NEVER USE THIS PANELBEATER!

Never use this company! Our vehicle was taken to North City Panel Beaters on 24 July 2024, I called them on 16 August for an update (at this point they'd had the vehicle for 3 weeks) and was told that they were waiting for parts. They send an update on 20 August on Whatsapp that they were still waiting for parts, I called them asking them to send me a list of parts that they were battling to source so that I could try source them myself. It was apparently a door. I requested a Courtesy Car (they don't provide courtesy cars). I then called them again on 26 August, after not receiving the update that they had promised me and was told that they are expecting delivery of a door (that I have managed to source myself) either on 26 or 27 August. I called them again on 29 August (at this point they've had the vehicle for 5 weeks). They had still not received the door, then I got a different response after my insurance advisor spoke to them that the door they received was too badly damaged and that they would be sending it back. I told them that they need to liaise with the insurance company to get approval for a new door (instead of a second had one). When I called them again on 30 August I was told that they would be sending a request for the new part to the insurance company but that it would need to be on back order so I could expect to wait up to 6 weeks for the part. On 5 September when I followed up with them again, I was told that the car was with the panel beaters and that additional damages had been found on the car that they would need to request approval on from the insurance company. At this stage I was absolutely livid, as according to my knowledge additional damage claims should have been logged within days of them receiving the vehicle (not 5 weeks later). This means that they didn't even look at the car until this point. I spoke to my insurance company who conference called them with me on the line and we just heard excuse after excuse from them. At this stage I was done with North City Panel Beaters and when we closed the call with them I informed my insurance company that I wanted the vehicle removed from North City Panelbeaters and taken to another Panelbeater. This was arranged and the vehicle was delivered to the new Panelbeaters on Tuesday 10 September. The new panelbeaters had already send the claim assessment on Wednesday 11 September and send the additional damages claim on Thursday 12 September. It looks like North City Panelbeater also caused further damage to the vehicle, as my new Panelbeater has said that the accident could not have caused some of the damage that they found; unfortunately I do not have any proof as pictures were not taken of the engine compartment directly after the accident. I would definately stay as far away from this company as possible and would insist on an alternative should any insurance company recommend them.