meant I was only covered 3rd party.. I've done alot of research on the bodyshop & it's a family run business which has been around since 1922 & they have a lot of good reviews... I'm gonna just wait until the car is back & then see what's what.. I personally think they'll do a good job & if they don't ill be having a new car!!... But like I say I think it'll be fine..

bad repairs can be hidden well

I don't think you have a choice anyway because you were uninsured at time of bump.

Hope all goes well - I'm sure it will

being covered 3rd party isn't uninsured.

 

[Heidi]

I meant her car not repairable on her insurance because only third party.

 

[SG123]

Exactly my car was not covered just his & even though it was his fault if he managed to wangle out if it my car would cost a fortune to fix up.. Anyway I don't keep my fiats more than 2 years before I trade in for a new one so aslong as it keeps well for that time that'll do me.. In regards to fiat though not sure what we can do as if the crash would have been my fault & was proved I'd be screwed with only 3rd party cover.. When its all fixed up I'm gonna insist the least fiat can do is check it all over!!... My next door neighbour had her car bashed into all the front of it much worse than mine & after it came back it looked like nothing had happened excellent job was done on it so if mine comes back like that & I think the company is trustworthy I'm happy.. A family run business can't stay around for all them years if they're bad at what they do!!.. Or so you would think anyway!!..

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Exactly my car was not covered just his & even though it was his fault if he managed to wangle out if it my car would cost a fortune to fix up.. Anyway I don't keep my fiats more than 2 years before I trade in for a new one so aslong as it keeps well for that time that'll do me.. In regards to fiat though not sure what we can do as if the crash would have been my fault & was proved I'd be screwed with only 3rd party cover.. When its all fixed up I'm gonna insist the least fiat can do is check it all over!!... My next door neighbour had her car bashed into all the front of it much worse than mine & after it came back it looked like nothing had happened excellent job was done on it so if mine comes back like that & I think the company is trustworthy I'm happy.. A family run business can't stay around for all them years if they're bad at what they do!!.. Or so you would think anyway!!..

Extended third party liability means even if uninsured, if his fault his insurance will have to fix your car, however, doesn't mean they won't take you to the cleaners in other ways (getting police involved etc).

However you should be putting more pressure on Fiat if THEY messed up your insurance.

 

[SG123]

I agree about fiat & we shall... Had we picked car up when arranged it would of had proper insurance but fiat delayed the pick up by a week hence why the policy had expired & they didn't renew it.. Also they'd parked my car on the main road (not on forecourt) for me to collect so if anything had happened to it out there what would have happened in regards of insurance?!??

 

[poggy]

How was it insured third party though, your own policy only allows you to drive vehicles, which don't belong to you third party, not normally vehicles you own.

You can claim off a third party even if your not insured, however when you fill in the claim form, it will be a admission you were driving while uninsured and if the police found out you could be prosecuted.

Having said that, Fiat seem to have made a error on the insurance as have the garage in allowing you to take the car off the forecourt without checking it was in place. I believe it is also part of the finance application that the dealer checks your insurance (if It was dealer finance).

 

[ukmike2010]

Very easy to be wise after the event but ALWAYS arrange your own insurance and don't rely on someone's promise of 7 days cover. Insurance is one of those things that is an expensive nuisance until the day you need it.

Under the circumstances the OP has been very lucky and I'm sure the car will come back in good condition. Imagine if he hadn't accepted responsibility and insisted on calling the Police at the scene!

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Sorry to hear your bad news. I for one wouldn't worry too much about the repair. Just make it clear that you expect it to look like it just came out of the showroom and you should be ok. Make sure you check that lines etc are sharp and finish is perfect.

Just like to ask, how did fiat balls up your insurance? Reason I ask is that they can't issue insurance without at least speaking to you (the ins co, not fiat). Did you ever give all your details of your insurance history etc, your Ncb or any other details? Or did you presume there was 7 days free insurance

 

[poggy]

By the way not all garages are dishonest or out to scam customers, so the body shop will probably do a good job. If they have been around that long and are a family business, I would probably trust that more than a guarantee from the big body shops.

Most of the big chain one's I have used for insurance jobs have been appalling. One even super glued a broken indicator cluster in and it fell out on the way home, plus the bolts holding the wing on were missing. It was only a dented wing as well.

 

[SG123]

Fiat said there would be 7 days free insurance & we had to do nothing apart from tell our insurers that we had a new car once home.. However fiat rang & asked could we delay the pick up by a week so we said ok.. & so we thought they'd arrange another 7 days insurance since they asked us to delay the pick up & the same thing happened last year with fiat in regards to picking up it was delayed however they added another 7 days insurance on top.. Fiat havnt even rang us to see what we have sorted out in regards to the repair which is appalling I think as the dealer told us we were Insured for 7 days (maybe he forgot that he'd asked us to delay the pick up by a week) but I still think they need to accept some responsibility!!.. I was a very good customer at fiat but after this ill never buy a car again from them.. Normally when you buy off them you get calls a few days after asking about the car/ service from dealers & we've had nothing!!.. Distgustung I think!!

 

[jrkitching]

Distgustung I think!!

Yes, I'd agree.

I'd arranged to collect mine on the 1st March & the dealer duly arranged the 7 days free cover to enable me to drive it home & sort out the insurance transfer in my own time. I didn't actually collect it until the 4th, so at handover the dealer went online & printed me out a new 7 day insurance certificate expiring on the 11th, so that I'd have the full 7 days to make the necessary arrangements.

 

[SG123]

I won't be allowing fiat to get out of admitting they were also blame.. I'm gonna wait till I get my car back & if I'm happy with that ill then sort fiat out & it's the last fiat ill be buying from that dealership... Nearly got an Audi a1 wish I did now!!

 

[SG123]

Well got my car back today from the bodyshop & I was amazed at the job they done.. Was worried they wouldn't be able to match up my chillout purple but as he said if you have the right machinery & people then its not a problem & clearly they have both!!... You'd never guess anything had happened to it!!... So I suppose alls well that ends well... :worship:

 

[Bondgirl]

Phew, that's a relief, glad it all worked out well in the end

 

[Numptey]

Good to hear and glad you had the faith. I had one accident where the car came back better than when I had bought it. I am sure that the Fiat dealer would have offered you a free 7 day insurance to drive it home (may be worded differently), since you hadn't collected it, they should not have started it and you would be within your legal rights to assume you would be covered from date of collection. Threaten to speak to a solicitor unless they keep you happy, don't have to actually do this, but makes them nervous

 

[RobinPJ]

Given that the OP has been put right and has not suffered any loss, I'm not sure whether the dealer would be nervous, amused, or think the OP a bit of a twonk if they threatened to speak to a solicitor.