My 205 Involved In An Accident

[Anulfo 22]

Am I the only one that feels enormous rage in situations like this ? In my book, if someone else wrecks your car, then, they/their insurance ought to pay to fix it, regardless of whether or not it costs more than the car's worth ...

 

Nice in theory but insurance doesn't work that way mate.

[welshpug 1,657]

indeed not, Bastards

[CaptainK 11]

Am I the only one that feels enormous rage in situations like this ? In my book, if someone else wrecks your car, then, they/their insurance ought to pay to fix it, regardless of whether or not it costs more than the car's worth ...

Agreed ! I keep thinking that at the end of the day, because of someone's elses drunken activities I'll be left out of pocket for the amount of money I've "invested" in my 205 to get it running how I wanted it.

 

As for an update on the situation, well.... there isn't any update. Insurance are "Still looking at it" with the idea of either fixing it or offering me some money for it. I suspect the money that they offer me for it will be WAY below the amount of money I've put into it. Apparently thoguh, I can claim back more money via the legal team as a "financial loss".

 

So as yet, I dunno what's going on with my car and whether I'll get the salvage for it. Ideally though, I'd like the ITB setup and engine back as they were beautiful.

 

I'll keep this post updated on occasion when I know more. It may be taking longer than normal, but at the moment I don't care less as I've got a hire car to get around in and it gives me and the missus more time to look for a replacement car (alas will be a sensible and practical 5 door car - 307 we're looking at at the mo).

[feb 47]

Sorry to hear this but glad you are OK. I wouldn't want to imagine what woudl happen to a 205 in a head on collision.

 

At what sort of speed did it happen?

 

If you do decide to break I am after the gearknob if it is in good nick!

[m_attt 31 1 Cars]

I was under the impression you could refuse it to be written off if it wasn't your fault and its repairable. I had an e36 that someone went into the side of while it was parked. It went to BMW had a brand new door, rear quarter, trims and the whole side was resprayed that cost 3k, plus a hire car for a few weeks. The car was insured for half that and its book value wasnt much more but I really liked the car and said i didn't want it written off as the settlement figure would have been rubbish.

[Anulfo 22]

Agreed ! I keep thinking that at the end of the day, because of someone's elses drunken activities I'll be left out of pocket for the amount of money I've "invested" in my 205 to get it running how I wanted it.

 

As for an update on the situation, well.... there isn't any update. Insurance are "Still looking at it" with the idea of either fixing it or offering me some money for it. I suspect the money that they offer me for it will be WAY below the amount of money I've put into it. Apparently thoguh, I can claim back more money via the legal team as a "financial loss".

 

So as yet, I dunno what's going on with my car and whether I'll get the salvage for it. Ideally though, I'd like the ITB setup and engine back as they were beautiful.

 

I'll keep this post updated on occasion when I know more. It may be taking longer than normal, but at the moment I don't care less as I've got a hire car to get around in and it gives me and the missus more time to look for a replacement car (alas will be a sensible and practical 5 door car - 307 we're looking at at the mo).

 

I know it's not what you want to here but maybe you should have considered an 'agreed valuation' policy which would cover all costs to get the car back to its pre accident condition.Even if your car was too badly damaged it would pay out enough for you to rebuild another car to the same spec.For sure these policies are not cheap but how much is your pride and joy worth to you?

[CaptainK 11]

Thankyou everyone for your comments. Latest update (sorry its a been delayed) is that I'd not heard anything from the insurance company at all until last night. It seems they've been slacking despite this being "fast tracked" so they told me.

 

Weirdly, it seems the car is classed as a CAT C "uneconomical to repair" and they want to pay me out for it. They've offered me a value which is the equivalent of rubbing my face in a dog's poo and shouting "Ha Ha!". So I'm now fighting it.

 

For those that want the shell, engine or ITBs and so forth, I've been told I can keep the salvage for the cost of £250. So thats a possibility, but I'm not sure if the missus would appreciate a wreck on the drive. Have to have a think about where it could be stored.....

 

I too also thought that in a "non fault" claim like this you could order them to repair the car (within reason). I suspect that because its rather customised they just can't be bothered. Its something I might persue though if their settlement isn't good. Does anyone have any links to regulations and so forth that state I am entitled to getting my car repaired if its not my fault ?

 

And yes, I agree with the agreed value policies as they don't add much. I was going to do it this year, but my car had just been fitted with a free (thanks ) blue bonnet with severe lacquer peel on it and I didn't want the agreed value pictures to have that in it (and thus devalue it) and was hoping to get it sorted back to graphite grey before the deadline on the agreed value expired. Unfortunately due to circumstances I never got this done in time. Gutting I now know !

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I have access to a trailer and can store it locally in a secrure area I rent if you wanted?

Edited March 2, 2012 by chipstick

[GilesW 41]

First offer will always be low.

 

Just keep sending in information on what's been done, expampels of otehr cars for sale with similar spec (or link it to them and say what differance is) etc etc.

Be prepared for a fairly long game of letter tennis though.

 

Saying that shouldn't your 'legal department' thingy be doing all this for you?

 

But I've done this myself before and got paid out what it was worth at the end. But it is a bit of a game.

 

I remember slipping in the line that insurance should cover my loss, ie what it would cost for me to have an exact like for like replacement.

So.... ask them to send examples of cars for the value they are offering that justify the amount they are suggesting - taking the likel for liek replacment into account.

They won't be able to.

 

Suggest to be helpful that you do apprecaite that as the car was modified it will be difficult for them to find you an exact replacement for like for like, so you coudl well be willing to except a value of money that will be adeqaute to purchase a similar base vehical and the parts and labour to take that car to the same specification as the car that is now being considered a total loss. And you would be willing to aid them in this calculation by sending them details of cars, parts and even quotes from people who can do this.

They obviously will not be keen on this either.

 

 

One thing I would say - no-one has ever really been able to sell me the benefits of an agreed value policy.

I declare all mods so the insurance compnay know wxactly what my car is, and its down to them or the third party insurer (delending opn who will ever be paying out) to provide me enough cash to replace it.

And agreeing a value upfront with your insuranve comany usually adds to teh premium - and I remeber my mates 'agreed value' being challanged when he had a no fault accident, so all seemed a pointless additional cost on the premium.

 

But maybe tehre is some otehr point to it I've missed???

 

Anyhow - jsut stay strong and stick to the fundementals which is all you're asking for is teh money required to replace yoru vehical on a like for like basis. You'll get there in the end.

[luggy 13]

I've been told I can keep the salvage for the cost of £250.

 

I had this issue, Insurance company told me I wasnt allowed salvage retention, car was inspected I was told I'd have to pay £75 for salvage, told them I'd pay £25, this how much the scrappies payed for written off cars in 2007. Luckily I had the car in my possession.

[omega 82]

when i had a modified car (engine mods,wheels, paint,etc] i declared them to the insurancre company and had to send pictures and bills for parts.they then sent me the policy but when i read the small print they only agree to replace the modified bits with standard parts! dont know if this is still the case as it was about 7 years ago.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

when i had a modified car (engine mods,wheels, paint,etc] i declared them to the insurancre company and had to send pictures and bills for parts.they then sent me the policy but when i read the small print they only agree to replace the modified bits with standard parts! dont know if this is still the case as it was about 7 years ago.

 

When I took my policy out recently I was offered agreed valuation for parts. We agreed a figure for a replacement engine and conversion parts etc even down to a nominal sum for the value of GTi6 brakes. Obviusly all insurers work differently, so it is important to know exactly what the story is with 'like for like'.

[CaptainK 11]

Hello all, thanks again for the continued advice.

 

I've email the insurance company a bunch of links to "similar"-ish cars, of which I couldn't find exact matches out there. So I gave them examples of 205's for sale with MI16s in them, exampels with throttle bodies on MI16s and examples with full engine rebuilds. I then made it simple for them and explained the costs to me of replacing my EXACT car by telling them how much I've spent on it and I can provide receipts if need be.

This email is now to be "looked at" by their total loss / engineering department and see what they say.

 

On the flip side, they sent me some photos of the car and by golly it doesn't look anywhere near as badly damaged as I remember in my haziness after the accident. Easily repairable I'd say, but obviously the cost to them to repair it currently is more than they think its worth. I have no doubt whatsoever that you guys here could fix it quite easily - its mainly passenger wing, bonnet, bumper, passenger headlights and washer bottle. Relocate the gearbox side back onto its mountings, relocate battery back in position and replace mountings for radiator and fans. Even the fan grill looks intact, though I dunno what the state of the fans and radiator is. I'd suspect they are a gonna due to the amount of fluid that came out of her and the gearbox side being pushed back slightly on its mountings must have punctured the radiator. Passenger wheel seems still in the correct place, so I don't think suspension tower has been damaged. The ITG Airfilter on the ITBs is dead, and I think the air filter mounting bracket is bent slightly back too on the passenger side.

 

So you never know, if I can up the value of my car in their eyes then they might fix it. That'll annoy the missus though as she wants my 205 gone

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Offer still stands for local storage/trailer movement. Would also be interested in purchasing as is and looking at repairing

[Andy_C 50]

If it's of any help to you, one of the basic principles of insurance is to return you to the same financial position you were in immediately prior to the loss occurring. Therefore, if you are offered settlement based on a standard car then this fails as you will be out of pocket. Even the last GTi's will no longer appear in either Cap or Glass's guides so it'd be useful to know how any insurer would determine the value of a 205. Which is where the classic car mags might help as most now list both 1.6, 1.9 and CTi and their values are usually reasonable.

 

With a modified car, I'd say firstly get it back to you without delay as it's still your car and some of the nicer bits might end up disappearing. Plus you'd want to retain the salvage and swap all of the salvageable modified bits onto the replacement I assume?

 

If the repair cost exceeds the value. it's a Cat C/D, end of. You can insist upon repairs if they don't exceed the value, even if they are £1 less (ombudsman ruling). However if the exceed the value then the car's a write off - that's usual practice anyway.

 

Agreed value is just that - you declare the required value to your insurer, they agree it and that's what you get if the car is a total loss. Given the way values have increased recently, this is a sensible option. My old black car was agreed at £2,500 which today would need to be double to be able to even think about like for like replacement.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Andy_C

[CaptainK 11]

Offer still stands for local storage/trailer movement. Would also be interested in purchasing as is and looking at repairing

Thanks bud. I definitely don't want it to go to the scrapyard in the sky as that would be a huge shame. Its all down to wether I keep it afterwards (and fix it), or it goes to one of you chaps who will give it a home.

 

The sad thing is the missus has been pestering me to get rid of the 205 for ages now. So this might be the time to part with it..... I don't know though as I love that little car

[CaptainK 11]

A mini update, the insurers are having a re-think about the value of my car.

 

However, they did say they'll deliver the car (as it is) to any address I pick for free. So I'm thinking maybe have it sent to someone to fix it - Sandy maybe as he's nearby and obviously knows my ITB setup very well. Fail that, my local Peugeot independant thats worked on my car for years now and they do bodywork stuff, but wouldn't be able to fab up any new parts for the ITBs.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Deliver it to my barn

[Anulfo 22]

Thanks bud. I definitely don't want it to go to the scrapyard in the sky as that would be a huge shame. Its all down to wether I keep it afterwards (and fix it), or it goes to one of you chaps who will give it a home.

 

The sad thing is the missus has been pestering me to get rid of the 205 for ages now. So this might be the time to part with it..... I don't know though as I love that little car

Man up captain!!!! tell you missus that you are wanting to keep the car and nurse it back to health!!......that's if you want to??....other than that i'm sure Dan could do a good job on it.

[CaptainK 11]

Deliver it to my barn

Seriously mate, this is exactly what I'm thinking if you want her. The problem is I want a decent payout from the insurers and not the "here, have a tenner mate" attitude they are currently giving me. If I get a decent payout then I'm tempted to just let one of you chaps have her to restore as I really would hate her to go to a scrappy. I'll try and post up some pictures later, as now I've seen the damage again in daylight and not "dazed", there is nowhere near as much damage as I thought.

 

As for me having the 205 back, yes it must seem like I'm not "manning up", but at the end of the day my missus does have a point that we don't really NEED the 205 or the costs associated with it as we're thinking of a family soon etc and my 205 was just a "spare car / trackday car / fun times car". Granted I did want to keep the 205 a little while longer, but this accident may be the final shove for me to let her go. It'll be very sad, but ultimately for the best I guess........ it also means I can save for my Aston Martin.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

we don't really NEED the 205

 

Do you honestly think any of us NEED a 205? Hell no, we all really want one.

[CaptainK 11]

LOL, that is so true and I'd like to keep mine. But financially I think I have to let her go.

 

Still no update from the insurance company, and they still have her in storage. Chipstick seems interested in the salvage, but if anyone else wants her then please let me know as I'm allowed to keep the car but I have nowhere to store it.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Replied to your PM

[Anulfo 22]

LOL, that is so true and I'd like to keep mine. But financially I think I have to let her go.

 

Still no update from the insurance company, and they still have her in storage. Chipstick seems interested in the salvage, but if anyone else wants her then please let me know as I'm allowed to keep the car but I have nowhere to store it.

surely this is as straight forward as insurance claims get?The truck driver was over the limit and travelling down the wrong side of the motorway,what's to be feet dragging on???If the insurance have it in their storage you want to make sure that they aren't charging you for it or that secondly some muppet doesn't send it to the crusher!!

Send it to Chipstick barn......you know you want to!!!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

A friend of mine had a car in storage with all his belongings in. They got rid of it without telling him. He had loads of tools left in there which he didn't have a chance to go and remove.