Not a Great Start.

[Simon Meadwell]

Untouchable these scroats. My mates estate gets targeted every week mainly work vans. They found out who was carrying out the break ins. But were warned off because his dad is the local hit man.

 

[Sapper520]

Ouch!

Just popped the van down to the Insurance recommended garage (they do a lot of preparation work for Autotrail)……..Fiat will only supply full lock and key Sets. That’s a new drivers door barrel, ignition barrel and fuel cap barrel. There are tool marks on the plastic surround so one of them. Then the keys need to be reprogrammed…..bill will be north of £1000.

I’d already rung our local Fiat garage to book the van in for service and asked them for quote as well. They haven’t got back to me with a full quote, but he confirmed they only sell a full lock set and the keys will need programming…….’It won’t be cheap’.

Can’t get the parts until late September…..luckily the central locking still works.

The vans not two years old, so I’m not interested in copy parts meaning multiple keys.

 

[Zigisla]

If it’s only the door lock and you use central locking only, wouldn’t a copy part be worth considering?

 

[Sapper520]

If it’s only the door lock and you use central locking only, wouldn’t a copy part be worth considering?

Yes, I’ve been offered a £20 barrel….. until I decide to sell it, then potential new owners will walk away……selling up is a distinct possibility.

 

[gus-lopez]

But were warned off because his dad is the local hit man.

Should have just executed him without saying anything.

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[PaddyM]

Should have just executed him without saying anything.

My brother had a similar problem with the local hitman / hard man / king of the estate psychopath , dealt with it with the time honored method of proving that he was harder and madder than him

 

[Zigisla]

Yes, I’ve been offered a £20 barrel….. until I decide to sell it, then potential new owners will walk away……selling up is a distinct possibility.

Fair one.

 

[Landy Andy]

I’d be replacing it with a left hand drive handle so it didn’t have the key hole in it. Most of the time (99.9%) of the time central locking is used, and if not you’ve got other doors to use.

 

[Sapper520]

How many middle men?

Insured with AiB. Broker LV=. Unwritten by Highways or something. LV= send me to their authorised repairer, who I have just found out only do bodywork. They sub contract out their mechanical, electrical and anything else (otherthan bodywork) to other companies.

They then pay the sub contractors their bill, and put their portion on top……having done nothing otherthan a bit of paperwork and photos for the insurance company….or broker….or agent…

I said to the local guy….I’d rather give the business to you, a local company….’Not me mate, it goes to M&B, I make nothing, doesn’t matter how much it is if you’re getting your insurance to pay’.

Otherthan a windscreen, I haven’t had to go through a claim for many years. This defies all logic….

 

[Sapper520]

I’d be replacing it with a left hand drive handle so it didn’t have the key hole in it. Most of the time (99.9%) of the time central locking is used, and if not you’ve got other doors to use.

No barrel on the passenger door or sliding door. Still need a manual way of entering if the key battery goes flat.

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[Landy Andy]

I thought back or side door would have had barrel. I don’t think they touch hab doors so much as they don’t “know” them so well, for us with plastic boxes, but understand you have a pvc.

 

[Sapper520]

Only barrel on the outside is the drivers door.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Wished you had been in my manor then when we got robbed big time few years back.
They told us flat out they would not look at neigbours cctv footage or investigate.
And we are talking about a well into 6 figure value robbery.

Bloody rough in them housing association estate’s
Keep everything nailed down

 

[Sapper520]

Update…….

All fixed. After being sent to the Insurance Company approved repairers, who subcontract this type of work out as they only do bodywork , I contacted the guy they use directly myself.

Now, remembering the Insurance Company Repairer quoted me north of £1000, and the Fiat Dealership didn’t even get back to me with a quote , I was really pleased with the guys bill.

He came to my house, stripped out the door panel, removed what was left of the barrel and cylinder, took that away with my spare key, and checked to make sure I could still lock my van.

Being unable to salvage any parts, he replaced them, adjusted the tumblers to fit my original keys ( no need for an expensive reprogram), returned to my house, put the new barrel and cylinder in, replaced the door panels……£270.

Before……..

After…….

Yes, you can see the damage on the plastic surround, but that would require the whole handle being replaced. I’ll find some way of hiding that myself.

The guy is Simon, Auto Keys Ltd, based in Clevedon. He does lots of work for Motorhome Dealers like Highbridge as well as many car Dealerships (including Fiat) in the area. He covers as far south as Bridgwater and north up to the Cribbs Causeway area. It would be far cheaper for you to go straight to him than book any lock repairs via the dealer.

By his own admission he can be a bit of a pain to contact, as if he answered every call straight away he’d never get any work done. Best thing to do is Text him and he will get back to you.

I’ve looked on the review pages but can’t find the ‘Add a Review’ button to add a review.

 

[Go_buddy_go_]

Glad you’ve got it sorted at not too much expense but it’s a real b*****d that this happened

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