[DThr33]

So I was in an RTC the other night (I was the only person involved, no injuries thankfully), which was my fault so this will all be going through my insurer, and I was just wondering what you guys thought about repairs.

The car's currently with Sytner Chigwell BMW (recovered there through BMW's recovery) who are working on an estimate for the repairs - should be ready by Tuesday, however I've just had my insurance call me trying to convince me to go with one of their approved garages, who are BMW approved: http://www.balgores.com/manufacturer-approvals/

What do you guys think? Should I go through BMW themselves, or go with the BMW approved garage my insurance (admiral) recommend - which would save me £200 on the excess?

[moff]

I've not really read anything to suggest that Approved garages do an inferior job to OEM.

I'd save the £200, but Google the garage / bodyshop first.

Insurers try to get good approved workshops as they don't want the cars to have to keep going back to get inferior work fixed.

[GEP77]

Many years ago I had some accident damage repaired by an approved repairer and the car came back in better condition than it had ever been in during my ownership.

Remember that for most of the repairers that the insurance companies use all they do is repair cars. If the insurer gets lots of complaints over the work carried out then they would quite quickly be dropped.

[NotGotABimmer23]

Out of interest why do you save £200? Surely you pay your full excess either way?

[DThr33]

Originally Posted by kylemacca01

Out of interest why do you save £200? Surely you pay your full excess either way?

£200 extra excess to go with a bodyshop that's not one suggested by the insurer (e.g sytner chigwell)

[rossm]

Save the £200 and go with the approved imho

[F30Andy]

Originally Posted by DThr33

£200 extra excess to go with a bodyshop that's not one suggested by the insurer (e.g sytner chigwell)

You do know Sytner Chigwell sub out most of their bodywork don't you?

They are local to me and have used them for one of the cars on the fleet before.
F34 had a rear ender and went in there at our request.
Found out from a towing alert from the tracker that it had been sent to a bodyshop in Epping.
Called the chap in the dealers to ask him WTF and he explained that some of their bodywork is subbed out, however the firm it is subbed out to is "approved" by BMW and all warranty etc remains intact.
Have to say they did an outstanding job.

Balgores are a local firm based in Romford that are insurance approved. They have been established probably longer than I have been alive and I have had many cars go to them over the years for insurance work.

They are the kind of firm that when the car is from the fleet and not the one you drive their repair work is satisfactory.
When it is your own car you might have a few snags for them to do when they try and give it back to you.

As far as I remember Balgores also give out shit loan cars.

[RossMc444]

I wouldn't go balgores personally. They're just a repair machine that concentrates on numbers and not the end product.