Induction into "Banged my car" club

sammyboy · 16th July 2007, 17:17

I got myself enrolled into the "banged my car"club a few days back .
Was coming back from a small get together at night and it was raining with low visibility.

Suddenly from the left a vehicle came on to the main road forcing me towards the divider. There was a turn to the right so i desperately tried to maneuver towards it to avoid the collision . I almost made it but while turning right my left tyre hit the divider .
There was a bang and i saw my wheelcap fly off.I stopped the car and got down to look at the damage ,the guy who caused this is nowhere to be seen by now .

The left tyre was touching the mudflap and was rubbing on the left fender ,apart from that no body damage at all , not even a scratch.
Started the car and drove slowly with all those loud hissing sounds ,cursing .

Managed to reach my house safely .
Next day called the Metro Ford guys ( I know ..i know ..but then those are the only folks i have been dealing with till now) and within an hour they had a couple of guys over to review the damage. They asked me to get the car towed to their station as the tyre was getting damaged. They also explained the process of calling the insurance guys and getting the claim number. Then they gave me the phone numbers of the tow guy and icici lombard . I was really pleasantly surprised by the way these guys helped ,and to top it all did not charge me a single paisa.

I wasnt sure if I wanted to get the car towed cos my tyre was already damaged from the drive home and I knew the insurance guys wont compensate me for it.

Called up fellow bhpian - Benny and explained the situation ,both came to the conclusion that I need'nt pay these guys 3000 bucks for the towing (later came to know that insurance only covers max 1500 for towing) and that the tyre was gone anyways so should just go ahead and drive it down to the station on st Marks road.

Called insurance guys and asked them to generate the claim number.
Took an appointment and drove down to Metro.Met the advisor and he checked the car .

Gave him a copy of the insurance and my DL details, he said they would let me know when the surveyor came.
Next day morning get a call from the surveyor ,he asked me the details and then asked me to mail them to him.
He then called again and told me that the metro guys were asking for denting,painting, bumper and what all - a total estimate of 38 k.

I was shocked out of my wits . Told him that the only thing he needs to look at is my cars left suspension as that was the only thing that would require work . Spoke to the metro guys and gave them a piece of my mind ,told them not to touch anything else .
Next day , got the estimate of 13k. The suspension was bent and the inside of the fender had a lil work .

Insurance took care of 10 k and I paid 2700.
Thankfully ICICI have a cashless facility so no hassles.
Now the car is back home and doing well,thankfully it all ended without any problem .
Best part was i knew that i could always get help from the team ,and I did .
Thanks for all ur help Benny .

Sorry didnt take any pics ...oh and btw , there was a small dent on my rear fender which metro guys repaired and painted on their own ..guess they have started feeling the pressure .

Mods , hats off to you for creating this community . It feels more like a family than just a forum .Keep rocking Bhpians.

vickyy22 · 16th July 2007, 18:01

You are right...it is like a family....

Zappo · 16th July 2007, 18:10

Congrats on getting the car back in shape and that too without much sweat. So have you got the tire replaced as it was badly damaged? If you have not done so check it thoroughly for any damage, particularly where it hit the divider. If it seems to have gouged out some rubber or else you find a small lump anywhere around get the tire replaced immediately. In fact if the Metro guys have not already done it go and get the wheels balanced and aligned. If the one that took the hit looks suspect get it thoroughed (the wheel shops call it 'throwing'). Essentially they straighten the rim.

Finally, did not you ask those Metro buggers what that initial estimate of 38k was all about? Did they plan to make a contingency plan for future cases (like sivasuma's where they lost)?

speedmiester · 16th July 2007, 18:22

First of all, sorry you joined the 'banged my car' club. Luckily it wasn't an ugly affair.
As Zappo said ask the metro ford people what was the estimate for 38k for?
Its really disturbing to see these people taking advantage under these situations.

sammyboy · 16th July 2007, 19:05

Thanks Zappo . The metro guys did straighten the rim and did the wheel balancing too but the tyre grooves are damages as they rubbed against the body while driving :( I still have to buy a new tyre to replace the old one ..stock zvts 13" .I am using the spare for the time being.

The Metro guys did not have any answer to the 38k estimate , were trying to make money from the icici guys and me ..thankfully the icici guy was one prefessional chap who didnt succumb to their pressure and I have been thoroughly educated by the bhpians to fall for their trick

sammyboy · 16th July 2007, 19:06

Thanks speedmeister . Ya i know these guys would do anything for a quick buck ..buggers

1100D · 16th July 2007, 20:00

Hi, this is urgent, call them up and say that you want to check that the alignment (especially the camber/castor readings - toe can be adjusted anytime) are okay on the front left wheel. Later on when you do the alignment they will tell you that they cannot alter the castor/camber readings as those are fixed and if the body is okay then it doesn't alter. On my car, there was a slight mishap and had been repaired, only to find later that my castor/camber readings are a wee bit off.

Any suspension job, be sure to do the alignment right after it.

sammyboy · 17th July 2007, 11:07

Thanks 1100D . I will call and have that checked ..meanwhile could you please tell me what cabber/caster are and how they affect the alignment ? Just for my understanding

benbsb29 · 17th July 2007, 11:11

Samarth, good that the car is back in action now. We learn from our experiences, and so have you.

Drive safe, and keep an eye out for these guys when you hand in your car there the next time.

finneyp · 17th July 2007, 11:20

Sammy, you surely had guts to repair your Car at Metro Ford after the nightmares Shivasuma is facing coz of them. Their work may be shoddy which is sometimes acceptable, but thier attitude is real sick!

Anyway, good you just had some minor repairs to Supension etc., but they still dared to fleece the Insurance Co and yourself.

1100D · 17th July 2007, 19:44

Did some quick googling (this helps in understanding functionality wise)

Caster, Camber, Toe

apart from this you can search with Caster/Camber/toe

Caster angle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Camber angle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toe (automotive) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However when you go for the alignment, you will be able to see on the screen what are the valid tolerances for each of these and what does your vehicle exhibit. Both front wheels should be within the limits.

barathan · 17th July 2007, 20:07

Last Week a Bus banged my car ( TATA INDICA DLS) in the right handside above the front wheels. Taken the car to Chennai VST for getting it repaired, i was shocked that they dont have tie up with Oriental insurance so i have to pay the money and get it repaired and get the reimbursement from the Insurance Co. Can any one advice me on any Garage in Chennai who is having tie up with Oriental Insurance. Please Help!!!

barathan · 17th July 2007, 20:15

Last week after seeing a movie from Satyam complex and when returning home a bus Banged the right hand side fender of my TATA INDICA which damaged the Right handside ORVM and Right handside Fender completely.

Then i took the CAR for getting it fixed to VST Motors Chennai. There i was shocked to hear that they dont have tie up with the Oriental Insurance to which the car is insured. So they said i have to pay the money and get the car fixed and later the money will be reimbursed to me from the insurance company. I am really afraid that if any thing goes wrong i may be in trouble. Can anyone please advice me on any Garage in Chennai who has tie up with Oriental Insurance so that i can get it repaired with out any hassle. Or can any one advice a best way to get it repaired and get the insurance claim?

Please HELP!!!

1100D · 17th July 2007, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by barathan

Last week after seeing a movie from Satyam complex and when returning home a bus Banged the right hand side fender of my TATA INDICA which damaged the Right handside ORVM and Right handside Fender completely.

Then i took the CAR for getting it fixed to VST Motors Chennai. There i was shocked to hear that they dont have tie up with the Oriental Insurance to which the car is insured. So they said i have to pay the money and get the car fixed and later the money will be reimbursed to me from the insurance company. I am really afraid that if any thing goes wrong i may be in trouble. Can anyone please advice me on any Garage in Chennai who has tie up with Oriental Insurance so that i can get it repaired with out any hassle. Or can any one advice a best way to get it repaired and get the insurance claim?

Please HELP!!!

Contact your insurance company they should be able to tell you which workshop do they have a cashless tie up with.

Now even if you do get the car repaired at any workshop where there is no cashless facility, you can always raise a claim and get the claim processed based on their assessment of the damage.

In anycase it pays to do some research before buying insurance as to whether the insurance company has a cashless tie-up with any of the workshops authorized by the vehicle manufacturer.

zeeshan suleman · 18th July 2007, 14:42

@ barathan : u need to check with your insurance company, also be ready tp pay up now and wait till you get reimbursed by the insurance company, ive heard it takes quite a while till they get claims settled. Correct me if i am wrong.

16th July 2007, 17:17	#1
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	Induction into "Banged my car" club I got myself enrolled into the "banged my car"club a few days back . Was coming back from a small get together at night and it was raining with low visibility. Suddenly from the left a vehicle came on to the main road forcing me towards the divider. There was a turn to the right so i desperately tried to maneuver towards it to avoid the collision . I almost made it but while turning right my left tyre hit the divider . There was a bang and i saw my wheelcap fly off.I stopped the car and got down to look at the damage ,the guy who caused this is nowhere to be seen by now . The left tyre was touching the mudflap and was rubbing on the left fender ,apart from that no body damage at all , not even a scratch. Started the car and drove slowly with all those loud hissing sounds ,cursing . Managed to reach my house safely . Next day called the Metro Ford guys ( I know ..i know ..but then those are the only folks i have been dealing with till now) and within an hour they had a couple of guys over to review the damage. They asked me to get the car towed to their station as the tyre was getting damaged. They also explained the process of calling the insurance guys and getting the claim number. Then they gave me the phone numbers of the tow guy and icici lombard . I was really pleasantly surprised by the way these guys helped ,and to top it all did not charge me a single paisa. I wasnt sure if I wanted to get the car towed cos my tyre was already damaged from the drive home and I knew the insurance guys wont compensate me for it. Called up fellow bhpian - Benny and explained the situation ,both came to the conclusion that I need'nt pay these guys 3000 bucks for the towing (later came to know that insurance only covers max 1500 for towing) and that the tyre was gone anyways so should just go ahead and drive it down to the station on st Marks road. Called insurance guys and asked them to generate the claim number. Took an appointment and drove down to Metro.Met the advisor and he checked the car . Gave him a copy of the insurance and my DL details, he said they would let me know when the surveyor came. Next day morning get a call from the surveyor ,he asked me the details and then asked me to mail them to him. He then called again and told me that the metro guys were asking for denting,painting, bumper and what all - a total estimate of 38 k. I was shocked out of my wits . Told him that the only thing he needs to look at is my cars left suspension as that was the only thing that would require work . Spoke to the metro guys and gave them a piece of my mind ,told them not to touch anything else . Next day , got the estimate of 13k. The suspension was bent and the inside of the fender had a lil work . Insurance took care of 10 k and I paid 2700. Thankfully ICICI have a cashless facility so no hassles. Now the car is back home and doing well,thankfully it all ended without any problem . Best part was i knew that i could always get help from the team ,and I did . Thanks for all ur help Benny . Sorry didnt take any pics ...oh and btw , there was a small dent on my rear fender which metro guys repaired and painted on their own ..guess they have started feeling the pressure . Mods , hats off to you for creating this community . It feels more like a family than just a forum .Keep rocking Bhpians.
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 18:01	#2
vickyy22 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 22 Thanked: 0 Times	You are right...it is like a family....
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 18:10	#3
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,922 Thanked: 2,699 Times	Congrats on getting the car back in shape and that too without much sweat. So have you got the tire replaced as it was badly damaged? If you have not done so check it thoroughly for any damage, particularly where it hit the divider. If it seems to have gouged out some rubber or else you find a small lump anywhere around get the tire replaced immediately. In fact if the Metro guys have not already done it go and get the wheels balanced and aligned. If the one that took the hit looks suspect get it thoroughed (the wheel shops call it 'throwing'). Essentially they straighten the rim. Finally, did not you ask those Metro buggers what that initial estimate of 38k was all about? Did they plan to make a contingency plan for future cases (like sivasuma's where they lost)?
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 18:22	#4
speedmiester Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,387 Thanked: 6,631 Times	First of all, sorry you joined the 'banged my car' club. Luckily it wasn't an ugly affair. As Zappo said ask the metro ford people what was the estimate for 38k for? Its really disturbing to see these people taking advantage under these situations.
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 19:05	#5
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	Thanks Zappo . The metro guys did straighten the rim and did the wheel balancing too but the tyre grooves are damages as they rubbed against the body while driving :( I still have to buy a new tyre to replace the old one ..stock zvts 13" .I am using the spare for the time being. The Metro guys did not have any answer to the 38k estimate , were trying to make money from the icici guys and me ..thankfully the icici guy was one prefessional chap who didnt succumb to their pressure and I have been thoroughly educated by the bhpians to fall for their trick
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 19:06	#6
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	Thanks speedmeister . Ya i know these guys would do anything for a quick buck ..buggers
	() Thanks

16th July 2007, 20:00	#7
1100D Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 4,390 Thanked: 4,096 Times View My Garage	Hi, this is urgent, call them up and say that you want to check that the alignment (especially the camber/castor readings - toe can be adjusted anytime) are okay on the front left wheel. Later on when you do the alignment they will tell you that they cannot alter the castor/camber readings as those are fixed and if the body is okay then it doesn't alter. On my car, there was a slight mishap and had been repaired, only to find later that my castor/camber readings are a wee bit off. Any suspension job, be sure to do the alignment right after it. Last edited by 1100D : 16th July 2007 at 20:05.
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 11:07	#8
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 521 Times View My Garage	Thanks 1100D . I will call and have that checked ..meanwhile could you please tell me what cabber/caster are and how they affect the alignment ? Just for my understanding
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 11:11	#9
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,968 Thanked: 13,218 Times View My Garage	Samarth, good that the car is back in action now. We learn from our experiences, and so have you. Drive safe, and keep an eye out for these guys when you hand in your car there the next time.
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 11:20	#10
finneyp Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,716 Thanked: 319 Times View My Garage	Sammy, you surely had guts to repair your Car at Metro Ford after the nightmares Shivasuma is facing coz of them. Their work may be shoddy which is sometimes acceptable, but thier attitude is real sick! Anyway, good you just had some minor repairs to Supension etc., but they still dared to fleece the Insurance Co and yourself.
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 19:44	#11
1100D Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 4,390 Thanked: 4,096 Times View My Garage	Did some quick googling (this helps in understanding functionality wise) Caster, Camber, Toe apart from this you can search with Caster/Camber/toe Caster angle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Camber angle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Toe (automotive) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia However when you go for the alignment, you will be able to see on the screen what are the valid tolerances for each of these and what does your vehicle exhibit. Both front wheels should be within the limits. Last edited by 1100D : 17th July 2007 at 19:47.
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 20:07	#12
barathan Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 20 Thanked: 0 Times	Last Week a Bus banged my car ( TATA INDICA DLS) in the right handside above the front wheels. Taken the car to Chennai VST for getting it repaired, i was shocked that they dont have tie up with Oriental insurance so i have to pay the money and get it repaired and get the reimbursement from the Insurance Co. Can any one advice me on any Garage in Chennai who is having tie up with Oriental Insurance. Please Help!!!
	() Thanks

17th July 2007, 20:15	#13
barathan Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 20 Thanked: 0 Times	Banged by the Bus Last week after seeing a movie from Satyam complex and when returning home a bus Banged the right hand side fender of my TATA INDICA which damaged the Right handside ORVM and Right handside Fender completely. Then i took the CAR for getting it fixed to VST Motors Chennai. There i was shocked to hear that they dont have tie up with the Oriental Insurance to which the car is insured. So they said i have to pay the money and get the car fixed and later the money will be reimbursed to me from the insurance company. I am really afraid that if any thing goes wrong i may be in trouble. Can anyone please advice me on any Garage in Chennai who has tie up with Oriental Insurance so that i can get it repaired with out any hassle. Or can any one advice a best way to get it repaired and get the insurance claim? Please HELP!!!
	() Thanks

18th July 2007, 14:42	#15
zeeshan suleman BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 172 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	@ barathan : u need to check with your insurance company, also be ready tp pay up now and wait till you get reimbursed by the insurance company, ive heard it takes quite a while till they get claims settled. Correct me if i am wrong.
	() Thanks