Accident- Body repair question.

[Satch]

Someone crashed into the back of me.

I was just wondering about the rear bumper which needs to be replaced.
Should I be getting a bumper with factory type fitted parking sensors or will I end up with a new bumper and garage fiited sensors.

Anyone got any ideas? I haven't had a chance to speak to any body shops yet.

[Red 2]

Should be like for like. Aftermarket are not the same as the ones integral with the bumper.

I use a VW/Audi bodyshop and have just had my wife's Golf Mk V in for repair that had been gently rear ended. New bumper c/w factory sensors used as replacement.

[Satch]

Should be like for like. Aftermarket are not the same as the ones integral with the bumper.

I use a VW/Audi bodyshop and have just had my wife's Golf Mk V in for repair that had been gently rear ended. New bumper c/w factory sensors used as replacement.

Thanks for that. I'm just worried that I will get fobbed off with garage fitted sensors and not the proper ones. Cheers.

[AndyH123]

Ouch - I feel your pain.

Advice I was given after someone took my front out recently was to do absolutely everything in your power to get it repaired by Audi and avoid your insurers preferred garage type options.

I was also told it is likely the insurer's garage will end up taking your car to Audi anyway since it's new and they aren't equipped to do a like for like job. Don't know if that is true, I suppose it depends but other considerations include risk to warranty, not just of the parking sensors if they're installed by non-audi approved shop but the paintwork too (which I think is 10 years on these A4's?).

I had to have some stern conversations with my insurance company in response to the fact that Audi's hourly rate is going to be higher than their preferred garage. Makes it harder for them to claim back from the at fault insurers. Boo hoo. It was at this point I learnt to read the small print when shopping around for cheap insurance. Look out for clauses suggesting they'll charge you the difference between Audi repair cost and preferred garage.

Good luck - I'm sure it will all get sorted, it's just an absolute pain in the preverbial and total waste of time when all you were doing is minding your own business.

[sunil1234]

you are allowed to choose where your car is repaired, you dont have to accept any of the insurers garages. This is by law - although the insurer will always try to pressure you

at least you have someone to claim off, mine has a scuffed rear bumper and valance and non one owned up although it happened in the office car park

[Satch]

I visited the approved Audi body shop in my area. He said everything would be replaced like for like. He also told me that I can choose where the car is repaired.

[jon_iz]

From my experience, after someone tried to break into my A6 a couple of years back and did £700 of damage (they didn't get in either!)...
Stand your ground and make sure it goes back to an Audi workshop...
Mine got repaired in an "approved" workshop.. The made a t*ts of it and it had to go back 3 times - they still never got it right. Car was never the same afterwards...

[Red 2]

I visited the approved Audi body shop in my area. He said everything would be replaced like for like. He also told me that I can choose where the car is repaired.

Absolutely right...

My insurer made life awkward by making us wait for the insurer's engineer to inspect our cars (A4 and Golf, not a good year!) at at the Volkswagen Group approved bodyshop (Car Cosmetics in Manchester) but the repairs were authorised and an excellent job was done.

What was fascinating was seeing Lambos, Audis, Bugattis, VWs and Skodas all sitting in a line in the spotless workshop. A lot of bent metal!

[Gerbil]

I had my A8 clipped by a Renault that had not cleared the steam off its windows "Sorry I just did not see you" !!!

Insurers agents (Drive Assist - complete nightmare) insisted the car was repaired by their approved body shop. I dug my heels in and refused to right off 18 months of warranty just because someone else could not clean their windows. As stated further up, you can insist on using a main dealer for repairs.

Audi Epsom did a great job. My insurers got the money back from the other guy's insurance. I could have done without the week's delay whilst Drive Assist assessed whether Audi could do the job!!