[NISFAN]

Just posting to say I have dropped Aviva after being with them for over 5 years. Boy have they changed since the Norwich Union days.

I still have a £700 refund due to me, but because I paid on two different cards, they will be sending me a cheque in 19 working days. I asked whether they would allow someone insuring a car to pay by cheque in 19 days.......the answer? NO!!!. I then asked the operator if they thought that was fair? No answer

I decided to go with BMW insurance, not the cheapest option but I do value the 'repaired by a BMW bodyshop' service.

[MarkW83]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Just posting to say I have dropped Aviva after being with them for over 5 years. Boy have they changed since the Norwich Union days.

I still have a £700 refund due to me, but because I paid on two different cards, they will be sending me a cheque in 19 working days. I asked whether they would allow someone insuring a car to pay by cheque in 19 days.......the answer? NO!!!. I then asked the operator if they thought that was fair? No answer

I decided to go with BMW insurance, not the cheapest option but I do value the 'repaired by a BMW bodyshop' service.

They are all muppets the lot of them Though I think I read something recently that even with the rubbish/cheap insurance companies, you're well within your rights to expect your car to be returned to its previous condition and looked after in the best possible way (i.e. by BMW themselves), and are therefore able to choose BMW as the repairer yourself, regardless of insurer or policy?

[kitster]

I'm 38, live in London Zone 2 and paying £500 (fully comp, European travel cover, enhanced hire car and NCB protect) inc the exhaust mod. I'm with Aviva.

The missus and I tend to switch policy's yearly to keep our NCB rolling also to pick up the intro bonus.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by MarkW83

They are all muppets the lot of them Though I think I read something recently that even with the rubbish/cheap insurance companies, you're well within your rights to expect your car to be returned to its previous condition and looked after in the best possible way (i.e. by BMW themselves), and are therefore able to choose BMW as the repairer yourself, regardless of insurer or policy?

You can insist on BMW repair on any policy, but many insurance companies hit you with a higher excess to do so.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by kitster

I'm 38, live in London Zone 2 and paying £500 (fully comp, European travel cover, enhanced hire car and NCB protect) inc the exhaust mod. I'm with Aviva.

The missus and I tend to switch policy's yearly to keep our NCB rolling also to pick up the intro bonus.

Apparently the 330D M Sport is 'very difficult to repair' and is some kind of supercar according to Aviva. My excess was £600 if I use their own workshops, or more if I use one of my choice. I understand that they group cars on performance, but to charge premiums on a high group rating AND to hit you with a bollocks excess at the same time? Just double charging and in my book criminal.

[kitster]

My compulsory excess is £250 and £200 excess for using another garage for repairs. Sounds like total BS that a 330d is 'difficult to repair'.

Speaking about insurance costs. On my E91, a courier did a hit and run. Lucky I caught him on CCTV and he ended up footing £1500 to repair my drivers door and wing mirror. Anyway all the dealers were throwing themselves to get me to go via a accident management company. One offered me a F11 535d M Sport Touring as it was 'like for like' replacement for my 320d M Sport Touring and it would take 3 weeks to repair! .... and people wonder why our policy's are going up.

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

You can insist on BMW repair on any policy, but many insurance companies hit you with a higher excess to do so.

Such as the previously mentioned Aviva. They wanted £££ extra when I had my E91 broken into and the airbag stolen, I wanted it to go to my excellent local Sytner.

[F30AM]

Anything to do with cars seems to be a minefield and one can hardly ever end up with a fair result however much 'right' is on one's side. In order to preserve one's sanity, one unfortunately has to 'call it a day' but as a parting shot one might have to write them a stinging letter showing one's utter disgust and contempt. But are they worth even this?

In my limited () experience of 40 years of car ownership, the three best car companies for help and support are Porsche, Mercedes and VW with BMW at a resounding bottom. The main problem with the latter are their awful, unhelpful, untrustworthy and arrogant dealers in the UK.

Rant over!

[rich1068]

And in my experience it's been BMW at the very top of my very limited 25 years of ownership experience. VW at a resounding bottom. I could also say 'The main problem with the latter are their awful, unhelpful, untrustworthy and arrogant dealers in the UK.'

Just goes to show that everyone's experience is different.

[MarkW83]

I too put BMW at the top. The dealers I've bought my cars from have always gone the extra mile e.g. on my 330d they fitted black grilles/black exhausts/black roundels/fog light bulbs/indicator bulbs/interior dash trim completely free of charge (albeit after a brief "discussion"), and also put on their own transport just for my car to get it from the docks before Christmas as they knew that's what I wanted. And all this with also giving me 12% off the car.

Service Dept. is even better: the lady I deal with can't do enough for me. On my 135i, I had a few relatively minor issues e.g. rattles, brakes squeaking, trim misaligned; she sent her head technician out to my house on 3 occasions to go on a test drive with me, and even collected and dropped off the car from my partner's work on two occasions. Again, 5* service.

I must admit that the Sales dept. weren't really forthcoming with any of the above, but after a slight push they were more than willing to keep me happy.

Anyway, sorry for thread hi-jack!! Just to give another view point as Rich did above; it really does depend only on the specific dealer and even specific person you deal with; it's not really "BMW" in general, though if there's such inconsistency, something should be done about it so that everyone does get the same experience...

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by MarkW83

...e.g. on my 330d they fitted black grilles/black exhausts/black roundels/fog light bulbs/indicator bulbs/interior dash trim completely free of charge...

Interesting...

[MarkW83]

Originally Posted by rich1068

Interesting...

Haha, good luck!!!

[f1swk]

im £238 fully comp,must be because its an estate and im old

[flc1962]

Got this years renewal in, Multi car policy with Aviva... £243 protected, bargin as my Mrs car is £220 for a 1.4 Yaris... that costs half the price

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by flc1962

Got this years renewal in, Multi car policy with Aviva... £243 protected, bargin as my Mrs car is £220 for a 1.4 Yaris... that costs half the price

Interesting, have they added an additional £250 excess because of the 'difficult to repair' M Sport version?

[RobUK]

Insurance companies are pretty much all money-sucking vampires these days. There's no dirty trick, deception or bit of small print they won't use to part you from your hard-earned and then hang you out to dry.