car kept for 2 months to fix a "7 working day problem"

This should really be 0 stars if not minus!

It has been six working days since I collected my car and I have not been called to ascertain if I am happy with the repairs that were completed. 4 Dec 2023 my car was towed from Midrand to Sandton- North City Panel Beaters. Little did I know I would be kept in the dark and without my car for 2 months. I had to call BROLINK on 8 Dec to find out what was the final assessment made on my car. An email was sent stating the estimated time required for repair of the bumper was 7 working days. 9 Dec 2023 - sms North City saying insurance approved on 11/12/23 and work to commence shortly... (why are dates not making sense?) 19th Dec and 20 Dec I tried calling - wasted my airtime busy pressing options that led me nowhere. I called Brolink trying to reach Steven R (agent who was processing my claim) to see if he knew if they had closed or not I drove to the location on 21 Dec- The date when my car would have been fixed. But the gates were closed. After hooting a bit - a security guard came and told me the shop closed on 14 Dec and will open 8th Jan. 8 Jan 15h22 called and pressed for "update on car" and it just rang. Then at 15h24 I called and pressed for reception and only then was I put through to a person who was "supposed" to update me. Bryan* - I asked for an update on my car. Problem 1- I gave my car registration (number plate)- he could not pick it up Prob 2 - Gave my surname - he said nothing is reflecting Gave him my number and he said he would restart his computer and call me back. 15:29 I was called back. I heard "We are ordering the part and should come Wednesday" he says he said "part has been ordered and will be coming on Wednesday" A week passed with no word back. 15 Jan 08:24 and again at 09:46 finally got through the second time. Asked for an update. Bryan* said he will call and find out about the part and get back to me. 15 Jan 15:53 Bryan called saying the part is still to arrive and he will make it a priority 17 Jan Sms that "parts for vehicle (number plate) has been delivered 22 Jan - "...car in paint preparation department. Once complete your vehicle will move for painting...." sms (no indication if repair was done and paint then collection- just in line for paint) 22 Jan sms " We have found and logged additionals on your vehicle with your insurance. We await authorisation. Regards" (vague much?) 23 Jan sms - "vehicle in line for assembly" (vague again) 23 Jan 16:14 I called asking when the car will be ready - was told it should be done by Friday (26 Jan 24) "did you not see the sms" Bryan

Note how many times I had to keep calling - the client was seeking updates. Note how vague and generic the smses are!

25 Jan at 15:31 - I was working and missed their call. I called back at 15:34 and 15:37 and asked if the vehicle was ready for collection and asked what their operating hours were.

Made plans to get to the car before work. I must have arrived around 7h40 after dropping son of at school (7kms away at 7h24) and sitting in a bit of traffic. Arrived and two ladies at reception. Jeanine was speaking to an Indian man who just dropped off his car- she said (and i laughed hard inside) that " we will keep you updated" She called Neil to come assist. Neil walked me to the car and said- "here is your car." I was startled at the fact that he did not bother to go through the car with me where it was repaired. I showed him a scratch between fender and bumper on the right, also showed the still damaged emblem and grill that was ill fitted. He says the insurance approved bumper repair only. How was the right fender and bumper? And such a little scratch that could have easily been done while doing the bumper (less than R5 coin and thinner than a toothpick). I asked him what were "additional that were found and logged and why the emblem is still broken" He finally opened the paper report and said it was for the grill. Some big white man came speaking afrikaans to him. (rude much- speaking in a language unknown to a customer IN FRONT of them) Neil said that the man said the insurance did not approve the replacement of the emblem since it was not part of the accident- but that he would like 10 minutes to take the car to the back to replace it as the grill is in the back" We went inside....it was not 10 minutes. I was becoming late for work and the lid finally blew for me- I could no longer contain the anger and frustration. Started shouting at how unprofessional this is, why am I waiting when I called yesterday and was told it would be ready. How NCPB is the worst panel beater ever! What nonsense is it that parts clearly damaged in the incident are not part of the quote. Why do they disregard people so much by not even bothering to call and update. Why did it take them 2 months with my car? They explained that the part had to be ordered only once insurance had approved. Still, why order in Jan and not in Dec?? Janine and Neil said : Allister should have done the hand over but he was only coming in later. I asked who is "Gerrie" who shows up on Truecaller (that very odd time they call)- they said no one there by that name. I asked who was calling for updates. They said Bryan and they called him to answer some issues. I blew up at him for his inefficiency with ordering the bumper and said "you said on 8th "oh we'll order the part" " he raised his voice and pointed at me saying "that is not what I said, I said it was ordered" I questioned how they were ordering parts in Jan for an EARLY December approved claim. I told Bryan- he will NOT point his finger at me. He apologised, dropped the finger and went away without further explanation- apology was only for finger pointing Neil maintained composure throughout (of note). I asked what are the "additionals"- Jeanine said it's a system message and gave an EXAMPLE (e.g. for clips that may not be sent). I asked why they are vague and why not tell me when I'm asking if the car is ready to pick up. Problem! I asked why they did not bother to notify clients of their Dec closure. Jeanine said something very silly that does not add to the progress of the company. Rather a stupid and pathetic, sad excuse. (No out of office email, no courtesy call or vague sms, no recorded voice note).

Following the grill being replaced (well over the 10mins I was initially told) and the car being brought back to the front- the grill was still not flush with its surroundings- Neil said it was pushed in and he assures it will be fine. That very morning - running late for work.... at 09:01 the car notified me of the left rear tyre having pressure issues. When I got to the fuel station- the pressure was 107kPa instead of 220kPa. When I refuelled and checked tyre pressure again on 02/02/24 Tyre pressure for left rear was once again below 110 kPa What did they do to my LR tyre???

North City Panel Beaters is extremely unprofessional, lacks any kind of initiative to communicate with clients and very rude at handling complaining clients! They lack the ability to even recognise their error and show any cue to them wanting to correct such. Instead Jeanine and her excuses (if that really is her name- no name tags on employees)!!

I wouldn't be surprised to find out Net Assessors (*********** assessors) has an undercover contract with (***********) Sandton panel beaters!