i just got basically the writeup, estimate, whatever you wanna call it from the insurance guy who looked at my car. 2 things that blatantly stuck out were:

"headlamps assy, xenon LT NON-OEM PARTS"

then later, it identifies substitutions for OEM parts, which are the front bumper cover and the headlight assembly. it lists my front bumper cover being a "reconditioned part" from either Fit Rite Body or Keystone Auto Reconditioned, and my headlight being a "remanufacture/rebuilt part" coming from RPW Headlamps Remanufactured out of Indianola, IA.

what the hell is this ****? why arent i getting OEM parts? im callin insurance, which is High Point/Prudential tomorrow. i dont want ill fitting/almost OEM quality parts. ive seen what "OEM style" cheap **** looks like when my step father ordered it for my sisters accord, and it fits like ***. i am concerned about the headlight too, if its gonna be some cheap knockoff. is this standard procedure to pull this ****?

yes, my headlights were smoked, but i informed the bodyshop guy they WERE OEM parts that we did ourselves. this is bull****, i want them to explain this to me.

 

what dofference does it make? OEM, not OEm they will look the same on the car...

 

Quailty wont be good might start leaking and light output may decrease

 

im basing this off of the non-OEM SE tails i bought. the DEPO one fit just fine, but the TYC one was slightly off, giving a gap that bugs me. you cant really tell cuz its dark lights and a dark car. but i dont want some unsightly gap between my headlights and fender or bumper. i also dont want lesser quality headlights that may not throw light as well as OEM. and as i mentioned before, my sister has OEM-style bumper, grill, and hood on her accord, and the fitment is TERRIBLE. i can run my finger thru the gaps. THAT is the difference.

 

Dont let them do that to you... fight man... I did and they fell!

 

remember, OEM parts are a lot more expensive and it could increase your rates if you make them pay for OEM parts.... however i see your point and i would ask them, if the repair is not up to standards can you get OEM parts put on...

 

A buddy of mine had a fender replaced on his Chevy Celebrity with an aftermarket fender. It did not fit properly.

State laws are different but I think you have the right to OEM parts.

 

[QUOTE=DAP]A buddy of mine had a fender replaced on his Chevy Celebrity with an aftermarket fender. It did not fit properly.

State laws are different but I think you have the right to OEM parts.[/QUOTE]

that depends on your insurance company.

 

The insurance company reserves the right to use whatever part they want..... I work for one.. I know

 

yeah, but they reserve that right...but does that mean they MUST use those parts? can they use OEM at my request?

 

you can request them.. but if the adjuster is an a$$ you will get screwed... just try to negotiate but at the end of the game your insurance rate wil lgo higher either way.. OEM, replacement even used..... your most important part that I will definetly fight is the HIDS, that's a most..... and try to get the ballast out f the broken one ... that's yours.......

 

Check your policy, it probly says somewhere that they can use OEM or "equivalent" parts.

 

fight back that happened 2 my friend and he got everything oem

 

I had this very same issue. The insurance company does have the right to substitute aftermarket and refurbished parts so long as you get the car back in comparable condition. It's BS, I know.

~THT

 

The exception to this rule.... being that I just fought tooth & nail & won was to go through the other guys insurance company if he was at fault. Even if it was deemed 85% his to your 15% fault because here in NY anyway the insurance company has to bring you car back to as was condition & if you had OEM parts then they must use OEM parts. This is not the case if you go through your own insurance they can basicly use what they want. Geico is great cheap insurance .................AS LONG AS YOU NEVER NEED THEM FOR CASH TO FIX YOUR CAR!!!!

 

Hahahahhaha


I would try to ask a lawyer if what they are doing is legal. I don't think they can tell you what to put on your car. They pay to get it fixed, not to do as they please.

 

i have the same case like yours on my 2000 honda accord. After i know that that is the insurance policy for not giving the OEM parts, then i beg and deal with the bodyshop directly to order me the OEM one. (on my case was head lights and bumper cover). Then the body shop ordered me the OEM from Honda dealer not that far from that shop without the insurance known. Finally i got everythings OEM.
Hope this help.

 

Man, I'd insist on the OEM parts. I have seen some of those parts by Keystone and they truly fit like **** and they can be a pain in the *** to reinstall without some modification. But even if they are modified, the gaps are still intolerable because they don't have the same manufacturing tolerances as OEM.

 

Hey KCMC, what happened to your car??

 

it was nothing major, just a little fender bender, but it wrecked my headlight and messed up my bumper/fender/hood. it doesnt look too serious, but its A LOT of money it seems. but my lip kit and CF hood will go on, so itll come out on top. as long as my parts fit this non OEM ****.

i am callin them as soon as i get to work today and letting them explain this to me and why im not getting OEM parts and see what the outcome is. i dont care if the estimate, and in turn, my rates go up slightly as long as my car can get back to its original apperance. ill keep you guys posted.

 

No they don't. Allstate tried telling this to me a couple of years ago. I insure my car so I'll say what will go on my car. If it's an old beater they can put used or aftermarket parts on it, but on a newer car I say what goes on it. If they want to put an aftermarket headlight on make them swich both of your headlights to make sure Your light color matches (we're dealing with HID's here). As far as the bumper cover goes they can put an aftermarket one on but they can't put a reconditioned one. They'll try to scam you anyway they can just to make their bill a little smaller. Be a pain in the A$$ to them and demand OE parts. Every state has it's laws in regards to this. Bottom line is they can't leave your car worst in value then what it was before the accident.
Keep on Fighting.

 

I say it depends on the body shop because my body shop will never not mess with aftermarket parts even it's a 10 old year car. They say it waste of there time making it fit and it doesn't show good of a work they put in on the car. Aftermarket fender, are like crap, they take ding so mush easier, inside the fender rust only after 2 years and they don't fit right.

the only good part is they weigh like CF hood and when you get accident you be

 

i just left a message for my adjuster, cuz the lady handling my claim said he would be the one i need to speak with. im gonna call him back later today and try and set things straight. im sure if i DO get OEM parts, i wont get my car back for even longer, but i dont want my car to look like my sisters. no way.

 

ok, i spoke with the adjuster, and he basically told me these remanufactured OEM parts will fit exactly the same, since they technically are OEM parts. he said the shop has to test everything and verify fitment, and if it doesnt perform and appear the same as before the accident, they cannot release it to me. and of course, i get to inspect it to make sure as well, and can say something to them/him if it doesnt fit.

so lets just hope for the best pics of the lip kit and CF fun to follow

 

Every insurance company, and laws in every state are different. Technically, the insurance company.....in the end.......has the final say. As far as reconditioned bumper, that just means a used bumper. But, when the bumper goes on, it should look brand new, and have no blemishes. What basically happens: Estimator writes the estimate according to the INSURANCE companies guidelines. (They pay, they call the shots) If a used bumper, or an aftermarket H/L is going to be used, the shop generally test fits it. If it does not line up properly, or gaps are uneven, they reject it and THEN go with OEM. For the most part, A/M stuff is okay. We've had a few that did not fit right, but the majority was just fine.
I know that for the most part, insurance companies do utilize used/A/M parts. It's a fact of life. The general rule of thumb is anything older than 2 years. Certain insurance companies will allow the use of A/M H/L's, and some won't. Some will allow using used sheet metal, but not A/M sheet metal. We,as the customer, do have rights, but to say that all A/M stuff is cr-p, and absoultely not accepatable is not fair. If you're repairing your car at a reputable shop that is concerned with your satisfaction, then they'll look for the details. But honestly, it's not the shop's responsibility to ONLY use OEM. We work for the insurance company, and need to fulfill our agreement with each insurance company to repair cars to their "standards."

 

Must Insurance Companies Gurantee Work Let Them Fix It And If Its Unacceptable Refuse To Take Car So Adjuster Will Inspect Fit If It Looks Bad They Have Refix Until Your Satisfied.most Good Shops Wont Use Aftermarket Parts That Dont Fit Because Its More Work For Them To Try To Make Fit

 

i dont think you have to accept that. they use aftermarket parts because bodyshops make profit on their labor, and their supplies. not on the parts they put on your car. if they can keep costs down in other areas, such as your headlight, and bumper they can add the cost to labor atleast this is how soem shady shops do. Your shop is putting down that they are remfgrd or aftermarket so it could be instruction from your company to do that.

I personally wouldnt accept it. and i didnt. My maxima was in a terrible accident 8 months after i bought it. fortunately it wasnt my fault and everything was taken care of on the other persons insurance co. coin. I got 100% of my parts replaced oem with the acception of clear bumper lights i provided. and everything looks awesome, only the well trained eye would tell a difference from new. i feel had i got aftermarket parts i'd be always suspect of my vehichles quality/integrity after that, even if it looked ok.

 

well, it wasnt the shop deciding to use the non OEM parts, it was the adjuster. but he assured me that they are not aftermarket, they are all remanufactured OEM parts. so as long as everythings looks and performs as new, then im happy. but i have no problem refusing the parts if i am not satisfied with the quality of the parts. but also the shop will not leave them on if they dont fit like they should.

 

talking abot this yesterday and today I crashed my car... Damn.......

 

hey lontar, sorry man, i was about to read your thread. its happening to a lot of us lately.

 

Unfortunitly thats how insurance stays in business. The only time an ins. co has to replace with OEM parts is when it is less than a year old or it componises the integrity of the car. I worked as an autobody tech. a long time ago and I will tell you, you will never get that aftemarket part to fit like a genuine Nissan part. If I were you I would work with the body shop and try to get him to cover the OEM parts. Most body shops will work with you because it will be less work to fit the OEM part rather that have to fit an aftermarket POS! Even if you have to pay a little extra I would be sure that OEM parts go back on your car!

 

Usually, the adjuster is the one that just handles the customer side of the claim. Generally, the estimate is written by the shop or an appraiser from the insurance company. The estimator/appraiser is the one who decides to use oem or aftermarket......but that decision is based on that particular insurance companies guidelines. Some insurance companies are willing to try out aftermarket first, then if the fit is not right, the shop will generally reject the a/m and order oem. Some insurance companies don't use a/m H/L's, and some do. Some will use a/m marker lights, but not H/L's. Some will use only new or reconditioned (used). It all depends. Hope this helps to clear it up a bit.

 

sorry, that is what i meant, the appraiser, the guy from the insurance company who actually looked at the car. he is the one that made the decision. also what Gus said, i brought up with him and will bring up at the body shop, that if the fitment isnt correct, i will not accept the car, and will request OEM parts.

 

Exactly! We all kind of gotta play the game.......It's a give and take thing.

 

That sucks to hear. Well simply to break it down, that all depends on the bodyshop. When my Maxima got hit by a malfunctioning automatic gate, it dented my bumper and cracked my headlight. They did replace the headlight which was OEM and the bumper was refinished from the sratches. So it all varies by what the bodyshop uses. but generally speaking they would use OEM. As far as insurance goes, it is YOUR RIGHT to INSIST on OEM, don't go by OEM-STYLE which is not genuine Nissan parts. I've heard that "OEM STYLE" before, it is not the SAME THING AS OEM.