33 replies to this topic

[evansisgreat]

Hi all, I'm hoping some of you more experienced drivers can help me.

As some of you may have seen, I reversed into a pillar a while ago.
I took my car to South Side Minis in glasgow for some unrelated work and they had a few things to say about the repair....

Pics

I got it repaired under my insurance by Arnold Clark and got it back about 3 weeks ago. At the time I was very unhappy with the customer service and was made to wait 2 hours for my car dispite phoning ahead to check it was definently ready at the time. (and them trying to make me come in the previous day when they phoned me at 4pm, and saying I would be charged a days car rental for my courtesy car if I didn't, until I told them the contract I signed said I had 24 hours to do so).

Before I left I made sure everything was working / looked ok. I discovered that my rear fog light was left disconnected and asked for a copy of the estimate (and again was made to wait). And noticed that my badge that goes on the boot lid was missing, which they didn't have delivered yet, they said they would phone me when it was delivered but I've yet to recive a call.
I noticed there was a bulge on the boot floor between where the spare wheel sits and the bootlid opening (where most of the damage was) but was assured by the guy it was meant to be like this, and with it being a big company like Arnold Clark they would have someone with a bit of brains. This buldge was also covered with cheap sound proofing which the guy said they added a 'A wee favour'. I now know it's a trick used to cover shoddy workmanship.

They also fitted the wrong type of bootlid - they should have fitted a late type without holes for the seal which attatched to the lid correct bootlid , as the boot seal I have fits to the body, but I now have useless holes in my boot lid, which could trap water? Wrong bootlid

So after this I decided to go through all the part numbers on the estimate and compare with parts fitted to my car. Turns out the bumper fitted is a factory second Bumper. and they have listed the part number for the correct bootlid. They also charged my insurance company £52 for the normal winged badge which I have yet to recieve. And the list goes on like this charging between 150% and 300% of the items realistic cost.

I've been told that companys now don't have to use genuine parts anymore, but parts do have to be fit for purpose, and surely the new bootlid isn't, it's also a very slightly wrong shape which you can seen with the panel gaps. And using a factory second just can't be cricket can it?

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures, but I'm having a new steering rack fitted just now due to a pair of ball joint sheering and the fornt n/s wheel almost completely falling off, though it did rip out a drive shaft.

I feel Arnold Clark have really taken advantage of my still limited mini knowledge and I've been totally screwed over, any help you can give me would really help.

Thanks
Evans

[Ethel]

Did you engage them to do the work or did your insurers deal directly with them?

If it was your insurers then your argument is with them, useful as they will have more clout by being able to stop sending the repairers any more work. Fitting one part and charging you for another is fraud.

Boot lids often need need a bit of fettling to fit well, but a distorted boot floor isn't going to help. though, to be fair, if the alternative was cutting out a large section of floor it could have been a cheaper and better option.

Put down all the faults on paper with as much detail as possible and write to your insurers telling them you're not happy with the repair.

[evansisgreat]

Did you engage them to do the work or did your insurers deal directly with them?

If it was your insurers then your argument is with them, useful as they will have more clout by being able to stop sending the repairers any more work. Fitting one part and charging you for another is fraud.

Boot lids often need need a bit of fettling to fit well, but a distorted boot floor isn't going to help. though, to be fair, if the alternative was cutting out a large section of floor it could have been a cheaper and better option.

Put down all the faults on paper with as much detail as possible and write to your insurers telling them you're not happy with the repair.

Great, thanks for that, wasn't sure if I would go to them or Arnold Clark. I'm much happier to go to my insurance comapany as I've always had good customer service. And thanks for pointing out that it's fraud, I never would have picked up on that. Right, better get writing. Would it be worth a phone call too? To let them know now, as soon as I've became aware? I'll make sure I record any phone calls I make regarding this too.

[jaydee]

.. They also charged my insurance company £52 for the normal winged badge which I have yet to recieve. And the list goes on like this charging between 150% and 300% of the items realistic cost..

what the hell £52 for a badge that costs £8,50 is 611% charging!! What a robbery.

[Ethel]

Fraud does require intent to be proved, that's why so many MP's make "honest mistakes" but they would have some explaining to do, particularly if the part they used was cheaper than the one they quoted and charged for so it's good leverage and it is a breach of contract if they agreed to repair it with the right bits.

[Joloke08]

Id kick up a fuss and get them into trouble with your insurance company!!
Send a copy of the cost listings along with lets say a MiniSpares Catalogue and let the insurance company come down on them hopefully like a ton of bricks when they realise theyve been well overcharged!

Thats why we all get charged way too much insurance if insurance companys let us find our own repair shops it would cost them less to repair our cars and they could charge us less!

I doubt they would but they could

[huntface]

Looks like a con to me!

[huntface]

Id kick up a fuss and get them into trouble with your insurance company!!
Send a copy of the cost listings along with lets say a MiniSpares Catalogue and let the insurance company come down on them hopefully like a ton of bricks when they realise theyve been well overcharged!

Thats why we all get charged way too much insurance if insurance companys let us find our own repair shops it would cost them less to repair our cars and they could charge us less!

I doubt they would but they could

I've never understood that. Years ago my dad smashed his car up and wanted the local independent specialist to repair it.

Insurance company said no, you've got to use our approved workshop for your area.

Weeks and weeks and weeks later the car finally returned with the rear passenger door, wing and bumper completely a completely different colour!

My father was so exasperated and as the cr wasn't wroth much and just wanted the car back accepted the work but cancelled the policy stating that he wasn't happy with the workshop as his reason.

About a year later a friend of the family had a similar experience with the same insurers and workshop. As his car was worth a fair few quid, when his arrived back 'mottled', he sent it back. Then sent it back again, then again...

Think it went back 6 or 7 times before he got his way and took it somewhere else.

[Ethel]

Fraud does require intent to be proved, that's why so many MP's make "honest mistakes" but they would have some explaining to do, particularly if the part they used was cheaper than the one they quoted and charged for so it's good leverage and it is a breach of contract if they agreed to repair it with the right bits.

It's not unusual, or illegal, for repairers to charge more for parts than they pay for them. If they quoted 6 times over the odds then that's your insurers look out - just annoying the costs are passed on to us as their customers.

[evansisgreat]

I'm so glad you're all as outraged as I am, I was worried someone would say I've left it too long or that I wouldn't have a leg to stand on. This is my first car and my first insurance claim so this is all uncharted territory to me. Thanks for all the replies.

[jaydee]

I'd never leave a car, especially a mini, to a garage which i dont know, neither let them use their bits.
Car is MINE, i want you to fit the parts that I want. Thats it.

[spiguy]

Hi all, I'm hoping some of you more experienced drivers can help me.

As some of you may have seen, I reversed into a pillar a while ago.
I took my car to South Side Minis in glasgow for some unrelated work and they had a few things to say about the repair....

Pics

I got it repaired under my insurance by Arnold Clark and got it back about 3 weeks ago. At the time I was very unhappy with the customer service and was made to wait 2 hours for my car dispite phoning ahead to check it was definently ready at the time. (and them trying to make me come in the previous day when they phoned me at 4pm, and saying I would be charged a days car rental for my courtesy car if I didn't, until I told them the contract I signed said I had 24 hours to do so).

Before I left I made sure everything was working / looked ok. I discovered that my rear fog light was left disconnected and asked for a copy of the estimate (and again was made to wait). And noticed that my badge that goes on the boot lid was missing, which they didn't have delivered yet, they said they would phone me when it was delivered but I've yet to recive a call.
I noticed there was a bulge on the boot floor between where the spare wheel sits and the bootlid opening (where most of the damage was) but was assured by the guy it was meant to be like this, and with it being a big company like Arnold Clark they would have someone with a bit of brains. This buldge was also covered with cheap sound proofing which the guy said they added a 'A wee favour'. I now know it's a trick used to cover shoddy workmanship.

They also fitted the wrong type of bootlid - they should have fitted a late type without holes for the seal which attatched to the lid correct bootlid , as the boot seal I have fits to the body, but I now have useless holes in my boot lid, which could trap water? Wrong bootlid

So after this I decided to go through all the part numbers on the estimate and compare with parts fitted to my car. Turns out the bumper fitted is a factory second Bumper.. and they have listed the part number for the correct bootlid. They also charged my insurance company £52 for the normal winged badge which I have yet to recieve. And the list goes on like this charging between 150% and 300% of the items realistic cost.

I've been told that companys now don't have to use genuine parts anymore, but parts do have to be fit for purpose, and surely the new bootlid isn't, it's also a very slightly wrong shape which you can seen with the panel gaps. And using a factory second just can't be cricket can it?

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures, but I'm having a new steering rack fitted just now due to a pair of ball joint sheering and the fornt n/s wheel almost completely falling off, though it did rip out a drive shaft.

I feel Arnold Clark have really taken advantage of my still limited mini knowledge and I've been totally screwed over, any help you can give me would really help.

Thanks
Evans

Sorry to hear about this. I know what its like - Direct line repaired mine at their centre after a low speed crash. Needed front panel, grill, bumpers, bonnet lights etc.

They took ages, supplied the car with the wrong headlamps, made me go to pick up the right ones whereupon they hadnt got any bulbs or the correct connectors. It was supposed to be valeted - it arrived on a low loader with 2 almost completely flat tyres (slow leaks) unwashed, with bits of masking tape still on it...

the repair was a total bodge. Looked good enough, but the wings had been damaged and they just filled it all. So I have had nothing but trouble with rust since then.

I wrote a letter of complaint, never even got a reply. I admit I should have pushed it, but I had a new baby at the time and the car just wasnt a priority so I let it go.

Definitely get all the details in a clear and easy to read format, not too much waffling just facts, in writing. Showing the shocking markup they have done on their prices is a very good idea, I dont think the insurer will be too impressed with that.

Im not surprised by this, it seems that garages are (almost) all the same these days - certainly big ones. Arnold Clark are one of the worst (there used to be a website arnoldclarksucks.com)

A member of my family actually had a screwdriver put through their radiator during and MOT/service at Arnold Clark...Im not joking, I saw the rad - perfect round hole in clean metal about the size of a medium sized screwdriver - it was an aluminium rad for petes sakes. The car is kept in a garage every night, never a drip on the floor, and after collecting it from AC it made 3 miles before overheating as it had no water. Had been driven over 25 miles to take it to the garage only that morning.

Arnold Clark had phoned earlier in the day to say there was a leak and should they change the rad? My father in law thought they were just at it since he knew it was fine, so said not to bother... When he tried to complain, he was told by the manager that it was his word agains theirs, and to go away.

Good luck with whatever you do, but I urge you to badger them to try to get some satisfaction from it. I don't think they will take any action to correct anything, but maybe you could get a bootlid out of them. At least you might get the satisfaction of knowing that the insurer is taking it on, who knows. But you shouldnt let it go without a bit of a fight.

Make a clear comparison type list of their prices against what it should be, that will get the most interest I think!

Cheers
Craig

[evansisgreat]

I've also managed to get pics of what it should look like from an identical model, so i'll send pics along with my letter and a simple spreadsheet of price comparisons. I'm not gonna stop with letters and phone calls, going to citizens advice bureau and whatever else I can think of until it's sorted. I'll get watchdog in if I have to!

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

Alot of large garage do seem to be absolute *illegitimate person*s these days not all tho

thats why i always do my own repairs and i know a good garage in every area ive lived in just incase i have work

[bamby]

I've also managed to get pics of what it should look like from an identical model, so i'll send pics along with my letter and a simple spreadsheet of price comparisons. I'm not gonna stop with letters and phone calls, going to citizens advice bureau and whatever else I can think of until it's sorted. I'll get watchdog in if I have to!

thats good keep up with it wheres jim'll fix it when you need him good luck

bamby