Would my CLS be a write off?

[Silver CL55]

I got rear ended yesterday at a roundabout, no-one hurt.

I'm wondering if it will be written off or repaired, no scans just descriptions;
Repairs will be a main dealer bodyshop

2005 CLS 500 bought from mercedes main dealer. Silver, black leather, air suspension.

rear bumper smashed in
boot floor pushed in
boot lid wrecked
left tail light broken
both rear wings have a slight crumple
I think the door shut lines look uneven (might be just me)

Thanks, Colin.

 

[st4]

Boot floor pushed in?

I personally wouldn't want it back. Sounds structural damage to me

 

[Peter DLM]

That's a write off

 

[Howard]

If the rear wings are bent , that's needing a new shell.

Coupled with the bent floor , it's goodnight Irene.

Clear your stuff out of it , and expect to see it on Ebay soon.

Sorry.

 

[nick mercedes]

rear bumper smashed in
boot floor pushed in
boot lid wrecked
left tail light broken
both rear wings have a slight crumple
I think the door shut lines look uneven (might be just me)

Thanks, Colin.

Depends on the value of the car.

I don't see why they'd not repair it, a jig woluld solve any issues with the shut lines and the alignment.

Got any photos?

 

[st4]

A 2005 CLS500 is maybe worth £15k tops. They could put it on a jig but as the owner is not at fault, IIRC they can have the input to wanted it written off. I personally would want it written off and a like for like car to be found

 

[nick mercedes]

A 2005 CLS500 is maybe worth £15k tops. They could put it on a jig but as the owner is not at fault, IIRC they can have the input to wanted it written off. I personally would want it written off and a like for like car to be found

They're repairing a lot more cars now than the did, if it's just had one up the botty it won't affect the way it drives of the structure of the car.

 

[Howard]

A hard one up the botty can do a lot of damage.

Some that can't always be seen on first inspection.

 

[st4]

Bet you it won't be the same after a prang, the never are.

Even my minor altercation (thats been resolved in my favour after taking the 3rd party through a legal process which resulted in court officers collecting the money from their insurance co) its not the same, the panel gap is not the same, the paint is ever so slightly off.

Its not enough to lose sleep over, but the car isn't the same and never will be. A knock like that, and I would want out the car into something that's had a less chequered past

 

[JohnDeere8530]

depeding on value of your car (ie mileage)..... Boot floor is easy to repair, it is a very commnon occurance. Boot & lights easy, rear wings can be done without too much bother

Only thing is if the door lines are out, this is far more difficult and coupled with the above would be uneconomic to repair ie a write off. So it all hinges on the door lines really

 

[Will]

Sounds fairly heavy if both rear 1/4s and the boot floor have gone - plus new boot, bumper, lights etc.

Repairable, yep - anything is. I'm guessing it'd be easier for them to write it off quickly, settle the claim and then flog the salvage. It's a 7 year old car after all.

If it was a rare car with sentimental value then I'd push for a repair, otherwise CLSs are hardly rare so I'd probably look out for another one

IMHO of course.

Will

 

[Flash]

I personally would walk away from the car - even if they did repair the damage then unless the body shop is damn good your next task will be getting the sides of the car to match and blend with the new paint job - insuranace company wll not pay out for the whole sides of your car to be painted and would not be bothered if their was any paint mis-match.

I had same frontal damage on one of my cars and off side front wing and front foor -I ended up having to get the entire off side re-sprayed at another body shop as first body shop were uselss and had 4 attempts at the paint job and failed to 100 per cent match it - luckily though I did not have to pay a single penny and I started to enter in to litigation with the first body shop who then paid out for teh entire paint job.

Note: Both body shops were offical main delaer body shops too.

 

[Will]

Have to agree - silver is very, very hard to match properly.

Even the best bodyshops struggle to get a 100% match. There's several shades of 744, and so many variables that will lead to colour mismatch. Different primer, existing paint, depth of paint, clearcoat finish, even the way the paint is sprayed and how it settles. You see so many 210s etc in silver with poor matching paint.

I've seen people have whole cars repainted with new panels - same paint all over, and even then they end up with slightly different finishes between the old and new panels

Bugs me but not everyone I guess

 

[nick mercedes]

I personally would walk away from the car

But is that an option if the insurance company decide that it's an economic repair?

 

[Will]

^ Fair point

 

[timskemp]

It's up to you. My 211 E class got hit from the rear very hard, the rear crash structure is replaceable and I guess the CLS is similarly constructed.

Not a cheap or quick repair, but I had no problems with alignment, panel fit or drive with my W211. And if it's not your fault and the car is safely repairable then it's entirely your choice to repair or not - your insurance need not be involved.

 

[st4]

Has the 3rd party admitted liability yet?

If not, prepare to do battle and get your insurance co to force them to admit it.

 

[nick mercedes]

Has the 3rd party admitted liability yet?

If not, prepare to do battle and get your insurance co to force them to admit it.

Luckily OP can refer to this thread for help:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/104849-my-worst-week-end-ever.html

 

[st4]

Oh christ.....(least the tags are funny)

 

[davidjpowell]

Luckily OP can refer to this thread for help:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/104849-my-worst-week-end-ever.html

That thread will help him lots.....














Providing that he has not already lost the will to live.