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I damaged the door of the camper. FFS. It will be a new door, but hinges seem fine.
The issue is the place I have used before for some small damage cannot fit a 3.1m high camper in his spray booth, and even though it is 'only' the new door, he would want to fade it in. So he refused to quote.
So, any rough idea of cost for a new VW t5 door, sprayed and fitted, as well as a refill of my pride?
If not I will have to go through insurance.
(FWIW, only damage is my pride, our own wall, and the van. It could have been me betwixt van and wall, so that is a relief...)
It's going to be at least £200 for a second hand door. If you can fit and swap over lock, door card etc your self, then you only have the paint costs on top. That's going to be at least another £200 🤷♂️
Give Burgoynes in Airth a try Matt - unlikely to be cheap but they're the best in the area (source: F-in-L was in the car business in Fife and used them for anything he wanted a proper job done on, but if I wanted a 'good enough' job at lower price he used elsewhere).
Unsure on the 3.1m issue but our previous T5 at 2.1m was no problem with them.
Do they still fade paint in? I thought with modern colour matching they could just paint the panel, in which case you could have them paint a door and you fit it.
Certain colours, yes they will still fade it in
Have a look for the same colour door on ebay?
You'll need to disclose the claim on any other motor insurance so likely more increase costs. If sub £1k i'd sort privately.
How much do you care about perfect colour matching? It surely doesn't matter what he wants to do, it's what you want done.
You’ll need to disclose the claim on any other motor insurance so likely more increase costs.
Really? If there's no other party involved and you're paying yourself. I'd agree with you if anyone else was affected, but they aren't. I suppose technically it could be considered fraud if you didn't, but I suspect that isn't within the spirit of the law in this instance.
It surely doesn’t matter what he wants to do, it’s what you want done.
Unless he refuses to quote to do a job he's not happy doing. Which is what Matt said.
Really? If there’s no other party involved and you’re paying yourself. I’d agree with you if anyone else was affected, but they aren’t. I suppose technically it could be considered fraud if you didn’t, but I suspect that isn’t within the spirit of the law in this instance.
I meant if he claims on his motorhome insurance, not if he sorts on his own. Sorry, poorly written.
Yep - he is good, but he just said he would not quote on a job he was not going to do, he doesn't do 'a quick look and guess', and suggested somewhere who should be able to fit us in.
As others are saying, I am working out if I just pay up myself. Not cheap, but with the rising cost of insurance it could be cheaper long term. All on my driveway with no damage to anyone or anything else (bar paint mark).
Been to a local place today - booked in for later in the month.
£600 for a straighten and respray, with a proviso that they cannot tell if a hinge is bent until they do the work and that may add a few more quid.
Cheaper than the extra insurance cost IMO - £300 excess and increased premiums for a few years...
Sounds like a good idea. 🤞
It surely doesn’t matter what he wants to do, it’s what you want done.
Some customers say that, then complain about the result, so if you are a busy business it may not be worth the hassle. He has also been honest, which many customers will appreciate. If you have built a reputation of doing perfect work, there is not point in risking it doing an imperfect job even if the customers wants it.
For £600 I’d defo pay myself. It’s annoying but nothing compared to the premium lift and having to say yes and fill in the box under and claims in the last 5 years.
It surely doesn’t matter what he wants to do, it’s what you want done.
And the conversation down the line goes... Matt who did your respray ? Tim down the road at xyz ... Cheers for the heads up that's an awful job.
A business having standards and standing by them is no bad thing.
A business having standards and standing by them is no bad thing.
This is definitely a Good Thing. And where the chap was at. Even better, he suggested someone else who did have a doorway high enough for the camper who should do a decent job. Win win.
£600 for a straighten and respray, with a proviso that they cannot tell if a hinge is bent until they do the work and that may add a few more quid.
This is a realistic estimate starting at £600.
Pay for the repair yourself.
Really? If there’s no other party involved and you’re paying yourself. I’d agree with you if anyone else was affected, but they aren’t. I suppose technically it could be considered fraud if you didn’t, but I suspect that isn’t within the spirit of the law in this instance.
If you want to be technical technical whether you claim or sort yourself, you are supposed to notify insurers anyway. Because they assess your risk using stats, people who have accidents are statistically more likely to have more accidents* and claims and 'failure to disclose material information' or whatever may invalidate your policy.
How they'd ever know if it's just you involved, even less so if it's just you being a dick and opening a door onto a low bollard stone that you hadn't realised was there when you parked (yes, I 'know' someone who did that and got a bent door skin that needed repair) - but they could argue that idiots who do that sort of thing are likely to be careless and clumsy in other ways and they need to factor that in to my (er, 'their') future premium.
* OTOH, you make a mistake, especially when you're young, and you learn from it? Let's start a movement, Once Bitten Twice Shy insurance where the more accidents you have the cheaper you get - because surely you can't keep on driving into things 😉