Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 12:21
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - Steveieb

My van has been damaged whilst it was parked.

The owner of the vehicle damaging the van has admitted liabilty.

My insurance company has appointed Nationwide to find a local repairer and arrange a loan vehicle.

Has any one had any experience of Nationwide?

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 13:11
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - Wackyracer

In my experience all the insurance appointed repairers do a poor job and the size of these companies means nothing.

My parents car went to one for rear end damage and when it came back not only was it a shoddy repair (bad paint, Bare metal underneath the car and a bumper that was falling off because the idiots didn't know how to fit the fasterners correctly but, They had also damaged the paint on the front wing.

They then admitted it could not be seen on any of the photos they took of the car before they took possesion but, Still denied it being their fault with the excuse their cameras are not very good and it was a sunny day.

They had the car back for remedial work after I pushed them but, TBH it wasn't much of an improvement ( they sprayed the bare metal with underseal) and they never did anything to the front wing which they damaged.

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 17:25
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - Steveieb

Just leart that the apponted repairer will pick the van up next week and arrange a hire vehicle.

Thanks for your advice to take photos before handing the van over. But is there any thing else that you can do to prevent the experience that you had?

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 17:32
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - oldroverboy.

Just leart that the apponted repairer will pick the van up next week and arrange a hire vehicle.

DO NOT take the hire vehicle if it is a credit hire, check with the other persons insurance if they will pay, YOU have been warrned.

see legal section for horror stories.

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 20:16
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - daveyjp

If the third party has admitted liability get the third party to agree to providing a car. Do not get a credit hire vehicle.

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Thu 16 Oct 2014 21:02
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - Steveieb

Many thanks for the warnings, but it turns out that the third party who hit my van is also insured by the same company.

They have offered a hire van to be provided by a major rental company whilst my van is taken away for repair.

I would be most grateful for your advice given these facts.

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Fri 17 Oct 2014 07:46
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - 520i
I had a similar, though less severe experience with a Bristol repairer. Car went in having been sideswiped by an HGV, came to pick it up and the technician explained that they had cracked the nearside mirror glass whilst removing it to 'see how to fit the other side' - something I would expect a competent repair outfit to be able to work out for themselves, or at least know where to find the answer, without dismantling other bits of the car and then breaking them. They advised me that they had ordered a new glass and would be in touch when it arrived, which of course they never did. I couldn't be fussed with the hassle of chasing a bunch of cowboys and then sending the car back in, so I went to Halfords for a replacement off the shelf. Poor customer service indeed.

Edited by 520i on 17/10/2014 at 07:47

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Fri 17 Oct 2014 11:44
Ford Transit - Nationwide Repair Service - Wackyracer

I've had several experiences with insurance approved repairers and never had a good experience.

The answer they always seem to give is, What ever the problem "It was like it before the accident".

When I was young I had a rubber bumpered MGB which someone reversed into causing damage to the bonnet, Front wing and some deep cuts in the front bumper. Their answer to fixing these parts was filler and paint, Yes they filled and painted the bumper black. When the car was returned the paint on the bumper was flaking off because the paint wouldn't adhere to the rubber. The best bit was they didn't even bother to repair the wing at all and the hood of the car was covered in over spray which was impossible to get off.

They didn't even bother trying to straighten the bonnet, They just applied filler to each side of the bend line and tried to sand it to disguise it. Or course this meant the bonnet was actually about an inch shorter than it should have been at the centre of the car.

Then when I contacted the company concerned they told me basically I was lucky they had done such a good job and that there was nothing wrong with the car. Yes of course they didn't bother to repair the wing as in their opinion it was not caused in the accident.

They insisted on having a second go at fixing it, Which they did and still not a satisfatory repair. In the end I had to take it to a body repair shop and have it fixed then to take them to the small claims court to get the money from them to pay for the repairs.

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