To the editor:
A deer hit the hood of our vehicle, the deer got up and ran away. In the morning we drove 30 kilometres to ICBC to find out the damage. The gentleman does the estimate of the vehicle. $5000 cost to fix.
We go to another body shop recommended by IC BC. Sorry can’t give you an estimate until tomorrow. No problem I said we’ll be back. We go to the third ICBC body shop. Sorry can’t do an estimate until tomorrow. No problem, see you to tomorrow.
The next morning number three ICBC calls and said I’m sorry you already had an estimate done we can’t look at your vehicle. 20 minutes later a call from number two ICBC, sorry you already had an estimate done your cost is $5000.
“No second opinion allowed”
So I tell a friend about this. He gets angry and said what a bunch of #&^(%%$@*^. He comes to look at the vehicle and laughs. This is easy to fix he said, get in the truck were going to the bone yard. $400 later the parts are paid for. My friend tells me to leave him alone working. Six hours later the vehicle is ready. “A friend did us a favour”.
If ICBC were to charge even $200 an hour labour, that would cost $1,200. For six hours work then there’s $400 on parts. That would total out to $1,600. This is almost a year and half later and the vehicle runs just fine.
Here’s my question: The body shop said it was a $5,000 repair job. Does the body shop put the extra $3,400 in pocket? Or does he take the balance and divide it with someone at ICBC? I believe people know that any country that has a dictatorship has a bunch of crooks.
Joseph Hayes, Kelowna