Recommended smash repairer for Jetta (Melb)

[turboveedubb]

G'day,

Someone drove into my rear bumper yesterday (not my fault) and now I need to get my Jetta fixed.

I'm insured with Just Car (i know, I'm turning 25 next year, they're the only mob that'll come near me with an acceptable premium) and they have asked me to get a quote from a JCI authorised repairer (Graeme Cuthbert in Box Hill) and a quote from a repairer of my choice. Then they will send out an assessor and compare the quotes.

Can anyone recommend a good repairer in metro Melbourne? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[vesssh]

Navarone Panels: First class service, Top quality job.
They are on the corner of Heatherton Clayton Roads Clayton.

Speak to Steve or Peter and say Steve with the Pulsar sent you

[multi97]

Ultrafinish in Clayton South.

[turboveedubb]

Thanks for your responses.

I've been directed to a company called Amex Fine Collision Repairs by my dealership and they seem to be a professional group and specialise in european repairs.

They have asked me to use a 3rd party cost recovery service as opposed to the Just Car process so that I get my choice of repairer, and they have arranged a hire car for me which takes more hassle of out the whole ordeal.

They will arrange for repairs, a hire car and costs associated with the cost recovery process. The bill will be given to the other person's insurance company (AAMI). This leaves me with no costs and no hassles and no need to deal with Just Car.... or this is too good to be true?

Anyone have experience with these 3rd party cost recovery people? Any feedback?

[warhead]

That's a rather interesting proposition by your dealer. I'm keen to hear more.

[Fury]

When I dealt with just cars, they said get 2 quote, one of your choice, one from our repairer...

The assessor then came to check the car and quotes, said I could choose as they were similar... i ended up going with their repairer because they recommended him...worst decision ever (had the car sent back 3 times, to 2 differentplaces...but that's another story).

Having said that, if u can get just car to allow you to go where you want, i'd do that to be on the safe side...i've had no hassles dealing with just car (even when i was unhappy with their repairers, they were happy to justify their mistakes).

Having said that, i'd happily recommend Mr Gloss in Moorabin.
I took my previous car there (Hyundai Excel),and although they primarily do prestige cars, and said there was no money in it doing my car, they gladly repaired it, and did a magnificent job, making sure i was 100% happy before it left their hands.

[turboveedubb]

That's a rather interesting proposition by your dealer. I'm keen to hear more.

Well, the stage is set for next tuesday as that's when I'm dropping off the car into their care.

In order for this to work, I had to withdraw my claim with Just Car and simply report the incident to them. I also notified Just Car that I am going down the cost recovery process through my preferred repairer.

The first consultant I spoke with told me that my plan was NOT POSSIBLE as 'it's stated in the P.D.S.' when AAMI and Just Car customers have a collision, each company pays for their respective customers, and since I'm with Just Car, I must do it their way.

I got a little spooked by this, so I read the PDS from cover to cover and nowhere did it state that's the way it worked, so I rang back and asked specifically what the details were and the consultant was not aware what the PDS actually contained, in addition it was unlikely for me to get a rental car paid for (even though the collision was not my fault).

By this morning, I had had enough of dealing with Just Car and confirmed going down the cost recovery process by insisting to withdraw my claim and purely reporting the accident and notifying them of my intentions.

Will keep you updated on how this goes.

[Johnbu]

They will arrange for repairs, a hire car and costs associated with the cost recovery process. The bill will be given to the other person's insurance company (AAMI). This leaves me with no costs and no hassles and no need to deal with Just Car.... or this is too good to be true?

you will have no cost or hassles if AAMI agrees to pay to (inflated) repair cost.

I suggest you read the fine print of the contract you enter with the repairer, should AAMI not agree to pay the full cost of repairs and hire car(!!), the shortfall will be your liability.

The repairers like this, because either the insurance company will pay whatever they invoice, or the customer does.

I suggest you speak to AAMI before proceeding this path. In my experience AAMI are tight when it comes to repairs, since AAMI and Just Cars are affiliated, I have my concerns.

Me, I'm with Shannons, choose your preferred repairer means just that. Not choose your preferred repairer if it is cheaper than the cheapest repairer they can find.

[r32dsg]

http://www.charliebattisti.com.au/volkswagen/index.php

Best workshop i have ever seen.

[turboveedubb]

you will have no cost or hassles if AAMI agrees to pay to (inflated) repair cost.

I suggest you read the fine print of the contract you enter with the repairer, should AAMI not agree to pay the full cost of repairs and hire car(!!), the shortfall will be your liability.

The repairers like this, because either the insurance company will pay whatever they invoice, or the customer does.

I suggest you speak to AAMI before proceeding this path. In my experience AAMI are tight when it comes to repairs, since AAMI and Just Cars are affiliated, I have my concerns.

Me, I'm with Shannons, choose your preferred repairer means just that. Not choose your preferred repairer if it is cheaper than the cheapest repairer they can find.

Thanks for that, I will definately go through the contract with a fine tooth comb tomorrow. If I don't like the sound of anything, I'm taking my business elsewhere.

Too bad places like Shannons won't come near me cos of my age. Turning 25 in Jan next year, hopefully I'll get less of a raw deal from some of the other insurers.

[Big Yellow]

To the OP,

slightly off topic - but were Just Cars the only place that would insure you?? Only asking is that im 24 (when I bought the car and insured it, i was 23) and I got insurance through RACV at a much better premium than the competitors. Not sure if your turbo had anything to do with it, but considering the R32 is considered more of a sports car than the Jetta, I find it surprising Just Cars would be the only ones that would insure you.

[turboveedubb]

I think it might have something to do with the turbo.
RACV's quote for me at the time was about 70% more than what Just Car quoted.

Anyways dropped off the car this morning, rolling in a Nissan Tiida for the next few days. Probably going to take 1 week to fix due to the long weekend.

Since the other driver had lodged a claim with AAMI, I won't be a cent out of pocket as the repairer will get an independent assessor that AAMI cannot dispute and since the independent assessor will recommend what is fair and reasonable in order to adequately fix my car... that should be fine.

And getting the hire car paid for shouldn't be an issue either, I'm actually working most weekdays and pretty much all of the long weekend as well.

Looking foward to getting my car back.. it's been 1 day and I miss it already.

[turboveedubb]

Well, getting car back tomorrow afternoon. Can't wait!
It's been 16 long days away from my Jetta.

And it was actually that easy.. dropped car off.. picked up rental.
Wait for repair.
Return rental, pick up Jetta.

Drive away nothing to pay.