After The Accident - Where To Do The Repair

[S. Perera]

hi,

today i had an accident (right side back light was broken, near that back buffer, body, was damaged.)

i have the SLIC (formula) insurance.

i have 3 options?

1. accept insurance company assesment?

2. try with garage and get quotation?

2. submit to formula world?

What are the good garages (preferrably around colombo)?

Formula World, any one have experience on the repair finish.

pls help.

[Ripper]

I'd say if you can afford the time... go for Formula world.

I don't have experience with them but i was involved with them quite closely on some advertising stuff for them.

They have all the high tech equipment and have factory settings for most cars if you need things to be aligned perfectly etc etc...

and their painting process is also quite good...

Don't think it's fair for me to put out all the info on them but if you make a visit there and talk the tech folks and have a look around i'm sure you'll be convinced in how they work and the quality of it all...

[Pericles]

Take it to Formula World. Their work is excellent. Peace of mind.

[AMG]

Yes. Formula World. Good Service.

[miniace]

  Pericles said:

Take it to Formula World. Their work is excellent. Peace of mind.

A big yes to Formula World!

MINIACE

[Kulunu]

Are you sure with formula world?I have heard that their workers are not good though they have latest tools?

Why not Agents?SLIC pays fully amount ,as once i have asked from them.

[Pericles]

I'm sure. Personal experience, not second hand info.

[madmax]

One of the best repair work I've come across was at M*lr*y's BMW garage. He has all the equipment including the hydraulic work bench and some very talented bodywork technicians who have experience in SL and abroad. He specializes in BMWs but if you know him personally you can persuade him to take other brands too.

[Ripper]

  Kulunu said:

Are you sure with formula world?I have heard that their workers are not good though they have latest tools?

Why not Agents?SLIC pays fully amount ,as once i have asked from them.

well they have an internal training program conducted by a Norwegian engineer who specializes in collision repairs... The guy flies down 3-4 times an year or so to conduct the training sessions.. I think they are the only ones to have a complete car-o-liner system with laser guided measuring equipment for 3 dimensional measuring...

the car-o-liner machine can connect to the companies website and download all the measurements needed for your particular car to get it back to factory specs...

They use either Sikkens or autocolor depending on the insured value and the car...they got quite a slick painting booth with suction/blowing and heating to bake the paint etc.

They have restored a merc that was condemned by the company and brought it back to life... I think they have before and after pics of the car and the if i'm not wrong this car was later cleared by the agents for being upto merc standards...

I'd say FW can do a bloody good job...and they are the only collision repair center in this country...at least for the moment

[S. Perera]

thanks guys, i decided to go to Formula world.

I have this tail light exterior broken, recondition part was approved by SLIC.

think they will replace the light or should i buy and handover the part?

[Arc Angel]

they had the merc on display at one of the autoshows as well.. it looked flawless.

[Ripper]

  S. Perera said:

thanks guys, i decided to go to Formula world.

I have this tail light exterior broken, recondition part was approved by SLIC.

think they will replace the light or should i buy and handover the part?

if the light needed replacing hands down they will replace it... they don't take shortcuts and jerry riggings cos insurance has become so competitive these days they don't want to blow the single differentiator they have against the competition

[S. Perera]

i just handed over the car to SLIC,union place. (instead of going to seeduwa)

i didn't received any receipt upon giving the car, do they give such?

[WCW]

Hi guys,

I met with an accident today . My negligence. Right tail light totally damaged and rear door dented slightly. Slight misalignment observed of the right side of rear door trim. c******o rep. visited the site shortly and cleared the car. I'm just worrying about the repair. Finish is the utmost important. Share your comments on recent experience about collision repair places to find a better one [around Malabe is ideal but even Colombo is ok]

[cefiroA33]

Isn't Mr. Pain a good place to do collision repairs?

[WCW]

  On 1/9/2014 at 3:14 PM, cefiroA33 said:

Isn't Mr. Pain a good place to do collision repairs?

CefiroA33,

Do you have any personal experience of that place?

[CJ5]

  On 1/9/2014 at 3:14 PM, cefiroA33 said:

Isn't Mr. Pain a good place to do collision repairs?

Mr Pain?????!!!! What a name!!! Hope its not a "Pain in the Ar5e"!!!!

[Watchman]

Mr. Pain_ had some bad reviews on the forum if I recall. Try a search.

[cefiroA33]

Lols its Mr. Pa_nt. Anyways I had only one experience there and its a rear bumper damage and i couldn't find any fault on my one. But If there are negative aspects you should look at them first.

[MkX]

Does formula world still operate?

[WCW]

How about Autoforce? I saw several positive comments on them. Any recent visit by fellow member?

[Crosswind]

Any new feedback on FormulaWorld (now known as CRC)?

[newone]

As I know the CRC is now called Melsta Logistics

[vishkid]

This is my experience from being involved in mine, family's and friend's repairs;

If your repair is only body-work (no electronics, wiring or mechanicals) and you don't mind your insurer footing a handsome bill - go to Arabian Motors, their body-work, paint and finish is really good, so far. Their sourcing is not bad as well.

Autoforce, Saranankara road is good for any mechanical, electrical, mod work with an ok paint job.

Mercantile Investments in Kohuwala is fast, reliable and again good for mechanical stuff and body work - their paints are good but not as pristine as Arabian.

There are many other places (even pretty small joints) that offer good service, but I'm yet to find that place that does everything (body, mechanicals, electronics) perfectly.

[Crosswind]

Managed to scrape the focus to a small concrete pole by the roadside. Three panels need to be painted. Insurance is footing the bill, so the cost is not of major concern for me. However, the work needs to be the BEST. Hopefully there will be no visual difference between the original paint and this one (especially because the colour of the car is not something common).

Vishkid (above) and many more folks recommended Arabian Motors, so I walked in there. The response I got from them wasn't very convincing. I hope they are better at painting than marketing.

Insurance company recommended Mr. Paint. No experience with them but it looks like a typical all-talk, no-action joint. Ironically, their estimate was higher than Arabian.

Next option is to go for Ford agent. I am clueless about the quality of their work but I do have a lot of clout in there. Agent gets the paint job done at Uni Walkers body shop.

I didn't go to FormulaWorld/CRC/Melsta simply because of the distance.

What do you guys suggest if one is looking for the best paint job available in the country?

[trinity]

Ok just thought to share my experience afer reading Crosswinds post.

Its very disappointing to see that almost all of the pople who deal with Sri Lankan automotive industry are selfish cunning bastards who try to be rich at the expense of their customers by ripping them off... Mey it be the local mechanic, painter, service station or the high end (so called) places in colombo and suburbs.

Thats why we cant recommend one place to get a decent job done for your money.

Let me list down for easy reference (incidents regarding painting only)

1. Auto Miraj - went there to replace a broken side mirror, tail lamp, a small dent in the door caused by the broken mirror paint the rear bumper. Took them two weeks to finish the job. Billed 65K which insurance financed.

when i went to receive the car

1.1 Dent was still visible (Had to re fix it)

1.2 Billed to painting the whole bumper but i found a scratch on the other side of the bumper still visible. (Repainted the whole bumper after raising hell with them)

1.3 After doing 1.2 they delivered the car with paint dust all over rear windshield. (Again asked them to remove them)

2. Mr Piant - one of my office mates gave his car to them to replace and paint rear bumber. They delivered the car with the same bumper mended and billing for a bumber replacement. Got it replaced & repainted after a huge battle with them

3. Sajith motors Panadura - Work superb. very expensive if you are doing for insurance but somewhat reasonable if you are pocketing out your own money. Again tey do not cover the vehicle properly when painting and paint residue were all over the car.

This was a red ES8 belongs to a friend of mine. They fixed a dented door, a fender and front bumper to a perfection though.

All three places i mentioned above shoved very poor attitude towards their customers. If the job is paid by the insurance company, they tend to do all their dealings with insurance guys neglecting the owner of the car. I'm sure all those insurence guys get their cut from the painters at the end of the month.

What i wanted to highlight is that no matter how good we think a place is, they do not do a 100% perfect job and they do not give a jack ass if their customer is satisfied or not.

So dont get your hopes up just cuz someone said some place is good. Just be very very vigilant while the job is performing as well as when receiving the car back.

Out of all three above, Sajith Motors are the ones that i can recomend atleast doing the job that they charged for and doing it perfectly than others.