Advice needed!
Discussion
After 5 days I can't put up with this anymore. I've tried my best not to involve PH but I'm worried and I need advice.
As a few of you may know, I had been driving cheap and cheerful cars for the past 2years in order to purchase a car of my dreams for my 21st birthday (in time with my insurance premiums dropping) I did just this. Some of you may remember the 123d vs 335d thread. In the end I purchased a lovely 123d M Sport Coupe and all was well.
On Saturday morning I awoke to a frantic knock at the door. I was staying at a friends house and panicked as I thought his mother had returned home prematurely (I was sleeping in her bed) but no, it was much worse. I was greeted at the door by a lovely old lady, she appeared quite shaken up and quickly informed me she had hit a car. My heart fell as I asked which car?!
she pointed to my new car.
A quick inspection of the damage showed the front bumper was stoved in, the wing and headlight damaged as the car has been pushed back around 18inches. A cup of tea and an exchange of insurance details later the lovely old lady was gone. Within about one hour I received a phone call from her insurance company, full liability admitted, a recovery truck was on its way along with a like-for-like replacement courtesy car whilst the damage was rectified.
An attempt to drive my car showed the damage was worse than expected. I could only turn left a tiny amount before it wouldn't turn any further and the car was pulling wildly to the right. Not to worry the insurance will handle this. As promised the recovery truck turned up and my car was gone
I sat at my friends how reflecting on the morning awaiting the call from the hire car company. After two hours I contacted the third party insurer to ask for an update and to my annoyance I was informed the hire car company they use was closed and I couldn't get a car until Monday 8.00am. I asked if they could use another company as I desperately needed a car and was told No.
I accepted this eventually and started looking at the positives of being without a car for 2days! Monday came, the grandmother came out of retirement to coiffure me 22miles to work as a quick call to the hire car company confirmed they wouldn't have one ready until mid-day. During my lunch break supergran picked me back up along with required documentation to collect my hire car. After a bit of ummin and arrin they agreed to give me a car. Walking outside looking for my like-for-like replacement I was dumbfounded at the Astra 1.6 life they had provided me with. They claimed confirmation for a like-for-like car was never sent.
Later that day I received a call from the repair center, they listed the damage and replacement parts that were due. This was all going swimmingly until the list stopped. I questioned if the mechanic had test driven the car, he claimed he had. I asked if he had noticed the tracking out, he claimed the first time he test drove it he noticed but the second time it was fine...
But not to worry as they would also track it up! He then very nonchalantly informed me that I appear to have a lot of warning lights on including the power steering, but he would reset them for me.
Since then I've requested the car be moved to BMW but I was informed my car was in good hands and they would not move it. It has also taken 3 phone calls to get authorisation for an equivalent hire car. My excitement was cut short as the hire car company informed me that due to my age (21) I wasn't allowed a better car
this also made me wonder why my excess (£1350) has been replicated on this 1.6 Astra hire car.
Has anyone got any advice to offer on my situation? I'm happy to be told I can't choose where my car goes now, and I should be happy I have any courtesy car at all. I can't shake this feeling that something is going to go terribly wrong, and I've been had. Over to you
Edit to add: I've googled the accident repair company that has my car, it's not looking promising. Not at all.
As a few of you may know, I had been driving cheap and cheerful cars for the past 2years in order to purchase a car of my dreams for my 21st birthday (in time with my insurance premiums dropping) I did just this. Some of you may remember the 123d vs 335d thread. In the end I purchased a lovely 123d M Sport Coupe and all was well.
On Saturday morning I awoke to a frantic knock at the door. I was staying at a friends house and panicked as I thought his mother had returned home prematurely (I was sleeping in her bed) but no, it was much worse. I was greeted at the door by a lovely old lady, she appeared quite shaken up and quickly informed me she had hit a car. My heart fell as I asked which car?!
she pointed to my new car.A quick inspection of the damage showed the front bumper was stoved in, the wing and headlight damaged as the car has been pushed back around 18inches. A cup of tea and an exchange of insurance details later the lovely old lady was gone. Within about one hour I received a phone call from her insurance company, full liability admitted, a recovery truck was on its way along with a like-for-like replacement courtesy car whilst the damage was rectified.
An attempt to drive my car showed the damage was worse than expected. I could only turn left a tiny amount before it wouldn't turn any further and the car was pulling wildly to the right. Not to worry the insurance will handle this. As promised the recovery truck turned up and my car was gone
I sat at my friends how reflecting on the morning awaiting the call from the hire car company. After two hours I contacted the third party insurer to ask for an update and to my annoyance I was informed the hire car company they use was closed and I couldn't get a car until Monday 8.00am. I asked if they could use another company as I desperately needed a car and was told No.I accepted this eventually and started looking at the positives of being without a car for 2days! Monday came, the grandmother came out of retirement to coiffure me 22miles to work as a quick call to the hire car company confirmed they wouldn't have one ready until mid-day. During my lunch break supergran picked me back up along with required documentation to collect my hire car. After a bit of ummin and arrin they agreed to give me a car. Walking outside looking for my like-for-like replacement I was dumbfounded at the Astra 1.6 life they had provided me with. They claimed confirmation for a like-for-like car was never sent.
Later that day I received a call from the repair center, they listed the damage and replacement parts that were due. This was all going swimmingly until the list stopped. I questioned if the mechanic had test driven the car, he claimed he had. I asked if he had noticed the tracking out, he claimed the first time he test drove it he noticed but the second time it was fine...
But not to worry as they would also track it up! He then very nonchalantly informed me that I appear to have a lot of warning lights on including the power steering, but he would reset them for me.Since then I've requested the car be moved to BMW but I was informed my car was in good hands and they would not move it. It has also taken 3 phone calls to get authorisation for an equivalent hire car. My excitement was cut short as the hire car company informed me that due to my age (21) I wasn't allowed a better car
this also made me wonder why my excess (£1350) has been replicated on this 1.6 Astra hire car.Has anyone got any advice to offer on my situation? I'm happy to be told I can't choose where my car goes now, and I should be happy I have any courtesy car at all. I can't shake this feeling that something is going to go terribly wrong, and I've been had. Over to you
Edit to add: I've googled the accident repair company that has my car, it's not looking promising. Not at all.
First of all make a complaint to the insurance company, however if that doesn't work get in touch with the Insurance Ombudsman (from what I can see)
http://www.takelegaladvice.com/news-and-informatio...
http://www.takelegaladvice.com/news-and-informatio...
Edited by LukeSi on Friday 21st October 19:04
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