Is this likely to be fixed or written off?

[cheezemonkhai]

That's not going to be hard to fix, as long as you don't want new everything.

 

For example, the light itself has moved, most likely due to the plastic base cracking.

That doesn't look like a massive amount of damage.

[Wardy]

Yep, agree - fight for a better settlement figure, then buy back....

[Dave364]

Well I spoke to the insurance today and they have told me this is the top retail figure I think she said and it would be the same for any insurance company so there is no room for movement at all, but if I hand the hire car in tommorow rather than next week they will pay me the money they save - just over £200 so I will get just over the 4K.

I'm really not sure what to do with buying the car back, it's at that age where it's more likely to have things going wrong and won't be worth spending money on it if I buy it back, also in the process of buying and selling houses so a lot of other stuff going on just now. Am I likely to make money on it selling as it is? Could be good for someone who has the time and place to break it or someone who would repair it themselves, would need to get it recovered to my house so more money to go out. Just don't know whether to just take the cash and forget about the car.

[skomaz]

Well I spoke to the insurance today and they have told me this is the top retail figure I think she said and it would be the same for any insurance company so there is no room for movement at all, but if I hand the hire car in tommorow rather than next week they will pay me the money they save - just over £200 so I will get just over the 4K.

 

That sounds like rubbish to me - Had the same from the insurer when my dad's car was written off and we did some internet searching for similar cars (age / mileage / spec) and sent them a bunch of printouts demonstrating that their value was well below the true retail value - ended up with about £1000 more than their original offer, all for half an hour's web surfing.

Edited 2 August, 2016 by skomaz

[silver1011]

Well I spoke to the insurance today and they have told me this is the top retail figure I think she said and it would be the same for any insurance company so there is no room for movement at all, but if I hand the hire car in tommorow rather than next week they will pay me the money they save - just over £200 so I will get just over the 4K.

I'm really not sure what to do with buying the car back, it's at that age where it's more likely to have things going wrong and won't be worth spending money on it if I buy it back, also in the process of buying and selling houses so a lot of other stuff going on just now. Am I likely to make money on it selling as it is? Could be good for someone who has the time and place to break it or someone who would repair it themselves, would need to get it recovered to my house so more money to go out. Just don't know whether to just take the cash and forget about the car.

 

But what will you replace it with?

 

Are you confident in finding a better car for £4K?

 

You know the history of the current car you know how it has been driven, serviced and looked after. Buying a £4K will mean you'll be looking at either something old or something with higher mileage or both, at this point your concerns over long term reliability of your current car don't go away, if anything they become more uncertain.

 

I am assuming that with the house move you won't have much money to add to the £4K, if you do however then I'd be looking to buy as new as you can afford.

 

Personally I'd buy the car back, repair it, put the money in the bank, sort the house purchase out and then part-ex the repaired car for something newer (reading between the lines, and because you are a bloke on a car forum you'd like a new car, don't we all!).

[CWARD]

As others have said take the cash and buy back the car. The damage isn't a lot, new bumper, wing, undertray and wheel liner possibly headlight but I think it's just pushed out of it's brackets. You should be able to pick it all up from a breakers for less £400 and then just your time to fit and a polish up or at the worst a front end respray. You will have to declare that the car has been a write off as they won't give you full value in the event of another accident but again this should reduce your insurance costs too. 

 

For what damage there is and if the rest of the car is good then it's a no brainer.

[Dave364]

That sounds like rubbish to me - Had the same from the insurer when my dad's car was written off and we did some internet searching for similar cars (age / mileage / spec) and sent them a bunch of printouts demonstrating that their value was well below the true retail value - ended up with about £1000 more than their original offer, all for half an hour's web surfing.

Did what you said and now they are giving me £4100 + £200 for handing in the hire car early so cheers for that. Quite happy with that.

[sniper29a]

you call this damage?

 

it is just aesthetic. Is geometry ok?

 

 

Light, bumper...1000EUR done

[Dave364]

Little update, ended up being offered £4200 or £3500 with the car. Chose to keep the car but there's been a slight rattle for a while and looked likely the dmf was on its way out so sold the car for £1050. Ended up with £4550 all in so not bad.

Currently car sharing with the wife as didn't want to rush out and buy the first car I saw but intend to get something a bit newer and less miles. There's a nice red Octavia Vrs tdi 11 plate with 53k miles for £9000 but is in Norwich so a long way to travel. I will keep looking and hopefully can pick something good up.