Sharing some picture of an ICBC repair of my truck

[smurfs_of_war]

ICBC is renowned for being the worst, bottom feeding, trash insurance provider across the provinces- they go hand in hand with your newly elected government there. I wish you luck, but I think you're getting it dry on this one.

It's a ****** shame they have that monopoly given how horrible they are.

 

[Deleted member 26229]

I think my best bet is offer the shop the option to buy back the truck at a huge premium to keep these picture off Google review, Yelp, Facebook, away from ICBC inspectors ect. I don't think many people will by choosing to use them after seeing these splattered across the web.

 

[Quyonmob]

Good luck man. That’s awful. Sent the thread to my brother in Vancouver.

He says they did the same to a truck in his fleet at work. $18k in hack job repairs to a $30k truck and it won’t ever be right again.

 

[likes2build]

I think my best bet is offer the shop the option to buy back the truck at a huge premium to keep these picture off Google review, Yelp, Facebook, away from ICBC inspectors ect. I don't think many people will by choosing to use them after seeing these splattered across the web.

You're probably right about that, I looked at the shops website and saw you posted some photos. It wasn't hard to find the shop, I just Googled auto body shops in Revelstoke BC, it's the only shop that popped up. If that was my shop I'd want those photos down before you put the frame ones up , good for you!

 

[Deleted member 26229]

You're probably right about that, I looked at the shops website and saw you posted some photos. It wasn't hard to find the shop, I just Googled auto body shops in Revelstoke BC, it's the only shop that popped up. If that was my shop I'd want those photos down before you put the frame ones up , good for you!

Oops didn't even mean to have those up, looks like one already racked up 1,100 views in a month. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[duneop]

Socialized insurance. What could go wrong? Sorry about your recent government too.

 

[chri5k]

I suspect the Canadian version of a Bubba took a torch to that first to get somewhat back in shape. Let it cool. Then heated up some more by welding it. Most likely altering the heat treatment of the steel making is very unsafe. It could be too ductile making is easier to bend or too brittle making subject to cracking or fracturing. Modern steel automotive frames are heat treated during manufacturing to optimize the steel for the intended application. Frames are precisely engineered, not just a bunch of random steel parts formed and welded together. The various bending, forming and welding operations leave the steel with uneven properties. At then end of the process, the entire frame is heat treated to even out all the stresses and make it safe for use. One can not just go and heat up, form or weld various areas and expect the frame to remain sound.

 

[BWL]

In the future if you have a good shop close to home try talking to them and see if they'll cover the tow. They often have deals with tow companies or even their own wreckers and may pick up the tow for you if the job is big enough. ICBC can be stingy on the repair estimates though so it's hard to absorb too much as a repair shop. There are a lot of shady body shops and yet they are all certified for ICBC work because there is no insurance work without. Makes me wonder what you have to do to lose certification apart from scamming them on the bill. Unfortunately now you're stuck with the shop you used to warranty their work and so if the repair shop doesn't give you a rental you're sol. Sadly this is probably going to end up in the courts if the shop doesn't make it right. The only benefit to icbc is you can have as many claims as you want on your comprehensive coverage and it will never affect your rates. When I checked the private alternative for additional coverage it was more expensive because of all my windshield claims. Also, do a thorough inspection of the work and take a test drive before you sign off on the completed work, because until you sign off they don't get paid and if the work isn't done properly and you have a rental car you don't have to turn it in. Once you sign off the car goes back and the shop is responsible to warranty the repair.

 

[Lucy Girl]

What a suck job. Hate it for you.

 

[Deleted member 26229]

In the future if you have a good shop close to home try talking to them and see if they'll cover the tow. They often have deals with tow companies or even their own wreckers and may pick up the tow for you if the job is big enough. ICBC can be stingy on the repair estimates though so it's hard to absorb too much as a repair shop. There are a lot of shady body shops and yet they are all certified for ICBC work because there is no insurance work without. Makes me wonder what you have to do to lose certification apart from scamming them on the bill. Unfortunately now you're stuck with the shop you used to warranty their work and so if the repair shop doesn't give you a rental you're sol. Sadly this is probably going to end up in the courts if the shop doesn't make it right. The only benefit to icbc is you can have as many claims as you want on your comprehensive coverage and it will never affect your rates. When I checked the private alternative for additional coverage it was more expensive because of all my windshield claims. Also, do a thorough inspection of the work and take a test drive before you sign off on the completed work, because until you sign off they don't get paid and if the work isn't done properly and you have a rental car you don't have to turn it in. Once you sign off the car goes back and the shop is responsible to warranty the repair.

Weird thing is I never signed off on anything, I was purposely looking out for this as I did a little research before going to pick it up. I just paid my deductible grabbed the keys and left. Then I came back because I realized the shop had tried to steal my driver side running board. He came back out put it in my truck bed gave me the screws and went back inside.

 

[Deleted member 26229]

In the future if you have a good shop close to home try talking to them and see if they'll cover the tow. They often have deals with tow companies or even their own wreckers and may pick up the tow for you if the job is big enough. ICBC can be stingy on the repair estimates though so it's hard to absorb too much as a repair shop. There are a lot of shady body shops and yet they are all certified for ICBC work because there is no insurance work without. Makes me wonder what you have to do to lose certification apart from scamming them on the bill. Unfortunately now you're stuck with the shop you used to warranty their work and so if the repair shop doesn't give you a rental you're sol. Sadly this is probably going to end up in the courts if the shop doesn't make it right. The only benefit to icbc is you can have as many claims as you want on your comprehensive coverage and it will never affect your rates. When I checked the private alternative for additional coverage it was more expensive because of all my windshield claims. Also, do a thorough inspection of the work and take a test drive before you sign off on the completed work, because until you sign off they don't get paid and if the work isn't done properly and you have a rental car you don't have to turn it in. Once you sign off the car goes back and the shop is responsible to warranty the repair.

Great advice for everyone, having grown up in Golden I know non of our local guys would do something like this because it would put them out of business and kill their reputation. I though the same would apply for Revelstoke but guess they noticed Kelowna on my license and thought a out of towner wouldn't put up a fight.

 

[Gary Fields]

Just wanted to share the repair ICBC did to my 2017 Ram 1500 Laramie. ICBC wanted me to drive the truck 3 hours back to the shop they had do this hack job so they could reinspect their own work. They are now letting me get it inspected at a local shop of there choosing and then I get the privileged of driving it back 3 hours to the hack job shop for them to try to fix it again. Also no rental and I have to get my own hotel and meals.

Link to images:

https://imgur.com/gallery/3ZlhqSt

****Corrected link to images

Having worked as an insurance adjuster doing estimates and claims I can say with authority "That ain't right". Suspension items that are damaged should be replaced- not repaired. The frame items are not right and doubtful they can be made right. The "repairs" probably damaged the truck more. The misaligned panels say it's not in alignment. The question that can't be answered is do these parts retain their structural integrity and strength. I doubt they will perform right in an accident. Not sure of the laws in Canada so I really can't offer advice there. However the photos you have are pretty good, take more with the truck on a lift and extra lighting with a good camera (not a phone). Then find another truck of same model and take the same photos of it to show what it should be and what yours is. I've done this before and put a small green dot in the good truck photo so you can tell which one in in the picture at a glance. Print photos side by side to show difference. Typically I would ask for the truck be repaired correctly- meaning they have to redo the repairs or sell it to them (total it out). From the photo I suspect when initially written up they did not get it on a lift to see frame and undercarriage. They started repairs and ended up supplementing a lot of stuff. These trucks often need a new upper rail which requires the removal of windshield and dash to access. I had a Dodge dealer in may territory and would make them put the truck on a lift so I could look at it. Usually it was a total. But it avoided fixing trucks like this and having surprises supplements.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

Weird thing is I never signed off on anything, I was purposely looking out for this as I did a little research before going to pick it up. I just paid my deductible grabbed the keys and left. Then I came back because I realized the shop had tried to steal my driver side running board. He came back out put it in my truck bed gave me the screws and went back inside.

Holy **** some red flags just shot straight up with that statement.

Was there an altercation prior to you picking up the keys that led to them basically not complee the work (not installing the running board) and not going over the repair work with you?

Something stinks here. And I'm not pointing a finger at you. I am just curious why they would just put the step in your bed without offering to attach it since it was part of the job, and why nothing was signed off.

 

[Deleted member 26229]

Holy **** some red flags just shot straight up with that statement.

Was there an altercation prior to you picking up the keys that led to them basically not complee the work (not installing the running board) and not going over the repair work with you?

Something stinks here. And I'm not pointing a finger at you. I am just curious why they would just put the step in your bed without offering to attach it since it was part of the job, and why nothing was signed off.

No altercation, a new OEM running board for the passenger side was a few hundred. ICBC agreed to just give the cost of the board in cash since it was optional. Well I pick the truck up and drive down the street and hop out to give it a quick second look before I begin my three hour drive home. That's when I noticed the driver side board was missing. I went back and he said they took it off because he thought I was going to replace both (I had inquired on the cost of upgrading to automatic ones prior). Then they put it in the bed and gave me the screws to reattach, never offered to put it back on and it was a quick job so I just did the drivers side myself. To be clear I was only paid on the cost of the passenger side running board. The damage to the rocker panel should have still been fixed and was charged to ICBC.

Not sure why they never had me sign anything off, but I wasn't going to volunteer or remind them to put my signature on anything before my mechanic looked at the truck.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

No altercation, a new OEM running board for the passenger side was a few hundred. ICBC agreed to just give the cost of the board in cash since it was optional. Well I pick the truck up and drive down the street and hop out to give it a quick second look before I begin my three hour drive home. That's when I noticed the driver side board was missing. I went back and he said they took it off because he thought I was going to replace both (I had inquired on the cost of upgrading to automatic ones prior). Then they put it in the bed and gave me the screws to reattach, never offered to put it back on and it was a quick job so I just did the drivers side myself. To be clear I was only paid on the cost of the passenger side running board. The damage to the rocker panel should have still been fixed and was charged to ICBC.

Not sure why they never had me sign anything off, but I wasn't going to volunteer or remind them to put my signature on anything before my mechanic looked at the truck.

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Deleted member 26229]

Having worked as an insurance adjuster doing estimates and claims I can say with authority "That ain't right". Suspension items that are damaged should be replaced- not repaired. The frame items are not right and doubtful they can be made right. The "repairs" probably damaged the truck more. The misaligned panels say it's not in alignment. The question that can't be answered is do these parts retain their structural integrity and strength. I doubt they will perform right in an accident. Not sure of the laws in Canada so I really can't offer advice there. However the photos you have are pretty good, take more with the truck on a lift and extra lighting with a good camera (not a phone). Then find another truck of same model and take the same photos of it to show what it should be and what yours is. I've done this before and put a small green dot in the good truck photo so you can tell which one in in the picture at a glance. Print photos side by side to show difference. Typically I would ask for the truck be repaired correctly- meaning they have to redo the repairs or sell it to them (total it out). From the photo I suspect when initially written up they did not get it on a lift to see frame and undercarriage. They started repairs and ended up supplementing a lot of stuff. These trucks often need a new upper rail which requires the removal of windshield and dash to access. I had a Dodge dealer in may territory and would make them put the truck on a lift so I could look at it. Usually it was a total. But it avoided fixing trucks like this and having surprises supplements.

Great advice, thanks for taking the time to reply!

I think the OEM procedure here would have been to section the frame rail and butt weld in a replacement. However, since that lower control arm mount that blew apart is also connected to the driver side frame rail via a cross member I would think the driver side rail is also out by a few MM.

The insurance adjuster really took the time out of his day to argue since the truck was pulling left it couldn't have been a result of the accident because it was on the passenger side... (I know this story is getting harder and harder to believe)

https://imgur.com/a/EyYxBx4

In this image set you can see that the floor panel has sheered off from the rocker (you can see the red seam seal)

We will see what ICBC has to offer after this inspection. Anything less than FMV of the truck at time of accident plus year of compensation of loss of use plus punitive damages is going to result in lawyers getting involved.

 

[SkylarMelo]

You in the GGR Club or GGR Community in BC?

 

[michaelm_ski]

Come on tell us the TRUTH you took it to the Stevie Wonder body shop to save a dollar ??? LMAO but seriously that is repulsive and you should get a lawyer and file a complaint to the BBB and your ATTORNEY Generals OFFICE !!!!

 

[wallacemf]

I think I found the “technician” who worked on the truck. No offense intended to monkeys everywhere.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

I guess a little additional info for our friends south of the border who- as best I can tell- have private insurance.

A number of provinces in Canada have automobile insurance providers that are a branch of the provincial government. For example here, we have SGI Saskatchewan. ICBC is the one that the government pulls strings on in B.C., and so on.

So- while there's a few benefits there is also a laundry list of downsides. For example, I can plate my truck for a full year here which includes 2mil liability, collision insurance, etc for about $1300 a year. I also add a comprehensive package policy which gives me a host more benefits. The downside? They have you by the balls. It is illegal to operate the vehicle without SGI insurance. While SGI has- for the most part- been good, I have heard horror stories. When you get in an accident, you basically have to take what they offer and that's end of story.

On to ICBC- I know people personally who have had nightmare dealings and including this thread have read many, MANY horror stories. Price gouging, shady repairs, and to top it off they have a monopoly. The government turns a blind eye because it is a cash cow. Body shops make a killing off them for shoddy work. They overcharge ICBC for half ass repairs and are never taken to task on it because nobody ever checks up on them. Not all, but a number do. There are some really great shops out there, but some shifty ones too.

So, when I read the suggestions to lawyer up- just realize they would be fighting a branch of a provincial government. They would tie that up in bureaucracy until the truck had rotted away, OP got sick of it and abandoned it, or OP died of old age.

Sorry to hijack a bit, and if these tidbits were already common knowledge then disregard [emoji16]