Aluminium Body repair shops

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I read that there are only 5 approved body shops in
the UK that can work on aluminium. Poole Audi being one of them
I live in London and some nice delivery van has just scraped the whole side of my car and driven off without a trace.
I am preying that it does not need a new door but does anyone know of the official London repair shop that can do aluminium?
Its time like this when you wish your car was made of steel:>)

Thanks

Antony
 
I had a irresponsible teenager with a vw golf backed into my driver door. I rang up my Admiral and they said there is only one approved Aluminum workshop in the UK and they are in Milton Keynes. Otherwise it is back to any Audi dealers.

In my case, a very minor scratch + little dent, see here http://humps.servebeer.com/generated/myA2/damage/index.html.

The guys in Milton Keynes (now I've forgotten their name) said its likely to be a new door panel. So I asked my Audi dealer (Finchley Road Audi). They sent me to the useless workshop named Exan Coachworks. This workshop repairs for HR Owen dealers, in this case Finchley Rd Audi was bought by the HR Owen group. The guy there also said its a new door + repaint of the whole side. Would cost more than 2k, but cheaper if paid by insurance???

The main problem is that the damage was near the side impact protection bar (around the door's outside plastic strip). They can't hammer it out from inside, that's what I've been told. I got the 3rd party to admit liability so I didn't care how much. Although the required work sounded far too extensive for a minor damage.

Exan is useless if you want them to chase up insurance companies or other administrative work. But the repair work is nothing short of excellent. The new door shuts/opens perfect, the shut line is as tight as before, the new paint is excellent, no visible different from any viewing angel.

depending on how many panels you need replacing, it is not going to be cheap because you need a repaint on that side as well. The good thing is, you probably don't need a special workshop for new panels, they only need to know how to put them on and paint them properly.

humps
1.4SE Cobalt Blue, Bose and leather
 
Hi Humps

Thanks for your reply,very informative

The damage to my car is very similar to yours so looks like i will
need the same treatment.

Direct line have sent me to a body shop in Colliers Wood near Wimbledon,Whites VW/Audi.

Am waiting their diagnosis but will be covered by insurance so just need the two parties to agree a price.Just pay excess and of course lose my NCD :>(

Glad dont need an aluminium specialist though.

How long did it take to get your car repaired out of interest?

Thanks again

Antony
 
For info, when we wrote off our first A2, it was taken to the Whitehouse repair centre in Crayford. Whilst there emptying our A2, we noticed another which was in the process of having its rear end rebuilt. Could this be another possible repairer?

Don't drink drive! Not only is it socially unaceptable, it also harms A2's.
Was a Merlot Red 1.4SE petrol originally.
Now an Ebony Black 1.4SE petrol with Red Leather, CC, Symphony + all the previous options we had.
 
I think there are three Audi Repair Centres in the UK. Milton Keynes Audi, one in Scotland and on in the North West - Smith Knight Fay Audi which is in Tameside near M'cr. I used them and they did a good job - £3.5k for a rear end shunt. The damage was to the alu frame at the back which when seen by my Ausi dealer meant it had to go for specialist repair.

Regards - The Foghorn

2001 TDI SE Atantic Blue, Open Sky, 16" 6 spoke alloys, Satellite cloth & space box system. The "Dogs Twitchers"
 
FYI, my repair took about 2 weeks for the whole repair once the paper got out of the way (and that took 4 months!).

And needless to say there wasn't any structural damage so no repair to the main spaceframe.

humps
1.4SE Cobalt Blue, Bose and leather
 
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