treborsiwel Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Hi all Whilst returning home after our first ever overseas trip to France last week. A rather dopey driver of a Citroen C3, rear ended me whilst I was stationary. As such the rear of our motor home is looking rather worse for wear. Whilst we have exchanged details, contacted insurance etc ( I await their instructions) I was wondering if anyone had any experience of having their motor home repaired? I ask as the last time I left the repair of my car (oddly also rear ended by a dopey driver whilst I was stationary) to the approved/insurance garage. They did a truly shoddy job and I refused to accept the car back. However never having had a motor home before I am not sure what to check on its return so any advice would be appreciated. Damage appears all lower rear, though the bike rack appears to have moved and to me the left hand wall (is that the right word for it?) I am convinced has a light almost perfectly straight line crease in it. Thanks for any advice given Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 These people have repaired ours twice and and done a brilliant job, owner is a real gentleman. His company was the one approved by our insurers so took no time in sorting it, came out to our home to inspect damage and do quote. http://www.motorhome.co.uk/ Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 It would probably help if you could put your area in the post then you would get more results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Hi, Sorry to read of your recent misfortune. Did this happen in France, and was the other driver a French one. The reason I ask is that a similar incident happened to me in the south of France a number of years ago. Our VW campervan of the day was rear ended by a French vehicle in heavy traffic on one of their holiday weekends.. We were able to limp home and I contacted an Amateur Radio friend in versailles who was a legal eagle. He requested that I send the details to him as a friend and he would act for me. He explained that under French law, he who rams vehicle in front is totally liable for all costs and compensation. My friend (sadly now deceased) explained that he was chief Barrister in the Versailles Circuit and he would pursue the guilty driver on my behalf. (at no cost to me) The repair was carried out by the insurers and full recompense was received in approx 8 weeks. It pays to have friends in high places!!!! I hope you manage to get your problem sorted as effectively. tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treborsiwel Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 Hi Thanks for your comments Firstly the accident was in France, I stopped to pay the toll and the Citroen used me instead of its brakes! Fortunately the driver was very apologetic (spoke English) and provided me with all his details. In fact an abundance of details. We live near Stanstead so anywhere near there, would I suppose be good. Though I rang Marquis in Northants (supplying dealer) and they recommended Brackmills Body Repairs (anybody have any experience?) Also I wanted to comment on Comfort Insurances service , though mainly Aviva's claim centre (they are the underwriters) on their service. As to date they have been incredibly helpful and even waived the excess. One last comment, whilst I can't speak French, the body language, facial expressions and tone of the language spoken by his wife after the accident. Meant that no matter how annoyed I felt. I did not have the heart to be angry with" Jose" as his wife appeared to be saying everything I could possibly have ever wanted to say :) Finally and if it's of interest I will keep posting on the whole experience. Thanks Again Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Well in that case.....I recommend Peter Ayles of Motorhome Coachcraft near Luton airport.... http://www.motorhome.co.uk/contactus/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 There are times when I wonder if my posts show up to others, Peter Ayles at Coach Craft is the one I sent the link for and recommended and as it turns out is the one that our Aviva insurance has as being one of their approved repairers. I am huge and so surprised no one can see me :-D :-D but then I'm only a woman so what do I know. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Hi Mandy. I think it more likely that people do not read ALL previous posts CORRECTLY before posting their own. *-) Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Mandy I am in the middle of trying to clear our house of an accumulated 20 years of junk, in preparation of a house move and all the associated horrors... So I am sorry that I missed your link, but if you had posted more info I would have picked up on it? Anyway 2 recommendations have got to be better then one surely...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stantheman Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Yes Mandy, Motorhome coachcraft repaired our Lunar roof. Peter Ayles, nice chap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treborsiwel Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Just to bring you up to date the motorhome has been assessed by Aviva/Comfort and is now off for repair at Brackmills Body Shop in Northants. Marquis Northants had recommended them and Aviva advised, that as the vehicle was so new they would prefer it to go there. Though the option to take it to an alternate repair facility was given. Overall the service from Aviva/Comfort to date has been superb. They have even offered the use of a hire vehicle if mine is not back in time for our next intended holiday. Additionally Paul from Brackmills has been very helpful and his level of service to date has been excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treborsiwel Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 All At long last my motorhome has been returned, post its repair by Paul and his team at Brackmills Body Shop Northants. We have already taken it out for a quick weekend break and all seems perfect. It was a shame that it was away for so long but that just one of those things I guess. Two final comments though Aviva/Comfort Insurance have been superb and I will happily use again, and would certainly recommend them. Secondly the service from Paul and his team has been excellent. Again I hope you don't have to use them, but if you do I am sure you will be in good hands. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Bob Just in case you haven't already done so, It would be wise to obtain a WRITTEN statement from Aviva regarding what effect, if any, this accident and the cost of the repairs to your motorhome will have on your own motor insurance record. As I understand it, you have made a claim under your own Aviva-provided insurance policy and (now that the final cost of the repairs to your vehicle are known) Aviva will seek to recoup from the French driver's insurance company the money Aviva will have paid to Brackmills Body Repair Centre. It's far from unusual when a non-UK insurance company is asked to fork out cash for there to be a considerable procedural delay and, until Aviva gets its money back, the cost of the repairs to your motorhome will be registered against your policy. There's also the possibility (probably small in your case) that the other insurance company might quibble over accident responsibility and/or repayment. I appreciate that the French driver was suitably chastened and apologetic, but, having dealt with motor, marine and personnel accident claims professionally in the dim past, it can sometimes be startling how ready people can be to rewrite history when they've had time to reflect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Agreed! Another point is any uninsured loss. One of our vehicles was damaged by an object that fell off a truck in Italy some years back. The Italian truck driver was an excellent chap, stopped etc, and co-operated with photographs, all of which helped the claim. However, we had to pay an excess on the repair cost (the uninsured bit) and, by using the uninsured losses service of the policy, we eventually managed to get back the costs to us of the excess. However, it took months. Definitely worth pursuing, if you haven't already done so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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