Some advice

[metro]

Hi there, i had an accident rescently, and due to the other vehicle negligence i have to bare all the cost.I really need some advice, please do comment if you have similar experience. I just bought a new suzuki swift and been driving it for a month until one day i met a smart motorcyclist who forgot the importance of stopping at a junction. I was on a straight road in Jln Pudu Lama and all of a sudden this motorcyclist appeared infront of my car, unable to avoid due the extreme close distance, i hit him. To make things worst, he was without insurance and lisence. Settled with the report and i got my car towed to a friends workshop, he (towtruck driver) later sent the car to another workshop. To my suprise he sent it to a workshop in Batang Kali!! I did an inspection on the workshop and it look legit, however, he told me the claim submitted was at 15K. The damages to my car was front bumper, front bonet, radiator, A/C fan, front windshield, side fender and both of my front airbag went off in the accident. After dealing with the insurance, i was told that the claim was approved at 19K, so i called the workshop and ask what will happen to the balance money from the claim?? He told me that thye actually did a supplimentary claim up to 21K, i was confuse because why didnt he tell me earlier. He later sent me the Part listing they submitted to the insurance company. In summary here is the price they quote:
Front Bumper( includes badge grille,finisher,fog lamp finisher,spoiler and stone deflector) -RM2827.00
A/C Fan,Condenser, filter, pipes-RM1622.00
Radiator-RM1659.00
Headlamp (left & right)-RM942.00
Bonet-RM1361.00
Front windscreen-RM1376.00
Dashboard Panel-RM1000.08
Airbags (left & right)-RM10326.16

=Total of 21 000.00

Given that the damages does not look that severe to me, the price may seem a lilttle too high. What do you guys think, based on the photo attached below??

 

[ixeo]

you kena sotong la. simple question, since your car so new why you never send back to Suzuki? if claim insurance you shouldn't have to pay a single cent.

 

[metro]

Yeah bro, i did ask Suzuki for advice and they told me that if isend it to other workshop, it will be the same, because they (Suzuki) will also send to workshop (external). But does the airbag really cost 10K?? Thank for your comment:wavey:

 

[olskool]

Usually tow workshops will replace the obvious parts with the new ones and the not-so visible ones with used parts. This allows them to take percentage from your claims and the insurance company's percentage both ways.

You should have sent it back to Suzuki even though they said that would send it to a 3rd party. It would be much more "safer" and easier to reclaim anything that you are unhappy about once the car is out. Based on your situation, if you pull the car out now, the workshop is going to charge you a fee for "storing" your car and any work that they have done also probably charge you for towing at max rate.

My humble advice is to leave it there, let the job be done and take it back to suzuki for inspection to see if they did a good job or anything else that needs replacing. Safety comes above cost. I know airbags are expensive but 10k? Dashboard panel 1k? Doubt so.

Btw: being a legit workshop doesn't mean that they'll do a good job or won't rip you off... Best of luck.

 

[DanzEterna]

if they have done a wonderful job then should be ok la, just ensure the parts
are all original from suzuki.

 

[D7zul]

u ask the tow truck to bring ur car somewhere else.. and he bring ur car to another place..

that's the 1st sign of people ripping u off..

if it was me, i won't let my car out of my sight..

last time, when i had an accident.. i straight go to police station & call my insurance co asking them about the nearest registered workshop.. then i drive my car there..

if u don't like to be con, u need to know everything about ur car, if it's drivable or not..

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER..

when u have knowledge, people won't easily con u..

for now, i think better go along with the workshop.. if anything fishy, just 'bamboo' them

Gudluck

 

[Supra_Fanatics]

Never EVER let a tow truck tow your car to a workshop he recommended to you. There are so many cases of this Tow
Truck who tows your car to their own workshop, they end up kena Potong like mad...

The 1st time I had an accident, out of nowhere, tow truck came real fast. He keep asking if I want to tow my car,
I dunno much about all this towing things yet at that time 6 years ago. I told him wait, I have to call my uncle/aunty
regarding this matter on what to do.

What I know myself, is that I dunno this tow truck guy, I wouldn't know what happen if a stranger tows my car since my car's
radiator is already leaking...After that, waited for my uncle to arrive, let him tow my car to police station and he help settle
everything in police station with of course some "allowance" for him.

In the end after all is done, we told him to tow back to Nissan's Service Centre. If you wouldn't want your car to be tow
back to service center, at least request to tow it to a workshop you preferred.

There are a few cases that I can't really remember but I only know that the end result is something u gonna remember for a
very very long time...:frown:

 

[csl]

Regardless how much they claims, as you know the price, you can voice out your demand else complaint to insurance company. All the price is for brand new parts that sell at Suzuki service center at full retail price. You can get cheaper price from spare parts shop. Of cause, you can nego with the workshop to get cheap 2nd hand parts in exchange of a set of new wheels and tires. If you ask me how much to fix the car, I would say RM5k is enough to fix everything if not using brand new parts.

 

[yloon]

let me comment as a ripped off user for the 1st time accident and an experienced user after being ripped off for the 1st time.

I have 2 incidents happened to me.

1st incident was the tow truck tow to his workshop.
according to insurance part list, they only give 40% from it. I am a very fussy user, i dont accept the car becos of the workmanship no good for 3-4 months, ending up i too tire and give up. they will normally say yes when u go complaint, after 2 days they simply do and say do again, i repeated this for 4 months, end up i give up and get the car and sell off.
I even took picture and sent to insurance company with letter, workshop called me and said dont worry, anything just let me know, but ending up we no time to play with them or any how we have to pay road tax or insurance without car to use. (i have 2nd car at home, end up i also gave up).

2nd time of incident,
when accident, i just pushed my car to road side and lock my car.
went home check which workshop is friend recommended one. then call them make deal with them.
tell them to tow my car and work in progress..
same thing, they give u 40% from the part list approved from insurance company. i confront to them, how can? he say cannot get the part becos used part no stock (cos my car was >5 years).
i said cannot be, i say every chopshop also can get the bumper, condenser an radiator. why u gave me a repaired item.
he said then u go find for me loh... i give them telephone number of the shop, he besok lusa (meaning delay in malay)....
end up i make a deal with him, i go buy, then i claim u. he said ok....
so i end up do their job by doing chopshop shopping, go buy bumper, condenser, and radiator. send to them with receipts.
insurance approved 200 bucks for radiator, i bought 150 from chopshop, they pay me 130 only (reason he said I also need to untung la). never mine, 20 bucks i bear it, at least a mint condition of parts i got.
After fixed, the mudguard not corrected properly(still senget), they give excuse 10 fingers also got long and short.(in chinese), end up i also drag with them 3-4 months then i lost patient and collect the car.
and guest wat, 6 months later, my paint start to fade, my friend explained to me, they just dont use or use minimal of clear coat la... if not wont be faded so fast la... *i was thinking to top up 1.2k to them to repaint the whole car, luckily i didnt paint my whole car.


conclusions,
dont get your car in accident, All claim workshops are the same, (all crow the same color).
if the repair job not that expensive (for me 5k still payable), better pay your self. at least the money is from ur pocket and u can do part by part, example fix mudgard, get a proper mudgard fella. i really impressed by those good mudgard fella out there.
if windscreen also fixable, cos u are the boss, if they dont fix properly, you will not pay them mah...
Airbag i think still can get from spartpart shop and can be fixed by outside shop.

dont bombard me if i say anything wrong ya....

 

[devious17]

Dont sign the release form, without that the workshop cant submit claim ,secondly lodge police report and inform your insurance company as well. Seek legal advice before it gets any worse.

 

[vr2turbo]

They will probably change some of the good parts with faulty ones then only call the adjuster to sight. After total have been approved, they fit back your good parts. Those parts are their extra profit.
I met accident before many years ago, I ask the workshop to cover the excess clause (I had to foot a couple of hundred RM) and also ask them to respray the whole car for free....

 

[DareDan]

Very good advice and experience shared here... must take note on all this...

 

[ayobcode]

long back ago i involved in many accident. so what is mention with devious17 is true.

but yet, you cannot take out your car without sign the release form. both party disapointed.

best shot is to bring someone who has knowledge with your car model to inspect when they call you to come and pick up your car. once satisfy then only sign.

my expierience:

1) don't bother with crazy people who come to you and ask to tow your car. just call the insurance company and request them to assign tow truck and pick your car to nearest police station.

2) lodge a police report and at the same time ask insurance company to provide the nearest repair/work shop to your home and ask the pickup truck tow there (after police report has been lodged)

3) bring someone who has knowledge with your car model to inspect when they call you to come and pick up your car. once satisfy then only sign the release form.

4) if they ask u to pay any peny/cent. kick their ass or make a report to insurance company or police.

good luck bro.

Dont sign the release form, without that the workshop cant submit claim ,secondly lodge police report and inform your insurance company as well. Seek legal advice before it gets any worse.

 

[vr2turbo]

2) lodge a police report and at the same time ask insurance company to provide the nearest repair/work shop to your home and ask the pickup truck tow there (after police report has been lodged)

That is the problem, the accident I was in, the car was towed to the workshop. I did asked why no need tow to police station? They answered that the police will come and take photo. Means they will have time to change out some good parts for claims and they have partner and you know who....

 

[EvolutionZ]

if yr both airbags deployed - it will cost u at least near to 10k to replace cos it comes from Suzuki - its renowned that their parts are expensive. from what i see, the damage is not severe but if the airbags deployed - must have some damages inside the chassis that we couldn't see. i am not siding any party, just an honest opinion. ( i am dealing with used car - i "kena" before with Suzuki - a car i took in, need to replace a rear wheel bearing - cost me rm800 and O2 sensor cost me rm650 per piece)

by the way, if the insurance is paying, just get the workshop to do a good job and have a periodic spot checks on the parts they fixing onto yr car to ensure its well taken care off and 100% genuine & new.

to clear all these, next time (touch wood) if any of these happen, send direct to Suzuki Malaysia and get them to arrange, any workshop they send, any price they quote and whatever amount, let them handle and you have a peace of mind...anything cooks up..u know u r dealing with SUZUKI so u can held them responsible (warranty & workmanship)....easy...cheers n out!