Has anyone on the forum heard of or more importantly had any direct experience with this company? My bike is soon to go to them after repatriation back to the UK, for assessment and repairs and having looked online at reviews on TrustPilot, they do not come up that well in numerous respects. Rather concerned to say the least......
Spookily I have just read a thread on Facebook about them (unless it was yours?), and it didn't make good reading. When my car was repaired by the insurance company I had a choice about where it was done, so i assume the same will be true for your bike
To say I had a nightmare with them is an understatement!! Non fault accident back in November 22, they collected my bike ( 2015 Multistrada ) December 22, they returned it July 23!! I was constantly chasing them for updates, being passed from department to department Refitted my radiator guards , full exhaust system, which id removed incase the bike was written off, to find the repairer had used an mis mash of bolts to hold panels on etc.
My mate had a claim involving them in Scotland. The accessor told him that if you sent the bike to them you would not get it back as they tend to write most bikes off . It was a new GS with 5K of damage. He was told that you do not have to accept them as your repairer and can take it to one of your choice, which he did
To echo all the above, you need to intercede and obstruct the bike going to them. They are notoriously bad, and as others have said you are not obliged to accept your insurer's preference for using them. When white van man rearranged my SS some years ago, Ducati Insurance wanted FD to handle things, which I vetoed. (I also left DI for that reason; I thought with their emphasis on Ducati-approved repairs etc that they were therefore different from other insurers in this regard, but it made me realise that there was no advantage to being with them.)
I realise that I am not obliged to accept 4thD as the designated repairer and fully intend to become totally engaged with the process, making clear to them my concerns, based on the reviews I have read, and to be fair to them, which let's all understand here, are NOT necessarily all that they appear to be! I have already had a conversation or two with people who have had decent experiences, notwithstanding those that undoubtedly appear to not have. I will speak with them and insist I am made aware of all steps in the process and as I've already been advised by my insurers, I can always step away from them, as I prefer and to allocate the repair task to another accredited repairer. Early days, as the bike still isn't back in the UK from France, 6 weeks after 'the event'......... Thanks for all of the 'observations' given to date, all relevant and appreciated.
Just reading a separate FB post on these chaps & I would only suggest you submit if a) you don’t want your bike back as they tend to write off & rebuild/sell later to others B) are happy with offer lowball valuations
An update on my experience with 4th Dimension to date, after the somewhat negative feedback here and elsewhere, which I've reviewed. Well, on the basis of my full on engagement with these guys, I can only say I've been very pleasantly surprised, indeed impressed with just about every stage of the process. I was fully up front with them about the market place opinions of their performance and negative accreditation, which they did acknowledge, albeit they clarified that the vast majority of opinions expressed, were often not entirely accurate and honest. That said: To date in my experience - Good, clear communication, always responding to my emails promptly and when I've had any conversations, of which there have been several, they have been concise, detailed and never evasive. They provided me with a fully detailed break-down of the bike assessment, together with costings and the insurers approval. I've spoken at least 3-times with the repair estimate assessor, who has been incredibly candid and helpful, on every occasion, expressing that their entire motivation is to fully satisfy the customer, during and after the repairs process. My bike is in-progress with respect to warranted repairs, using Ducati parts as required, supplied by Snells and replacing any extras, in fact anything that might have suffered any defects, however minor. I've been given an ECD and if the bike comes back looking anything like what has been described to me, it will be pristine, precisely as it was prior to my minor incident. So far, nothing but praise..........
