W124 crash damage - advice please.

[quenching]

So, unfortunately my wife had a bit of a mishap today, nobody hurt thankfully but our W124 estate didn't fair so well, unlikely to be fixed with a bit of T-Cut! Its off in the garage at the moment and they'll let me know on Monday what their estimate is for repair, but while waiting with bated breath can anyone offer an opinion on the cost of repair based on the following single, and poor quality, photo. I do know the radiator and fan are broken, and one of the structural beams behind the bumper is slightly deformed, but "not too badly". Mechanically the car is excellent and I'd like to have it repaired but sometimes its best to cut your loses.

Should I start looking for a new car?

 

[Howard]

That'll be written off , unless you choose to fix it yourself .

Bumper , wings , lights , indicators , bonnet , grille , rad , fan , bits under the lights + painting.

You could probably fix it yourself with ebay / scrapyard bits , but if the insurance company get to see it , it'll be gone.

 

[BTB 500]

Hate to say it .... but that's surely got to be an economic write-off.

 

[neilz]

Try to think of the cost of repair against the cost of an equally good condition W124 TE (to how yours was pre-crash). And you know yours was good mechanically - how easy will it be to find another one in as good mechanical condition knowing how these cars are getting on a bit and the mileages get higher and higher?

 

[longhoughtonlad]

Sorry, thumbs down

 

[grober]

Insurance wise using genuine new MB bits £5,000 plus Second hand bits as a DIY possibility. Front chassis legs might need to be pulled out/seam welded. Whether its worth repairing depends on - how much you like the car--- what the rest of its like.
Comfort yourself with the knowledge the car did its job and protected the wife. its probably a write off.

 

[neilz]

The way I see it is it's a good car, what you'd spend fixing it you would have spent on repairs, over the course of ownership, on a cheaper car. The rest of the car is fine, and with a new bonnet and new wings you'd have solved a rust problem (if it had one, even a minor one).

What do you think? Get a car you know has served well and will still serve well fixed (keeping a good W124 TE on the road while others are scrapped due to rust) or spend the money trying to buy another one on eBay and ending up with a 'lemon' that needs a new radiator and fan anyway and has rusty wings?

 

[SilverSaloon]

if you like the car and can fix on the cheap and be happy with the result then buy it back from the insuerers who will certainly write it off.

otherwise, let it go and get another.

 

[DITTRICH]

It is emotionallly very difficult to look at photographs like this.
It makes the crease my wife put in the driver's door of my c230k the other day look like a mere scratch. I'm so sorry for you.
The advice is good.

 

[bolide]

1 Price up secondhand bits
2 Get sensible bodyshop quote
3 Negotiate with insurers to repair as per quote and not write the car off
4 Buy a bonnet, bumper, headlights & rad from Rob Parker
5 To the paintshop...

I think you could have that done & dusted for £800

Nick Froome
the independent Mercedes Estate specialists

 

[trapperjohn]

1 Price up secondhand bits
2 Get sensible bodyshop quote
3 Negotiate with insurers to repair as per quote and not write the car off
4 Buy a bonnet, bumper, headlights & rad from Rob Parker
5 To the paintshop...

I think you could have that done & dusted for £800

Nick Froome
the independent Mercedes Estate specialists

Might have to factor in a bit more for parts courier from England to Ireland from Rob Parker But Rob is certainly wort a shot.

 

[kth286]

I see the bonnet has deformed like it shoud.

What did she hit ?

Did the airbag go off ? If so that another complication with the sensor unit for the next MOT.

 

[Will]

Sorry to hear of the accident. It's taken a fair old knock there, bonnet star still standing proud though!

Unless the car has something really special going for it (such as very low mileage, lots and lots of recent work etc), I'd be inclined to look for another one.

I'm thinking 2x rust free front wings (not easy to find for a W124..), bonnet, grille, bumper, both headlights, indicators, radiator, fan, slam panel. Plus whatever else has been damaged behind the bashed stuff...

I know cars can be more expensive over in Ireland, but I'd let the insurers pay out for this one and look around for another

 

[Dieselman]

1 Price up secondhand bits
2 Get sensible bodyshop quote
3 Negotiate with insurers to repair as per quote and not write the car off
4 Buy a bonnet, bumper, headlights & rad from Rob Parker
5 To the paintshop...

I think you could have that done & dusted for £800

Nick Froome
the independent Mercedes Estate specialists

I would be seriously surprised if this car could be fully repaired and painted for that figure, even with no labour cost.
It wouldn't surprise me if the parts were close to that figure and painting close again.

 

[nick mercedes]

I would be seriously surprised if this car could be fully repaired and painted for that figure, even with no labour cost.
It wouldn't surprise me if the parts were close to that figure and painting close again.

Bonnet - £75?

Grille £35?

Wings £100 the pair?

Bumper £75?

Headlights £100 the pair?

Indis £30?

Headlight panels £50?

Slam panel £30?

So £500 or so for the parts, and maybe £400 to paint and repair - so around £900?

 

[Dieselman]

I'd be interested to see where will paint the whole front end for £400.

 

[nick mercedes]

I'd be interested to see where will paint the whole front end for £400.

I know a man who can, not in Ireland though.

124s are pretty easy to repair bolt on wings and plenty of adjustment to keep the gaps nice.

 

[jaymanek]

I wouldnt bother... You could pick up a good replacement for 2K on this side of the water.

 

[scillyisles]

Bonnet - £75?

Grille £35?

Wings £100 the pair?

Bumper £75?

Headlights £100 the pair?

Indis £30?

Headlight panels £50?

Slam panel £30?

So £500 or so for the parts, and maybe £400 to paint and repair - so around £900?

Radiator is kaput, fan is broken and the car needs putting on a jig as the front crash member has been bent.
There is no way this car is being fixed for £800 or £900.

 

[nick mercedes]

Radiator is kaput, fan is broken and the car needs putting on a jig as the front crash member has been bent.
There is no way this car is being fixed for £800 or £900.

It won't need to go on a jig, it's not that bad.

Radiator and fan £65?