brickboy

What are people's experiences of their cars after having them fixed following a shunt? Was the car the same as before, better, or worse?

Just had a shunt in mine, moderate damage and being fixed, but I can't help thinking that the shunt will take some of the shine off ownership.

The car was definitely a good 'un -- obviously made after the assembly line had just got a pay rise, 'cos even though it's box stock it is quicker than they're supposed to be, and I've been really pleased with it.

I'm hoping it will be the same when I get it back.

Fuzz 2

Similar but not a shunt for mine.
Bought a brand spanking new new shape 106 Rallye in white, parked it in town 4 months on and had the drivers door lock screw-drivered from the side, leaving a gaping hole in the door panel. Took it to the Pug dealer and waited....
Got a call a week later, car was ready. (all through insurance)
I was looking at the lock thinking excellent job, can't see where they blended it in, I said this to the sprayer, it's then that he said he couldn't get a paint match and had painted the whole side of the car.
That's where I noticed the blend in and masking tape edges.
Sold it back to the main dealer and bought another. (306 D-Turbo)

The scoob is the first car I've bought since 95 that hasn't been new.
I call it a work in progress now.
Andy

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

last time I had a shunt, the car wasnt the same by any means, got rid literally a week after i got it back
The car was perfect, I just didnt feel the same driving it after that!

before:


after:


jamo

jowl

My 306 HDI was perfect for work until a tree blew down in a storm (bloody scary doing 50mph and a tree falls straight in front of you)

Car was repaired (badly by ADR at Rotherham) but was never the same again. ABS didn't work, electrical faults etc)

So I was forced to sell it

David_Dickson

Yer, my sister pranged my Calibra V6 a few months ago. She was only insured third party so I need to fix it myself. Bonnet, slam panel, bumper, headlights, rad etc etc. Damage was similar to the BMW above.
All well within my capability to repair, but I just cant be bothered. I have lost all enthusiasm for the car. I used to love it to bits, but now, I have since bought another car and the Calibra is sitting at the back of the garage in bits.

gsm1

Had my Pug GTi-6 repaired and it was never the same. The front tyres shredded on the side after 4 k miles and the garage used pattern parts. Hated the car after that, just didn't care about it and sold it for silly money.
If insurance companies hand out compensation for injury to passengers etc. why don't they also provide a compensation payment for the fact that the vehicle will now have a reduced re-sale value?

HankScorpio

The whole ownership experience became tainted for me.
Car was repaired and repaired well, 3 year guarantee and all that but it became "just a car" rather than anything special. Mechanically perfect but it just wasn't the same.
Maybe it was the feeling it had let me down, dunno really.
Weird or is it just me?

Shark Man

Well...I lost faith in the ABS after a shunt in the wet (see ABS fuse in snow thread )

The car was repaired to better than it was before - as I now have no stone chips on my bonnet or bumper, no cracked foglamp and the huge parking dents in my wing and 2 doors have been fixed.

So I now have an immaculate spotless car instead of a immaculate spotless car covered in parking dents and stonechips And the cost to me in insurance put me quids in as the bill for fixing the dents and chips would have cost far more

IMO the quality of finish is better than the orange-pealy factory paintwork

I think the biggest problem with bad repairs is when people let their cars get repaired by the insurer's contracted (the contract makes them "approved" - if you get my drift) repairer....same goes for going to main dealers as they use "contracted" repairers too. So the end result is they care more about making/saving money than the quality of repair.

If you find a independent bodyshop that prides their reputation and can handle the insurers cost cutting making sure the job get done right rather than as fast and as cheaply as possible - then you will never go far wrong.

Otherwise use dealers and insurers "approved" repairers at your own peril.