Cracked a bumper on a brand new Merc CLA - quote exorbitant
Discussion
Well, I'm an idiot - made a crack in the middle of the rear bumper of the car behind me when parking without due care and attention (crazy kids in back) and it turned out be a brand new Mercedes CLA.
I was hoping to pay the owner directly and preserve my cheap premium and many years of no claims but the quote has come back totalling over £1,800 including VAT.
The quote is including replacement and fitting for both rear lamps even though no contact was made with either. Also the Merc has park assist, which looks to be bumping up the price.
Is this a reasonable sum or should I be requesting another quote?!
I was hoping to pay the owner directly and preserve my cheap premium and many years of no claims but the quote has come back totalling over £1,800 including VAT.
The quote is including replacement and fitting for both rear lamps even though no contact was made with either. Also the Merc has park assist, which looks to be bumping up the price.
Is this a reasonable sum or should I be requesting another quote?!
Surely they aren’t quoting to replace the rear lamps but to remove and refit them to enable the bumper skin to be replaced?
Doesn’t seem extortionate, that’s not to say that it can’t be done cheaper but you’ve crashed into them so it’s their prerogative to expect it to be repaired to a certain standard.
Also with silver there’s always the added risk of paint match complications.
In this case I’d say ‘that’s what your insurance is for’
Doesn’t seem extortionate, that’s not to say that it can’t be done cheaper but you’ve crashed into them so it’s their prerogative to expect it to be repaired to a certain standard.
Also with silver there’s always the added risk of paint match complications.
In this case I’d say ‘that’s what your insurance is for’
HustleRussell said:
Surely they aren’t quoting to replace the rear lamps but to remove and refit them to enable the bumper skin to be replaced?
Doesn’t seem extortionate, that’s not to say that it can’t be done cheaper but you’ve crashed into them so it’s their prerogative to expect it to be repaired to a certain standard.
Also with silver there’s always the added risk of paint match complications.
In this case I’d say ‘that’s what your insurance is for’
Silver ?Doesn’t seem extortionate, that’s not to say that it can’t be done cheaper but you’ve crashed into them so it’s their prerogative to expect it to be repaired to a certain standard.
Also with silver there’s always the added risk of paint match complications.
In this case I’d say ‘that’s what your insurance is for’
There is no mention of the colour in the OP
The owner wants to be put back in the position they were immediately before you collided with them.
It's a brand new car so I'm assuming they want genuine Mercedes parts & for the work to be carried out by a Mercedes approved body shop, a quick SMART repair or a back-street bodyshop isn't going to be acceptable especially if it's a lease car & they don't want any unexpected bills when they return it.
The fancy bits - park assist - & any non-visible damage to the mounts or any collision reduction devices if fitted all adds to the cost.
s
t happens & that's what your insurance is for.
It's a brand new car so I'm assuming they want genuine Mercedes parts & for the work to be carried out by a Mercedes approved body shop, a quick SMART repair or a back-street bodyshop isn't going to be acceptable especially if it's a lease car & they don't want any unexpected bills when they return it.
The fancy bits - park assist - & any non-visible damage to the mounts or any collision reduction devices if fitted all adds to the cost.
s
t happens & that's what your insurance is for.Edited by paintman on Wednesday 25th July 08:00
£1800 is laughable and not acceptable for bumper replacement. It's a plastic shell with some paint. Main dealers have very high hourly rates to cover their overheads so no doubt a big portion of that £1800 is £120+ per hour of labour.
It could probably be done for under half that cost with genuine parts at a decent local body shop but you don't get to choose. It wouldn't be impolite to ask the other driver to get three quotes for the repair though.
Anyway, my opinion aside I suspect the best way of dealing with this is to inform your insurance and leave them to sort it out.
It could probably be done for under half that cost with genuine parts at a decent local body shop but you don't get to choose. It wouldn't be impolite to ask the other driver to get three quotes for the repair though.
Anyway, my opinion aside I suspect the best way of dealing with this is to inform your insurance and leave them to sort it out.
Blaster72 said:
£1800 is laughable and not acceptable for bumper replacement. It's a plastic shell with some paint. Main dealers have very high hourly rates to cover their overheads so no doubt a big portion of that £1800 is £120+ per hour of labour.
It could probably be done for under half that cost with genuine parts at a decent local body shop but you don't get to choose. It wouldn't be impolite to ask the other driver to get three quotes for the repair though.
Anyway, my opinion aside I suspect the best way of dealing with this is to inform your insurance and leave them to sort it out.
Sod that. Who has time to get three different quotes for something that isn't even their fault?It could probably be done for under half that cost with genuine parts at a decent local body shop but you don't get to choose. It wouldn't be impolite to ask the other driver to get three quotes for the repair though.
Anyway, my opinion aside I suspect the best way of dealing with this is to inform your insurance and leave them to sort it out.
£1800 doesn't sound disproportionate for a CLA at main dealer rates. An impact hard enough to crack the bumper is going to have done something underneath too.
Durzel said:
Sod that. Who has time to get three different quotes for something that isn't even their fault?
Agreed. I'd be wanting payment up front for time off work in such an instance. It's pretty much three days to drop the vehicle off, wait for the quote to be done and then collect it again, at three different repair shops. And if the driver lives alone like I do, you have taxi fares to factor in as well. Unless you like sitting in car dealers all day.Wasting your time, the quote will be 3/4 labour costs because its an "approved" repairer...
I had mine done with one and had to send the car back as they'd failed to notice a blem under the clear coat (in the middle of the bumper).
Pay the excess and stomach the premium increase, it wont be much over a period.
I had mine done with one and had to send the car back as they'd failed to notice a blem under the clear coat (in the middle of the bumper).
Pay the excess and stomach the premium increase, it wont be much over a period.
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