Hit-and-run with the W203

[EdmundIJones]

So, the wife was out driving along through a local village on Thursday in the W203 (2002 reg) doing about 20mph going in a straight line and a chap in a Silver BMW estate just drives out of a side road and hits my wife on the back wheel arch. Rather than stopping he just keeps his foot down, shunts the back end across the road a bit and drives off, doesn’t stop or anything. My wife in a fit of rage stops but he is long gone – luckily my 2 year old daughter is unhurt in the back and my wife.

She calls me a while after about what to-do, she explained it all to me and I phoned the police as in my book this is a hit-and-run, dangerous driving and a few other things. The police weren’t interested in the least, just said to go into a station and fill in a form. We only had part of the licence plate LP58 … and it was a Silver BMW estate. That’s a good start for me as in CSI they track people down with just 1 letter or less. The police didn’t care!

So, I got home had a look, pictures below, it doesn’t look so bad but it’s an insurance job, which I have to pay for as there is nobody else to claim off as they didn’t stop or have a full registration number. The door is buckled, the back panel around the wheel arch is badly damaged, the bumper is scratched and the alloy has scuffs and a small dent, oh and the back suspension is now making an odd squeaking/scraping sound (like a rusty shop sign). I don’t know much about these things but I reckon that it’s about 1-1.5K of damage at the insurance approved repair shop. Glasses guide quotes the car being worth £1575 trade in value but on auto trader they are listed on average at £4000-4990 Used MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS Estate 2.7L Car for Sale - Auto Trader UK (175,000 miles, diesel, estate, auto, leather, good nick for it’s age). I reckon the insurance company will try to say it’s a right off but I’d be interested in your opinions and if they do, how do I tackle them about getting a reasonable price for it?

I know a lot of people have been though this so maybe one of you could offer some advice – maybe it won’t be a right off, I really don’t know.

Ed

 

[DSM10000]

Go back to the station, ask to speak to a senior officer and ask them to check it out further. An offence has clearly been commited in failing to stop after an accident and exchange details.

The other car will have accident damage with the paint from your car on it unless hastily repaired so with the part registration number and the car make, model and colour it should narrow down the possible vehicles although it could of course be based anywhere.

I assume you have passed this information on to your insurance company? I doubt you will get much help but it is worth another try.

 

[EdmundIJones]

I phoned up the station in Devizes (wiltshire), they were the ones who fobbed me off, they said go and fill in the form, oh and by the way you can only do that at a Walk in station which is Salisbury or Melksham.... That's 40 minutes away and I don't have a car...


I've now added the pictures.

 

[EdmundIJones]

Yes I've told the insurance company, they said that without a full registration plate they were unable to do anything more than process my claim against my insurance policy.

 

[219]

Sorry to hear this , and glad your family are OK .

Nowhere nearby with CCTV that might have picked the culprit up ?

Sorry to say this , but damage to rear door , rear panel , bumper , possible suspension damage sounds well into write off territory to me - on a sub £2K car at any rate .

A good bodyshop might offer a contract repair at a worthwhile price , but your insurer will price everything up at full retail , also factoring in loan car charges etc . Check that doors open and shut properly , shut lines on tailgate - you might be looking at shell distorted - in which case - do you really want it back ?

 

[EdmundIJones]

In all honesty I don't really want it back but I do want a fair market value price i.e. what it would cost to buy a replacement of similar spec... so according to autotrader £4,000-£4900 but that's what people are asking not what it officially would cost.

I don;t think the damage is all that bad really, it's the wheel arch which is worst and the odd noise from the suspension could be just the shocks being blown when shunted excessively.

 

[jonnyboy]

It's a hit and run, you need to make a stink about it. There can't be that many silver bm estates with that start of registration can there?
Have you had a looksie about local to the incident in case he lives nearby? Spoken to neighbours etc? People like that need to be dealt with. What about if they'd been hurt? or were pedestrians?

 

[EdmundIJones]

I'm aiming to go for a drive about later to see who lives where, as you say there can't be that many silver BMWs estates with that reg prefix.

My guess is that it's a traveller or some such demographic... being PC.

 

[clk208]

It is not just a hit and run, it is a "hit, deliberately ram car with woman and child onboard out of the way and then run".

Worth kicking up a fuss about, it needs to be investigated properly.

 

[EdmundIJones]

But how, i phoned the police and got fobbed off, my wife went to the police station and filled in the paper work. What else can we do?

 

[nick mercedes]

I don;t think the damage is all that bad really, it's the wheel arch which is worst and the odd noise from the suspension could be just the shocks being blown when shunted excessively.

A sensible contract repair will get that back on the road for around £1500, there's quite a lot of damage, and it's definatly a write off if repaired in the normal manner.

And given the milage and the rust you really don't want it getting written off.

If you struggle, I've got a man who can - drop me a PM.

 

[EdmundIJones]

Thanks, will do if I have too. It doesn't have much rust to be honest, no more than any other 9 year old W203. Mileage is high indeed. I'd take a sensible write off figure but will need to fight my corner I think with real world average prices from Auto trader not what glasses guide says.

 

[nick mercedes]

Thanks, will do if I have too. It doesn't have much rust to be honest, no more than any other 9 year old W203. Mileage is high indeed. I'd take a sensible write off figure but will need to fight my corner I think with real world average prices from Auto trader not what glasses guide says.

We managed to get a contract repair on this one (which was older and pretty scabby):

gabes dented c | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

DSCF2218 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

So insurance compaines will play ball, but you need a body shop on side, it's no good using the approved repairers, you need to find a small but good indi.

 

[EdmundIJones]

Good work on that one, looks great when finished. If I was able to get a decent write off price I'd be quite happy as the wife was starting to talk about changing cars...

 

[bpsorrel]

If it helps, the "LP" prefix would have been issued from Stanmore, London. Of course, the owner could be the second owner and live locally to you... but that style of driving does fit London..

 

[nick mercedes]

Good work on that one, looks great when finished. If I was able to get a decent write off price I'd be quite happy as the wife was starting to talk about changing cars...

If you want it written off you'll need to get busy and collect as much as you can to prove that it's worth more than the book value.

 

[EdmundIJones]

I've been doing my homework both with the Financial Services Ombusman, auto trader ads and parkers. I'm going to reject any glasses guide figures as they are for trade in not representative of the going retail price.... which seems to be between £3990 and £4990 in our local area (note that this is important as insurance companies have to offer local amounts)

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Hi, People like this need to be brought to book, see if there is a local newspaper, if so, play the story up,wife and small child in hit and run,... the car involved is a ...........most people are honest and will be only to pleased to help, I would also place cards in local shops etc.
I am glad everyone is OK,the <>/' who hit you did not know or care if this was the case.

 

[dulayj]

Goddam WTF,WTF-this is so annoying-yes would agree get the media involved.Badger the police.Write to your local MP-just dont be passive about this

 

[artyman]

I would certainly be making a stink at the police, if it was a terrorist issue they would have the car details in pretty short order. I would approach them again and say you are taking this further, then get the media involved. It is also possible that it frequents the same area if a local car, might be worth a stakeout to see if it re-appears. Check with local body shops?