Insurance repair job

[tillyh345]

My car has been at the garage being repaired for three weeks phoned several times to ask on the progress and feel I am being lied to, they are now saying it will be ready Tuesday next week so all in all almost a month. Do they get paid by the day by the Insurance could that be the reason they are hanging onto it, btw the day I dropped it off they told me the parts were in. Any ideas anyone?

[S_C]

it would most likely be the wait for parts that would be the issue regarding teh time on repairs to your car.

they do not actualy order the parts until they recieve the car and go ahead from the insurance to do the work.

some cars parts can be very difficault to get a hold of as for what ever reason stocks are low and they have to be maufactured.

its not just off the street who have to wait for parts .. however as long as they are supplying you with a car for the interim period while they have your car. there would be no real loss.

they only get paid for the job " insurance firms " are very good at getting the work done for the quoted price .

[tillyh345]

But the day I dropped it off I was told they alreadyhad the parts in...? and the go ahead from the insurance company, at that point i was told 2 weeks max. just feel the servce has been crap no courtesy calls i have had to do all the progress calls.

[S_C]

well i cannot comment on that particular garage , only what i have seen in my day to day work .

what i just stated is the normal procedure.

if you are unhappy call the insurance company and ask what is taking so long. as they are the ones to be paying the bill after all the garage will be more likely to respond quicker .

[S_C]

another point i should add to be fair to all ..

the weather has been off in england of late so even though they have had your car 4 weeks they may have only had regualr staff levels for approx 2 / 3 of those weeks.

but as previously stated i cannot comment on your particular garage

[tillyh345]

Ok thks for your comments anyway perhaps I am being a bit paranoid ...

[S_C]

4 weeks can indeed seem like a long time

but as i said if you are concerned , the insurance company would be the place to talk to .

if the garage isnt performing to their standards they would not continue with their contract .

insurance work does not pay as well as of the street repairs so im lead to understand , however it is a large praportion of a garages income so they do tend to do their best when dealing with them.

[chas2008]

its all down to workload,at the end of last year bodyshops were on there knees, made staff redundant etc. Come the new year with the ice and snow and the amount of work has gone through the ceiling, bodyshops are struggling to cope, in some cases work has increased 10 fold,And for obvious reasons they wont or cant employ any more staff, another month or two and the business will drop off again. The other thing you have to take into account unlike a mechanical repair where only one person is involved, with a body repair it can be 4 or more -
1 to estimate
1 to strip
1 to panel
1 to paint
1 to polish
1 to fit up (may or may not be the person who stripped)
1 to do any mechanical ie geometry/suspension.
1 to valet/clean

now take all those factors into account and you can see how difficult it is to plan the workload through the day ...then bear in mind theres imobile cars being thrown at you all day long...and everyone wants there car back first !!! Its a logistical nightmare
As regards payment they dont get paid until the vehicle is handed back and the insurance invoiced, ONLY for work done.
Guess what ? i work in a bodyshop....the last 6 weeks have been total chaos..

[chas2008]

just to add, we are lucky to get £25.00 and hour + supply a courtesy car for free !!,
comapare that to a mechanical workshop at £65.00 + an hour,

[S_C]

nice of you to elaborate in such detail ,
and point out other potencial problems that had been previously unstated.

on the up side of things your still working even if the customers are having wait a little longer due to the adverse weather we have been having.
keep smilling

[chas2008]

actually S_C, we pray for ice & snow !!

[tillyh345]

Thanks chas for all your posts - still not had car back tho,.

quarter panel and a door and a wheel refurbished - almost four weeks :-(

[chas2008]

you are not alone, we have vehicles that have been here 2-3 weeks we have not even touched yet , and they are already screaming for their cars back !
any driveable vehicles we are booking 3-4 weeks ahead.
we actually quote 10-14 working days on a repair like yours (asuming its replacement panels) during normal conditions add a few days of ice and snow and any plans / time scales got right out the window.