Come fetch it with a tow truck...

[davejhb123]

So last year I had a minor accident with my Jeep Commander CRD and the steering rack broke. Insurance had it fixed after a bit of a fight. After about 2 months the new rack broke as well. The panel beaters messed me around for months and eventually I got the insurance guys involved again and it went in to get fixed again. The car has been with this incompetent company for another almost six weeks after six months of up and down. Today I get a call to say that my car is now ready but I need to send a tow truck as the glow plugs, Glow plug controller, and the sensor map needs to be replaced due to ware and tare. The car has 170 000 km on the clock but it was working fine when I took it in. I dont know if i am being unreasonable but I think I should be totally appalled. These things went wrong while the car was with them? Can someone tell me if there is anyone that would know what my rights are here? Take your car in for repairs and something unrelated goes wrong while in their care. Who is responsible?

[Skylark]

They are trying to pull a fast one on you.

How would panelbeaters even know such specific parts need replacing unless they had done some diddling and fiddling, they don't touch mechanical work like that.

Probably they damaged the parts whilst removing and refitting the steering rack or they have been doing huge mileage whilst it's been there for the last 6 weeks, do you have any idea what the mileage was when you dropped it off vs what it is now?

They must return the vehicle running as it was supplied, do not sign off on any work either, get the insurer involved.

[Tom13]

According to me it is between the panelbeater and the insurance company.

My steering lock and ignition was damaged while it was repaired at a panelbeater. They tried to pull a fast one and said it was like that. I had to submit video evidence that the car was almost undrivable in that condition. At the end the insurance company paid for it.

[JBX]

So last year I had a minor accident with my Jeep Commander CRD and the steering rack broke. Insurance had it fixed after a bit of a fight. After about 2 months the new rack broke as well. The panel beaters messed me around for months and eventually I got the insurance guys involved again and it went in to get fixed again. The car has been with this incompetent company for another almost six weeks after six months of up and down. Today I get a call to say that my car is now ready but I need to send a tow truck as the glow plugs, Glow plug controller, and the sensor map needs to be replaced due to ware and tare. The car has 170 000 km on the clock but it was working fine when I took it in. I dont know if i am being unreasonable but I think I should be totally appalled. These things went wrong while the car was with them? Can someone tell me if there is anyone that would know what my rights are here? Take your car in for repairs and something unrelated goes wrong while in their care. Who is responsible?

Eish... these guys, they tata ma chance... big time! Skabengas.

Ask them to put this request in writing. Then respond by saying NO and at the same time stating that you do not accept any current of future storage fee's. (release fee's). Get the insurance involved and report to OSTI. Do everything in writing so that you have history. Insist that they provide you with a rental car.

[4ePajero]

Find who at the panel beaters drivers a Jeep with the same engine
(that's the one that needed new injectors and controller)

[davejhb123]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I am fighting it and will keep you posted.

[Sneaky Pete]

Some time back I needed some panel beating done on my Gen3. Was not happy with P/B appointed and said so. They assured me ok. P/B assured me and assessor that new rear bumper was to be fitted. Went to visit on day 2. Parking was a problem and parked down side street and found side gate open. Walked past worker busy gluing my bumper together and body filling. From there problems just escalated. Insurance eventually took vehicle away. I would make a stink. Where is the assessor? I see these days assessors do not check vehicles when P/B is done. It is often left up to you to check and take up problems with P/B. I do not agree with that.
You can usually see if someone has been working in an area of the engine. Any signs? They were not authorized to work in that area so they are responsible. Get the insurance company and the assessor involved.

[RMackay]

Some time back I needed some panel beating done on my Gen3. Was not happy with P/B appointed and said so. They assured me ok. P/B assured me and assessor that new rear bumper was to be fitted. Went to visit on day 2. Parking was a problem and parked down side street and found side gate open. Walked past worker busy gluing my bumper together and body filling. From there problems just escalated. Insurance eventually took vehicle away. I would make a stink. Where is the assessor? I see these days assessors do not check vehicles when P/B is done. It is often left up to you to check and take up problems with P/B. I do not agree with that.
You can usually see if someone has been working in an area of the engine. Any signs? They were not authorized to work in that area so they are responsible. Get the insurance company and the assessor involved.

The exact same thing happened to me years ago. Popped in unannounced only to find them repairing the body work and not replacing as was stipulated by the assessor documents and insurance quote. This was at one of Cape Town's biggest panel beaters. Amazing how well the assessors and panel beaters seem to get along, in general!

[Rainier Vermaak]

My head would explode.

[B_Engel]

The exact same thing happened to me years ago. Popped in unannounced only to find them repairing the body work and not replacing as was stipulated by the assessor documents and insurance quote. This was at one of Cape Town's biggest panel beaters. Amazing how well the assessors and panel beaters seem to get along, in general!

Yep, happened to a friend as well, but we were clever enough to write a random number on the inside of the bumper that was to be replaced. When he got his vehicle back the nr was still on the inside of the bumper. So no new replacement was given as per insurance quote. The panel beaters all cut corners and claim for new parts to make their profit margin bigger. I was also told once by an assessor, that if a vehicle has reached a certain age, they will fit pirate parts instead of new OEM parts.

@OP, I would ask the assessor to meet me at the panel beater's premises and try to resolve it there, take a witness with.

[Charlie100]

Yep, happened to a friend as well, but we were clever enough to write a random number on the inside of the bumper that was to be replaced. When he got his vehicle back the nr was still on the inside of the bumper. So no new replacement was given as per insurance quote. The panel beaters all cut corners and claim for new parts to make their profit margin bigger. I was also told once by an assessor, that if a vehicle has reached a certain age, they will fit pirate parts instead of new OEM parts.

@OP, I would ask the assessor to meet me at the panel beater's premises and try to resolve it there, take a witness with.

Not just a witness, record it - i put my phone in my breast pocket and start the video recorder....

[Wave]

The panel beaters all cut corners and claim for new parts to make their profit margin bigger. I was also told once by an assessor, that if a vehicle has reached a certain age, they will fit pirate parts instead of new OEM parts.

I'm on good terms with my panel beater (probably a bad thing...) and he tells me they get audited all the time, they even check the returns, so every vehicle repair has to line up with what was authorised, if new parts where ordered, they cannot return that part down the line for a credit as the new part should have been fitted to the vehicle, you will often see that the assessor will state repair, but the original quote was to replace, so don't always blame the panel beater, they can only do the work that has been given the go ahead.

On the OP - fight it!

[pietdevs]

We have a saying where I stay - You are either a panel beater or a Christian.....

[DSouter]

I have my Landy in for a respray at the moment nut this is one of the old timers and a good guy - sends me photos regulary to show what is being done and says I am welcome to pop in anytime to see how they are doing.

When I first went there he showed me around his premises and some of the jobs he is / has working / worked on. You can feel the pride emanate from the guy.

They have to send progress photos to the Insurers as well (Not in my case)

His premises is spick and span and oozes confidence.

[Oldtimer]

When I hit a Kudu with my Range Rover in April the assessor instructed the P/B to fit used parts. Luckily used parts for a RRV is as scarce as hen's teeth and all was replaced with new. If used parts were available at the time it would most likely have ended in a different response here.

The P/B where the car was towed to in Graaff-Reinet quoted R47 000-00 for the total repair including parts, paint and labour. Both headlights were broken, grille, bonnet, front bumper, all four radiator units, two electric fans and the viscous fan including some peripheral parts. Funny thing was that one headlight cost R25 000-00 at Land Rover. The Grille cost R12 000-00. The bonnet was R33 000-00. etc. etc.

The final cost after weeks of arguing and having the damaged car shipped to Pretoria came to R257 000-00.

And until today the assessor never saw the car in person. The quotes gets sent from the P/B to the assessor electronically and he checks for the cheapest and approves that, also electronically.

I am very happy with the repair done on the car and will still drive it for the next couple of years, but the fight it took to have it repaired properly left a seriously sour taste in my mouth.

[Danie S]

Tell the guys to get it back to running order and make sure the insurance are aware of all doings.
Let the insurance do the fighting for you.
For me it looks like they either took your vehicle for a spin or a "customer required some parts" and your vehicle was available.
If you have a tracking system in, look at the ignition times and trip log.

Had similar situation when a cheat on his cell phone rammed into the back of my vehicle.
Got it back first time after 3 weeks with repaired and secondhand parts while the instruction was new parts.

Took photos, removed the vehicle and refused to sign anything.
When to the insurance and they was sort of slow to respond.
Same time checked my tracking device and noticed the vehicle was used on trips.

Took this up with insurance and owner of the business.

Then all hell broke lose!
I was told to take the vehicle back to be properly repaired.
When I got there the delay would be about 2 weeks before the vehicle would be ready due to parts availability

Took the vehicle home and told them to order the parts, spray it and tell me when is was ready.
They insisted to keep the vehicle so I refused and went home with the vehicle.
2 weeks later insurance called and informed me to take the vehicle back as the parts were ready.
When I got there the manager, assessor and one of the admin people have "left".
Got a call the next day that my vehicle would be ready late the afternoon.
All 100%, an apology as well as my access was waved.

[Johan Slabbert]

So last year I had a minor accident with my Jeep Commander CRD and the steering rack broke. Insurance had it fixed after a bit of a fight. After about 2 months the new rack broke as well. The panel beaters messed me around for months and eventually I got the insurance guys involved again and it went in to get fixed again. The car has been with this incompetent company for another almost six weeks after six months of up and down. Today I get a call to say that my car is now ready but I need to send a tow truck as the glow plugs, Glow plug controller, and the sensor map needs to be replaced due to ware and tare. The car has 170 000 km on the clock but it was working fine when I took it in. I dont know if i am being unreasonable but I think I should be totally appalled. These things went wrong while the car was with them? Can someone tell me if there is anyone that would know what my rights are here? Take your car in for repairs and something unrelated goes wrong while in their care. Who is responsible?

Make it your insurers problem. You pay them to carry the risk and to return you to the same position you were in before the accident, ie a working Jeep. They must sort it out.

At this stage I would be insisting it goes to a Jeep dealer...

[flaker]

I say name the Panel Beater on forum for all to see & be wary of taking their vehicles there