Lexus Going To Bodyshop For Repairs

[Red_Panda]

Hello,

My IS200SE, Strathcaron Blue, is going in for repairs to the driver's side front and rear three-quarter panels. The damage was done at local supermarket car park when some :tsktsk: decided my car would look better with dents and damaged paintwork... Unfortunately I was not present to beat down on the moron that ruined my car and no witnesses came forward.

So the insurers have approved the repair but their stipulation is that I have to take it to Heartlands Ford in B24 to get the damaged repaired. They don't have any Lexus/Toyota garages on their 'approved bodyshop' list.

Is this wise and should I go ahead with Hearlands Ford or should I dispute it and pay extra out of my own pocket to have it repaired at a Toyota/ Lexus Bodyshop. The insurers did have a word with two different Lexus dealers but they could not agree on the repair estimates, apparently, due to the labour charges involved.

Thanks for the advice guys and gals.

[spikes]

no reason why they cant make a good job of it.

if your not happy with the work complain

[Monster-Mat]

speak to lexus with regards body warrenty

[T7RY B]

Not all Lexus dealers will do their own bodywork repairs anyway.

A lot will farm out the work to repair specialists and just put on the usual Lexus premium!

My S-Type Jag went to the Jaguar dealership but the guy at Jaguar told me ALL their bodywork was carried out at a BMW bodyshop.

As Spikes say's

If the work is not carried out to a high spec.(Take it to Lexus to check it if you wish) then complain to the insurance company 'cos they are the ones paying for it.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

I thought it was your right to get it done where you want ( only thing is if not your insuarance approved then you may not get a courtesy car ).

[Bazza]

I thought it was your right to get it done where you want ( only thing is if not your insuarance approved then you may not get a courtesy car ).

you have the right to have it repaired, but the insurance company have the right to say where

unless you can prove that it would invalidate your warranty,

although most warrantys only insist work is done to the manufacturers specified standard, hence why most dealers can sub the work to local bodyshops

[romaro]

I thought it was your right to get it done where you want ( only thing is if not your insuarance approved then you may not get a courtesy car ).

you have the right to have it repaired, but the insurance company have the right to say where

unless you can prove that it would invalidate your warranty,

although most warrantys only insist work is done to the manufacturers specified standard, hence why most dealers can sub the work to local bodyshops

Actually, most insurers will allow you to use the bodyshop of your choice. For example, this is Direct Line's policy:

"If our approved repairers carry out the repairs, you do not need an

estimate and work can start immediately. Or, you can arrange for

reasonable and necessary repairs to be carried out at a repairer of

your choice, as long as you give us a detailed repair estimate and full

details of the incident before the work begins."

[derekyau]

I thought it was your right to get it done where you want ( only thing is if not your insuarance approved then you may not get a courtesy car ).

you have the right to have it repaired, but the insurance company have the right to say where

unless you can prove that it would invalidate your warranty,

although most warrantys only insist work is done to the manufacturers specified standard, hence why most dealers can sub the work to local bodyshops

Actually, most insurers will allow you to use the bodyshop of your choice. For example, this is Direct Line's policy:

"If our approved repairers carry out the repairs, you do not need an

estimate and work can start immediately. Or, you can arrange for

reasonable and necessary repairs to be carried out at a repairer of

your choice, as long as you give us a detailed repair estimate and full

details of the incident before the work begins."

That's what I thought.

TBH, I think different policies have different erm, policies, regarding to the actual use/choice of repairers, loan cars etc. in the event of a claim.

Check your insurance policy details to see what it says wrt getting your car repaired.

D.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

As steve (wm) says, you can take it where-ever (with most policies), but it may take longer.

At the end of the day, if its an approved Body shop, what's the difference gonna be? For all you know the Lexus bodyshop worker/panel beater/sprayer could be a contractor, who works here there and everywhere...or some one who has just joined a Lexus bodyshop.

My advice is go there and have a look at some jobs that they are doing or have done at the Ford garage if you've the time. You don't need to be an expert in assessing if they will do a good job or not...

I'm sure that they'll use the same paint and similar process's, especially if they are approved.

[Cous3]

.......But just be careful, if it's not up to scratch don't accept the car.

A few years ago I had to take my Rover Coupe to the bodyshop my insurance company recommended.......I was impressed that this place was full of TT's, Porsche's, quality cars etc and so went ahead :duh:

Well they must have let the new bloke loose on my car because the work was terrible.......took ages to finally sort out.

[alastair chapman]

I believe you have a legal right to get the car repaired where you see fit, and the insurers will have to agree costs with one of the lexus dealerships.

Who are your insurers?

[Red_Panda]

Thanks for the input guys.

This has been dragging on for a while though (since August really, yes thats right - you have no idea how many complaint letters I have sent these people - Swift.Cover) mainly because the insurance company wanted quotes from the Lexus garages before approving work. They then turn round and say they never received the quotes from the garages, trying to stall me I guess as every time I was being reminded that I do not have to wait for approval from the Insurance company's technician if I used their approved garages instead.

The problem i am having is that there is quite a difference between the Insurance company technician's repair estimate and the ones given by the Lexus dealers, and the insurance people are refusing to budge from their estimates saying that the only reason the other estimates are that high is because of the labour charge. I dont want to fork out more money out of principle as I am paying a lot to have the car insured as it is so for them to deny paying out for the repairs saying that its too expensive is just not right, but, by sods law, thats the way it has to be I guess.

As for warranty issues, the car was 3 years old in August, so the only warranty still valid is the paint & corrosion, as far as I know. Also I noticed that the paint on the bottom sections on the sides of the car (i.e. the body panels below the doors) is starting to get some serious orange peel syndrome. Is this normal or should I be worried?

Can't tell you how much I want to get the car back to normal. Thanks for the help again guys.

[illestjt]

Hello,

My IS200SE, Strathcaron Blue, is going in for repairs to the driver's side front and rear three-quarter panels. The damage was done at local supermarket car park when some :tsktsk: decided my car would look better with dents and damaged paintwork... Unfortunately I was not present to beat down on the moron that ruined my car and no witnesses came forward.

So the insurers have approved the repair but their stipulation is that I have to take it to Heartlands Ford in B24 to get the damaged repaired. They don't have any Lexus/Toyota garages on their 'approved bodyshop' list.

Is this wise and should I go ahead with Hearlands Ford or should I dispute it and pay extra out of my own pocket to have it repaired at a Toyota/ Lexus Bodyshop. The insurers did have a word with two different Lexus dealers but they could not agree on the repair estimates, apparently, due to the labour charges involved.

Thanks for the advice guys and gals.

You should demad to get it fixed by Lexus, as a prestige car it should be taken care of by the dealership!