Is this repair bill excessve?

[Earlstreetblue]

Long story, short, well maybe not that short.

The last bank holiday we decided to stay at a holiday apartment (Keswick}, the building is 3 stories high. When we arrived we found scaffolding up, as is common with older buildings like this. This was on the bank holiday Saturday, so no workmen around, as we were on the top floor, which had a balcony, we could get out onto and have a look at what they were doing. It looked to us as if the roof had been replaced etc with slate.

On the Tuesday, we were having breakfast, this was around 8.30ish looking out of the large sliding door windows,at the stunning scenery, when along the balcony came some chap carrying equipment, which sort of startled us. I went out and asked him what he was doing, as you would, to which he replied, sorry for the inconvienience, but we are just finishing off the roof. As we were going out walking for the day, we thought ok, when we get back they should have finished, and that will be that. Well when we did get back later that day, we found our car, a 2014 Mazda 6 (soul red) covered in dust. On closer inspection, we found pieces of slate, an odd galvanised nail, and a smal strip of nails, that looked like they came from a powered nail gun, lying all around the car. Looking around the car we found lots of scratches, one large scratch, which went over the rear wing, across to the bonnet, and onto the chrome, and 3 very small dents, sort if in a line along the roof rail over the rear door, with another two in almost the same position on the other side of the car!

Needless to say, we told the owner, who was very apologetic. He said that the roofers, shouldn't have been there, in fact the work should have been finished days before we were due to arrive. Anyhow, he aked us to get a couple of quotes, and forward them onto him, for him to sort out with the roofers.

The two estimates, were for the sums of £1260, and £3598, the largest coming from the authorised Mazda bodyshop in our area. The smallest from another small local bodyshop.

The owner at first said that he thought that £500 would/should cover the cost of the damage, but we thought, no way, and told him so. Since then he has had a rethink and is now proposing to settle, for the smaller estimate. From our perspective, we would rather get the work done, via the authorised mazda workshop, but do you guys think that their estimate is excessive? Their estimate is very detailed, whereas the other isn't. The damage covers a lot of the car, each spot isn't of a great size, but we were told, that because of the paint being what it is, that is why the largest estimate is so large. I did ask the mazda bodyshop how much a total respray would cost, out of curiosity, £5k was the figure given.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

At a guess, Mazda have probably added all sorts of stuff that you don't actually need, and the bodyshop has probably ignored a few things Mazda picked up on.

I've never heard good things about local bodyshops, though.

 

[paradigm]

I'd get the Mazda bodyshop to do it.

A random third party bodyshop won't be completing the work in a way which will retain your bodywork/corrosion warranty.

 

[tom_e]

Get it done properly by the authorized body shop, you're not paying so who cares. I imagine the cost will be going through the roofers insurance.

 

[Earlstreetblue]

This is what the owner has said re bodywork/corrosion warranty.

"I know about cars myself and the "anti-corrosion warranty" is a bit of a "red herring" such warranties only cover corrosion "from the inside out" and excludes corrossion from scratches and chips. I would not mind betting that no major car manufacturer has paid out on an anti-corrosion policy in the last 20+ years(?).

He also goes onto to say that the Audi dealership which he uses, called the Mazda authorised bodyshops bill as a "Joke". He also says that £3600 for a few chips and scratches is ridiculous and would bet that the roofers, their insurance company (and anyone else for that matter) would fight this quote as being excessive for the damage caused.

 

[tom_e]

It's not your problem, or indeed his.

Go through the roofers insurance and tell them where you want to take the car, if they don't like the quote then it's up to them to come to some agreement with you and/or the bodyshop.

 

[Cleisthenes]

Body shops are expensive. With my work I have to deal with a lot of vehicles which are in need of repair. What may look like a small repair can quite easily be £1000+.

We recently had one which was approx £10k worth of damage, although it was in a state

 

[Armageus]

This is what the owner has said re bodywork/corrosion warranty.

"I know about cars myself and the "anti-corrosion warranty" is a bit of a "red herring" such warranties only cover corrosion "from the inside out" and excludes corrossion from scratches and chips. I would not mind betting that no major car manufacturer has paid out on an anti-corrosion policy in the last 20+ years(?).

Off the top of my head, I know that Honda have paid out for a lot of corrosion issues on Honda Civics, and I'm sure at least a couple of people on here have claimed for corrosion warranties with VW. So no - just ignore him - he isn't the one who would have to deal with any possible corrosion issues further down the line.

It's not your problem, or indeed his.

Go through the roofers insurance and tell them where you want to take the car, if they don't like the quote then it's up to them to come to some agreement with you and/or the bodyshop.

Exactly this - it's your car and your right to have it repaired to an acceptable standard (and being as it's not exactly an old car, why shouldn't that include Mazda approved bodywork repairs).

If they don't like the quote, then the onus is on them to find an alternative Mazda approved bodyshop. (i.e. doesn't necessarily have to be Mazda Dealer - some independent bodyshops do have accreditation for manufacturer approved repairs - e.g. I had a door and wing repainted on my Audi by the VW Bodyshop - who as well as all VW Group accreditation also had Ford accreditation)

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

I'd get the Mazda bodyshop to do it.

A random third party bodyshop won't be completing the work in a way which will retain your bodywork/corrosion warranty.

+1

Exactly what I was going to say.

MAzda has iirc a 10/12 year corrosion warranty, as long as you have a paint check every year with your service.

 

[Kuros]

I had a mix of rust and paint blistering two years into my Hyundai ownership (car was new when I got it).

They sorted out the problems and redid everything no problem. Didn't need to argue or fight my case, a simple bring it in and they sorted it.

So I wouldn't agree with the whole red herring thing.

 

[Iron-man]

As others have said take it to Mazda and get it sorted through there insurance, at the end of the day he has already offered to pay you the lower quote so has admitted liability, It will be up to them to rectify your issue then take it up with there contractors.