Too Damn Complicated
Nov. 30th, 2005 02:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jamesqTook the car into the dealership to have it looked at, lest my bone-headedness cause my car to disintegrate around me. They just called me back.
Seems the damage is not merely cosmetic - I managed to drive the support frame that holds the radiator in place up. To fix it, they'll need to empty and recharge my A/C. Then they get to straighten it out, then they get to replace the bumper and the under-bumper (whatever that is).
Total estimated cost: $1700. There could be more damage hidden deeper still, so I doubt it's going to be as little as all that.
But they won't fix it. Why not? Because I never filed an accident report. Why would I, my car was the only one damaged, and the only stationary property damaged was some dirt and grass. Seems it's the law in Alberta that any accident over $1000 can't be fixed unless an accident report has been made.
I can't do it with the Calgary city police because the accident was in Lacombe (a two hour drive north). I need to go to the local RCMP office (thankfully not the one in Lacombe) and fill out the accident report.
So I need to go get my car. Then I need to take the estimate, my car, license, insurance and registration down to the local Horsemen office. Fill out a report. Take my copy of the report back to the dealership so they can fix it.
Plus they don't have all the parts in stock.
About the only bright spot in this whole affair (other than not having to go to Lacombe again) is that the car is perfectly safe to drive, so I don't have to do all this on the bus.
I think I shall do this tomorrow, right before my dental appointment. I'll get the dentist to hold off on the novocaine, because why should my suffering just be mental.
Seems the damage is not merely cosmetic - I managed to drive the support frame that holds the radiator in place up. To fix it, they'll need to empty and recharge my A/C. Then they get to straighten it out, then they get to replace the bumper and the under-bumper (whatever that is).
Total estimated cost: $1700. There could be more damage hidden deeper still, so I doubt it's going to be as little as all that.
But they won't fix it. Why not? Because I never filed an accident report. Why would I, my car was the only one damaged, and the only stationary property damaged was some dirt and grass. Seems it's the law in Alberta that any accident over $1000 can't be fixed unless an accident report has been made.
I can't do it with the Calgary city police because the accident was in Lacombe (a two hour drive north). I need to go to the local RCMP office (thankfully not the one in Lacombe) and fill out the accident report.
So I need to go get my car. Then I need to take the estimate, my car, license, insurance and registration down to the local Horsemen office. Fill out a report. Take my copy of the report back to the dealership so they can fix it.
Plus they don't have all the parts in stock.
About the only bright spot in this whole affair (other than not having to go to Lacombe again) is that the car is perfectly safe to drive, so I don't have to do all this on the bus.
I think I shall do this tomorrow, right before my dental appointment. I'll get the dentist to hold off on the novocaine, because why should my suffering just be mental.
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-30 09:59 pm (UTC)Car Repairs...
Date: 2005-12-01 04:17 am (UTC)Fortunately, that's what insurance is for.
Even a bent bumper is $1200 these days. (I won't go into the gory details of the surgery done to my poor little car)
In your case, I doubt the RCMP will do anything other than file the report. The road conditions were less than ideal - they'll probably chalk it up to that and leave it there. (The worst might be a minor ticket - but I doubt it - the RCMP has bigger fish to fry than worry about a single vehicle accident with only minor damage done)
Sorry to hear about the accident - it always sucks when it happens to your "brand new toy".
no subject
Date: 2005-12-01 06:23 am (UTC)connie
no subject
Date: 2005-12-01 12:24 pm (UTC)Whatever happens, make sure you cover your ass, and I wish you the best of luck.
A couple words of advice....
Date: 2005-12-01 03:55 pm (UTC)However, as someone else advised, get a couple other estimates. It can't hurt, and it may save you some bucks. Try to get at least ONE estimate from a body-shop that is NOT attached to a car dealer. (Dealers do great work, but they usually cost more than an independant.) I can recommend a body-shop, if you like. Had one replace the rear door on our RAV4 last spring. (It's in the Crowfoot area, near me.)
Yeah, the $1000 dollar thing was a surprise to me as well, this past spring, and I've been driving since I was 16!
Contrary viewpoint...
Date: 2005-12-02 08:05 am (UTC)Why? If you can afford it (and you can) build the rapport with the people you bought the car from. Otherwise there is always the chance that they will not do all the other things they said they would if they find necessary work was done elsewhere. (read your sales contract before going elsewhere)
Personally, if I had a vehicle, I would visit my brother, since he owns his own shop, but that's only because most of my future vehicles would be used. (mind you, I would love nothing else than to buy a Smart car. I'd put flames on it, and make sure it was painted blue. Or green. Red flames on a green car would be cool)Heck. I have a vehicle, and it needs about that much work to make it road worthy...
On a side note, other quotes may help bring the costs down if you can show them to the dealer. It depends on how much your time is worth.