Bodyshop damaged alloys!

[Sazz]

Hoping to get some advise on here. My car went into a mercedes bodyshop refered by sytner drive after i was hit into by another driver. When i went to collect my car i was shocked to see the car was absolutely filthy not even cleaned after the accident damage but the bodyshop also damaged my front two alloys so bad they went from black to silver! They were cracked all around the edge. They first tried to tel me the car came in like that! When i told them there is no way that my alloys were even scratched when i took the car in. They then admitted the damage was done in the bodyshop. However they fixed the alloys but on a smart repair?... so within a hour? How this is even possible.. now i have the car back with silver dust/rust sitting on my alloys. Theyve tried to tel me its just dirt. When ive wiped the alloy infront of them to show it clearly isnt! So shocked first of how a mercedes showroom bodyshop can do such damage and give that level of customer service worse than a corner garage. What can i do?....

 

[Sazz]

Hoping to get some good advice...

 

[ajlsl600]

ensure yr right, write to them , wait for reply if not satisfied ,name and shame, here and somewhere like facebook, these days reputation is EVERYTHING ,if they dont value theirs, sorrio for them.

 

[bembo449]

this is exactly why when you hand your car over you should get them to sign for its condition , my range rover has been in for body repair and the company responsible for it , go round the car with you and even check how much fuel is in it to ensure it is returned in the exact same shape as it was dropped off but obvs damage repaired ! its shocking this has happened though , makes you wonder how the hell they managed to damage it ??

 

[Frosty149]

If I understand correctly, Sytner referred the car to the body shop, your relationship for the repair is with them.
Take photos and diarise the events and send a dispassionate account to Sytner requesting appropriate resolution within a realistic timeframe. Remember that the work should be warranted and any incidental damage recorded before you get into any mud slinging.
Is there no insurance company involved?

 

[John Laidlaw]

^this

 

[Frontstep]

A lot revolves around your use of the word "refer" what actually happened ?

As I understand it "Synter Drive" is an accident management company.

After that is cleared up it may help to get a clearer path to whom you should expect to resolve your problem.

It appears its Synter so far.

 

[Sazz]

ensure yr right, write to them , wait for reply if not satisfied ,name and shame, here and somewhere like facebook, these days reputation is EVERYTHING ,if they dont value theirs, sorrio for them.

Hi
Thank you i have sent a email today to confirm what has happend so i have it in writing.

 

[Sazz]

A lot revolves around your use of the word "refer" what actually happened ?

As I understand it "Synter Drive" is an accident management company.

After that is cleared up it may help to get a clearer path to whom you should expect to resolve your problem.

It appears its Synter so far.

Hi
Yes it was systner who were the claim handlers. I have spoken to them and that i hold them liable for the damage. As this is where they told me to take my car. This was not my own choice of repairers. But all they have said is i should contact mercedes mk direct. Where the damage has been done.

 

[Sazz]

If I understand correctly, Sytner referred the car to the body shop, your relationship for the repair is with them.
Take photos and diarise the events and send a dispassionate account to Sytner requesting appropriate resolution within a realistic timeframe. Remember that the work should be warranted and any incidental damage recorded before you get into any mud slinging.
Is there no insurance company involved?

Hi yes it was

If I understand correctly, Sytner referred the car to the body shop, your relationship for the repair is with them.
Take photos and diarise the events and send a dispassionate account to Sytner requesting appropriate resolution within a realistic timeframe. Remember that the work should be warranted and any incidental damage recorded before you get into any mud slinging.
Is there no insurance company involved?

Hi
Yes it is sytner the claims company.
The garage has repaired the damage on a smart alloy repair as i had thought. But yes my concern is how did they do this damage. My shocks on the car seem to be gone also. The vehicle is not a smooth drive as before.

 

[Sazz]

this is exactly why when you hand your car over you should get them to sign for its condition , my range rover has been in for body repair and the company responsible for it , go round the car with you and even check how much fuel is in it to ensure it is returned in the exact same shape as it was dropped off but obvs damage repaired ! its shocking this has happened though , makes you wonder how the hell they managed to damage it ??

Hi
I totally agree with you which is the reason why i took pictures of my car when i dropped it to them. Inc the mileage and fuel and interiour. They also did take photos when the vehicle was dropped off to them. Thats what they checked and agreed they had done the damage as there was no damage on the alloys in the pictures. Sytner did say to me they are shocked at how bad the customer service has been from the body shop. How they basically thought they would get away with the damage. If i had not checked the vehicle around.

 

[Frontstep]

Then it's Synter to whom you should direct your communication including a request for replacement alloys..

 

[peterws1957]

If the alloys were cracked as you say in the first post, how can a smart repair have been done? I'm afraid your's is becoming a very familiar story when so called claims "management" companies become involved. Wouldn't personally deal with one no matter what the circumstances. When things go wrong due to the incompetence of their chain of suppliers they don't want to know and will fob you off, no matter what the law is.
Having been in the insurance game for decades my advice would be to get a price for replacing the wheels from MB if the repair is not satisfactory. Wait a response from Sytner (but dont wait too long)- if they try to fob you off, advise them small claims court is the next step.(its easy to do now online). Add the cost of tyre refitting and balancing etc . I would also get the suspension checked if you insist that the car is not driving as before. Does make me wonder whether the car has been knocked off a jack or something. Tell us what happens.

On a general note I would be very wary of dealing with claims management companies particularly when they act for third party Insurers. They try to make out that you "have" to deal with them- you don't!

 

[KennyN]

my front two alloys so bad they went from black to silver! They were cracked all around the edge. ..

If both alloys were previously unmarked but now they are as you described above it sounds like someone has switched them for a damaged set as it take many moons to destroy a set of alloys all the way round the edge.

I wouldnt fancy the longevity of a 60min repair to damaged / cracked alloys.

Kenny

 

[Sazz]

If the alloys were cracked as you say in the first post, how can a smart repair have been done? I'm afraid your's is becoming a very familiar story when so called claims "management" companies become involved. Wouldn't personally deal with one no matter what the circumstances. When things go wrong due to the incompetence of their chain of suppliers they don't want to know and will fob you off, no matter what the law is.
Having been in the insurance game for decades my advice would be to get a price for replacing the wheels from MB if the repair is not satisfactory. Wait a response from Sytner (but dont wait too long)- if they try to fob you off, advise them small claims court is the next step.(its easy to do now online). Add the cost of tyre refitting and balancing etc . I would also get the suspension checked if you insist that the car is not driving as before. Does make me wonder whether the car has been knocked off a jack or something. Tell us what happens.

On a general note I would be very wary of dealing with claims management companies particularly when they act for third party Insurers. They try to make out that you "have" to deal with them- you don't!

Thankyou for your advice.
I have sent a email today to merc in mk and sytner asking for full explanation of how the damage happend to the vehicle as the bodyshop manager said to me the damage looks like it has been scraped a few times not just the once. So i must have done this before i left the car with them. When i clearly told him is not the case! After this he checked the photos of when i dropped the vehicle he came back and agreed the damage was done in there bodyshop. I am waiting for a reply to my email now. I will definetly get a quote from another mercedes bodyshop and ask them to check the vehicle for me. I will keep you posted on here on what happens. Wish me luck.

 

[Sazz]

If both alloys were previously unmarked but now they are as you described above it sounds like someone has switched them for a damaged set as it take many moons to destroy a set of alloys all the way round the edge.

I wouldnt fancy the longevity of a 60min repair to damaged / cracked alloys.

Kenny

Your absolutely right about the damage. Those were my words how is it even possible to do that much damage! I was in total shock at the state of them. The bodyshop manager said the same “oh you must of done this before you dropped the vehicle as that damage is done a few times cant be done just the one time” this moment i had enough and asked him to just go and check the photos first! Of how i left the car! He came back and told me yes i am right there was no damage on the front alloys. I am now waiting for a reply from the garage for a full explanation of how this was done.

 

[Rotorhead500]

Don't settle for a "we don't know" either.

That level of damage is not a mere scuff where the driver wouldn't have been aware! There should be a very limited number of people who should've been driving your car, even fewer who were responsible for its care.

 

[Frosty149]

Remember the duty of care issue here!

 

[peterws1957]

Don't settle for a "we don't know" either.

That level of damage is not a mere scuff where the driver wouldn't have been aware! There should be a very limited number of people who should've been driving your car, even fewer who were responsible for its care.

^^ This exactly!

 

[Sazz]

Well.. i have had a reply from the garage after i asked for a explanation. And again he is trying to fob me off!! He has said he has spoken to the people who worked on the car and they do not recall doing any damage to the car. Further to that he used a third party garage for the geometry test on the vehicle and they have also told him they do not recall doing any damage on the vehicle. He is also saying that his photos are not clear enough to prove the damage was not prior. Which is totally untrue so i have asked for those photos. I have kept sytner also in the email communication who have just been silent.