Not the best morning.....UPDATED 07/09/06 (TWICE!!)

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Well, well a bit of good news finally. My insurance company have decided to repair my car after all.........when I faced them with about 30 pages of classified adverts for similar rado's, photographs of pre-accident condition and build-up pics, invoices for parts and a quote from dealer of cost of recaro interior when purchased new etc they just totally caved in.

 

However, had the same problem with the second engineer that came out to inspect car for the secong time. The guy was a complete gimp, never even took the car's mileage or took into account the wheels, interior, engine mods (all declared) etc. And said car was worth £2750......yeah right, whatever pal.....

 

And then he has the cheek to call up the bodyshop to authorise the repair and make up some story that I was calling him 3 times a day for about a week, making his life / job hell and calling me (in his words) "a complete f*****g a******e".

 

Good thing was that when I went to the bodyshop where the car is (and who does all the work on my car anyways normally, who I am pals and on good terms with) they told me what he had said, so straight away I called up my insurers and made an official complaint about his conduct, making sure I had written confirmation of the authorisation to repair vehicle first.

 

So now am waiting to hear from the bodyshop if the parts are in stock and then it's a case of potentially having to get them over from Germany or from VW UK HQ in Milton-Keynes and the bodyshop getting on withthe repairs so I can get car finished in time for ed38 hopefully, funds and time permitting.

 

Only downside, is I have to bite the bullet and pay the £450 excess before I get the car back and then potentially have to wait 3-6 mths to get it back as the guy is STILL disputing liability, how he can do this I have no idea, as he has been charged with 7 RT offences. been identified by me from PNC mugshots as having been driving vehicle and running away from scene, DNA evidence from his blood at scene and in car has been matched to him etc.

 

Anyways, will keep you all updated with further progress as it happens, cheers for all the support and kind words guys.

 

Thanks

[Jim 1]

Still disputing liability?! Who the hell elses fault could it be?! The easter bunny?!?

 

I've never heard anything so ridiculous in my whole life!

[Henny 0]

Jim, I've JUST (this week) got the letter through from my previous insurance company which clears me of everything from my accident in October '04... :crazyeyes: If you (or a third party) dispute a claim (on any grounds you feel like) the claim can be held up for a serious amount of time... The only reason that mine didn't go into the realms of getting REALLY silly is due to the fact that I proved that the third party lied on her claim form by providing photos which conclusively showed her to be a lying cow! ;) :lol:

 

BTJ, I've nothing else to add as you seem to have pursued all the avenues that I could suggest... Good luck... 8)

[trev-b 0]

BigTartanJudge, I've heard that you can get your insurance company to pay your excess then claim it back themselves, they have some kind of fund for it if you can't afford to pay it.

 

Could be worth a try, i'll certainly be trying that if someone crashes in to me!

[dr_mat 0]

Biggest issue with paying the excess is that if you come to renew your policy before the whole thing is sorted, you get screwed for having a loss on record. Only once the whole thing is settled does your record go "clean".

PITA.

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Progress pic from bodyshop (you may notice some subtle changes as well....) am still waiting for new rear bumper to arrive from VW (been waiting 6-weeks now), front mesh and rear number-plate panel to be colour-coded. Also, the black 17" Masitaly wheels are now sold, problem is I need the 205 40 R17 tyres off them to fit onto my new 7.5 and 8.5 x 17" BBS splits (which have stupid wide tyres on them, which then need to go onto the black 17" wheels before I send them down south), so onto axle stands she goes for a couple hours and that's the mission for day off next week......

 

[g60greeny 0]

a quote from dealer of cost of recaro interior when purchased new etc they just totally caved in.

 

how much were they new then?

[steve_16v 0]

Good to hear it's finally getting there. Out of curiosity, why's there a cable taped to the rear screen?

[g60greeny 0]

looks like the window seal to me mate?

[steve_16v 0]

Good point, thought it was probably a stupid question :oops:

[BigTartanJudge 0]

aaaarrrrrgggggggghhhh !!!!! Called the bodyshop today to check was ok to come up and put car on axle-stands whilst got tyres swapped over on wheels and then fit new wheels. He says yeah fine, but problem with your car........great, what now ?

 

He says local VW branch called them up last week and said oh BTW your rear-bumper which was on back-order ? It's been discontinued....... W4NKERS ! Was originally told 7-10 days to come from Germany to VW HQ in Milton-Keynes then abother couple days to get to the dealer up here and finally the bodyshop. Have now been waiting 8 weeks since it was ordered, and then only NOW turn round and tell me us this, unbelievable !!!!

 

Now can't get hold of new one at all, been told they can possibly repair existing one but seeing as insurance is paying and everything, I want it all done properly, guaranteed with genuine parts used.

 

Oh yeah, thought the tyres were fouling on the struts because the tyres were too wide, so having swapped them for 205 40 R17's they are still not clearing the strut properly. Am going to have to get a pair of spacers temporarily I think and then hope there is a damn sight more clearance when the coilovers are fitted (bottom of strut, the curved bit is rubbing on the inside of the tyre wall). B***ocks, yet another issue to get sorted :-(

 

Only possibility to fix the bumper issue I can think of is:

 

Can I not use a 92-95 rear bumper ? Ok, the part number is different but I thought they mounted in the same way using the same mounting points ? Just because MIGHT be able to get hold of a new one. Please can someone help ASAP as this is fairly urgent,

 

Not at all happy really at moment........

 

Cheers

[crdo16v 0]

Struan-sorry to hear what's happened.

surely best way forward is to get hold of a good 2nd hand rear bumper-somebody on here must have one.

 

good luck mate, as for the bloke who damaged your car i would leave well alone, sounds like he will probably self destruct one way or another soon anyway :scrambleup:

[crdo16v 0]

struan-just spoken to a guy called andy whose got 2 g60's, says he's got a good rear bumper available.

he's got an advert for the car he's breaking on ebay item no. 170019570361, told him about the forum & he said he would join.

he's in nottinghamshire.

hope this helps.

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Hmmmmn, things going from bad to worse at moment.

 

Have found a source for a new genuine VAG late rear bumper that will fit my rado, however there are not that many left. Told the bodyshop about this 4 weeks ago and expected them to go ahead and order it, then paint and fit it, no issues. I went in last week to find the that proprietor had been off on holiday for three weeks and hadn't bothered to order it before he went away.........Then he called me yesterday to say they weren't willing to purchase it, because:

 

A) They don't have an account with this supplier

B) The supplier is not on their "approved dealer network"

C) They won't order because the part has to be couriered up from England and may be "damaged in transit"

 

My response:

 

1) Your an insurance-approved bodyshop, get an account with them, it's not hard, you'll even save money

 

2) The supplier ONLY supplies GENUINE VAG OEM parts, direct from VW, so what's the difference ?

 

3) If the rear bumper was coming from VW UK (if they bloody had one...), it would be coming from Milton-Keynes, so would be at as much risk of getting damaged in transit then as would be in this case. If the bumper was damaged by the courier in transit, thy can claim of standard RHA insurance for the cost of the part

 

I'm so pissed off, I'm bloody paying through the nose for insurance as it is, so in the event of a potential claim, such as has occured I get my rado repaired with BRAND-NEW GENUINE OEM parts. I don't want any second-hand parts used to repair my rado, where would be the point in that ??

 

The bodyshop is still going to get the full £500 from the insurers for a new genuine part whether they use new / second-hand bumper, so why should they profit and I lose out ? I'm already having to pay my £450 XS before I get my car back and then wait potentially up to 1 year to claim it back.....I simply don't have another spare £450 to shell out to purchase a part which is the LAST PART required to finish repairing my car which is available to the bodyshop for £40 CHEAPER than VAG were charging for it when they idiotically took the original parts order and then turned round 8 weeks later and told us it was obsolete.

 

Have totally lost the plot yesterday / today with the bodyshop and my insurance company, I have told the insurers to get onto the bodyshop and insist them to buy the part quick-smart and finish the repairs to my rado they are being PAID AND INSTRUCTED to do.

 

Really annoyed at the moment, and car now been in bodyshop for just under 3 months.........

 

Oh yeah, and the total loser that crashed into my rado STILL is denying liability / being involved in the accident, FFS the police have his DNA matched to blood from the road and inside his car as well as an eye-witness (me) and a positive ID (by me from the gimps mug-shot)..........How can he possibly still deny liability ??

 

arrrrrgggggggghhh............!

[Phil K 0]

Fack sake! Sorry to hear how much of a mare this still is! I hope it get sorted soon - can't be nice still not having it! Have you had a courtesy car all this time?

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Yup, to date cost to his insurers for my hire-car is £4188.20..........and I've done nearly 2000 miles in it !

[Phil K 0]

:shock:

 

You'd think they'd be desperate to get your new bumper from where ever you bloody tell them to get it from :?

[BigTartanJudge 0]

I have come to the conclusion I am / my car is surrounded by clowns.........and I am destined never to get my rado finished or have any good luck with it ever again.

 

Went up to the bodyshop to have a chat with them and replace a few bits (blanking plate on charger till new twin-inlets arrive, new parcel-shelf supports with 6x4 MB Quarts - the old ones were broken by the force of the impact and strangely had no OEM Nokia speakers in them when I removed them, total fiddly pain of a job BTW, and put in front leather doorcards, rear ones need repaired as glue lost it's properties, and leather all coming loose round edges - that's tonight's job after the dishes).

 

BTW I had to replace the parcel-shelf supports at my own cost / outta my pocket because the bodyshop didn't inspect car and notice they were damaged.........just like the fact that the active spoiler no longer works now either automatically or via the switch, hopefully this just a connection or fuse though, otherwise more expense for me as bodyshop never included it in their estimate.........

 

THEN, on removing the car cover the bodyshop had covered it with, I noticed a heap of scratches all over the bonnet (obviously been grit or dirt under cover and wind been blowing it accross the surface - lovely nice scratches), so they are going to have to respray that as well, at their cost

 

THEN i open the boot to find the rear corners of the boot-floor where the new rear-panel has been fitted are full of water, because they bloody haven't replaced the rear window seal or the tail-lights ! So much standing water in fact, that they are going to have to cut-out panel again through welds, weld-it back in, prep, seal and paint it again, due to rust visible along the welds through the sealer............!!!!!!!!!!

 

Then I ask then BTW where is my parcel-shelf, oh they said was it in car when you dropped it off ? Uh, yes now find it ! Sorry, we don't know where it is......can't remember seeing it !!!! It took me AGES to find an immaculate un-cut black parcel-shelf as well ! So going to have find and pay for another one outta my pocket as well !!

 

I ask you...I have had just about enough of this now..............grrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!!!

[scarlett 0]

mate - i honestly dont know what to say to that other than they are all fcuking muppets and I dont know how you havnt went postal with them all by now...

 

please, please stick with it, your car was a fantastic example and a bit of you will regret it if you dont persevere...

 

I hope things get better soon....

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Thanks scarlett,

 

Oh yeah, and it's my birthday tomorrow as well, what a lovely present all this s***e has turned out to be.......

[mikeswagon 0]

BTJ,

 

get a 2nd hand bumper, get it sorted, and get it back from these cowboys so you can enjoy it again.

 

I know what you're saying about a new bumper, but from what I've seen of your car you've built it to drive, it's not a pampered concours motor.

 

Happy birthday when it comes btw.

 

Mike.

[TomB 0]

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out :-)

Seriously though, best of luck with it, it sounds like a nightmare. Could you get anywhere by starting to write letters to the CE of the Insurance company? I've found this to be most effective in getting resulting the past, especially with a good smattering of the words 'dissapointed' 'let-down' & 'unlikely to ever use your sevices again.'

Cheers,

Tom