Inspecting car after repairs
Discussion
Looking for a bit of advice and suggestions regarding the inspection of a car after it’s had repair work done. To give a bit of backstory:
About a month ago I was hit by another car that pulled out in front of me on a roundabout. Fair bit of damage done but the other car didn’t bother stopping and I wasn’t able to see the reg or get any useful details, no cctv around etc.
For better or worse, I’m having the repairs done at the garage selected by my insurance and so far they seem pretty competent and have kept me updated.
My concern though is in the number of parts replaced and amount of repair work that’s been needed, and so would really like to get the car inspected by someone who actually knows what they’re looking at before I accept the car back.
Would a BMW main dealer be of any use in this? I’ve read that the AA & RAC offer a similar service, but are they really offering anything above just a visual inspection?
At the least I’d want to walk around the car and go through what work's been done so I know roughly what to look at, but I’ve not got a huge amount of mechanical experience, and certainly not in cars.
Or am I just worrying too much?! At the end of the day it is only a modern, mass produced BMW… (M2C)
Any thoughts, and experiences, people have had would be greatly appreciated!
About a month ago I was hit by another car that pulled out in front of me on a roundabout. Fair bit of damage done but the other car didn’t bother stopping and I wasn’t able to see the reg or get any useful details, no cctv around etc.
For better or worse, I’m having the repairs done at the garage selected by my insurance and so far they seem pretty competent and have kept me updated.
My concern though is in the number of parts replaced and amount of repair work that’s been needed, and so would really like to get the car inspected by someone who actually knows what they’re looking at before I accept the car back.
Would a BMW main dealer be of any use in this? I’ve read that the AA & RAC offer a similar service, but are they really offering anything above just a visual inspection?
At the least I’d want to walk around the car and go through what work's been done so I know roughly what to look at, but I’ve not got a huge amount of mechanical experience, and certainly not in cars.
Or am I just worrying too much?! At the end of the day it is only a modern, mass produced BMW… (M2C)
Any thoughts, and experiences, people have had would be greatly appreciated!
I'd get it checked over - but you may find the inspection isn't worth much as they're not going to check alignment and chassis distortion.
Mine Z4MC came back (with a 5 year warranty for a Vauxhall franchised bodyshop that closed within a year) with no way to access the rear brake pad sensor as they'd routed it incorrectly and then sealed it behind a body panel.
Once it was back in my hands, neither the insurer or bodyshop management wanted anything to do with me.
If I was doing it again, I'd either 1) allow them to write it off (as it was on the cusp), or 2) 'demand' it was done by a BMW dealer/bodyshop.
On my renewal, I went elsewhere and paid £20 extra for a policy add-on that allowed a higher labour rate so it could be taken to a manufacturer bodyshop.
Mine Z4MC came back (with a 5 year warranty for a Vauxhall franchised bodyshop that closed within a year) with no way to access the rear brake pad sensor as they'd routed it incorrectly and then sealed it behind a body panel.
Once it was back in my hands, neither the insurer or bodyshop management wanted anything to do with me.
If I was doing it again, I'd either 1) allow them to write it off (as it was on the cusp), or 2) 'demand' it was done by a BMW dealer/bodyshop.
On my renewal, I went elsewhere and paid £20 extra for a policy add-on that allowed a higher labour rate so it could be taken to a manufacturer bodyshop.
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