Accident damage repairs, how long should they last?

[alibaly]

My daughters both had their cars damaged through no fault of their own and had the damage repaired by the other drivers insurance company, both repairs are showing signs of rust having eaten through the panels replaced by the repairer. both accidents happened a few months after the girls bought their cars and they still own them five years later. There is no sign of rust affecting any other parts of their cars, only those panels replaced by the reparers. I was told that only three years warrenty is given in such cases and we have no come back of any kind. Most people would have changed their cars within five years so the problem does not arise. We had the front wing replaced by a new one and resprayed at our own cost on the 03 plate Fiesta and the chap who carried out the repair told us that there was no rust proofing whatsoever on the repaired wing and that was the reason for the rust coming through. The other car is a 55 plate Corsa which had the door skins replaced on one side after some sod reversed into her year old car in 2006, now rust is bubbling through at the bottom of the drivers door. Not a mark on the rest of the car.
What I want to ask, is this a common problem? and should a better warranty be demanded by us following a body repair by a main dealer appointed by the insurance company?

[rapport25]

I'm sorry to say but it down to a cheap accident repair.

When replacing parts say a door. The insurance company will want the cheapest job possible. This will result in replacing the outer skin of the door instead of a complete door.

I had this happen to my previous car. But in only a year. After 5 resprays I got compensation and got both of my doors replaced with complete new doors.

Hth's

Rappy.

[vwcabriolet1971]

It's always better in cases like this to go to the makers approved bodyshop rather than an insurance "approved" repairer. If a VAG bodyshop repaired a VAG model then the corrosion guarantee would not be invalidated. IMHO it is better to pay extra excess ( if accident was your own fault) to get a first class repair. It all depends on the extent of the damage.Most VW dealer bodyshops would provide a free courtesy car.

[Bratty]

Any repair is going to impact the integrity of a vehicle, wether it is cosmetic or a question of long term corrosion.

Galvanising or other treatments rely on the integrity of the original product, ANY!! repair is going to detract from that integrity!

Or you could just make a car from "car-fixers" magic weld material!!

If your car has been involved in a heavy impact and been repaired by a reputable company (which is 100% legit) and you keep it, thinking its as good as before!!?!! Then Good Luck.

Dunk

[vwcabriolet1971]

I agree that any heavy impact repair is never going to repair a vehicle back to it's original condition and that it probably won't last as long as the original but I've experienced and seen some awful insurance co. "approved" repairer jobs. At least the maker's bodyshop repairs does not affect the original body anti corrosion warranty, leaving you with some protection.
A good coat of Waxol can extend body life for quite a few years.
I've had a few non-galvanised VWs for long periods , a type 3 aircooled Variant for 17 years , a '91 golf GTI for 20 years, neither garaged . The Variant needed constant TLC to combat the rust bug.
The GTI hot wax protection was very effective - this GTI is still relatively rust free and is still going ! A regular low pressure under wing wash helps a lot.

[Crasher]

Typical cheap repair. The problem is when a repairer like ourselves gives a quote and Bodgit Motors down the road quotes a third less, the insurance company eagerly snaps up the cheaper quote because they know full well that five years later very very few people are going to complain (and they would get short shrift if they did) and that is if in the unlikely event they still even own the car…

When I needed a new wing on my Octavia I had my paint shop primer and paint the reverse side and then paint the outside with the wing on the car. Then I fully waxed the back of the new panel with it fitted. I now know it will last longer than the rest of the car but it costs more.