Discussion Does a Mechanic have to reassemble a car?

[GodisanAtheist]

I got rear ended the other day on my drive to work, and the impact was hard enough to push me into the car in front of me.

Luckily there were no injuries and the responsible party was in fact responsible and accepted full liability for the accident. However my rear bumper and hatchback were fairly dinged up while my front bumper had blown out slightly from under the headlights.

I took the car to my local body shop where the claims adjustor reviewed it, then asked the body shop to disassemble the front bumper/rear bumper/hatchback to look for any additional hidden damage.

Got a call from the body shop saying they'll be getting parts in and reassembling the vehicle over the course of the next couple weeks thanks to a few parts being on back order. I asked if they can just put the busted parts back on the vehicle (it was still drivable after the accident) until all the parts arrived when I could bring the car in to be fully repaired in a couple days and they really strongly pushed back on that idea and said no the car is largely disassembled and we're not going to put broken parts back on your car.

They advised me to just use the rental credit from my insurance company, but I don't want to be in a situation where I'm driving some bottom barrel beater rental for the next two months while the shop keeps telling me the back ordered parts keep getting pushed back.

On one hand I can see their logic: if they reassemble the vehicle and send me off in it, then something happens, they might be potentially liable for reassembling a damaged vehicle and letting me drive off with it. On the other hand, I don't want to burn my vehicle rental credits when I have a perfectly drivable car (albeit a bit messed up looking) that just needs to have some of the damaged parts slapped back onto it.

Anyone have any experience with this type of issue? Normally it would be no big deal as everything would be delivered and repaired within a week, but thanks to The Supply Shortages(TM) who knows if they're being honest about when they will actually receive those back ordered parts.

 

[nakedfrog]

Are you willing to pay the labor for it to be re-assembled, and then disassembled again when the new parts arrive?

 

[Captante]

Anyone have any experience with this type of issue?

Yes....multiple times over the years.

Get the rental car and make them give you something decent.... 99% of the time I end up with a nearly new car when I rent and a few times I've gotten some serious upgrades. Further even a lower-end near brand-new vehicle will be much safer then a car that's been crashed and cobbled back together.

Start by just asking nicely for an upgrade which usually works IME.



The body shop isn't going to assume the liability of allowing you to drive a car that's been in an accident that they have worked on to this extent.

 

[Pohemi]

Yeah it's definitely both the labor/manhours, and the liability factor. I had cars fixed twice that would have needed weeks for the proper parts for it, but it could be ghetto fixed, albeit not legally by the shop. I convinced the managers that I'd pay in cash, didn't need a receipt, and promised not to report or sue them, heh.

I didn't care about no warranty or it not being optimal, I needed the car to get to work in the winter (both times). If it had happened in summer, I could have dealt with the repair delay by riding my bike to work.

 

[Captante]

Yeah it's definitely both the labor/manhours, and the liability factor. I had cars fixed twice that would have needed weeks for the proper parts for it, but it could be ghetto fixed, albeit not legally by the shop. I convinced the managers that I'd pay in cash, didn't need a receipt, and promised not to report or sue them, heh.

I didn't care about no warranty or it not being optimal, I needed the car to get to work in the winter (both times). If it had happened in summer, I could have dealt with the repair delay by riding my bike to work.

Back in the day it used to be common practice to "pad the claim" then pay cash to the body shop for a far less expensive repair OR not repair the car at all... just drive it and pocket the money. (Not that I would know!)



These days unfortunately/fortunately its a lot harder to get away with that sort of thing and also a lot easier to get sued if there's an injury.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Are you willing to pay the labor for it to be re-assembled, and then disassembled again when the new parts arrive?

-That's a point I hadn't considered... I'd essentially be making them work for something that is not covered as part of the agreement with my insurance company.

I appreciated the advice in asking for something less shitty from the rental company. I'm not sure what the car rental market looks like right now, hopefully there is something newish (even if entry level) that is covered by my rental credit.

 

[Captante]

-That's a point I hadn't considered... I'd essentially be making them work for something that is not covered as part of the agreement with my insurance company.

I appreciated the advice in asking for something less shitty from the rental company. I'm not sure what the car rental market looks like right now, hopefully there is something newish (even if entry level) that is covered by my rental credit.

Did you ask the shop your using if they have any arrangement with a local rental office? Many times they can arrange a rental for you and save you hassle/money.

When my Honda got hit back in Dec 2019 my local guy did everything including dropping off a loaded 2020 Corolla LE from Hertz at my house. (Mind you the current Corolla is now a mid-line car and is larger then old Camrys/Accords)


EDIT: One thing to keep in mind is that I've had my best luck with the upgrade thing when I've been standing at the rental counter smiling sweetly!



Over the phone it seems like you get a national call center most of the time and for whatever reason they're not as sympathetic! (In other words YMMV) The rental market is a lot tighter in 2022 but you should still be able to work something out.

 

[zinfamous]

they took your car apart and said you can't take it with you?

sure you didn't drop it off at a chop shop?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

If the insurance company arranges (or recommends) the rental, it should be Hertz, National, Avis, Budget, Enterprise or some other larger company. They don't do beaters, but it won't be a Lamborghini either.

 

[herm0016]

just get a rental. i'm sure you will survive.

 

[deadlyapp]

Also note that generally your insurance agency or the repair company will continue to extend your rental credits if they are delayed. I've had this happen a few times where they comped me additional amount because of parts delays.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

My inlaws are going on vacay in a couple days for a solid month. They suggested I drive my wife's car, and my wife (who WFH and doesn't drive much) just drive their car in the interim.

I'll probably end up going with that solution for the time being, although I got some good suggestions for what to do or what can happen in the event that I do need the rental.

Thanks!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Curious what you’re driving that you think an insurance replacement rental is going to be a beater. It couldn’t be any worse than the Subaru Forester Enterprise put me in when my Mercedes got rear ended a few years ago. I can’t believe people actually buy those cars, and like them, it was a total pile of crap. I actually got an Audi Q5 more recently in a similar situation which I wasn’t crazy about either but it was better than that Subaru.

Just get the rental. Think of it this way, at least you aren’t putting miles on your car while it is in the shop.

 

[JEDIYoda]

If the insurance company arranges (or recommends) the rental, it should be Hertz, National, Avis, Budget, Enterprise or some other larger company. They don't do beaters, but it won't be a Lamborghini either.

DONOT DO HERTZ!!! THEY WILL REPORT THE CAR STOLEN AND PUT A WARRANT OUT FOPR YOUR ARREST!!!

 

[nakedfrog]

DONOT DO HERTZ!!! THEY WILL REPORT THE CAR STOLEN AND PUT A WARRANT OUT FOPR YOUR ARREST!!!

Are you okay?

 

[JEDIYoda]

Are you okay?

Thats the truth!

 

[Captante]

Are you okay?

Thats the truth!

Sounds like a no?

 

[purbeast0]

Why you wouldn't just take the free rental car and would rather drive your broken car is beyond me.

 

[manly]

Sounds like a no?

Here on the forums are JEDI and a JEDIYoda. IIRC the latter is a Trumpster, so there's that.

Historically, rental car companies have only "late model year" vehicles because they get a lot of miles driven annually and 100k is kind of a maximum before replacement. COVID pushed rental firms into bankruptcy, and a lot of their vehicle inventory was sold off during restructuring. Unfortunately, the chip shortage and production shortfalls have made it near impossible for them to fully replenish their stocks and rental rates are pretty high.

TLDR: Rental cars are generally newer cars. Economy cars might be basic, but you're not going to get an old "beater."

A few weeks in a rental car isn't even that long. A few years back, two of my friends had their entry-level luxury cars at the shop for months waiting for parts. The moral of this story is don't buy Jaguar because they're a niche brand in the U.S. (likely the same can be said of Alfa Romeo).

 

[nakedfrog]

Thats the truth!

Just so I understand... you're saying if you rent a car from Hertz, they will report it stolen and put a warrant out for your arrest?

 

[Captante]

Just so I understand... you're saying if you rent a car from Hertz, they will report it stolen and put a warrant out for your arrest?

Crazy thing is that back at the end of 2019 when I got rear-ended on the highway I had a Hertz rental for about 5 weeks and halfway through week #3 I got a weird voicemail from the local office saying my rental was "overdue" and had to be returned immediately. ("or else" was only implied but still)

Fortunately a quick call to the body-shop that arranged my rental to say WTF(?) resolved whatever the "problem" was and I got another voicemail apologizing but it was still weird. I didn't think about it at all until I saw the news story about Hertz doing this to a bunch of folks.


Hertz customers claim they were arrested, some jailed and even held at gunpoint after false theft reports

 

[nakedfrog]

Crazy thing is that back at the end of 2019 when I got rear-ended on the highway I had a Hertz rental for about 5 weeks and halfway through week #3 I got a weird voicemail from the local office saying my rental was "overdue" and had to be returned immediately. ("or else" was only implied but still)

Fortunately a quick call to the body-shop that arranged my rental to say WTF(?) resolved whatever the "problem" and I got another voicemail apologizing but it was still weird. I didn't think about it at all until I saw the news story about Hertz doing this to a bunch of folks.


Hertz customers claim they were arrested, some jailed and even held at gunpoint after false theft reports

Well, that's much more informative than a seemingly-random post in all caps!

 

[BudAshes]

Just so I understand... you're saying if you rent a car from Hertz, they will report it stolen and put a warrant out for your arrest?

Wrong, he was saying "I do crack!"

 

[Jon-T]

Just so I understand... you're saying if you rent a car from Hertz, they will report it stolen and put a warrant out for your arrest?

Hertz is currently in court because some errors in their computer system and their procedures accidently reported some cars stolen getting a few hundred people arrested.

https://www.yahoo.com/now/hertz-customer-falsely-accused-theft-201641137.html

Hertz Will Release Records on Rental-Car 'Thefts' That Weren't

The rental-car giant's computer system is apparently at fault for claiming hundreds, maybe thousands, of renters stole vehicles they actually returned as agreed.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[nakedfrog]

Hertz is currently in court because some errors in their computer system and their procedures accidently reported some cars stolen getting a few hundred people arrested.

https://www.yahoo.com/now/hertz-customer-falsely-accused-theft-201641137.html

Hertz Will Release Records on Rental-Car 'Thefts' That Weren't

The rental-car giant's computer system is apparently at fault for claiming hundreds, maybe thousands, of renters stole vehicles they actually returned as agreed.

www.caranddriver.com

Yeah, including a tidbit like this makes one appear considerably less like a crack-addled nutcase or dementia patient.