The main issue is not the fact that your car is fixed with pirate part. The repairers quote on the price of brand new original parts. I had a panel beater strip my car after repair and fix it with the parts he quoted the insurance. It started like this: I see that the headlight is a no-name Japanese brand? Him: Yes, but it is just as good. Me: Your quote specifies a Hella? Him: I know, but this is just as good. Me: Where is the invoice for the Japanese no-name? He produces the invoice, showing the jap to be R280, where the Hella he quoted on was R1380 including his mark-up (yes, they put a mark-up on top of the parts they are not going to supply). No wonder insurance companies are being bled dry....and why they will only use certain repair shops. I then demanded he replace all the parts, and show me the invoices. He bitched and threatened until the insurer phoned him with the same demand. His response to me a while later was that I robbed him of making money. My question is this... He is charging labor for everything including fitting and stripping parts, and he is putting a mark-up on the parts, so he is making money.
