NU Direct Bodyshop - Solus

It had to happen one day I suppose. I turned right into a main road and didn't see a car coming. Damage to n/s front wing, door and rear wing. I feel an utter plonker. I'm insured with NU Direct and they have very promptly arranged for their "approved repairer", Solus, to take the car in on Thursday for repair. Does anyone have any experience with Solus in London? Cheers Ellis

Hi, I do not know the Company but I know when my car was damaged I could on insisted it went back to the Main Dearler to be repaired.

I did a stupid thing last Thursday and bumped someone up the rear. Cracked the front PU and bent the front lip on the bonnet. NU arranged for my car to be picked up by Solus yesterday, so I'm in exactly the same boat as you. Solus are a Porsche Approved body shop, so in theory they should be OK. However, you do read mixed reports on them. The thing to do is check it over very thoroughly after repair before you accept it. They gave me a Seat Ibiza courtesy car. It is horrible. See if you can get an upgrade - they might have something better. Can't wait to get mine back, and I've only been without it for less than 36 hours.

Solus "Speciallist Brand" is now owned by NU. It is a Porsche Approved body shop. http://www.porschehost.com/opbr.asp?opc=1 Edit: Richard beat me to it [ ]

Oh dear - sorry to hear that for both of you ... The only good thing about the loan car is yours will feel even better when you get it back.

Richard, I have to say that I feel better that not even you, our revered moderator, are not immune to silly mistakes. So I know I'm in good company. Frankly I don't care what the courtesy car is as long as I get my 996 back in impeccable condition. I'll report back in due course! Thanks to all for the feedback. Rgds Ellis

I am with Norwich Union too and I had an accident in January on black ice. I understood at the time that that Solus was part of NU. I insisted that my car went to a Porsche approved repairer so it went to Bodytechnic in Slough who specialise in Porsche and Ferrari. I had to wait for them to take the car in (apparently a lot of accidents over Christmas), I was unable to get a courtesy car at all for the whole period of about a month because it is provided by the repairer and legally it is "a courtesy car" so even though its on your policy they have no legal obligation to provide it. Bodytechnic did an absolutely faultless job and provide the lifetime guarantee through the Porsche system. Hope you have better luck with the courtesy car than I did. I should mention that NU were really very good too and the whole claim was dealt with promptly and without fuss despite the repair estimate going up by a factor of x7 from that originally quoted from photographs. Hope all goes well.

It's worth pointing out that you can take the car to the bodyshop of your choice (Porsche or otherwise). No matter WHAT the Insurance company say - they have no right to insist you take it any particular place.

Sorry to hear your bad news Richard When i hit a horse in the new forest!!! try that one on the insurance company the muppet asked all the routine questions like do you take repsonsibility for the accident....DOH!!! you fathead anyway i went to bodytechnics and they did a good job also they are on the slough industrial estate not to far from sunny maidenhead anyway best of luck i make sure i send the porsche pixies round to make sure its a good one

Haha that is brilliant! Maybe he's concerned the horses insurance company was going to claim for whiplash?[ ] I had my Boxster sent to Solus a few years back after a minor hit to my bumper. The person who picked up my car was drunk, and was later sacked. The car was returned with overspray everywhere, lacquer on the tyre, masking tape still in place, and horrible swirl marks in the paint. I had to get Chipsaway to repair their shoddy work. Maybe I was just unlucky, as they were OPC East London's approved Bodyshop (not any longer), but there you go. Not good.

Hmmmm. I'm beginning to get a bad feeling about this. Solus just 'phoned me to say "the parts have arrived, the car is in the workshop, they have started work, and it should be ready on 1st May". FIRST OF MAY?? It is going to take them 8 WORKING DAYS to spray and fit a new front PU and bonnet!!! Naturally I queried it, but I kinda get the feeling they aren't going to do any better. I assumed that because it was a Porsche Approved body shop that I would get the sort of standards I would expect from the Porsche network. I'm having my doubts, and with 20:20 hindsight am beginning to wish I had insisted it go to Bodytechnics. I have visited there and they are an extremely professional bunch. I'll keep you posted. Meantime, I have to endure this horrible, horrible Seat, which is making me feel worse by the minute at the thought of putting up with it for another week or more.

If you are having to pay any admin fee for the insurance for the Seat then don't extend it for the time the repair company say - or you'll end up paying 3 or 4 times as I did when Solus took longer than the original "week" they said it would take for my car. Better to say you need cover for FAR longer. You can always give the car back earlier, but if there is a charge its normally just for the "admin" each time.

Richard, My 4S is in with the OPC that damaged my front PU and they have told me 3 days which given your situation would then leave 5 days to replace/repair and paint a bonnet, I don't think so. I got a little rocketship that is the Bright Orange Cayman S SE as a loaner. its great fun but feel a bit of a plonker due to he vivid bloomin colour. I'm not making you feel any better am I mate? RB

No Ron, you aren't. Ellis, do you have any news? Front wing, door and rear wing sounds like it could be a six month job.

They collected it this morning. A very respectable middle aged man delivered my - you guessed it - Seat Ibiza courtesy car!! Not much else to report. When I booked it in they told me typically 10 -14 working days which seems like an age to me. Did you know that you can check on your car's progress on their website www.solusnu.co.uk . So mine is still in "Estimate" mode. The man did tell me that he was taking to their Heathrow branch which deals with all the "high end" cars (as opposed to the branch in Hayes). I suppose that is moderately encouraging. I'll let you know when I have heard further E

Sounds like the same man who dropped mine off - Michael if I recall correctly. Reading my posts again it sounds like I'm being snobbish about the Seat, which certainly isn't the case. I think what got me started was that Micheal's parting comment was "and it is a non-smoking car". When I got into it, the ash tray wasn't cleaned properly and there was ash residue. And it absolutely stinks of smoke. The steering is so light that there is no feel, and the brakes are the same. Just touch the pedal at low speed and the car feels like you stood on it. Still, as they say "nothing handles like a courtesy car". Fingers crossed it will all work out in the end.

Yes, my guy was Michael too. Do you think they send him in particular to Porsche owners so we won't worry about our pride and joy being driven away by some irresponsible young tearaway? I think I am bit luckier with my Seat which I took out last night. Obviously one needs to remember what we're used to driving!! But it drives quite nicely and the steering on mine is quite firm and positive. The bodywork is an utter mess, but I actually found it relatively liberating for a change to park next to another couple of cars without worrying about leaving sufficient space to avoid car park dents. That said, I want my 996 back ASAP - it's really frustrating in this weather not to be able to cruise around with my top down. No doubt it'll be snowing by the time I get it. What do you think, Christmas? E

Don't knock the Seat. We have a Leon 1.9TDi and saved enough on the equivalent Golf to put a new engine in the 996![ ]

I hired a Leon 1.9 Diesel in Spain a couple of years ago and it was brilliant, so when the Ibiza arrived I was quite looking forward to driving it. That lasted about 5 minutes..........

Best not tell you about the gorgeous new Basalt Black Boxster S that Bolton OPC loaned me yesterday while my car was being serviced then, roof down, sun shining...

... sounds like normal VW brakes. When I swap to my wife's Golf 1.9 diesel, I usually thrust us into the windscreen and stop 5yds short of the first T-junction!

I had been following progress through each stage on the Solus tracking site as it crawled through the process, but that proved to be a total waste of time. According to the site, the car was ready on Tuesday afternoon, but when I rang, they said it wasn't, and would be ready on Friday. I still don't know why it took 10 days. Well, the car was delivered back to me this morning. I have to say that they made an excellent job of the fit and paintwork. After Rodney's comments I wasn't sure what to expect, but they seem to have got their act together. Credit where it's due. I was breathing a sigh of relief as I drove off to work, until I got to the end of the road and noticed the aircon was switched off. Odd. I switched it on, and found it wasn't working. Bu**er. I 'phoned them straight away, and they asked me to bring the car to them and they would check it out. I thought I might have damaged a condenser in the bump, but there were no leaks. They recharged it (twice) but no good. Oh well, another job for the weekend (and beyond, no doubt).

Richard I had a new front PU under similar conditions [ ] It took them a similar amount of time as yourself garyw

Good to hear the car is back and the did a good job of it. Are you blaming them for the A/C or just putting it down to bad luck?

It's a difficult one. The offered to take the car back and fix it, but if it was found not to be caused by the bump then I would have to pay. I'm going to do some investigation of my own today, but I have the feeling it is just bad luck. Apart from the condensers at the front end, which we now know are intact, I can't think of anything else in that area which could cause it not to work. Wish me luck.

All up and running now. It turned out that it was pure coincidence, and the fault was a bad connection to the compressor - 30 minute fix and £0.00 cost. [ ] [ ].

Fantastic! Don't you just love it when that happens? Great result all round, and I bet you've given your beast some much deserved stick [ ]

Richard, I'm encouraged to hear your news on the repair. I had a call last week to inform me that that my car won't be ready till the 12th May; it needs a new near side door skin and repairs to front and rear wings. Seems like an age and very awkward for me as I'm flying to Asia on a 10 day business trip on 11th. They have promised to do their best to bring it forward a day or so, otherwise they'll have to hang on to it until the 21st. Not great is it?

I had a prang last week an 18 wheeler hit me twice from behind, it was my fault I was in wrong lane coming off round about. Porsche approved wanted 1100 quid, I booked it in then nipped to my indy who recommended a guy. He is now doing it tomorrow for 350 quid.

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There was a car in front I was virtually touching his bumper, it could not be prevented.

At last, after 4 weeks and 1 day, I finally got my car back this morning. They were supposed to get it to me on Monday of last week but they couldn't get it ready before I went off to the far east on business. Interestingly my Porsche lifetime repair guarantee was waiting for me in the post when I got back last night which was encouraging. Anyway, I have to say I am extremely impressed with the quality of the repairs. I don't think you can tell there has been any work done at all - it looks perfect. Wouldn't have a problem recommending Solus, particularly if they could turn things around a little quicker, But you know what? I'd rather wait a little longer and get it done right! Cheers