Jacob Body & Paint

Prepare for disappointment. If you are ever unfortunate enough to have your vehicle repaired by Jacob Body & Paint, be prepared to be without your vehicle for an extended period. My vehicle was in a minor accident and was assessed the next day. The next available repair slot was six months away (!), and the repair would take 4 days to complete. My insurance covers a rental car, but for a 4-day repair this didn't seem necessary.

So, I duly waited the six months and dropped the car off. The afternoon it was supposed to be finished I received a phone call - we need to car for another 7 days. WTH? Then, 7 days later I was looking forward to having the car back. Same deal - "Hi, it's Jacob Body and Paint - we need the car for another 8 days." Really??? I sought some sort of assurance that it would be ready by that time as by now I really needed the vehicle back. "We can't make any assurances". No crap, Sherlock.

I phoned twice during this 8-day period to make sure it would be ready. Each time my enquiries were met by the same vague replies and zero commitment and basically no f....s given.

And after the 8 days - yep, you guessed it - "We need your car for another 7 days"... Seriously? WT actual F??? I had had enough, so I asked if the repair had been started yet. After a bunch of evasive replies, I finally got the answer - "Well actually, no." This is such bad service, after 3 weeks without my car, they haven't even started the job! I offered to pick the car up and drop it back in whatever year they were finally ready to begin the job, but "that is against policy and we would have to rebook your car back in later in the year" - a date 4 or 5 months away was given.

I contacted the insurance company and organised a hire car - not much was available - I think they were all being used by Jacob Body and Paint customers who were waiting months for their 4-day repair jobs. Anyway, a tiny hatchback was better than nothing, I guess.

Then the clincher... After the next 7 days, on the afternoon I was supposed to collect the car... Groundhog Day. "We need your car for another 5 days" WHY??? WHY??? After some enquiry, it transpired that they had ordered the wrong parts. I questioned how this could possibly happen. "It is out of our control" was the somewhat rude reply. Out of whose control? In what screwed-up universe is the very thing that you are responsible for doing, your purpose, your job, out of your control? After over 6 months since the initial assessment to find out that you have the wrong parts??? Truly astounding. And then to take zero responsibility for the mess? Unbelievable.

After this 5-day period was up, I was like a washed-out fighter staggering around the ring, just waiting for the knockout. I was not disappointed. The afternoon it was supposed to be ready, I received the call again. "We need your car for another 2 days". I was neither surprised nor sad, just numb and quietly drooled to myself as I hung up the phone.

Finally, after almost 2 months for a 4-day repair. I got my car back. No apology from the staff, just brusque-bordering-on-rude service (if you could even call it service). The happy news is that the repair work was great, and I am happy to have the car back again.

I am puzzled as to how Jacob Body & Paint company became a preferred repairer for any insurance company. Whilst the eventual repair work was good, the delays were unacceptable and the continuous inability to meet their timeline commitments suggests a range of issues in the business. Then to take no responsibility for this lack of competence just shows utter disrespect for their clients. I would choose any other available repairer - their service could not be any worse.