- Jul 19, 2001
- 38,572
- 2
- 91
So just before Christmas I was t-boned in my dad's Mini Cooper S, the car was basically totaled (as far as we could tell) as the entire right side of the car was destroyed and the axel was snapped.
We call State Farm three times to confirm that we can bring the car to a Mini dealer to get fixed, and all three times they confirm that although the dealer isn't a preferred shop, the only difference is that they have to send an adjuster out rather than have someone already on site to give an estimate and that payment for parts would be in the form of a check, rather than an electronic transfer.
The mini dealer called us around two weeks ago to let us know they estimated the damages at $5,000, but didn't put it up on a lift so couldn't tell if there was more damage underneath. State Farm said thats how its usually done, then later down the line they throw it up on a lift and assess the damage there. Stupid if you ask me, but whatever. They said they would order all the parts and would start working as soon as they arrived.
Well today my dad calls the dealer just to check on the status and is told "Well we got all the used parts in, but we couldn't find a used door so you will need to pay us $2,000 for a new door as State Farm won't pay for new parts"
So we call State Farm and hear for the first time "Well we only allow preferred shops to use new parts and since you took it to a non-preferred shop, we won't pay for it" - Something that was never told to us the previous three calls we made to them on the subject. Grrr...
Well fine then, my dad calls a local "preferred" shop and has them pick up the car from the Mini dealer before they start any work. While he's on the phone, the "preferred" shop says to my dad: "Finding used parts for the Mini is always very very difficult for us - so its likely that we'll just use mostly new parts for your car as State Farm will pay for them..."
How retarded is that? At the Mini Dealer, who HAD used parts for almost everything except the door, State Farm wouldn't pay for a single new part. Now at the "preferred" auto shop, they will likely use mostly new parts which will likely be significantly MORE expensive.
Fine by us, if we can get away with mostly new parts. But stupid on their part if you ask me.
We call State Farm three times to confirm that we can bring the car to a Mini dealer to get fixed, and all three times they confirm that although the dealer isn't a preferred shop, the only difference is that they have to send an adjuster out rather than have someone already on site to give an estimate and that payment for parts would be in the form of a check, rather than an electronic transfer.
The mini dealer called us around two weeks ago to let us know they estimated the damages at $5,000, but didn't put it up on a lift so couldn't tell if there was more damage underneath. State Farm said thats how its usually done, then later down the line they throw it up on a lift and assess the damage there. Stupid if you ask me, but whatever. They said they would order all the parts and would start working as soon as they arrived.
Well today my dad calls the dealer just to check on the status and is told "Well we got all the used parts in, but we couldn't find a used door so you will need to pay us $2,000 for a new door as State Farm won't pay for new parts"
So we call State Farm and hear for the first time "Well we only allow preferred shops to use new parts and since you took it to a non-preferred shop, we won't pay for it" - Something that was never told to us the previous three calls we made to them on the subject. Grrr...
Well fine then, my dad calls a local "preferred" shop and has them pick up the car from the Mini dealer before they start any work. While he's on the phone, the "preferred" shop says to my dad: "Finding used parts for the Mini is always very very difficult for us - so its likely that we'll just use mostly new parts for your car as State Farm will pay for them..."
How retarded is that? At the Mini Dealer, who HAD used parts for almost everything except the door, State Farm wouldn't pay for a single new part. Now at the "preferred" auto shop, they will likely use mostly new parts which will likely be significantly MORE expensive.
Fine by us, if we can get away with mostly new parts. But stupid on their part if you ask me.
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