Collision with a Megan

[230K]

Hi

After ~20 years of zero accidents my luck ran out this evening. Guy in a black Megan pulled out in front of me and i hit him. All happened in slow motion i very very nearly got stopped in time. Police came on scene breath tested both of us etc and asked did i want to press charges against the other guy for careless driving, i declined at this stage.

Exchanged details and now i am home and starting to wonder what will happen next. What is they right my car off??? At the end of the day it is a 10 year old car with 291K miles on it.

Here are a couple of snaps. What will it cost to fix??????

At least nobody was hurt

230K

 

[A210AMG]

Thats a real shame,

As you say everyone ok except your pride.


It looks easily fixable (cheaply) buy a specialist (ie not Merc) but if the parts and fitting / spraying are quoted from Merc then I would think its a right off.

Looks like bottom of bonnet
lens
wash wipe cover
lower cover

Is the wing ok?

 

[Dieselman]

Oops, bad luck.

There's not too much damage there but it will cost a bit as a new bonnet may well be required.
If you are genuinely happy with the car and it's a good one then if you can't find another in such good condition force the other parties insurer to fix yours whatever the cost.
A good 300TD is worth keeping.

 

[A210AMG]

I had a very similar looking dint in a Z3 I had back in 2000

Back street garage could fix the bonnet, new grille etc paint £300 at the time.

Ended up going through insurance and BMW. I have a 4 page A4 print out of the parts they changed, including a complete bonnet (which on a z3 is half the car) bill came to over £3000.


Good thing was I got a new bumper also so car looked new.


At 290K miles you must have some stone chips....


Every cloud..

 

[230K]

Hi

Wing seems ok, 2 dents on the bonnet, not sure about under the bumper though.
Surely if he hits my car i can ask to get it put back the way it was or can an insurance company just decide my car isnt worth fixing and give me book value or whatever????

Do i tell my insurance or what is the next step. Guy that hit me was in a company car.

Sorry if some of these questions seems silly but i just dont have the experience of dealing with insurance companies.

230K

 

[230K]

Oops, bad luck.

There's not too much damage there but it will cost a bit as a new bonnet may well be required.
If you are genuinely happy with the car and it's a good one then if you can't find another in such good condition force the other parties insurer to fix yours whatever the cost.
A good 300TD is worth keeping.

Car is/was a good one as far as i am concerned it had all the rust work done, 2 wings, 4 doors, bonnet and tailgate about 4.5 years ago and i have kept it waxoyled underneath and still drives as it should. I would be seriously ****** off if they write it off, it does everything it should for a family of seven.

230K

 

[Dieselman]

I understand you can force them to repair it as opposed to writing it off.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Glad your all alright!

It looks possible that the light cluster has been forced back & there could be some hidden damage under the bonnet. Any pictures of the engine bay?

 

[Smiley]

get the money for the car; get a s/h headlight and a tub of isopon. You will then have a car for free.

 

[nick mercedes]

Car is/was a good one as far as i am concerned it had all the rust work done, 2 wings, 4 doors, bonnet and tailgate about 4.5 years ago and i have kept it waxoyled underneath and still drives as it should. I would be seriously ****** off if they write it off, it does everything it should for a family of seven.

230K

Get a good local bodyshop to put in for a contract repair, that way it won't get written off.

 

[230K]

Get a good local bodyshop to put in for a contract repair, that way it won't get written off.

Thanks

Do i just take it to a local body shop get an estimate and then contact my own insurance co????? Or wait till other guys insurance co. gets in contact???

230K

 

[nick mercedes]

Thanks

Do i just take it to a local body shop get an estimate and then contact my own insurance co????? Or wait till other guys insurance co. gets in contact???

230K

Go to a bodyshop, expalin that you're concerned that your car will get written off, and ask that they go for a contract repair.

That way when the assesor appears it's all ready for the nod.

Bodyshops like contract repairs as they can mend things/use used parts.

Ins co's like contract repairs as it keeps the cost to a more realistic level.

And you get a car you like repaired as good as new.

 

[oldcro]

As for getting the other parties insurance to pay for the repair, the rules of betterment say if the repairs result in adding extra value to your car then they will pay a percentage of the costs. I dont think this applies in this case, but if a cars paintwork was in poor condition for example, then a respray could increase its value. They would then pay a percentage of the costs depending on the before and after values. Replacement of say a broken bonnet is not considered betterment, although you could be asked to pay a percentage of the respray cost.

Hope this makes sense, but if the car prior to the accident was valued at say £1000 and after repairs it was worth £1200 they would pay the costs less £200. If the repairs cost more than £1000 they would write the car off and pay you £1000.

At least that is my understanding and experience of such a situation, but I stand to be corrected.

 

[Will]

Bearing in mind it had 2 wings, 4 doors, bonnet and tailgate painted 4.5 years ago, I'd say they'd need a fair cheek to ask for betterment on a claim like this.

Ask them to very lightly pebbledash the bonnet after spraying it like new if they're being really awkward...

(although I do appreciate the point you make, oldcro )

Will

 

[230K]

Go to a bodyshop, expalin that you're concerned that your car will get written off, and ask that they go for a contract repair.

That way when the assesor appears it's all ready for the nod.

Bodyshops like contract repairs as they can mend things/use used parts.

Ins co's like contract repairs as it keeps the cost to a more realistic level.

And you get a car you like repaired as good as new.

What about my own insurance co.? Do i contact them in the morning before going to bodyshop??

Again soz for what seem like silly questions i just havent a clue of the protocol.

Just checked
Bonnet £314
Headlight £187
Covering around lamp £26
Headlamp washer £87
Sundries £400?
Labour £ 600?

Could very quickly become £1500/£1600 when a body shop gets going.

Car book price would not be that.

230K

 

[nick mercedes]

What about my own insurance co.? Do i contact them in the morning before going to bodyshop??

Again soz for what seem like silly questions i just havent a clue of the protocol.

Just checked
Bonnet £314
Headlight £187
Covering around lamp £26
Headlamp washer £87
Sundries £400?
Labour £ 600?

Could very quickly become £1500/£1600 when a body shop gets going.

Car book price would not be that.

230K

£1500 contract repair would get it back on the road, ins co would be unlikely to argue.

Go to a bodyshop first and explain that you'd like your car not to get written off and that you'd like a contract repair.

 

[230K]

Any pictures of the engine bay?

Bonnet has a kink in it!!!!

Just got pics of scene of accident this one looks cool i thought with what looks like flashing lights on top of my car

And then not so cool

230K

 

[merc man]

nice pic! sorry about the accident, currently my cars in for repairs with the bill totaling over 3k it was a non fault accident and therefore it will get all new original merc parts. it only really reqired a rub down, small amount of filler work to smooth out the parking dents and new door protection pactics(were scratched badly in in accident) and a respray. but seeing as its going through the insurance i have insisted on all new original parts with my parts being available for inspection after repair.

i have repaired my own salvage cars, and to bo honest yours is an easy fix, a new headlight and a bit of smart repairs and it will look as good as before. id say no more than £300, it may be better for you to take the insurance payout and keep your car as part of the settlement. and get it fixed, that way u have a free car and a bit of spare cash for mods!

hope you get it sorted

 

[gbjeppm]

What about my own insurance co.? Do i contact them in the morning before going to bodyshop??

Again soz for what seem like silly questions i just havent a clue of the protocol.

You are supposed to contact your insurance company within 24 hours (I think) of an accident, tell them what happened and give them the other parties details.

They will then advise you on what to do next, they may have an approved repairer, although you can in theory take it wherever you like and get quotes for repair.

Even if you end up not claiming on the insurance, you have to tell them.

 

[timskemp]

Inform your insurance company that you are telling them about the accident "for information purposes and it is not currently your intention to make a claim".

Speak to your local merc approved bodyshop - they'll have a claim management system and they will deal with the third party insurer once liability is defined. And sort you out with a rental merc.