Advice on car repair after accident

[KARL]

So unfortunately I was involved in a smash recently in my S3. Does any one have any advice re having the insurance company's recommended garage fix it, or taking it to an official audi garage? Using the first option seems easiest, ie I get a courtesy car, they come pick it up, only one estimate needed etc so it gets done quicker. Would anyone strongly recommend me against doing this?

thanks

 

[jamiekip]

Always stick with the an approved audi paint shop.
If there are any issues with paint match etc it's far easier for you to complain and get the job done properly and only audi approved centres mean your paint warranty is still valid.
Your insurance should allow this, alternatively, speak to your Audi centre and they can hekp you organise, most now have a specific service for audi customers in a bump, they get you a similar valued courtesy car.

That's what I'd do... go with the insurers option and you'll no doubt have a corsa whilst your car is in!!!

J

 

[Khufu]

 

[PaulAr]

Always stick with the an approved audi paint shop.
If there are any issues with paint match etc it's far easier for you to complain and get the job done properly and only audi approved centres mean your paint warranty is still valid.
Your insurance should allow this, alternatively, speak to your Audi centre and they can hekp you organise, most now have a specific service for audi customers in a bump, they get you a similar valued courtesy car.

That's what I'd do... go with the insurers option and you'll no doubt have a corsa whilst your car is in!!!

J

Wise words.

My last car had paintwork done at an independant VW approved paint shop by the previous owner, however 2 of the panels had started to corrode at the edges after 10months or so due to bad prep and because it wasnt done through the dealer network I had to sort it myself, direct with the paint shop.
This meant doing a 200 mile round trip to take the car back to the paint shop for rectification.
Then the same again the following week to collect the car!

Fuel and time wasted at my expense and I had to use a Peugeot courtesy car which wasnt a pleasant experience

If it had been done through the dealer network then I could have taken it to any VW garage and it would have been their duty to sort it, saving me a lot of grief.

My advice would be to deal through the AUDI network, its much more simple
Hope this helps.

Good luck
Paul




I right pain in the ***!

 

[edition]

I would stongly recommend you make sure you see some of the work that comes out of whichever Audi bodyshop you use!!!

Mine went into H'gate Audi and had to go back in another 5 times very poor service, telling me that you cant get them 100% once you do new paint!!! This was for a scratch no more than 3" long.

The majority of them dont have there own bodyshops, so sub it out to others.

I would still use an offical audi bodyshop though due to warenty issues unless you know of a top notch bodyshop.


If your in Yorkshire i would use Impact in Brighouse and thats about it!

Hope that helps, only my experience but 5 attempts is enough for me!

 

[jamiekip]

If you;re in London I can't recommend West London Audi enough. They we're awesome getting a match on my car (due to dodgy SMART repair - do a search if you want to know more)

 

[KARL]

I spoke to my local audi dealer (docklands) and they told me that all the work they have done is done by this garage

http://www.balgores.com/index.html

I've told my insurance company I want the work done by them now, so hopefully that should be a better option

 

[jamiekip]

I'd still ask for the work to be undertaken by Audi.... that way if you have any issues its through Audi, not that specific paint shop... and you won;t get the paint shops corsa courtesy car....
Just a thought!

 

[KARL]

I'd still ask for the work to be undertaken by Audi.... that way if you have any issues its through Audi, not that specific paint shop... and you won;t get the paint shops corsa courtesy car....
Just a thought!

So you mean, take it to the audi garage for them to get a quote on etc and manage the process, even if the work is then done by this independant garage?

 

[jamiekip]

Yep - That's exactly what I'd do.
Good luck mate

 

[PaulAr]

Yep - That's exactly what I'd do.
Good luck mate

Exactly.
Make sure its managed through an AUDI franchise.
This means the repair has been endorsed by the AUDI network and your *** is covered.
Ive felt the pain of not doing it this way and it could cost you in the long run.

Good luck.
Paul

 

[steve184]

depends on your circumstance as to fault. If its your fault then you can still go the audi route but your insurance will not provide a car, that would then be descretionary by the bodyshop. If it was not your fault just go through your dealer and they will put u in touch with a company (was accident exchange with me) and they will deal with everything and put u in a car similar in spec to yours (ie no 1.0 micra) - in any case defo go with the audi approved you have far more come back, even if they turn out to be rubbish and you end up going back a few times - although to minimise this as someone else has said - no substitute for personal recommendation

As per the coment above about a bodyshop saying they cannot get it 100% - that is exactly true - it is impossible to get a repair to be 'exactly' as factory. However, a good body shop would come very very close and leave very little 'evidence' of repair. Ideally the less they can get away with painting the better - trust me. Keep as much of that factory paint as you can, its irreplaceable. Having recently been in a similar situation (which still hurts TBH) had my rear bumper replaced and I told them not to blend the colour up the sides of the car (would leave hideous evidence of paint repair) and they got the bumper colour pretty close to the original, painting off the car and not touching the rest

 

[PaulAr]

Wouldnt disagree with whats been said here BUT, IMO too much emphasis is placed in the standard of courtesy car you get.

Whos cares? its a runabout for a week or so, its not important, making sure you pride and joy comes back as sweet as it can be is priority.

Potentially you will have to live with the repaired car for years, so its important it is spot on, you will quickly forget the standard of loan car after the event.

Good luck.
Paul

 

[Khufu]

Whos cares? its a runabout for a week or so, its not important, making sure you pride and joy comes back as sweet as it can be is priority.

Potentially you will have to live with the repaired car for years, so its important it is spot on, you will quickly forget the standard of loan car after the event.

Good luck.
Paul

try the 6 weeks Ingrams in Ayr took to repair my old A3! I had to live with a 1.0 Polo for that period and then they "advised" me that I had a limited mileage - i ignored that LOL

But, yes, the work done to your own car is more important than anything.

 

[steve184]

yes i absolutely agree with this also - which is why i when i had a fault bump i told my insurance i wanted it repairing at audi approved courtesy car or no courtesy car - i was prepared to be without - as it happens the garage still gave me one but i had to pay for the insurance at 21 quid a week and my car was in for just over 5 weeks (delays with parts etc)

 

[jamiekip]

KARL - as you're in the London area (I'm sure I read that Docklands put you in touch with the body shop they use), if you want recomendation pop over to West London Audi and speak with John Hargie. I had a real nightmare to contend with.
See here: http://audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=55348&highlight=smart+repair

John was patient, helpful and very reassuring.
I was really worried, due to the extent of work that was going to be done as a result of someone elses feck up, that the paint match would never be the same. He made a point of taking me round a sprint blue S4 Avant that had had a very heavy front end bump. He showed me pics of when it arrived, and I swear the repaired car looked brand spanking new. Paint was perfect! It was all I had to see to be confident it was in safe hands.
Needless to say, the car was returned with no known evidence there was ever a problem. I can't recommend them enough for their help and the end result!
Worth a call!

J

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup:

 

[ADEY]

If the accident was not your fault let 'Audi Accident Assist' deal with it
I had new rear panel fitted after someone ran into the side of me (on a 3-door A3 thats a complete side dismantle and re-build!!)
I was without the car for a good five weeks but you do get a 'like for like' replacement
They also do all the paperwork etc - my insurance were not even informed!!
Must stress though the accident has not got to be your fault

 

[steve184]

my insurance were not even informed!!

Well thats against the law. In ANY accident whoever is at fault and even if you do not even want to claim if it is your fault, by law your insurance have to be told. Of course you can choose not to, but this is against the law, officially.

 

[ADEY]

Well thats against the law. In ANY accident whoever is at fault and even if you do not even want to claim if it is your fault, by law your insurance have to be told. Of course you can choose not to, but this is against the law, officially.

i can only tell you what AA told me at the time of the accident - whether they have done since i do not know