Minor Accident

[Costa Fortuna]

Good afternoon to all, yesterday a neighbour carelessly backed his Transit into the side of my V6 as I was passing. He's accepted full liability for the shunt.

However I am concerned that his insurance company will write my car off.

It's a 2000 Cowley 2.0 litre, manual, cloth interior sound throughout with just under 90k on the clock. A few very minor scrapes here and there but the car scrubs up well and it is a superb drive.

The damage - offside front wing, chrome moulding and repeater lamp. The impact was exactly mid way between the wheel arch and the A post, a nice V shape from the back corner of his van.

Including a set of clips for the moulding it's £270 inc vat from Rimmers for all the bits.

All available apparently, so far so good.

Then there's putting the wing to colour and fitting it - who knows - another £250-£300?

I don't really know how to value the car (I have the same problem with my 1.8t) and I would presume the assessor wouldn't really know either - I just don't want the "well, it's an old car, innit" being mentioned before being appraised as a total loss and then me having to make an offer for the wreckage in order for me to be able to carry on driving as before.

So, has any of you fine members had this happen to you - please let me know of your experience, I am going to a very reputable bodyshop on Monday to let him look at the car and see what he has got to say.

Thanks in advance.

[planenut]

Sad news indeed, but luckily, by the sounds of it, no personal injury. Whatever any insurance company offers, dispute it and push up their offer, good luck.

[bl52krz]

Main thing is do NOT allow the insurance company take your car away under any circumstances. Full stop.

[AndyN01]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

Main thing is do NOT allow the insurance company take your car away under any circumstances. Full stop.

This .

There's many posts on here and other forums about cars that have been collected and their owner never sees them again having been "written off" and disposed of.

If I understand it correctly the other party's insurance are obliged to do whatever is necessary to put you back in the position you were in before the collision - but not "better" i.e. more valuable, than the car was.

Hang on to your car and be prepared with lots of facts and figures about the availability and price of a "similar" replacement car if they start on the "it's a right off" it's worth £500.

If you've a few hours to spare and want to follow the legal legal argument(s) this makes interesting reading:

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/1704.html

And, after all that, pleased that there's no one injured and it sounds like your neighbour is a decent bloke.

Good luck.

[macafee2]

Sad news, always is when the car is not easy to replace. What colour wing do you need?

macafee2

[billh]

Originally Posted by Costa Fortuna

Good afternoon to all, yesterday a neighbour carelessly backed his Transit into the side of my V6 as I was passing. He's accepted full liability for the shunt.

However I am concerned that his insurance company will write my car off.

It's a 2000 Cowley 2.0 litre, manual, cloth interior sound throughout with just under 90k on the clock. A few very minor scrapes here and there but the car scrubs up well and it is a superb drive.

The damage - offside front wing, chrome moulding and repeater lamp. The impact was exactly mid way between the wheel arch and the A post, a nice V shape from the back corner of his van.

Including a set of clips for the moulding it's £270 inc vat from Rimmers for all the bits.

All available apparently, so far so good.

Then there's putting the wing to colour and fitting it - who knows - another £250-£300?

I don't really know how to value the car (I have the same problem with my 1.8t) and I would presume the assessor wouldn't really know either - I just don't want the "well, it's an old car, innit" being mentioned before being appraised as a total loss and then me having to make an offer for the wreckage in order for me to be able to carry on driving as before.

So, has any of you fine members had this happen to you - please let me know of your experience, I am going to a very reputable bodyshop on Monday to let him look at the car and see what he has got to say.

Thanks in advance.

A drunk driver drove into the nearside rear of the tourer while i was stopped at lights, smashed the rear light, split the bumper on the corner and broke the chrome trim. Insurance company ( same as the d, driver !) asked me to take the car to their authorised repairer, which I did but I insisted that the car should not be written off. The repairers claimed it was a write off- about £1300 value. However, the insurance offered a cash settlement of £900 for me to get it repaired myself, which I accepted. i got the bumper repaired locally, who did a brilliant job and got the new parts from Rimmers fitted myself. Finished up quids in! Remains to be seen what the insurance premium is this year. I am well pleased with the insurance company(so far).

[trikey]

I would look for a good used wing in your colour to save the cost of spraying.

[dave lincs]

I'm sure someone on here will have a wing in the correct colour and might even fit it for you, would help if let us know the colour or paint code

[Costa Fortuna]

Atlantic Blue - I am more than capable of fitting a wing - I have considered this approach but didn't think anybody would have a wing secondhand in good condition in that specific colour.

If anybody reading this thread has one or knows of one please get in touch via message - it's offside front.

Many thanks.

[dave lincs]

Might be worth putting a post up saying wing required?