Audi A5 - Worth Repairing?

[E55BOF]

I would be very grateful for people's views on the following ( a friend has sought advice).

The car is a 2012 AUDI (yes, I know, but he's a decent chap, really he is, apart from that...) A5 SE Tdi CVT, with 55719 miles on the speedo. Another car drove into the back of the car at traffic lights, in front of witnesses, so liability is not being disputed.

This is the relevant text of the engineers' report:

"Vehicle Value: £12,100.00 Repair Cost: £13,171.19 inc VAT (108.85% of PAV)

The vehicle has suffered heavy accidental damage to the rear, moderate accidental damage to the left hand side, and to the right hand side

ENGINEER'S COMMENTS

Salvage CAT N

Salvage value £3388.00

REPAIR SCHEDULE
New parts required:-Front Bumper, Rear Bumper, Rear Bumper Armature, Rear Brackets, Rear Pads, Rear Mouldings, Os Rear Lamp, Ns Rear Lamp, Rear Number Plate, Tailgate, Lock, Hinges, Mouldings, Motifs, Spoiler, Rear Panel Assembly, Front Seat Belts X2, Glass Bond Kit Repairable parts:-Os Front Wing, Boot Floor, Ns Rear Wheel Arch, Os Quarter Panel
Specialist/Sundry charges:-E P A, Car Care Kit, Wax, Pre/Post Checks

Blend only parts:-Ns Rear Door
Remove and Refit parts:-Set Vehicle On Body Jig, Rear Screen, Check And Report, Check And Clean

COST OF REPAIRS

No estimate has been obtained for repairing the vehicle but, subject to further damage found during dismantling, we have calculated the time involved in such a repair and we consider that a reasonable labour charge would be £3,431.49.
The cost of the paint and materials would be £1,484.00,
The cost of the replacement new parts would be approximately £5,955.00,
The specialist/sundry charges would be £105.50, and the VAT liability on the total would amount to some £2,195.20 giving a total repair cost of £13,171.19 including VAT.

The labour charge is based on 56.3 hours at a rate of £60.95 per hour."

My friend likes the car, and would prefer to keep it, buy it as salvage and get it repaired himself, not at 'insurance job' rates. Does this sound like a viable and cost-effective option?

Secondly, I've seen considerable discussion on this forum of the aggrieved party's right, where liability is clearly not in dispute, to insist on the other side's insurers either returning the car to pre-accident condition, or finding him another identical car. Is this also a viable option, and if he takes this route, how likely is it in practice that the other side will not try to drag the matter out for as long as possible?

Gentlemen, the floor is yours...

 

[bob6600]

Possibly save on replacement parts as you could use second hand parts. Paint and materials would be roughly the same and if he knows a reputable garage that can do the repair properly, they may give a discount labour rate.

 

[Nat]

I'd let the insurance company take it away seen as it needs jigging. If it was just panel/bumper replacing plus paint, then that should be easy enough'ish. The problem with keeping it is you need to get it repaired within a sensible time frame and cost and if another added cost comes in say for suspension, rear beam or whatever which isn't budgeted for, that's going to be a headache. Then when you go to sell it you take a hit on it been a Cat N.

I was in a similar position earlier in the year, although at a lower value. They offered one price, then another, then another. I told them where I needed to be and they refused so I said give me a shout later on in the week, month or a couple of months when you can get to that figure. Two weeks later they offered what I wanted.

Maybe ebay as is, it at an increased price so he can get some money on top of the "salvage" price to make some more money for the package.

It might have driven nice before, but it might never ever drive nice again.

 

[markjay]

I think you should ask yourself if you would want to keep a car that underwent such extensive repair....?

I am talking about (potentially) crabbing, uneven tyre wear, shut lines, suspension creaking, rust, etc, which may require several repeat visits to the garage to rectify.

The whole affair sounds to me like an unnecessary headache.

It's one thing buying a repaired car for substantially less than market value, but simply replacing a good car with a repaired one with no financial benefit is a different matter altogether.

 

[GeeJayW]

Personally, wouldn't touch it with barge pole especially as its diesel, not EU6 and soon to be about as welcome in the city as a fart in a spacesuit. But each to their own I guess.

 

[Eddy77]

I can’t see it’s worth it. Resale value will be next to nothing in a few more years. Just scrap it and move on!

 

[E55BOF]

Good point about the diesel/Euro 5.

I once bought a Cat C Saab 9-5 estate - front end smash. The repair had saved costs by bodging one headlamp, which I had to replace, but apart from that it was an excellent car; no problems at all. I had it for three years, and sold it for what I had paid for it. I'd not worry about a repaired Cat N.

The shut lines are fine, apart from the tailgate, and all the doors open and close perfectly.

My friend is not at all a petrolhead, but the car had no problems pre-accident, and 'better the devil you know' is his thinking. Used parts ought not to be too much of a problem; most write-offs will have had front end damage, not rear.

 

[AMGeed]

In his position, I'd get the highest insurance payout possible and buy another one.
I wouldn't feel comfortable taking back such an extensively repaired car.

 

[grober]

CVT box would also be a warning flag!

 

[Deleted member 6183]

CVT box would also be a warning flag!

True.

The Audi CVT box is a miserable thing.

 

[markjay]

In his position, I'd get the highest insurance payout possible and buy another one.
I wouldn't feel comfortable taking back such an extensively repaired car.

Same here.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

It’s not always easy to give advice without seeing photos of damage, but I’d buy it back and stick it on eBay, probably make a couple of grand if he can be bothered to do that.

 

[E55BOF]

If it was mine I'd probably give it a go, but he knows very little about cars. The insurance valuation is fair, and he doesn't want the hassle of disposing of it himself, so he's decided to take the money. Thank you all for your advice; it was very helpful.

 

[Nat]

Fair do's. He's not accepting the first offer is he?

 

[CJD]

Get rid, and take the highest insurance offer.
Plenty of good cars out there, at very good prices.

 

[219]

I'd let the insurance company take it away seen as it needs jigging. If it was just panel/bumper replacing plus paint, then that should be easy enough'ish. The problem with keeping it is you need to get it repaired within a sensible time frame and cost and if another added cost comes in say for suspension, rear beam or whatever which isn't budgeted for, that's going to be a headache. Then when you go to sell it you take a hit on it been a Cat N.

I was in a similar position earlier in the year, although at a lower value. They offered one price, then another, then another. I told them where I needed to be and they refused so I said give me a shout later on in the week, month or a couple of months when you can get to that figure. Two weeks later they offered what I wanted.

Maybe ebay as is, it at an increased price so he can get some money on top of the "salvage" price to make some more money for the package.

It might have driven nice before, but it might never ever drive nice again.

I would be inclined to agree : a friend had a very similar experience a number of tears ago with a very high spec S210 E320CDI which was only about a year old at the time and on something like 20,000 miles ; the car was parked in his works car park and this Artic came in , which wasn't even anything to do with his place of work - the driver turned into the wrong entrance then , realising his mistake , tried to turn around , taking his trailer all along the offside of james's car . Both doors , the rear panel and the roof got it and the car was very close to being written off , but for its value still being quite high .

The car went away for repairs and came back , but the osr door just wouldn't seal right and there was always wind noise , despite a couple of attempts to rectify - in the end james told his insurers that the repairs were not satisfactory , an independent engineer agreed , and they eventually agreed on a settlement . Basically the body shell had been twisted , and despite supposedly being jigged , it was actually jiggered well and truly .