Wrote off C43/55

[omegav6i]

The other week someone, somehow managed to drive right into me at a roundabout before i had even moved off the spot and apparently wrote my car off. Its been given a value of £1619.80 which i have obviously declined and sent off adverts and receipts as advised. They told me the engineers are all skilled and qualified and prices they offer are very fair etc etc. My questions are though:

How much should i expect to get for my car?

Is it worth repairing then selling or taking a better offer then selling as is?

 

[E55BOF]

Doesn't look too serious. Have you had estimates from decent local bodyshops for the cost of a repair using used parts rather than brand new if you pay for it yourself? Why would you not want to keep the car if it were repaired?

 

[omegav6i]

I was in the process of selling it when it happened, already had a couple of people interested so it couldn't of happened at a worse time

 

[E55BOF]

Fair enough. Bummer; I'm sorry for you. If people were interested it's reasonable to assume that the price you would have got for it would have been a bit less than your advertised price, so: add up the eventual insurance settlement offer, with you keeping the car, and a guesstimate of what you could now sell it for (previous asking price minus, say, 10-15%; how much you would actually have taken as your base price), less perhaps 20-25% to reflect the fact that it would now be a Cat C write-off, then take away the cost of repairs.

Is the difference in your favour?

If you do take the repairs route, take photos of the damage, including the replacement parts and the damaged area when it's stripped off ready for repair, then you will have an answer for the inevitable chancer who will say "No, it's not worth that as a Cat C; how do I know it hasn't just been bodged up to get rid if it?"

 

[After Shock]

That's a nightmare!!!

Keep pushing the insurance company for a fair price.

Adverts, etc hopefully will help.

Cost of repair? Plus them selling it? Difficult one to balance!!!!!

Will they sell it to you for £1600?

 

[E55BOF]

Will they sell it to you for £1600?

I presume what you mean is: will they let you keep it and give you £1600? Probably not. They may not be willing to let you keep it at all, and if they are, they're likely to want to deduct (their estimate of) the scrap value at the very least.

 

[omegav6i]

Yeh they said the car would be 'destroyed'. I can't remember the price if I wanted to buy it back, was so angered. They guy on the phone even said it seems very low.

 

[Will]

How much were you selling it for before the accident?

I guess the damage is minimal but repairs costly. The cost of a new AMG bumper is probably what has made it uneconomical to repair.

£1619 is too low though. I take it they know about the '55 engine conversion?

 

[Dieselman]

I suspect it is your insurance company that intend to offer a write off value.

As you are the 3rd party, are you aware you can force the other insurers/party to repair your car irrespective of cost, within reason.
They are legally obliged to reinstate you to the position you were in before the damage occurred.

 

[jaymanek]

Were they aware of the increase in capacity?

 

[omegav6i]

The thing is I hadn't ever advertised it, one guy was a postman who flagged me down and offered me £5500 and the other was a delivery driver who knocked on the door inquiring by chance. The insurance is all done proper, is this why it's deemed low? As it's not original. Also it's the other persons insurance writing it off.

 

[Dieselman]

Also it's the other persons insurance writing it off.

I don't think they can do that without you agreeing to it.

 

[omegav6i]

They never even rung me, I just got the cheque in the post so I got on the phone to my insurance who put me through to the others

 

[jamesfuller]

What a shame. Seems like insurance companies in general need a kick in the nuts!

 

[Dieselman]

They never even rung me, I just got the cheque in the post so I got on the phone to my insurance who put me through to the others

Interesting method of operation.

A Solicitors letter should sort them out as they have admitted liability by sending you a cheque, so getting it to the correct value shouldn't be difficult.

They have obviously sent you a cheque meant for someone else.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Whatever you do, DO NOT cash that cheque because that will be taken as though you've accepted their offer.

 

[abecketts]

if you are the third party you can insist on having the vehicle repaired, assuming of course it is not beyond reasonable repair. Don't cash that cheque and get your insurer or your legal protection people to sort the 3rd party insurer out. You should be able to have a repaired car that is not a write off and then be able to sell it with a clear conscience.

 

[markjay]

I once had to go the solicitors route after an insurance company refused my claim on the grounds that it was too high (not car related).

It took a year, and the solicitor managed to get them to pay twice the amount they originally declined, plus his own costs.

Insurance companies work in mysterious ways... when you are 3rd party, never accept an offer that you deem unfair.

 

[After Shock]

Citizens advice?

Don't cash the cheque. Don't return it!

Might be worth a well drafted letter using a log of the points raised on here.

I thought "in the old days maybe" you could keep a car with an agreed settlement?

It wild end up at a breakers so the insurance company can claw back £X. Wouldn't it?

Keep fighting. Or take a breath and bite the bullet!!!! Horrid choices I know.

 

[Koolvin]

Woah, what a shame

My comment below doesn't help you BUT it may help others. I believe agreed value insurance is the way to go on our older cherished Mercedes Benz.

We hopefully may have some interesting developments in regards to this soon.