Bodywork Repairs - Lexus Bodyshop Or Insurers Own?

[Kit77]

Urgent advice required here. Some idiot dented the left rear door and wheel arch in a car park and then drove away.

I have to get it sorted under insurance but they will insist on using there bodyshop (Norwich Union - SOLUS). They have been okay in the past but as my 250 is only 10 months old I was wondering if anyone thinks I should use a Lexus/Toyota bodyshop and get the insurers to pay them?

What do people suggest?

Cheers, Kit.

[Bobski]

Replied to other post.

[Parthiban]

I always make sure it goes to the Lexus/Toyota bodyshop that I want it to, but having said that my dad had a previous Audi repaired at the insurers recommended shop and they did a pretty good job

[Andy-R]

It's upto you where you send it however if it's not the insurance company's approved bodyshop then they won't pay for a courtesy car and won't gurantee the work.

[TheDon]

well i was in the exact situation a couple of weeks ago..

A lady used my door to stop hers....

my insurance wanted my to pay my excess first etc.. but i had a seperate option on my policy for my legal cover.

This enabled my to get my car taken in almost imidiately and to a propper lexus approved bodyshop that is the most amazing place i have ever seen in tonbridge wells, a propper hire car was waiting for me (inititaly a Merc E280 now changed to a CLK 280 AMG pack) and all at no cost to me.

The car is ready soon and was taken to the same place another member has just had a perfect respray at.. motorcare in tunbridge wells.

I think the company is called Helphire and they take care of everything (although on my insurance polcy its called angel assistance)

Either way the Motorcare company had aston martins, bentlys etc in there and everything was perfect.. the poshest bodyshop i have ever been... and its lexus approved! so cant argue

[rig-pig]

i got my rear 1/4 bumped the insurance comp put my car into the arnold clark body shop and what a mess the car had to go back 3 times b4 i was happy never again will it go to arnold clark

[Andy-R]

well i was in the exact situation a couple of weeks ago..

A lady used my door to stop hers....

my insurance wanted my to pay my excess first etc.. but i had a seperate option on my policy for my legal cover.

This enabled my to get my car taken in almost imidiately and to a propper lexus approved bodyshop that is the most amazing place i have ever seen in tonbridge wells, a propper hire car was waiting for me (inititaly a Merc E280 now changed to a CLK 280 AMG pack) and all at no cost to me.

The car is ready soon and was taken to the same place another member has just had a perfect respray at.. motorcare in tunbridge wells.

I think the company is called Helphire and they take care of everything (although on my insurance polcy its called angel assistance)

Either way the Motorcare company had aston martins, bentlys etc in there and everything was perfect.. the poshest bodyshop i have ever been... and its lexus approved! so cant argue

Check your policy then, you may have the same legal cover as The Don, I know my cars due in for repairs thanks to mindless scumbag vandals but my insurance won't give me a courtesy car because i've picked where I want it to go they also said the work wont be guranteed, but I know the work the garage has done and know it'll be spot on so it's just a chance you take really.

[TheDon]

even if your not covered on your insurance... as long as you have a case against the other party (idealy with a witness) companies like help hire take it upon themselves to recover the money etc and provide everything.. .tunbridge wells is about 30-40 mins south of london and i will be getting my car back this week so can show you the results... if not look in the IS200 room as there are loads of photos of a car that motorcare have resprayed

[Nilesh]

even if your not covered on your insurance... as long as you have a case against the other party (idealy with a witness) companies like help hire take it upon themselves to recover the money etc and provide everything.. .tunbridge wells is about 30-40 mins south of london and i will be getting my car back this week so can show you the results... if not look in the IS200 room as there are loads of photos of a car that motorcare have resprayed

Last year I had the misfortune of being rear ended at the traffic lights.....

My insurance company stated I had to take it too their approved repair shop for me to get a hire car.... so I did... I wish I insisted on a Lexus repair shop... the car came back to me with blown brake light... bumper not sitting flush at the light cluster... the light cluster itself needed remounting and on top they cracked the case on my key.....

I would take it too Lexus at least they will do the job properly...

[Parthiban]

Last year I had the misfortune of being rear ended at the traffic lights.....

My insurance company stated I had to take it too their approved repair shop for me to get a hire car.... so I did... I wish I insisted on a Lexus repair shop... the car came back to me with blown brake light... bumper not sitting flush at the light cluster... the light cluster itself needed remounting and on top they cracked the case on my key.....

I would take it too Lexus at least they will do the job properly...

My car came back like that from a certain Lexus dealer in west london once plus they threw in 3 bits of extra damage for good measure............

Can't always guarantee it'll be any better at a Lexus bodyshop but there's usually slightly better customer service if things do go wrong.