Rookwise
17-05-2008, 03:20
Dont know if this is the correct place to post this :confused:
A little while ago I had a slight bump in my Leon (my fault). The damage was done to the offside front bumper and headlight on my car. The bumper being dented + split in the corner and the headlight being pushed inside the wing. The following day I contacted my insurance company, Direct Line to get the ball rolling on repairs to both vehicles. I was told that my car would have to be repaired at their authorised repairer which was Howard Basford in Crewe, Cheshire. I asked if my local SEAT dealer would be able to carry out the repairs as I have the right to decide where my car would be repaired. I was told no and that my insurance wouldn't be valid if I took it to one they dont authorise. I decided to go ahead with letting Howard Basford do the repairs to my car.
Below is an account of what has happened so far:-
From the day a car is collected. Howard Basford is supposed to keep the customer informed with updates to the repair process and an estimated completion date provided before close of business on the day your car is collected. This is not the case as it was myself who had to contact Howard Basford after not hearing from them for over 30 hours only to be told that nobody has been near the car yet. That was the last I heard from them for 7 days when I was contacted again saying that my car would be ready either the following day or the day after and that I would have to travel the 20 or so miles to go and collect my car from them as they could not deliver it. After a discussion. It was agreed that they would deliver my car before 1pm on Friday 16th May 2008. Again this was not the case. 1pm came and went. 3 phone calls later (each one saying that the 'driver' had just left with my car) and 2pm came and still no car. 2:10pm came and finally the car had arrived only to be sent back (see below for the reason). The driver said that it was my fault for not leaving enough petrol in the car as he had to travel the additional meters (yes...meters. They have an ESSO petrol staion virtually next to them) to put some petrol in my car thus explaining why it took him an extra hour ??????
Upon the car being delivered by one of their less pleasent drivers (not on a recovery vehicle as stated on their website). The headlight was not aligned correctly and was at an angle (gaps between bumper, wing and bonnet were not to manufacturers spec) with the lower, inner part touching the bumper by the grill and the top, outer part touching/pushing on the wing. This is due to the front panel not being replaced/straightened properly. The so called mechanic who worked on the car had trapped my cars front fog light wiring loom between the front pannel and the bumper causing a fault that was not present on the car when they collected it (again not on one of their recovery vehicles as stated on their website).
At 6pm the same day. I received a phoned call from their 'Quality Control' manager. He asked me which headlight had the problem (did he look at the job sheet for what repairs had been done to my car ???) and that there was no wiring across the front of the car (WTF powers the front fog lights ??? Fresh air ???)
I'm currently waiting for my car to be redelivered with all work completed (Hopefully)
I would never recommend Howard Basford in Crewe to anyone due to what I've experienced so far.
A little while ago I had a slight bump in my Leon (my fault). The damage was done to the offside front bumper and headlight on my car. The bumper being dented + split in the corner and the headlight being pushed inside the wing. The following day I contacted my insurance company, Direct Line to get the ball rolling on repairs to both vehicles. I was told that my car would have to be repaired at their authorised repairer which was Howard Basford in Crewe, Cheshire. I asked if my local SEAT dealer would be able to carry out the repairs as I have the right to decide where my car would be repaired. I was told no and that my insurance wouldn't be valid if I took it to one they dont authorise. I decided to go ahead with letting Howard Basford do the repairs to my car.
Below is an account of what has happened so far:-
From the day a car is collected. Howard Basford is supposed to keep the customer informed with updates to the repair process and an estimated completion date provided before close of business on the day your car is collected. This is not the case as it was myself who had to contact Howard Basford after not hearing from them for over 30 hours only to be told that nobody has been near the car yet. That was the last I heard from them for 7 days when I was contacted again saying that my car would be ready either the following day or the day after and that I would have to travel the 20 or so miles to go and collect my car from them as they could not deliver it. After a discussion. It was agreed that they would deliver my car before 1pm on Friday 16th May 2008. Again this was not the case. 1pm came and went. 3 phone calls later (each one saying that the 'driver' had just left with my car) and 2pm came and still no car. 2:10pm came and finally the car had arrived only to be sent back (see below for the reason). The driver said that it was my fault for not leaving enough petrol in the car as he had to travel the additional meters (yes...meters. They have an ESSO petrol staion virtually next to them) to put some petrol in my car thus explaining why it took him an extra hour ??????
Upon the car being delivered by one of their less pleasent drivers (not on a recovery vehicle as stated on their website). The headlight was not aligned correctly and was at an angle (gaps between bumper, wing and bonnet were not to manufacturers spec) with the lower, inner part touching the bumper by the grill and the top, outer part touching/pushing on the wing. This is due to the front panel not being replaced/straightened properly. The so called mechanic who worked on the car had trapped my cars front fog light wiring loom between the front pannel and the bumper causing a fault that was not present on the car when they collected it (again not on one of their recovery vehicles as stated on their website).
At 6pm the same day. I received a phoned call from their 'Quality Control' manager. He asked me which headlight had the problem (did he look at the job sheet for what repairs had been done to my car ???) and that there was no wiring across the front of the car (WTF powers the front fog lights ??? Fresh air ???)
I'm currently waiting for my car to be redelivered with all work completed (Hopefully)
I would never recommend Howard Basford in Crewe to anyone due to what I've experienced so far.