So the NC got dinked by an elderly, reversing gentleman in a car park incident yesterday. Luckily it’s just affected the n/s door, with no damage apparent to sill, front wing, or rear panel. Central locking, electric window and mirror all working fine:
Insurance notified, and once we’re in to the New Year, they will be progressing a no-fault claim against elderly gentleman’s insurance company. Insurance co. has passed the repair to B.P Rolls of Andover, who seem to deal with a major number of insurance jobs here in central South.
Because I’ve never had an accident damage insurance claim in my life, I just want to check my expectations. Obviously the repair will need to be as good as new, both in respect of panel fit and finish - and a perfect paint match (it’s Copper Red).
Should I expect/demand a complete new door? Or can doors still be ‘re-skinned’? Presumably no amount of panel-beating and filler skills will bring this level of damage back to good as new!?
That is a pity but in the big scheme of things no-one hurt and minor damage limited to one panel.
Car still driveable and repair can be done when convenient to you.
I would say that an insurance repair will require a new bare door sprayed with all the parts transferred off your existing door. Given the damage and difficulty of access to repair I would insist on this anyway.
If this were your problem alone I would suggest a secondhand bare door sprayed but these are hard to come by. I guess there is a chance that another in copper red would exactly match but reds, even modern reds seem to vary noticeably in colour with age and differing conditions.
I have been looking to buy a Honda Jazz recently and I have been surprised by how many are Cat D insurance claims. Usually a rear bumper or door replacement was deemed too expensive so the car was written off by the insurance company. Doors are a particular problem in that it takes a few hours to transfer the internals to the new door. Time is money and add that to the cost of the door and painting and you could be looking at a huge bill. I worry in your case that the insurance company may write off the car.
I would have suggested a dent repair specialist first but it looks like the bottom seam line has been pushed in. Bit late now but would have tried sourcing a matching painted door and coming to an agreement with the elderly gent re payment.
It’s all about whatsw best re insurance claiming, sometimes I heard they load the policy even for non fault claims, read the T & C’s
Re-skinning a door is virtually unheard off these days, so you’ll be getting a new door. You also don’t have to use his insurers preferred bodyshop. They get discount sending you to their ’approved’ shop, ergo the shop has to find ways to keep their profit margins which ultimately do not benefit you. If you can find a highly recommended shop, you are within your rights to use them, don’t let the ins company bully you with threats of no courtesy car etc…tricks they are well known for playing to get their way. Talk to them about how they are going to carry out the repair, a good shop will happily explain their methods to ally your concerns. The body shop will also have to blend the front and rear wings in to lose any difference with the colour, no matter how good a painter is, a perfect match is not 100% achievable. Here’s a good video showing how it’s done properly to give you an idea.
The simple fix is a “new” secondhand door. If you are going to be looking for a new, new door, I suspect the car will be written off as far as insurance goes as a 2007 or 11 year old car is not exactly going to be setting trade values alight.
Saddly however, regardless, you overall policy premium (which is different to NCD) will likely increase regardless of fault as you will have a claim registered on the insurance data base meaning the algorithms will will conclude you are a greater risk.
If the insurance company deem the car to be a write off, you can go down the route of a contract repair. Contract repair is simply using used parts to repair your car, so a good condition passenger door (doesn’t have to be same colour, just in good order and will be significantly cheaper than a new door) painted and wings blended to lose the colour difference. Happens all the time with vehicles over a certain age or value.
i had one about 2 yrs ago where a car pulled out of a side junction into the n/s front wing of my car smashing wing, lights ,bumper ,slam panel etc
the total estimate came to £1400 plus labour and paint this was on a 02 plate passat
the other partys insurance company declared the car a write off and paid me out as a non fault claim just inder £1900
and no matter what anyone may tell you there was no buy back and they cant take your car as they dont own it as its not your fault and your not claiming off your insurance company so i repaired the car and all was good
also i have insured cars since with no increase in policy prices as its a non fault claim on your part , i must admit i thought i was going to get poked for more money but it made no difference well at least it didnt for me .
Update: engineer assessor (charming, knowledgeable gent about 13) confirms today that repair will go ahead - no question of writing off. New Mazda door, with all components stripped and fitted into new door, sound deadening, rustproofing. Paint match will be ‘imperceptible’ apparently.
Hi Steve. Sorry to hear about your mx5 getting damaged, but glad it’s not serious and noone hurt. On the insurance front, I have learned the hard way regarding fault/no fault claims. My MINI Cooper was parked in a car park while I was at work ,(public car park) and when I returned, someone had hit the front (at speed judging by the damage) and then done a bunk! Damage was headlight, bonnet, bumper and trim all had to be replaced. Think the figure was around £1200. I put in a non fault claim, as it wasn’t me that damaged it. Even went and got the CCTV footage of the car park checked for the insurance company but nothing showing on the cameras.
When I renewed, I got some quotes. All asked for previous claims, including non fault. I have protected no claims too, so still had my full NCD. The quotes were really high compared to what I had paid previously, and when I pointed this out on the phone, they said yes but you’ve had a claim. I said yes but a non fault claim. They said it doesn’t matter, a claim is a claim. Quite a few said exactly the same thing, eventually found insurance elsewhere. Just something to be wary of come renewal time.
Regarding the repair, please check it totally! These repair centres are more focused on volume/turn over and I’ve found most don’t really bother that much about quality of repair. Both my mini and also my civic TypeR had tons of faults (especially the TypeR which was returned to the centre 3 times as the repair was shocking as we’re we’ other faults they had created!!) came back with flaws glashad to be returned to repair centres. Found the whole thing a major hassle having to book time off work to be there for the car being collected/ dropped off again. Hopefully yours will go smoothly!
Sorry you have had your Mk3 damaged, check the repair out thoroughly and in different lights they will have to blend the front and rear wings and if I were you I would check they have fitted a new door as that damage could be pulled and filled without you knowing.
