Avoid UK Carbody Ltd in Avonmouth
Avoid UK Carbody Ltd in Avonmouth, Bristol
Excellent Bodywork, Atrocious Administration and Communication
I wish I could give this review two separate scores: one for the actual bodywork repair and one for everything else. Unfortunately, the “everything else” has been so bad that it completely overshadows the good parts.
The quality of the bodywork repair and valet was excellent. The panels, paint, and finish were done to a very high standard – no complaints there at all.
However, the administration, communication, and overall service have been truly atrocious.
My wife has been without her car since the end of January after our insurance company instructed UK Carbody Ltd to carry out the repairs following an accident.
• We were told to drive the car to their premises for inspection, my wife thought the loud noise when driving was air passing through the hole in the door. So thought it was safe to drive.
• After the first inspection, they contacted us to say it needed to be done again because the original one wasn’t completed correctly.
• When dropping the car off for repair I told told her that the noise she suspected to be air sounded more like a wheel bearing. My wife specifically mentioned that she suspected the noise was a wheel bearing and was told not to worry they will check everything. They diagnosed the bodywork as “cost effective” to repair.
• The bodywork was repaired and the car valeted beautifully, but the loud noise from the wheel bearing remained exactly the same after the accident. We reported it immediately.
• UK Carbody then said the bearing is noise was “age related” because the car is 10 years old. This ignores the fact that the car had done only 50,000 miles, VW states wheel bearings typically last around 100,000 miles, none of the other bearings have failed, and crucially – there was no noise at all before the accident.
The car is now off the road and unroadworthy. We have had to escalate this through the insurance ombudsman and involve legal representation.
If your insurance company directs you to use UK Carbody Ltd for repairs, do not accept it without serious hesitation. Insist on an alternative repairer if possible. The visual repair work may be excellent but the complete lack of proper process, communication, and willingness to address related damage makes the whole experience a nightmare.
I would not recommend this company based on our experience.