Insurance Repair Advice

[ryzzey]

Hi guys, I was hit on my rear driver’s side by a lorry merging into my lane without seeing me. Insurance dealt with it all and lorry driver admitted liability, however went through my insurance (not using my no claims etc) and the repair took a month.

Drivers side rear door was replaced, new rear quarter-panel and new window and fittings.

Today I noticed some very poor welding inside when I opened the boot lid, first photo shows the undamaged passenger side, second shows the repaired side.

What do you guys think? Is this bad welding and should I take it back to have it rectified, I’m worried that when I come to sell the car this will shout the fact it’s been repaired!

https://m.imgur.com/a/jKNTqYw

 

[kazand]

Hi guys, I was hit on my rear driver’s side by a lorry merging into my lane without seeing me. Insurance dealt with it all and lorry driver admitted liability, however went through my insurance (not using my no claims etc) and the repair took a month.

Drivers side rear door was replaced, new rear quarter-panel and new window and fittings.

Today I noticed some very poor welding inside when I opened the boot lid, first photo shows the undamaged passenger side, second shows the repaired side.

What do you guys think? Is this bad welding and should I take it back to have it rectified, I’m worried that when I come to sell the car this will shout the fact it’s been repaired!

https://m.imgur.com/a/jKNTqYw

What fkn gorilla butchered that? That is appalling. Bad welding? Jesus H Christ. How long have you had it back? You need to get that sorted asap. Go back to the repairers, tell em not to let Stevie Wonder near your car again and sort it. Also contact your insurance company show them the pics. Is your car on a lease?

 

[Lmbarrett83]

Hi guys, I was hit on my rear driver’s side by a lorry merging into my lane without seeing me. Insurance dealt with it all and lorry driver admitted liability, however went through my insurance (not using my no claims etc) and the repair took a month.

Drivers side rear door was replaced, new rear quarter-panel and new window and fittings.

Today I noticed some very poor welding inside when I opened the boot lid, first photo shows the undamaged passenger side, second shows the repaired side.

What do you guys think? Is this bad welding and should I take it back to have it rectified, I’m worried that when I come to sell the car this will shout the fact it’s been repaired!

https://m.imgur.com/a/jKNTqYw

Oh dear

Take it you didn't have the SEAT ensurance package?

Was the garage VAG approved?

Essentially if you are not happy with the work that has been done take it back. Personally I'd be taking that back.

I didn't accept the work done to my car until it looked perfect (Took over 4 months) I was given a warranty on the work and parts too.



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[ryzzey]

I only got it back last week, they left the inside of the car covered in dust and marks all over the seats so it’s already been back once for a proper clean!

I shall be calling my insurance company and getting this sorted too. Had issues with this body shop before so I should have known better!

My car is on a lease so I can’t have them seeing that bodge job!

 

[ryzzey]

Oh dear

Take it you didn't have the SEAT ensurance package?

Was the garage VAG approved?

Essentially if you are not happy with the work that has been done take it back. Personally I'd be taking that back.

I didn't accept the work done to my car until it looked perfect (Took over 4 months) I was given a warranty on the work and parts too.



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I was never aware of Seat Ensurance, how frustrating. I have now signed up to it!

The garage my car went to was Seat approved, as well as Audi, VW and even Aston Martin approved, but with work like that I’m surprised!

Insurance company are looking into it and the photos I have sent to them.

The car was given back to me with a lifetime guarantee so they can’t argue with that.

 

[Titchy]

Out interest what bodyshop was this? Seems to be a thing at the minute, shoddy repair jobs. Mines the same poor repairs all over the car.


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[ryzzey]

Out interest what bodyshop was this? Seems to be a thing at the minute, shoddy repair jobs. Mines the same poor repairs all over the car.


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This was Apollo Motor Group, they have garages all over the south of the UK.

I should have known really, I had a shoddy repair on a VW Polo I had 5 years ago. Thought they might have been a bit better this time around!

 

[Seriously?]

Is that weld or Tiger Seal? Either way, it's dire. My dog could do a better job.
But it must be OK - according to their website:
Throughout its 33 year history the Apollo Group has repeatedly impressed and set industry standards with unparalleled service excellence. As a result, the company has evolved into the best known and most valuable repair group in the South.

 

[SRGTD]

Is that weld or Tiger Seal? Either way, it's dire. My dog could do a better job.
But it must be OK - according to their website:
Throughout its 33 year history the Apollo Group has repeatedly impressed and set industry standards with unparalleled service excellence. As a result, the company has evolved into the best known and most valuable repair group in the South.

It looks like seam sealant, but it’s been incredibly poorly applied.

Some of the seam sealant on the factory production line is applied by robot, and looking at the first picture, the very uniform application along the left hand (nearside) seam would seem to confirm the seams between the rear quarter panels and tailgate opening are sealed by robot, as most visible seams on a car’s body shell are.

You’d expect that any decent body shop would be able to replicate the original factory finish of the seam sealant - surely they should have masked off the area to be sealed and then smoothed it over after applying the sealant (like you would when sealing around a bath or worktop in the house) to get a factory-like finish.

I’d insist that it was re-done to factory standard, and also check the work very carefully after it’s been done, particularly any areas that have to be repainted (along the re-sealed seam) to ensure there are no ‘hard’ edges from masking up prior to repainting, and no colour mismatches between new and existing paint.

Hopefully it’ll be sorted out quickly to your satisfaction. Please let us know the outcome.

 

[kazand]

If your car is personal lease, you need to get it sorted asap. We had a collision recently, and when we spoke to VAG finance they said " you can have it repaired where you like, but if it is a non Seat approved bodyshop, when the car is returned if the repair is not up to our standards, then we will require you to deal with it (i.e you could get charged) if it is approved, we will deal with it"

 

[ryzzey]

It looks like seam sealant, but it’s been incredibly poorly applied.

Some of the seam sealant on the factory production line is applied by robot, and looking at the first picture, the very uniform application along the left hand (nearside) seam would seem to confirm the seams between the rear quarter panels and tailgate opening are sealed by robot, as most visible seams on a car’s body shell are.

You’d expect that any decent body shop would be able to replicate the original factory finish of the seam sealant - surely they should have masked off the area to be sealed and then smoothed it over after applying the sealant (like you would when sealing around a bath or worktop in the house) to get a factory-like finish.

I’d insist that it was re-done to factory standard, and also check the work very carefully after it’s been done, particularly any areas that have to be repainted (along the re-sealed seam) to ensure there are no ‘hard’ edges from masking up prior to repainting, and no colour mismatches between new and existing paint.

Hopefully it’ll be sorted out quickly to your satisfaction. Please let us know the outcome.

I was thinking the same, I can understand it may not be repaired exactly as if a robot had built the car but the way they’ve done it is shocking.

My insurance company are sending out one of their own engineers to assess my car as there are other niggles here and there I want sorted.

The inside of he car was filthy when they returned it, with paint and marks on seats and the steering wheel. They’ve since cleaned it properly but in removing the paint from the steering wheel they’ve damaged the leather.

My advice would be AVOID Apollo if your insurer wishes to take your car to one of their body shops!

@kazand This garage was classed as Seat and VAG group approved, but I think if I were to show them the images of my car they may think otherwise!

 

[ryzzey]

Is that weld or Tiger Seal? Either way, it's dire. My dog could do a better job.
But it must be OK - according to their website:
Throughout its 33 year history the Apollo Group has repeatedly impressed and set industry standards with unparalleled service excellence. As a result, the company has evolved into the best known and most valuable repair group in the South.

Not sure who they impressed, a group of blind people I would imagine! Avoid them!!

 

[Lmbarrett83]

@kazand This garage was classed as Seat and VAG group approved, but I think if I were to show them the images of my car they may think otherwise!

I was told by VWFS/Fleet/SEAT finance that if the work was carried out by an approved dealership make sure I get a receipt or invoice. The work would be under warranty and they would take any further action up with them.



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[ryzzey]

I was told by VWFS/Fleet/SEAT finance that if the work was carried out by an approved dealership make sure I get a receipt or invoice. The work would be under warranty and they would take any further action up with them.



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They gave me a piece of paper explaining the lifetime guarantee, the insurance company have all the invoices etc. Hopefully the engineer they send out gets it all rectified, I'm going to ask for a different garage to carry out the works.

 

[Bubbs]

Holy . That looks like one of my attempts at putting silicone sealant round a bathtub.

I would be having words with the lease company too, as well as the insurers - that needs to be taken all apart, and re done properly. Reminds me of a body shop I used once for my Honda Civic, who presented me with my 'repaired' car... bonnet 3cm further down on one side, loose headlamp, and paint that seemed to have been applied by some nursery school kids doing finger-painting.

 

[ryzzey]

Holy . That looks like one of my attempts at putting silicone sealant round a bathtub.

I would be having words with the lease company too, as well as the insurers - that needs to be taken all apart, and re done properly. Reminds me of a body shop I used once for my Honda Civic, who presented me with my 'repaired' car... bonnet 3cm further down on one side, loose headlamp, and paint that seemed to have been applied by some nursery school kids doing finger-painting.

It’s shocking really, I mean it’s not dangerous but the amount of body shops that seems to give cars back with poor work is awful.

It’s on pcp so I’m not going to let VWFS know for now, hopefully it gets sorted asap and I won’t need to inform them.

They also got paint on my leather steering wheel and when I asked them to clean it they’ve now damaged the leather, they’ll be repairing that too!

 

[Bubbs]

They also got paint on my leather steering wheel and when I asked them to clean it they’ve now damaged the leather, they’ll be repairing that too!

Yeah hopefully it gets put back to how it should be (that is, actually fixed properly!). Car being on PCP might actually help your case too, if you get no joy. The reason is, on finance deals like HP or PCP, it’s VWFS (or the bank) who basically own the car until you’ve paid it off, so if you still not happy, contact them. There’s been cases where cars have had warranty issues and when the finance company gets involved, good things start to happen. It’s not limited to 'dealer' things either, so stuff like your situation could be helped by some 'intervention' too I would think, if it comes to that.

These places should be shut down for stuff like this. Really pees me off

I would imagine the call to vwfs would go like this:

“Umm, hello VWFS?

Some clowns have messed up this car that you own, which I’m buying from you.

Yeah, it looks like they used blu tack to... yep... well, it may be white tac, or playdough... it looks like a big silver sausage...

I mean- .. er - it’s not even straight ffs..... they got stuff all over the inside too. Yep, all over the seats.

Nooo, I think someone else was using the hoover to make circle marks on himself... oh and they damaged the steering wheel after they painted that too. Think they had paint in that flower that they were wearing in their pocket and it must have gone off of something.

Yeah....so, erm...You might wanna go and have a chat with them, cos obviously if I hand the car back when the agreement ends you’re gonna have to sell it on....”

Good luck

 

[ryzzey]

Yeah hopefully it gets put back to how it should be (that is, actually fixed properly!). Car being on PCP might actually help your case too, if you get no joy. The reason is, on finance deals like HP or PCP, it’s VWFS (or the bank) who basically own the car until you’ve paid it off, so if you still not happy, contact them. There’s been cases where cars have had warranty issues and when the finance company gets involved, good things start to happen. It’s not limited to 'dealer' things either, so stuff like your situation could be helped by some 'intervention' too I would think, if it comes to that.

These places should be shut down for stuff like this. Really pees me off

I would imagine the call to vwfs would go like this:

“Umm, hello VWFS?

Some clowns have messed up this car that you own, which I’m buying from you.

Yeah, it looks like they used blu tack to... yep... well, it may be white tac, or playdough... it looks like a big silver sausage...

I mean- .. er - it’s not even straight ffs..... they got stuff all over the inside too. Yep, all over the seats.

Nooo, I think someone else was using the hoover to make circle marks on himself... oh and they damaged the steering wheel after they painted that too. Think they had paint in that flower that they were wearing in their pocket and it must have gone off of something.

Yeah....so, erm...You might wanna go and have a chat with them, cos obviously if I hand the car back when the agreement ends you’re gonna have to sell it on....”

Good luck

Thanks for the advice, that’s really helpful! If I have no joy with my insurer I’ll contact VWFS and see what they suggest.

It honestly feels like clowns have repaired and cleaned my car!!

 

[ryzzey]

So, the garage agreed to re-do the sealant as it turned out to be, they admitted it was an awful job and have now done it almost to a robot style finish so I'm much happier.

When I first got the car back there was a paint mark on the leather steering wheel, I asked them to clean it off and they've now damaged the leather in doing so. The manager of the business has said he will replace the entire steering wheel with a new one OR give me a cheque for half the amount.

Which should I go for, how much are FR steering wheels? Also thinking of their workmanship I might just take the money, not sure I want them near my car again!

(Images attached)

https://imgur.com/a/cbvriNH

 

[GTunney]

New steering wheel can be picked up off eBay for about £160. If it was me personally I’d get them to swap it. Unless they’re going to give you half the price of a brand new one which is probably about he same as an eBay one.