Will Using An Insurance Approved Garage Invalidate My Extended Warrant

[digitaldecks]

hi all

my wife just shunted a car this morning, very minor incident. we accepted the fault was her hers.

anyway Elephant insurance has said to use approved repair shop (Rainbow in Farnborough) to check if any damage and if there is they will repair.

i have the extended warranty, would this cause any issues in the future? or invalidate my warranty?

i want to get this right, my wife and kids safety and getting a job done right is my concern.

ive jumped the gun a bit as not had the car checked but need to have this info on which route to take. should i always use a main dealer over an approved (rainbow)

any advice would be good. i read on an old post its hit and miss on both but i just don't want to invalidate my extended 2 year warranty a year down the line when lexus blame the repair job etc..

thanks

[steve2006]

IIRC from previous similar posts you have the right to have the car repaired at a garage of your choice, so if you want Lexus to do the repair work insist it is done there,this would also remove any doubt over future claims on your extended warranty.

Obviously approach your insurer's with your concerns and let them know you would feel uncomfortable if a non Lexus dealer did the repairs,main thing is be nice in doing so.

[rayaans]

I have just been through this - my wife shunted her car into a garage door requiring a new bumper and fender plus repainting of course.

1) You have the right to choose where your car goes for repair. The insurance company will undoubtedly say that the work won't be covered or whatever but you will get a warranty from the bodyshop, especially a Lexus bodyshop which will give 2 years warranty on any work carried out.

2) You may have to pay an extra £250 excess on top of your original excess to go to a non-approved garage i.e Lexus approved bodyshop

3) Lexus body shops have strict quality control, they shouldn't give you a car back with poor paint job or misaligned panels etc. However, its common knowledge that Insurance approved bodyshops cut corners to lower the cost to the insurance company and therefore increase their profits. Insurance companies choose their "approved repairers" on a cost basis, not a quality of work basis and therefore, it is very likely you'll get a car back with poorly blended paint which may flake in a year.

4) 9/10 Lexus approved bodyshops will get the work done much quicker than insurance approved repairers. Reason for this is that insurance approved repairers are usually saturated with cars whereas Lexus bodyshops charge more (due to their higher quality work and quality checks after each process).

5) Had a look at Rainbow and they don't exactly have great reviews

BTW my wife's Lexus IS300h F-Sport was done by RRG bodyshop in Bolton (used by RRG Lexus Bradford, Stockport, Bolton and Manchester). They will collect and drop off the car and I can bet they'd have it done in less than 2 weeks from contact. The 300h has a tri-coat pearl paint and therefore I was quite worried about it but they did a perfect job and would highly recommend them!

Ive included a link for you below and you can get in touch with them directly via the bar on the left side where you can upload pictures of the damage etc

http://www.rrg-group.com/accident-repair/

[Goggy]

Good to know, thanks Ryaan. :)

[Goggy]

Kalpesh,

Silvestor Coachworks, Aldershot Rd, Wood Street Village, Guildford, Surrey GU3 3HF. Phone 01483 237001

do all the Lexus Guildford paint jobs. I have used them twice for minor knocks and they were faultless.

[digitaldecks]

hi all, just had the car dropped back and all looks mint. yes i did have a bit of concern as rainbows dont have the greatest reputation.

i honestly thought it was going to be just a new number plate but they have changed the driver side headlight, bumper has been all done up and re sprayed. paint job is bang on from what i can see. just hope they put all the bits back that they undid. last thing i need is 6 months down the line a water leak.

its taken a week as it was only very minor but you can see that the garages milk the work from the insurance companies.

[rayaans]

hi all, just had the car dropped back and all looks mint. yes i did have a bit of concern as rainbows dont have the greatest reputation.

i honestly thought it was going to be just a new number plate but they have changed the driver side headlight, bumper has been all done up and re sprayed. paint job is bang on from what i can see. just hope they put all the bits back that they undid. last thing i need is 6 months down the line a water leak.

its taken a week as it was only very minor but you can see that the garages milk the work from the insurance companies.

First thing I did was check the paint under artificial light. Best place is a dark garage and use a strong halogen or LED to make sure there's no buffer trails or hazing on the car where they've done the repair

[Ali unhappy]

Hi 

I had a bump four years ago and insisted, that my car went to Lexus Newcastle .

now one of the repaired doors has rust on the inside edge of the door , it is clearly due to this edge not being painted properly.

i have contacted Lexus Newcastle 3 times to get an answer as to wether , I am entitled to it being covered by the 12 year warranty , which at the time , I was told would be given a fresh twelve year warranty , as it had been repaired to factory standard.

now I have been told , that my car had been repaired by a Toyota garage and the repair is warranted for one year and you loose the balance of the manufacturers on all the panels repainted .

i must say I am very disappointed by this and feel that I have been total a lot of lies , not the first time .