Polo Smash in Melbourne : (

[PetePoloGTI]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading these forums for a while now and really found heaps of useful info! Thanks! Hope you can help me with this one...

I bought an '06 Polo Gti, Black with roof and leather, chipped and exhaust (not sure which ones) around 1 month ago - totally in love! Was rear-ended on the way home from work the other day and am wondering where are the best places for me to get it fixed in Melbourne??? The girl has insurance with AAMI so a AAMI approved repairer would make it even easier for me!

Seems like I will need a new bumper - have no idea how she didn't hit any panels... and want my sunroof re-aligned - was on tilt when she hit me and it managed to rotate a bit! Also want my exhaust checked as she must have it the end of it!

Since the accident, the front drivers wheel seems to spin a lot more than it use too - people have said that the car could be buckled?? Not sure if the accident was hard enough to do this though - What is the likelihood of this??

Thanks for any help!!!

[leck]

Give Dietmar a ring at

Eurostyle Bodymaster 127-133 Stanley Street West Melbourne VIC 3003 Tel: (03) 9348 9155

He does a ridiculous amount of VW work and knows them backwards and being german is pretty hardcore about ze panels must be straight yah. Tell him antony from Mbar referred you and he will get it in to look at. Do ring first as he might need to get it on the hoist to look for undercar damage.

Same thing happened to me and he picked up a few things that i never would have looked for. He is racv preferred so you dont need more than 1 quote etc. Easy and good.

[GT3]

Give Dietmar a ring

Yep, he's great, did some minor work for me recently - he's also a VW approved repairer. Word of warning, he has complete disdain for AAMI and refuses to deal with them.

[VW GTI]

Word of warning, he has complete disdain for AAMI and refuses to deal with them.

Sounds much like yourself.

[GT3]

Sounds much like yourself.

funny you say that, I'm actually with AAMI - Dietmar couldn't believe that anyone with a new vw would would insure with them, so yeah lesson learnt. As AAMI themselves have told me, if you want a preferred repairer, best not to insure with them, needless to say I'll be switching insurers very soon.

[PetePoloGTI]

So is there any point of me going down there?? I need a quote from an AAMI approved, and one of my own choice.... Maybe can go to an AAMI approved first then take it down to him with the figure to beat??

Unfortunately for me, being 23 with a modified car pretty much only leaves JustCar available to me... wish that other girl wasn't with them now though

[Timbo]

Hang on a minute. Am I missing something? You have an accident where the other party is at fault, and somehow the other party's insurer can exert influence over where you get your car repaired?! I don't think so! The only requirement they can enforce is for you to get three quotes. If they try to tell you from whom you must get those quotes, ask them the basis for this. They have no contractual relationship with you, therefore cannot force you to go to a particular repairer.

It is entirely different in relation to a claim on your own insurance, where you are bound by the contract you have with your insurer, which may specify authorised repairers. Many companies now have this, not just AAMI -- read the fine print. But -- I repeat -- that only applies in relation to claims on your own policy.

[SoVeReIgN]

So is there any point of me going down there?? I need a quote from an AAMI approved, and one of my own choice.... Maybe can go to an AAMI approved first then take it down to him with the figure to beat??

Unfortunately for me, being 23 with a modified car pretty much only leaves JustCar available to me... wish that other girl wasn't with them now though

Don't listen to their rubbish - You don't need to have it approved by an AAMI approved repairer.

Get a claim number off the person that hit you and go to any smash repair place you like - Tell them to sort the car out and they'll deal with AAMI.

[DubSteve]

I just got hit myself a week and a half ago, get all there details and then go and get the claim number as Dave has said. Then ring your insurer and go from there!

[Spec83]

Agreed - someone rear ended my GTI 2 weeks ago... get their details and put YOUR own claim in through YOUR insurance company. Give YOUR insurance company all of the other parties details along with THEIR claim number. Your insurance company will handle the talks between the other party. You may have to make a few phone calls but talk to your insurance company only - thats what you pay your money for!!!

Additionally, I note that a lot of car insurance policys state that you should not enter into negotiations with the other parites and/or their insurance companies without their consent... something else to remember

[PetePoloGTI]

I think there could be an issue with this as because I am with JustCar and she is with AAMI (both Suncorp insurance companies), I have been made to make a "not at fault" claim with JustCar - This means that she has a claim number and I now have a claim number (which is linked to hers)... So thinking I will have to use an AAMI approved?? Or maybe they are just bluffing??

[Timbo]

'just bluffing'...but JustCar and AAMI are commonly-owned, so a conspiracy is more likely. Get quotes from the repairer you want to do the job

[PetePoloGTI]

OK, I have booked in to get a quote from a AAMI repairer after talking to Dietmar @ Eurostyle and then going down to him on Saturday morning so he can hopefully beat it.... fingers crossed!

[callen]

Sad news....my girlfirend wrote of my black Polo GTI on Wednesday morning. It is currently sitting in the yard at Eurostyle and Dietmar has been fantastic to deal with. I have new for old replacement so will be getting a new Black Polo GTI in the near future.

The car is getting towed to Pickles auctions next week and it doesn't appear to be damaged that badly at first glance but the rear suspension is competely bent when you look under the car. I'll put up some photos over the weekend when my internet at home gets re connected.

[Whubbsie]

Sad news....my girlfirend wrote of my black Polo GTI on Wednesday morning. It is currently sitting in the yard at Eurostyle and Dietmar has been fantastic to deal with. I have new for old replacement so will be getting a new Black Polo GTI in the near future.

The car is getting towed to Pickles auctions next week and it doesn't appear to be damaged that badly at first glance but the rear suspension is competely bent when you look under the car. I'll put up some photos over the weekend when my internet at home gets re connected.

damn dude least you're getting a new one that should make up for it. you losing any mods on the transfer?

I just got mine back from the panel beaters today.