I think that the consensus here is that you should start with the full story rather than drip feeding. Not just you.
I'm probably guilty of that when dealing with the garage as well. With hindsight I should have pressed for third party details right from the start, rather than letting them get on with it. And should have pressed harder for timescales and details.
Sequence was ..
25 Sep in for mechanical work
07 Oct called for update, told about damage, awaiting bodyshop quote, girl said the manager had third party details in case I needed them.
08 Oct no update, still waiting bodyshop
10 Oct told repair organised, parts expected shortly
18 Oct update, bodyshop can't book car in until 18th Nov, garage wants me to return loan car, collect our car and bring it back on the 18th (garage had fitted mirror to make it driveable)
It was only after that call, when I started looking at whether I could get it done quicker, that I was made aware that "the lady" had already paid.
The outcome of the last call was that I hang onto the loan car and they keep ours until it can be fixed. It seems to me that accepting the car back would guarantee the repair wouldn't start until 18th Nov, and once it was off the garage's hands the date might continue to slip further.
I should mention that this is an old Ford Focus that we don't specially care about, although I wouldn't want to be driving it around with a dented door even if road legal. If it had been my other half's Landrover we'd have both been all over it from the start, inspecting the damage, demanding it be done by approved repairer etc.