Advice on Cupra Insurance repair

[Titchy]

Hi All,

As some may remember back in April after a week of ownership someone changed lanes into the side of my Cupra 300.

3 stressful months later of continuous phone calls and threatening emails I still haven't received my car back. Although i've spent the odd half hour or day with her to have a little test drive, sort've akin to meeting up with one of your ex's for some quick loving ...

Heres a little background

My insurance Admiral put me through to there no fault sister company Auxillis, now they use Acorn assessors for the engineering side and authorising repairs. The Cupra has been taken to a SEAT Approved garage in MK

I actually got the car back 5 weeks ago as supposedly all was complete. This couldn't of been further from the truth. The paint work was abysmal, the interior shocked me the most many panels scratched and gouged, paint splatters everywhere. Mechanically the car pulled to the left.

I handed the car back the next day. With 43 separate issues all photographed and noted. The Garage managing director was speechless.

Now 5 weeks into the rectification not to mention the other 8 weeks of repairs and 5 wheel alignments the Cupra still pulls to the left. The garage have put forward to the engineers (Acorn Assessors) that the front suspension requires replacement. Too which the engineers have declined as the 5 wheel alignments have come back green.
However they have negated to look that when ever the Camber is bought into symmetry the caster shifts asymmetric and vice versa. Now time after time i have explained this to them but they're not interested.

The Car has been driven by the garage, myself, SEAT MK and a wheel alignment specialist to which all have said it pulls to the left.

The engineers have said this isn't enough evidence to present to the 3rd party. They have asked the garage to take the car to SEAT MK again then speak to SEAT Technical this will no doubt take another couple of months. The car was handed to the garage with 417 its now up to 700. Every-time i set a deadline with the insurance it just gets ignored, is there a way I can threaten them with an actual consequence that will get this moving along? I.e remove the car or change insurance??

This has taken way too long and too much stress to get to this point. I just want my pride and joy back before the 68 plate failing that christmas.

Sorry for the long post trying to condense 3 months worth of anger is quite difficult. So after that I'm at a loss, does anyone have any advice to get this moving along? Or know anyone within technical I can contact? or worse case anyone know a good solicitor?

Cheers
Sam

 

[heliophile]

What a dreadful experience, you must be so frustrated.
You have the right to your car being fully repaired at the expense of the guilty party who hit you.
In a simple world you’d get your car fixed, hire a replacement while it was done, send the bill for both to the other party’s insurers, and let your own insurers know just for the record.
In the real world I think you need to get an independent engineer’s report to confirm what needs doing to fix the geometry and remediate any paint defects. That gives you a strong case to insist to Admiral the work is completed. I’d avoid dealing directly with Auxillus.
Do you have access to any free legal advice?

 

[russbellrfs]

Is there an Insurance Ombudsman or whether the Motor Ombudsman might cover this. U can also try contacting CAB and see if they of any solicitors offering free 30 min appointments.

On a side note, did u sign up to SEAT Ensurance when u purchased?

https://www.insurewithseat.co.uk/Products/Ensurance/

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

 

[Damo H]

Is there an Insurance Ombudsman or whether the Motor Ombudsman might cover this. U can also try contacting CAB and see if they of any solicitors offering free 30 min appointments.

On a side note, did u sign up to SEAT Ensurance when u purchased?

https://www.insurewithseat.co.uk/Products/Ensurance/

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Insurance still fits under the same financial ombudsman service as the banks.

If you’ve already complained and haven’t had it resolved within 8 weeks you can go straight to them without waiting for a final resolution letter too.

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

 

[Titchy]

Thanks all fro your advice, I've taken it on board and tried some of it. Hopefully it will chug away in the background.
However I went to see my car yesterday as agreed with the garage only to find more shoddy paint jobs, mismatched colour on panels and further damage to rear bumper.

They've had 6 weeks to get to this point granted its held up by the engineers but quite frankly i've seen enough. I was promised perfection only to receive sub standard work that no has bothered looking over.

So i'm going to remove the vehicle in the mean time, get an assessment completed and take it elsewhere does anyone see this a problem legally?

 

[Dr.Dash]

...So i'm going to remove the vehicle in the mean time, get an assessment completed and take it elsewhere does anyone see this a problem legally?

Personally I wouldn't remove it unless you've had legal advice to do so. It opens up avenues for the dealer to dispute your claims and may further complicate matters.

Getting an independent assessment shouldn't require you to take back possession.

What are you hoping will happen? Car declared a CAT D? Satisfactory repair? Once you have a report and decide on an option write to both the garage and insurer (send a letter Recorded Delivery), give a time limit (typically 14 days) and state your actions if a satisfactory resolution isn't achieved at that point (Ombudsman, Legal avenues). Don't threaten anything you can't make happen/back up.

Good luck

 

[Titchy]

Personally I wouldn't remove it unless you've had legal advice to do so. It opens up avenues for the dealer to dispute your claims and may further complicate matters.

Getting an independent assessment shouldn't require you to take back possession.

What are you hoping will happen? Car declared a CAT D? Satisfactory repair? Once you have a report and decide on an option write to both the garage and insurer (send a letter Recorded Delivery), give a time limit (typically 14 days) and state your actions if a satisfactory resolution isn't achieved at that point (Ombudsman, Legal avenues). Don't threaten anything you can't make happen/back up.

Good luck

I spoke to insurance who have said it’s fine to remove the vehicle. I was using one of there approved body shops, not a dealer.

Frankly based on the attitude of the staff and how long it’s taking I’m not happy it being left there. I’ve given them a second chance to make good of the car but further damaging of parts doesn’t make any sense.

I agree it shouldn’t and I see your point they could blame further damage on to myself. I just don’t want them covering up their crappy work. Then making me look the fool in front of the engineer.

I just want my car back


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dr.Dash]

...I just want my car back

Understandable. Take some decent quality photos when you pick it up, showing its at the dealer too, which might give you some protection if they start to try and argue that they hadn't screwed up.

It is amazing what they'll try. I had an accident damage repair where they had damaged the sill, rather than replace or repair it they had simply put a piece of silver tape over the 2cm panel gap and sprayed over it. Expect the unexpected! Good luck with it.

 

[Titchy]

Update

Cupra is back home as of Monday. Engineer is coming to view today.

Various parts of car have been invoiced new but not fitted. So that’s going to be interesting.

Front bumper has lots of clips broken. So I hope it gets replaced.

One of the alloys was damaged, they have invoiced for a new one but I have a feeling they have repaired it. I asked for the other back but miraculously it disappeared.
The replacement alloy now has 90 grams of weight at various points scattered over the rim. Is this a sign of a warped/damaged rim? It’s also been swapped with rear LH wheel. Furthest away from driver funny that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[heliophile]

The replacement alloy now has 90 grams of weight at various points scattered over the rim. Is this a sign of a warped/damaged rim? It’s also been swapped with rear LH wheel. Furthest away from driver funny that

Well it’s not a sign of it being a new one - like you I’d be very suspicious. If the engineer substantiates this and the other parts invoiced and not fitted it is surely criminal fraud on the part of the repairer as well as a safety issue. I’d expect Admiral to take that very seriously.