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Proper old school panel beater in Brisbane


Pabloau

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Serious cry for help here,

After moving up to Brisbane, been in town 24hrs, my old girl was "assaulted" by a Kia Rio...... No mechanical damage thank god.

Point of impact was on the right front wheel arch with associated creases and dent right into the Rt front headlight. front nose (GT2 style) also has a crack in it!

Major challenge I have is that after T&D were good enough to run their eye over any mechanical damage, this now falls out of their area of expertise. All the decent panel shops I or even Ted & Steve know of is that it is either replacement panel OR find an old school, reputable panel shop who can repair the right wing.

She has non standard turbo style front wings, and if we make a mistake in choosing which steel wing to bolt back on we are stuffed. Approx 3k per wing, so you can see my challenge.......

Also this is holding up the assessment process as before the insurance company proceeds, they need a quote...... The 2 "Euro" specialists won't quote on her as she is a non standard car, they will only do work on PET cars with corresponding OEM part numbers.

I'm seriously in a jam here as she is far too good to be consigned to the parts bin, and the damage is pretty ugly & visible.

Can anyone in the Brisbane area please help by suggesting a decent panel shop who know how to use a French wheel or repair panels without using millions of kilos of bog.

All the old school shops I know of and have used on other cars in the past have all shut down...

Can anyone please help me out here?

Really appreciated

P

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Serious cry for help here,

After moving up to Brisbane, been in town 24hrs, my old girl was "assaulted" by a Kia Rio...... No mechanical damage thank god.

Point of impact was on the right front wheel arch with associated creases and dent right into the Rt front headlight. front nose (GT2 style) also has a crack in it!

Major challenge I have is that after T&D were good enough to run their eye over any mechanical damage, this now falls out of their area of expertise. All the decent panel shops I or even Ted & Steve know of is that it is either replacement panel OR find an old school, reputable panel shop who can repair the right wing.

She has non standard turbo style front wings, and if we make a mistake in choosing which steel wing to bolt back on we are stuffed. Approx 3k per wing, so you can see my challenge.......

Also this is holding up the assessment process as before the insurance company proceeds, they need a quote...... The 2 "Euro" specialists won't quote on her as she is a non standard car, they will only do work on PET cars with corresponding OEM part numbers.

I'm seriously in a jam here as she is far too good to be consigned to the parts bin, and the damage is pretty ugly & visible.

Can anyone in the Brisbane area please help by suggesting a decent panel shop who know how to use a French wheel or repair panels without using millions of kilos of bog.

All the old school shops I know of and have used on other cars in the past have all shut down...

Can anyone please help me out here?

Really appreciated

P

Hi Pabloau, sorry to here of you misfortune. I might be able to point you the right direction but without seeing the car it's a bit difficult. Could you post some pics of the damage ?

I take it your from the UK as you refer to the Guards as wings? Are you going through your own insurance or the other persons? Your description infers the "Kia" was at fault?

Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Pabloau, sorry to here of you misfortune. I might be able to point you the right direction but without seeing the car it's a bit difficult. Could you post some pics of the damage ?

I take it your from the UK as you refer to the Guards as wings? Are you going through your own insurance or the other persons? Your description infers the "Kia" was at fault?

Cheers

How did you go with getting the repairs done?

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Slowly dragged to conclusion, she goes in on Monday 11th, not happy with the way cases smelt etc handled by the insurer, will wait & see on the outcome by the shop who got the quote.

Seriously average service considering 4 cars insured with the buggers & getting stiffed by an ex-panel beater who is all care taken & no responsibility accepted.

Waiting to see how they take the invoice I have raised against them for basically doing the job I pay premiums for!

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OK, so we have specialist cars & we pay the premium for a service (God forbid) when we crunch them, I accept this........ but an honest accounting by the girl,  of the time I spent with them on phones etc (166 hrs to date!) for a simple (nothing is simple) repair is just a tad ordinary

 

How many members here can afford 166 hrs away from their work to sort this type of stuff out? I sure as hell can't! I have my own business time spent on this is time lost on my livelihood - anyway, enough on that

 

So points of dissatisfaction as follows;

 

  1. A/B/C people, Assume nothing, Belive no-one & confirm EVERYTHING! Photograph everything BEFORE it goes any further! Time date & place everything & document EVERY time you speak with themI Thank God I did! & make sure they get a copy via e-mail or traceable trail of actions, conversations
  2. I had to get organised 2 quotes for comparison, by reputable operators as the company concerned offered 2 operators that frankly I would not trust to repair Coles shopping trolley
  3. The SMART assessment center would not look at the car (oh, we are not geared up for that car type... Sorry......)
  4. Seems there is a "dearth" of assessors who have any sort of experience with "premium brand vehicles" - period!
  5. Owning a non standard vehicle (body kits etc) we seem to fall into the "too hard"  basket.
  6. Assessor would not listen to ideas or alternatives
  7. Be totally honest with the insurance company & frankly you will get screwed like I did
  8. Time lag - from the day of the incident to getting the assessor to even book a day/time to see the car - totally unacceptable 17 days! ..
  9. Communication internal with the Insurance company - left hand does not know what the right hand is doing, repeated calls & e-mails to them to ensure the progress stayed on track to get it fixed yada yada yada..... They made dealing with the ATO a pleasure!
  10. Communication external - do not expect ANY insurance company to call you with updates and where the progress line is on your claim. You want your car fixed? you have to project manage them on a daily basis & I but be prepared for an 'All care taken/ No responsibility accepted" do mean project manage them. Dont expect to have a "one stop shop or deal with one person

 

OK so we all know there is a loss of skill's in the panel beating industry, unfortunately in the S.E.Q area, all the good old school operators have retired, ceased trading, gone to the wall with the "new style" of handling claims. This is just how things are. I never would have guessed that the 2 "premium repairers"in Brisbane are "Bolt & Spray"merchants. Anything out of bog standard unbolt /replace /paint scenario  will not get a quote - try it it - it is not fun watching them concentrate on "great Wall" or Lexus or Toyota / Subaru.

 

Try finding a Porsche centre that willingly wants to support a 43 yr old car - YES I do know that is my choice as well! I drive what I can afford & maintain myself for enjoyment and getting to know my car.......

 

So upshot? I have purchased a "donor car" that matches mine out of the USA, it arrives here in Feb & I'll wreck it so I have peace of mind over trim & body panels etc for the future. This means also I am moving to a property where I can replicate Ken's workshop and be able to do as much as I can myself.

 

Keep an eye or ear to the ground with the good panel & paint people in your area, I actually had the car lined up to go south on a flatbed to NSW as there was no one here in SEQ who would look at it until a member here put me onto a repairer who had a good reputation & still had the skill (ie knew what an English wheel actually was, (not pointing into the spare wheel in the corner of his warehouse saying I thought that was off an MG! True!)

 

Paint work? look for the "Hot rod" or customization companies as an alternative & again, do not wait for them to be proactive by doing what you pay them for....

 

PM if you want the whole story ad-nausea.. 

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You know it! 35yrs driving, 3rd insurance claim ever & frankly if this was in my work environment they would have already been served "Show due cause" papers as a precursor to running their arses off site........

Timing sucks with surgery approaching, new project coming online etc, but frankly I will be going through their dispute resolution process if only to make it easier for the next poor sod who has to claim....... They have evolved from the niche company into a firm, "Too small to be big, Too big I to be small"......., moot point as SWWBOBSI has decreed she wants options before the renewal process kicks in early next year for the other vehicles

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Sanity finally prevailed & My sincere thanks to James at AutoHaus Hamilton, I forgot the time diff between NSW & QLD, however he still stepped up & helped me out, after this he gets my business!

Car in getting fettled as of today, sods law I have to go back to work Sunday so will be a long drawn out reveal after the magic wand is waved!

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  • 1 month later...

So to draw this saga to conclusion.......

Not impressed with the service from Shannon's & a certain assessor..... Enough said on this.

Picked the car up yesterday and it reinforced a couple of things for me........

1/ silk purses & pigs ears...... No matter how. Much money you throw at a car, if the basics are not solid then what every is done to her will bear the results of earlier fettling. Additional dollars were spent in addition to what Shannon's authorised to correct sins of the P.O.

2/ when ordering parts, use the P.E.T and check it is the one for your car...... Enough said, I'm still laughing about what happened

3/ find someone who actually cares about panel alignment and quality, it took a while for me & this car, but the end result, given what Robbo had to work with, I'm more than happy.

If your in S.E Queensland & are non standard, then give Logan Village smash repairs a call, Robbo or Kirsty. Honest, quality craftsmen & a good bunch to deal with.

Will post the "after photo's". When I get back to W.A. Tonight, but I'm happy it is all over.

Lessons learned?

1/ Assessors work for the company, not you & don't really give a toss about you or your car, what they do care about is minimising the $$ spend to repair your pride & joy

2/ stand up & be prepared to fight for getting your car repaired, do not take comments like "you can source these parts off e-bay, what do you need O.E.M parts for?" Sitting down

3/ Document everything that happens, phone calls, visits from insurers personnel, send them copies & get a single point of contact

4/ Don't take no for an answer & don't be worried about kicking it up the tree to senior personnel

So, there it is, next step is into T&D for tech stuff (Clutch, shift linkage refresh, wiring loom) then really enjoy her, I.e drive the car

P

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2/ when ordering parts, use the P.E.T and check it is the one for your car...... Enough said, I'm still laughing about what happened

 

you're not alone.. not long into my ownership of my car i ordered a whole host of RSR engine bracing and alternator straps etc that fit to a '74-89 911. i figured mine is a '78, so no problem.

completely forgot my engine is from '91 though..

 

looking forward to seeing how yours looks now though!

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Mike,

Not so much the transmission, but the linkages, bushes pin's & the cup at the base of the shift I swear to god is like an ADF designed helicopter, does what it wants when it wants...... LOL..... SO LIGHTENED FLY WHEEL & Sachs clutch and getting the bloody wiring loom sorted.......

Clutch monkey, how a set do side fender repeaters turned into a set of rear lens covers for a 996....... Hysterical I tell you.... :-)

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So at long last, photo's as promised, some might say I am easily pleased, but she is 600% better in this state than when I bought her & the 1 colour treatment looks a hell of a lot better than the Dark Grey / Grey Silver scheme she had previously......

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100952544@N08/

 

1st time using this so please let me know if it doesnt work.......

 

Cheers

 

P

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