by gngr78us » Thu Nov 13, 2008 07:07 pm
I was rear ended and my car was not driveable. the insurance company towed it to to the place of my choice for the estimate, and i was told that i would have to sign authorization for it to get fixed. i found out there was damage to the "frame". therefore i decided to have if fixed at toyota. come to find out the repair shop has already did two days of work on it without me or the insurance company authorizing the work. with that said no one will work on the car since they have started work. what should i do in this situation. if i understand everything right, its against the law to do any work not authorized
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 01:58 am Post Subject:
i was told that i would have to sign authorization for it to get fixed.
Who told you this? and What state do you live in?i found out there was damage to the "frame". therefore i decided to have if fixed at toyota.
What kind of vehicle do you have? Why do you think that a toyota dealership would/will do a better job than the shop you have your vehicle at now? This is a common mis-conception that proves terrible outcomes some times...Depends on the vehicle, but most even decent shops have up to date frame machines....It would be a better idea to find out the frame equipment and experience at both shops first, then make up your mind..A dealership simply by that fact does NOT make a good body shop...come to find out the repair shop has already did two days of work on it without me or the insurance company authorizing the work
I seriously doubt they have done more than a full tear down...what work EXACTLY have they done?with that said no one will work on the car since they have started work.
I don't know why not...I've moved cars mid-repair, and they can't be that deep in the repair...who told you they would'nt work on it now?if i understand everything right, its against the law to do any work not authorized
Could be that depends on your state...What does the shop say about starting repairs without an authorization? What does your carrier say? Is this a 'preferred' shop of your carrier?Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 08:40 am Post Subject:
Some states require the repair shop to notify the consumer before initiating the repair work, such as- Texas and Wisconsin. The OP may stay in any of these states. However, gngr, if you think that the repair shop has gone against the laws of the state you may seek protection under the Consumer Protection Law of your state.
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 01:50 pm Post Subject:
the insurance company told me that when they took the car there for the estimate. also they have taken it apart enough that toyota wont touch cuz the work was already started and they said most places wont take the job after that. the insurance company admitted they did wrong. and i am in VA
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 02:08 pm Post Subject:
I don't know what your carrier did wrong, they towed it to the shop of your choice and had the vehicle torn down so that an acurate, and hopefully complete estimate could be completed..What exactly has been done other than tear down?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 02:07 pm Post Subject: insurance
I live in PA (as most of you know). I was told by my insurance company if there is damamge to the frame, the vehicle is automatically 'totalled'. I was in a car wreck last year, however......no damge to the frame. Is this 'rule' only in the state of PA?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 05:05 pm Post Subject:
Some states do still have this on their books, (foolish, foolish, foolish)....I'll check and see what I can find.
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:54 am Post Subject:
sdchargersfan
I to live and work in Pa. and have been involved "hands on" in auto repair for more than 40 years.
I have never heard of any such law..!! I and many others in this area and beyond have repaired many automobile frames. I don't know of one, not one automobile being Totaled because of a Law that states they must be.
Totaling an damaged automobile has always been an economic decision... Cost of repair vs. Value of auto.
Insurance Adjusters in this State write frame repair estimates all the time.
I've seen them write for "Clips".
A "Clip" is when one Cuts the Good Half of the insured's car off. and then Cuts the opposing Good Half from a donor car that had already been Totaled. And then welds the Two Good Halves together.
What company does this Adjuster work for? Just wondering.
FK,
PS, If there actually is such an Law... I can reasonably state that it has been violated Millions of times over the past 40 years.
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:59 pm Post Subject: accident
Thanks, FK.....THIS information is interesting and valuable ( not that nothing ELSE, on this forum is valuable!! :D ). Wow......kind of ;funny' you said that............cuz, I'm gonna tell ya a story, a true one, at that!! I live in a VERY small town, in PA. It takes about 10 minutes to drive through it!!LOL :lol: Anyway....there IS a mechanic, here in town who will NOT 'touch' a vehicle if the frame was bent. Last year I was in an accident, in my Jeep..............slipped on Black Ice and went head-on into a guard rail. I took my Jeep to this specific garage. I know the mechanic ( small town and EVERYONE knows EVERYONE!!) and I thought he would give me a 'good price' on repairs. He said there was a "bend" in the frame, but, it wasn't "so bent that he couldn't work on it." However.....he would have to charge me a "bit extra" because the frame was damamged. I took my Jeep to another garage. Needless to say, THEY said my "frame wasn't bent at all." FK...can you tell me WHERE, in PA, you are located? Also......I REALLY din't know that mecanics can 'splice' (lack of a better word) frames together. If 'you' get your car inspected, wouldn't they see that? I wouldn't think the vehicle would 'pass' that way.
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 04:38 pm Post Subject:
sdchargersfan,
If you get some time take a look at this site.
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/site_index/index.shtml
You can find answers to many Questions about Pa. and automobiles.
Pa. has an ENHANCED VEHICLE INSPECTION specifically for Rebuilt Totals, Altered, Specialty, etc. automobiles.
http://search.state.pa.us/query.html?style=dmv03&qt=ENHANCED+VEHICLE+INSPECTION+PROGRAM&other=opt%3Awhole+opt%3Aand
It would seem that if Repairing a Frame or altering an automobile were Illegal the above program would be a bit pointless.
I'm located very near the southern New York State border. Speaking of small towns the nearest one from my
home has a population of less than 1000 [one of the larger towns in the area]. But it does have a [as in one]
Traffic light. The next town in any direction that has a Traffic light is about 14 miles away from this one.
FYI.
"Mechanic shop" usually refers to one that services the Mechanical items of an automobile such as worn /
broken Brakes, Exhaust, Engine, Steering, and other Drive Line items.
"Body shop" usually reefer's to one that services the Body items of an automobile such as damaged Fenders,
Doors, Frames, Paint, Lights, and other parts that comprise the body shell that holds all the mechanical parts
in place.
FK,
PS,
Lori, did you find anything on the Law that sdchargersfan ask about?
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 07:57 pm Post Subject:
I also am from PA. I don't like to disagree with anyone but I do not believe this l;aw really does apply in PA. If it does then my Brother was fooled a couple years ago. His wife was headed for work and she rolled her vehicle over from hitting black ice. Lots and Lots of damage. To look at it you would have thought it should have been totaled..nope..they fixed it and there was a bend in the frame. It never did run like it dod prior to the accident so they traded it off afterwards. I know he was peeved that since there was frame damage that they fixed it but they did.
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