Extensive hail damage

[Christopher]

Nic, sorry to hear about your car. It's a real shame what happened and you're not alone. I've got a fair few friends who's cars have been damaged...

But a quick question, say if the insurance companies writes it off and says it will provide you with a new car, will there be a long wait for the replacement?

[moniker]

This hail was so intense it collapsed part of the roof on Docklands stadium. Even praying to Mother Mary McKillop won't help repair the hail damage in Melbourne yesterday and she has more pulling power in the miracle area than dint busters.

Just making sure, the company is dent busters, not dint busters right??

[pologti18t]

Nic, don't listen to the naysayers regarding AAMI.

My Peugeot 306 GTI was damaged in the 1999 Sydney Hailstorm and was insured with AAMI.

It was at a repairer the next day and fixed in 2 weeks by a very good repairer. The paint work and finish was superb.

[Maverick]

Nic, don't listen to the naysayers regarding AAMI.

My Peugeot 306 GTI was damaged in the 1999 Sydney Hailstorm and was insured with AAMI.

It was at a repairer the next day and fixed in 2 weeks by a very good repairer. The paint work and finish was superb.

Maybe she should make up her own mind, there are hundreds of complaints on here about AAMI and very few positive posts. Go and talk to smash repairers and they will tell you what they think of AAMI. And take a look at the places that do AAMI repairs, you won't find any of the places with good reputations dealing with them.

Their business model is based around lowest quote get's the job, the repairers who are desperate for business go to the AAMI depot, take a quick look at the cars and submit their bids. The company that submits the lowest bid get the work. They than have customers pick up direct at the repairer because they know that most customers wouldn't have a clue and would miss bodgy repairs and it saves them from having to deal with the others who have to sort it out with the repairer.

I've had a number of claims through AAMI over a 7 year period and they were getting progressively worse each time. The last time the manager was making wild claims about it coming from the factory with the rear fixed window (subaru outback) sticking out over 10mm from the body when it was just the build up of adhesive (four times the window came out and the last time they scratched the tint all over).

Occasional you might get an ok repair but there would be few and far between unless you want to explain how the lowest price can afford to do a good job when AAMI screw them throughout the process.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...highlight=aami

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...ht=aami&page=2

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...ht=aami&page=3

And the example I used earlier.

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72420

"It has now been 6-weeks of waiting for my Insurance repairs and I have finally got my baby back. The problem is my baby now looks retarded and wails like a banshee... every single panel is misaligned, covered with imperfections and the metallic elements of the paint aren't matched correctly. As well as this I have a CONSTANT METAL ON METAL GRINDING NOISE which is loud as fark. My passenger side power window doesn't work - parts are yet to arrive. My GTI foot sill insert (passenger side) is also missing. My steering wheel now shakes when doing 100km on smooth tarmac (all details are listed below) "

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78889

Four months of screwing around and they finally write the car off.

"Well its been 4 months since the stack and after numerous conversations with my insurer, my GTI has been written off"

[G-rig]

I agree, AAMI is $H1T, I would never recommend going with them for a slightly cheaper premium. This is based on no choice or repairer and horror stories i've heard.

[Corey_R]

I've personally had a good experience with AAMI BUT I did it with a decent amount of risk. Firstly, knowing how bad the AAMI repairers were, I'd go to them, get a quote. I'd then take it to who I wanted to repair a car (a GIO and Allianz certified place) and had to pay for them to do a quote!. The reason for this is that most repairers also know how bad AAMI are and won't provide a quote for free because they know AAMI's policies.
Thankfully though, on both occasions, after taking the car to the AAMI inspection warehouse and talking to the assessor, I've been able to take the car to the place I wanted, as the bodgy AAMI certified repairers always leave something really important off in order to get the job - so the assessor had to give it to the repairer I wanted due to it being a more complete quote.

As soon as I was old enough for a good insurance company to insure me - I switched away from AAMI.

I was only driving a Toyota back then, but I would NEVER risk a good car like a VW Golf with AAMI though.

My tsi is just over a month old and has been extensively damaged by yesterdays hail storm in Melbourne. Huge hailstones have smashed the windscreen, damaged the bonnet, roof area, passenger door and rear corner panel. Bonnet and roof have sustained the worst with the surface looking like a golfball. Divets every 2-3 cm.
I am comprehensively insured, but am worried it won't be will be deemed a write-off. If it is, AAMI will replace the car for a new one, but the last thing I want is a brand new car with 4 non original panels. I could just cry!!!
Does anyone have any experience in this area and does anyone know whether the insurers are likely to try and repair the car instead of replace???

I think that you may have some chance, as Maverick said, the Golf uses several laser welds. These are really hard and expensive to repair locally if they need to replace panels. So you may be lucky. Cross your fingers

[G-rig]

Should have rolled it at the same time.

[Maverick]

I think that you may have some chance, as Maverick said, the Golf uses several laser welds. These are really hard and expensive to repair locally if they need to replace panels. So you may be lucky. Cross your fingers

I'm picturing some dodgy backyard repairer sitting on the roof arc welding the new piece in now with the cars battery connected so he can listed to music

Should have rolled it at the same time.

Bit hard to do when the car is stationary

[pologti18t]

Maybe she should make up her own mind, there are hundreds of complaints on here about AAMI and very few positive posts. Go and talk to smash repairers and they will tell you what they think of AAMI. And take a look at the places that do AAMI repairs, you won't find any of the places with good reputations dealing with them.

Exactly how is your comment helpful as she IS insured with AAMI and she needs to get her car fixed...

[Maverick]

Exactly how is your comment helpful as she IS insured with AAMI and she needs to get her car fixed...

That's right but she is now aware that AAMI's repair are not to scratch so should pay extra attention to the repair process, the repairer and the finished product if AAMI should go down the repair path.

Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

On the other hand I could just ignore it or lie and say that AAMI are a great repairer but that goes against the purpose of the forum doesn't it?