Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Basically in the right-hand lane of a dual carriageway, which was the straight ahead and right lane. An Insignia to the left of me (and slightly behind) in the ahead and left hand lane decided that he wanted to be right, and so drove into me, my girlfriend, my mate who was up for the weekend I hadn't seen in over a year, and my beloved V6 'Pissy Ho' (P151 HOH)


The results below.... 


A crunched wing, door, and a scrape running the entire length of her - wing, both doors and rear wing. Took the indicator lens, the rubbing strip, passenger door rubbing strip.





Basically the crucial damage is the wing and door. The rear door and rear wing are paint-only damage. After an exchange of words at the roadside, where the guy was patiently explaining I was in the wrong, and suggesting things like why did I undertake him on the outside  after a call to the insurers all is sorted. Well, sorted int he sense that it was his fault, and I can claim. However, I have yet to find out exactly how much I'm going to have to play with to repair her. Assuming all replacement parts are free he paint and labour comes to just under £900, using new parts of course takes that bill to £1900-2000.

Aside from actually removing the bloke's testes with a chainsaw, anyone got any advice when (I assume it's a case of when, not if) the insurers tell me they're not willing to pay out the £1900 repair bill. In theory we will get the repair bill down to a level which they are willing to pay. But at this point I'm just waiting for them to get back to me, re: 'authorisation' by the engineers for the work.

Having never been in an accident, I don't want to get sold guff by insurers and lose out, or miss out on anything I'm entitled. I'm just looking for a way I can get my beautiful girl back to how she should look. Not after retribution, revenge, just a shiny Omega again. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Meh! 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I admit I had a little more than that to say when it happened 

[05omegav6]

To the point Sir Tig...

When I get home I can give you the official times for that repair... Parts costs you can work out, and you can presume an insurance rate of around £25 per hour... This will then give you an idea of the repair costs vs value... And thereby what the likely outcome will be

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Been to the Insurers super specialist repair peoples 'Just Car Clinic' ('the Autoglass of the car bodywork work', I think Taxi Al knows what I mean by this  ) and then to my local bodyshop place who did the roof respray (as good as the factory, really brilliant job) who have given me their opinion and costs.

But yes, Al, any further info would be gratefully received. After all, I'm sure my bodyshop guy is straight, and decent, however, as I've said before everybody has that mechanic who they'd recommend, some are good, some are bad. For all I know he's charging way too much, very good job though it is.

Our Plan A is - to get a vast bag of gold brought to me by a leprechaun (yeah right ) through, of course, then use as many second hand parts as poss, to help bring the expenditure down. Hence my recent requests for PFL doors, trims etc. I'm aiming to use this as an opportunity to get my back arches (or at least 1 side) done, plus the odd other bits of bodywork.

Plan B is - when I get told they'll give me £1.97 for my car, I do something else. Not sure what that something is yet...

[Andy B]

Remember that until an insurer pays out it's YOUR car .... not theirs, so when they want to take it to their compound for assessment, you can tell them they can assess it on your drive/outside your house.

[05omegav6]

Remember that until an insurer pays out it's YOUR car .... not theirs, so when they want to take it to their compound for assessment, you can tell them they can assess it on your drive/outside your house.

Dealing with insurers 101...

Even if it costs £750 to get your car towed home from Preston services

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Yes. That I have been told by several people, but thank you nevertheless. There's been no mention of an assessor, but that may come. 

[Nick W]

It's a simple insurance write-off. Just painting the side, let alone buying the parts and making the repairs to fit them, will exceed the value of the car.


So, argue like hell over what they offer you, and 'buy' the car back. They probably won't want much as it isn't worth anything.


Then, get a second hand wing and door, in the correct colour if possible(or as close to it as you can find). Fit everything yourself, and use the insurance money to have the side of the car painted. Use a small, backstreet firm to do this, as they will be much cheaper. If you strip and refit it yourself it ought to be cheaper still.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Remember that until an insurer pays out it's YOUR car .... not theirs, so when they want to take it to their compound for assessment, you can tell them they can assess it on your drive/outside your house.

Dealing with insurers 101...

Even if it costs £750 to get your car towed home from Preston services

Ouch 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

It's a simple insurance write-off. Just painting the side, let alone buying the parts and making the repairs to fit them, will exceed the value of the car.


So, argue like hell over what they offer you, and 'buy' the car back. They probably won't want much as it isn't worth anything.


Then, get a second hand wing and door, in the correct colour if possible(or as close to it as you can find). Fit everything yourself, and use the insurance money to have the side of the car painted. Use a small, backstreet firm to do this, as they will be much cheaper. If you strip and refit it yourself it ought to be cheaper still.

Suspecting this will be Plan B, thanks again Nick 

[05omegav6]

If you're lucky, they might agree to a percentage of the bill rather than the whole write off/ buy back thing

[Diamond Black Geezer]

That's interesting... Thanks.  Will put that to them

[tigers_gonads]

Mr Geezer
I've still got my pfl sat on the side of the house 

Shame I didn't know about this yesterday because I was sat in The Smugglers Arms having a beer / watching footy 
Could have popped round 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Ahh, thanks!

Not a worry, to be honest today is the first day I've managed to get my head straight with everything, and see things a bit clearer, less fuzzed my emotion etc.

PM incoming