My friend has a 2006 Chevy Cobalt SS/SC and recently got in a wreck and needs some help because between Denoyer and State Farm insurance, they aren’t totaling the car. So we’re looking for someone in the area to give a second opinion on what’s being done.
Here is what we know so far, that’s basically not allowing the car to get totaled out:
$45/hour for collision repair at estimated 88 hours
$28/hour for paint work (seem kinda cheap for either of these?)
NEEDS:
Control arm
axle
engine cradle
fender
hitch pin
steering linkage
strut
2 wheels
2 tires
side skirt
frame straightening
unibody repair (cutting out unibody and replacing with USED unibody off previously wrecked cobalt)
That’s basically just about it…
He also doesn’t feel very comfortable letting Denoyer do the body work because he knows a few people who have gotten screwed there and also doesn’t feel very comfortable having the unibody being hacked up!!!
They are quoting the repairs at around $8,600 and State Farm needs 75% of average NADA value to total the car which is $13,000.
Here are some pics to give a little bit better perspective. NOTICE THE CRINKLED ROOF!
get it towed somewhere else for a second opionon. also i beleive if the car is less than 3 or 5 years old they must replace parts with brand new OEM parts, no replacement parts it has to be GM.
75 an hour? if that their normal rate, and 28 has got to be bullshit.
He said they using all new parts for the car. It just seems that $45 and hour for collision repair seems REALLY cheap. Just wondering if they were cutting the insurance company a deal. Anybody know a really good collision repair center?
I’m one of the people who got screwed by bringing my car there. I dropped it off to get the rattling door handle and seat belt retractor fixed. When I returned, this is what my car looked like:
^on both rims.
Their techs need to learn how to fucking drive. And they never fixed what I brought the car there for in the first place. :angry2
Here’s the big question though… if he brings it somewhere else and they quote a lot more, or even say that they would total it, why would the insurance company go with that company, rather than go with the cheaper body shop? Do they have the choice to determine where you’re bringing it?
If not… then who’s the most expensive place around?? LOL!
Fack that, take it somewhere else and get it totaled. You dont want them to fix all that half-assed and drive a hooptie that with a seriously f’ed Carfax.
When my GF’s car was crashed the estimate was a mere $200 under the limit for it being totaled. After the work was all said and done the insurance ended up footing a bill for $2,000 more than the estimate.
This is why the insurance company might rather total it.
Listen to the people who say get 2nd opinion. GIECO tried to get my GF to bring her new car to the Puerto Ricans in the Bronx. Fuck that. I had it brought to my guy and it was fixed accordingly. I am not going to let some insurance company dictate who works on my car.
With that said, Denooyer is a piece of shit and I hope they die in a fire. Thank you.
Not really… he just figured, he had a chevy, he’ll bring it there. It was late at night and that was the first place that came to mind I guess.
That’s what I’m gonna tell him to do. We called up this one garage that basically argued with him and said “If I quote more than the original company, why would they want to take my word that it’s gonna be totaled, than pay less with another garage?”
I’m gonna have him tell the insurance company that they do shitty work and he should take it somewhere else. Seems only right after hearing some other shit about Denooyer.
Auto Cosmetics in Altamont NY does amazing work. After my fathers Outback was in a front end collision Auto Cosmetics Fixed it and my mechanic was checking the engine over and he said that unless someone told him that the car was in an accident he would have never guessed it.
With that said, body work is highly manipulated. For one thing, cost of labor is a VARIABLE so places can different from place to place. Some places might think they can repair something while another thinks they should just replace it. I would expect the insurance company to not care about you at all and just shoot for the bottom line.
that’s what we’re both getting out of this… they obviously don’t want to total it if they’re going to have to pay the $13K to do so (denooyer said they’d fix it for like $8K). Which is what he WANTS to be done because of the resale value and possible errors or shitty work in the repair.
Anyone know any garage that will quote really high and total it? friends of anyone? He’ll pay $500 to have someone say they’ll total it!
h-v collision center in troy is awsome some of the most honest and the right way body guys i know they are a gieco and progressive approved center but the owner varton is anal its done right and wit a warr
Whatever need be, find someone to total it. If the hit was hard enough to buckled the roof panel then the car is twisted harder than they are seeing and is going to require major work to get even half-assed straight again. Used to deal with insurance repairs(bodywork, paint, frame) at KTA for awhile and hated every minute of it. Unfortunately, that car is fucked and doesn’t hold enough value to put the money into repairing in the end. Resale value of that car will drop big time as well like Jesse said.
I know Stan at Stanita Enterprize had some good connections with some Nationwide Ins claims adjusters. Might want to talk to him and see if there is something he can do. Tell him Adam with the old Dodge Avenger sent you. He’s right down on Broadway off exit 4 right across from Hunts Machine…
