Insurance claim - different alloy

eggerb

I needed to make a claim on my insurance recently as a result of a collision with an uninsured driver. (The agreed protocol between the MIBI and insurance companies for comprehensive policy holders is they settle and the MIBI will reimburse them. My insurance company reinstated my no claims bonus today as I wasn't at fault).

Anyhow, got my car back on Friday and the alloy that needed to be replaced was different to the other three alloys on the car. The style is very very similar but there are differences in the dimensions of the spokes and the outer rim. Additionally, the colour is different. Both are originals from Audi but 3.5 years in the difference. There's no doubt that the difference is noticeable. I would have settled for the alloy being repaired but this wasn't something the insurance company wanted to do according to the garage.

My garage is telling me that the insurance don't cover styling but this isn't about styling - the dimensions are different even if the colour could be matched.

Any thoughts, anybody on how I can approach this with my insurance company? The MIBI will be reimbursing them but it's their responsibility to settle the claim per the protocol with the MIBI.

Thanks.

galwaytt

would it pass the NCT/assessor with the combo you have on ? If 'no' -> right back to MIBI.

Toyotafanboi

Did you sign the satisfaction notice when you collected the car from the repairer?

cruizer101

Have you asked your insurance company about it?
Is it still possible to get the exact same wheel? If so there is no excuse it should be matched.
Don't cover styling sound like nonsense, if a wing/door is replaced you would expect exact colour match.

Casati

eggerb wrote: »

I needed to make a claim on my insurance recently as a result of a collision with an uninsured driver. (The agreed protocol between the MIBI and insurance companies for comprehensive policy holders is they settle and the MIBI will reimburse them. My insurance company reinstated my no claims bonus today as I wasn't at fault).

Anyhow, got my car back on Friday and the alloy that needed to be replaced was different to the other three alloys on the car. The style is very very similar but there are differences in the dimensions of the spokes and the outer rim. Additionally, the colour is different. Both are originals from Audi but 3.5 years in the difference. There's no doubt that the difference is noticeable. I would have settled for the alloy being repaired but this wasn't something the insurance company wanted to do according to the garage.

My garage is telling me that the insurance don't cover styling but this isn't about styling - the dimensions are different even if the colour could be matched.

Any thoughts, anybody on how I can approach this with my insurance company? The MIBI will be reimbursing them but it's their responsibility to settle the claim per the protocol with the MIBI.

Thanks.

What rubbish, the insurance company has to make good the damage and bring the car back to the pre accident condition. If they don’t cover styling then they could stick on a red wing onto a blue car. If the dimensions of the wheel are slightly different then that could have safety concerns too. I would push back v strongly here

eggerb

Thanks everybody for the replies. I'll upload some pics after this post.

galwaytt wrote: »

would it pass the NCT/assessor with the combo you have on ? If 'no' -> right back to MIBI.

Don't know about that, tbh. They did put on a new tyre different brand to the existing. I always thought that the two tyres front and rear had to be the same for the NCT. Was sort of relying on the garage to look after those worries. My garage used a separate panel beater so I'm been referred back to him somehow now as it's styling

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Did you sign the satisfaction notice when you collected the car from the repairer?

No. Not yet. Not in a hurry to either given this issue. I suppose that means nobody is being paid yet then?

Casati wrote: »

What rubbish, the insurance company has to make good the damage and bring the car back to the pre accident condition. If they don’t cover styling then they could stick on a red wing onto a blue car. If the dimensions of the wheel are slightly different then that could have safety concerns too. I would push back v strongly here

Thanks. Just my thoughts. Would have even settled for a repair of the damaged alloy but apparently the insurance company wanted to replace the damage alloy for safety reasons.

cruizer101 wrote: »

Have you asked your insurance company about it?
Is it still possible to get the exact same wheel? If so there is no excuse it should be matched.
Don't cover styling sound like nonsense, if a wing/door is replaced you would expect exact colour match.

Not yet. Trying to figure out my negotiation starting position first. Should I be looking for 4 new alloys?

eggerb

Full alloy pic. It isn't the easiest to make out the colour tone difference on the picture but old one on the right has a grey colur on the inner walls of the spokes (if that's the right word).

mickdw

Are you sure one isn't a replica wheel?
I wouldn't be accepting that anyway.

eggerb

mickdw wrote: »

Are you sure one isn't a replica wheel?
I wouldn't be accepting that anyway.

As in a copy of the Audi original? A spurious?

Not sure to be honest. I did ask if they would be able to get a match and was told that they were Audi originals and the code is on the Audi system...

So, if they come at me with the attitude of 'you had spurious on them, we can't match them, go away', am I on a hiding to nothing?

mad-for-tar

If you’re able to get the wheels off, take them off and turn them over and have a look at the insides of them for any evidence of part numbers etc on them on the insides of the spokes.

Have a look on the photos here for example https://www.ebay.ie/itm/20-rs6-c-matt-grey-pol-alloy-wheels-audi-a5-a6-s5-a7-q5-q3/312474882780?hash=item48c0f452dc:g:~G4AAOSw2khcCBZW

This will tell you if what you got new is genuine or a replica. Original part number will be in the format of 4H0 601 025 or similar. May have some grounds for appeal if you cannot find any info on the insides of the spokes of the new one or if it’s completely different info to the old one.

eggerb

Thanks mad-for-tar. My mechanic did tell me he got a code off them so I'll ask him for it. I'm getting a bit worried now that if they weren't originals, they'll have a get out. Or worse they'll tell me it was a modification I didn't tell them about. The alloys were on the car when I bought it a year ago.
https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/insurance-alert-tiny-modifications-to-cars-can-wipe-out-cover-31273560.html

mickdw

Check new wheel and any one of your other wheels.
You will have your answer then re replicas.
If you had replicas, it would appear they have done as much as possible to match it and I doubt there is much more to be said.
If you had genuine, well they have possibly cheaped out with the repair and I'd insist on exact match or new set of wheels that you are happy with.
I wouldn't be happy with a single tyre being replaced either.

eggerb

Thanks mickdw. Yep, not happy at all how this is panning out. I'll see how what the insurance have to say. My kids even noticed the difference. The panel beater who ordered the new alloy said something about giving it a bit of time and the brake dust would change the colour. I assume the brake dust won't shrink the metal to match the dimensions.

eggerb

mickdw wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy with a single tyre being replaced either.

Is that a potential NCT issue? Should the front and rear pairs match?

rex-x

IMO you have cheap Chinese copies and they gave you an original wheel.

Chinese copy:


Original 4G9 601 025 N 8AU:


It's common practise with lower spec VAG cars for people to put on cheap replica wheels from better models as it really does lift the appearance, however the quality is usually woeful.

That one genuine wheel at €1000 probably cost 2 or 3 times the price of all 4 Chinese copies, so technically you are doing well :pac: (if indeed they are fakes)

eggerb

Yeah, that's possible. Still would rather 4 identical.

So, people's thoughts on how to negotiate with the insurance co? Look for four matching? Look for damaged one to be repaired? Thanks.

beauf

Sell the replacement and buy another copy?

rex-x

eggerb wrote: »

Yeah, that's possible. Still would rather 4 identical.

So, people's thoughts on how to negotiate with the insurance co? Look for four matching? Look for damaged one to be repaired? Thanks.

If I was you id take off one of the suspect copies and confirm its fake and if so to be honest id get shot of them all and maybe get a different genuine set of wheels.

Certainly the insurance company are not going to repair a replica or buy you another as they are a modification technically and are far inferior quality to an original which can be dangerous

mickdw

You really need to check what you have. Don't get onto insurer yet because if they have given you an expensive genuine audi wheel in exchange for a cheap copy, you have no reason to be complaining at all and they will not be making any attempt to match your cheap wheels. So first step is to look at back of both wheels.


If it was mine and I found that I now had 3 cheap wheels and 1 genuine one, Id get a new set of alloys and try to sell the genuine wheel.

Odyssey 2005

mickdw wrote: »

You really need to check what you have. Don't get onto insurer yet because if they have given you an expensive genuine audi wheel in exchange for a cheap copy, you have no reason to be complaining at all and they will not be making any attempt to match your cheap wheels. So first step is to look at back of both wheels.


If it was mine and I found that I now had 3 cheap wheels and 1 genuine one, Id get a new set of alloys and try to sell the genuine wheel.

Or buy a set of 2nd hand genuine wheels@€150/200 and keep the new wheel as a spare. The old tyre on the spare and buy a new tyre the same brand and pattern as the one the repair shop fitted.

rex-x

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Or buy a set of 2nd hand genuine wheels@€150/200 and keep the new wheel as a spare. The old tyre on the spare and buy a new tyre the same brand and pattern as the one the repair shop fitted.

These are 20" wheels, a second hand set will be pretty saucy, far more than 200 quid anyway

Odyssey 2005

rex-x wrote: »

These are 20" wheels, a second hand set will be pretty saucy, far more than 200 quid anyway

Fook didn't realise the op was a rapper. Sorry bout that,20's !!! .who drives an Audi on 20's.
Your right,a lot more than 200 blips.

eggerb

Can the likes of these 18" just go on as a straight replacement for the 20" wheels? (On an A6 2.0 TDI S Line Black Ed.)

https://www.donedeal.ie/alloyswheels-for-sale/genuine-audi-s-line-5x112-alloy-wheels/21207275

I'm beginning to think I'm too bothered about the 20" wheels. It's very easy to scratch them.

Odyssey 2005

eggerb wrote: »

Can the likes of these 18" just go on as a straight replacement for the 20" wheels?

https://www.donedeal.ie/alloyswheels-for-sale/genuine-audi-s-line-5x112-alloy-wheels/21207275

Think I'm too bothered about the 20" wheels?

Yes. Be a dam sight more comfortable too. I changed from 18 to 17 on two cars and it completely transformed both. Tyres cheaper too.

Odyssey 2005

Always seems to have good modern clean stuff.

eggerb

Yeah, don't find the 20" give the smoothest drive. Find myself crawling over the speed ramps.

rex-x

eggerb wrote: »

Can the likes of these 18" just go on as a straight replacement for the 20" wheels? (On an A6 2.0 TDI S Line Black Ed.)

https://www.donedeal.ie/alloyswheels-for-sale/genuine-audi-s-line-5x112-alloy-wheels/21207275

I'm beginning to think I'm too bothered about the 20" wheels. It's very easy to scratch them.

Those wheels should be a direct swap. What I would check is do you actually have a black edition? They all came with 20" alloys as standard so there would be no reason to upgrade using cheaper chinese versions. Have you got the piano black interior trim and flat bottom wheel?

eggerb

Sounds like the 18" wheels might be an option then. Tyres need replacing anyway so if there's still some decent thread left on a decent tyre even better. Yeah black trim etc. Trying to get into garage to check code. Tried to look today with them in situ but couldn't see it.

Hellrazer

mickdw wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy with a single tyre being replaced either.

No insurance company will pay for a second tyre if theres no damage to another wheel or wasn't part of the accident. The owner doesn't have a say in that.
They will always replace only one tyre if only wheel is damaged regardless how bad the second tyre on the same axle is.

What Id usually do is give the customer the choice if they wanted a second matching tyre at their own expense.

eggerb

Hellrazer wrote: »

They will always replace only one tyre if only wheel is damaged regardless how bad the second tyre on the same axle is.

If there's two different tyres fitted on the same axle, will this pass the NCT?

rex-x

eggerb wrote: »

If there's two different tyres fitted on the same axle, will this pass the NCT?

yes not a problem once they are the same size