Beyond economical repair?

Columbo

Columbo

Columbo

Soldato
Joined
26 Mar 2007
Posts
9,134
Location
Nottinghamshire
Been my wifes run around for 14 years, done 116k and has never ever once broken down. Hit while parked up overnight exactly where it's at now. Wife's gutted, I know its only a Jazz but she is genuinely attached to it.

At least the driver had the decency to come and knock on the door and inform us but my guess is it aint getting repaired. Is it time to say goodbye the wife's old faithful?

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what does it need exactly a bumper and wing from a scrap yard wouldn't cost too much but if it need suspension things its might add up. parts arent expensive for a jazz. i suppose the labor would be a bit if it needs a load of things.
 
Take the old wing off, see if there is any damage apart from just superficial stuff, if not, and you can live with the front bumper being scuffed, you can fix that for around £100 and a couple of hours of your time.
 
Bumper might even polish out for the most part. Try and find a second hand wing in a matching colour, and it might be back on the road with minimal expense. If the insurance write it off, and offer it back that is.
 
I'd avoid insurance completely. Even though you were tucked up in bed when you car was parked outside, they'll write the car off and your premiums for the next 5 years will be put up.

Honestly, front wing damage is the best damage to have as most front wings simply bolt on/bolt off.
 
I thought if a 3rd party hit your car they can't just write it off without your consent and they could be forced to put it right?

But even if it was written off i'd buy it back and put a new wing on from a scrap yard and polish the bumper a bit. Even if it needed some tie rods or something it'd probably be worth it as they'll be buttons on a Jazz.
 
Unless the TP pays for the repairs at a local bodyshop, then she could keep it as salvage if they do write it off, and get the repairs done herself by said local bodyshop?

Or if they do want to write it off after it's been inspected and estimated by their repairer and deemed uneconomical write-off, you can request the repairs be re-estimated at another bodyshop of your choosing as costs may be cheaper which results in them not writing it off and giving the thumbs up for repair. Work with the bodyshop and see if you can source a wing and bumper 2nd hand from a salvage yard for cheap, then supply that in order to further drive costs down. Once they price everything up and send it to TP's insurer, they may say ok and repair it.

sovietspybob said:
I thought if a 3rd party hit your car they can't just write it off without your consent and they could be forced to put it right?
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They absolutely can! If they deem the repair costs outweigh their margin cost for repair, then they will write it off. I know this from first hand experience.
 
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Don't put it through the insurance unless you have to. Either repair yourself with used wing, or get a Bodyshop quote and pass to 3rd party.

Only need to escalate to insurance if he refuses to pay.
 
Already going through insurance unfortunately as the girl that hit me has only been driving a week and her parents are refusing to cover the costs of a cash settlement which I did table straight away.

She and them have been to the house today to sort exchange details etc but I fear that the old girls fate is now sealed.
 
So long as that wheel hasn't taken a hit that should be relatively cheap to sort.

Second hand wing innthe right colour, polishbthe bumper, buy new light fixings/brackets and it should be sorted for a few hundred squids

Insurance should be more than happy tonoffer it back to you for a small sum - which is what I'd do so long as the nsf is still straight
 
That's some serious damage to inflict on a parked car. I mean if she can't avoid a huge car how will she avoid a small child? You should probably talk to her parents about getting her license revoked in the interests of everybody's safety as well as insurance premiums.
 
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They won't go outside of insurance and she has been driving a week? That's gonna sting them for far more than a decent wing off E-Bay will cost.
 
+1 for DIY scrapyard parts repair.

Looks like you could get it looking presentable again for £50 and half an hour with a ratchet spanner... Second hand wing from a breaker, bit of T-Cut on the bumper, and a new arch liner. Might not even need the arch liner! Just drill a couple of new holes, and whack two heavy duty cable ties in there in the place of the snapped fixings...

It gets slightly more severe if it has done the wishbone/suspension components some damage, but you could replace a wishbone and other bits and bobs for next to nothing on this sort of car anyway...

When I crashed my 2002 VW Polo a couple of years ago I managed to replace:

Bumper
Wing
Bonnet
Slam panel
Headlight
Wishbone (new)
Arch liner (new)
front exhaust & flexi (new)
sump pan
radiator (new)
radiator fan

For £300... :)
 
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Surely it'll easily cost less than her excess to put right if it's just some simple bodywork damage, her parents are quite obviously mental and she's going to wish she'd ignored them when she sees her renewal quotes!
 
tom_e said:
Surely it'll easily cost less than her excess to put right if it's just some simple bodywork damage, her parents are quite obviously mental and she's going to wish she'd ignored them when she sees her renewal quotes!
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Could work to the OP's favour.

Accept the insurance payout, buy it back from the insurance company for whatever they ask for it (probably around £100), then spend a small amount fixing it up, and you will have the car back almost exactly how it was before, and you will likely pocket a decent sum as well.

My Dads 2001 A6 got rear ended and written off... He got a £2000 payout, bought the car back for £150 with a CAT D marker, and spent next to nothing (I think it was less than £50) on a new chrome strip for the boot, a chrome plate for the top of the bumper, and a few minutes spent pushing plastics back out and straightening the tow bar. £1800 profit for nothing.
 
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Obviously the girls parents don't know how insurance works. I suspect the girl is going to regret that for the next few years.
 
Quite! I feel sorry for her.

Well sort of. You have to be a bit of a plank to cause that much damage to a parked car.
 
Only been driving a week? Who wants to take bets.

On phone
Talking/showing off to friends
Friends distracting
 
Buy the salvage back with the payout and get it fixed with used wing and parts !

Easily worth it when you know a car is reliable
 
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