Hello all,

 

I bought a pre-reg 1.4 SE Sport estate in January.  Hands down the best car I have ever owned. 

 

Yesterday, someone smashed into it while it was parked and has almost certainly written it off.  A car we hoped to have for 10 years ends up lasting 3 months. 

 

Because it is pre-registered, the insurance company won't replace it with a new car - they will only pay out on their valuation of the worth of car.  So it will hit us in the pocket unfortunately.  But I would also be very keen to replace it with the same car even if we have to pay a little extra.  Does anyone know where you can find a 1.4 SE Sport?  Are there any left to buy? 

 

Thanks for your help.

sorry to hear of your loss, insurance companies absolutely suck, through no fault of your own you have had your car taken away from you and out of pocket

 

I'm 100% certain if the same thing happened to me I would be out of pocket too even though it was a brand new car :(

 

please post pics when you get a new car sorted!

 

Mark

Sorry to hear OP hope you get everything sorted without too much hassle. A quick search turned up a nearly new one being sold privately and you'd still have the balance of manufacturer warranty. Not sure if this is in the region of what you paid/what you will receive from the insurance company?

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201704154457301?atmobcid=soc3

 

Probably too late but if you had GAP insurance that would help minimise losses. Would cover the difference between the insurance loss valuation and what you paid for the car.

Thank you both - appreciate it.  Didn't take out gap insurance, which with the benefit of hindsight was foolish.

 

Will let you know how it all gets resolved, and what the cost I have to cover to get a comparable car in the hope it prevents other people being hit in the pocket with the same situation. 

 

Is it being picked up by the person who hit your car insurance? If it is don't accept their payout offer and remind them as it is their insured fault that criminal damage can be claimed so they need to pay replacement dealer price.

59 minutes ago, sturgi said:

Is it being picked up by the person who hit your car insurance? If it is don't accept their payout offer and remind them as it is their insured fault that criminal damage can be claimed so they need to pay replacement dealer price.

 

Touching sentiments but out of touch with reality.

 

The moment you drive a car off of the forecourt it loses the VAT element of the list price so you're immediately 20% down.

 

Back in the day, insurance companies used to replace like for like if your car was written off within 12 months but no more.

 

You either take out GAP insurance or suck it up if your motor is totalled.

If you have the offenders insurance details and they accept responsibility you do not have to take their 1st offer, I speak from experience as they won't want to go to court to fight it out. Might take a bit longer but you can get more than 1st offer, if they were on their toes and your claiming off your own insurance then that is a different case.

Some insurance companies still replace for new within 12 months.

 

Hopefully the OP is claiming off the offending vehicles insurance and should therefore be able to negotiate.

 

Remember market value is determined by your ability to replace your car with the same car, therefore they should be paying you the cost to replace it with a 3 month old SE Sport.

 

There are a handful of 2016 (66) plate SE Sport hatchbacks with less than 3,000 miles on Autotrader for £17,500 - £17,999. Add a £300 - £500 premium for the estate and that is the market value i.e. the money it would take to put you back in the same car.

 

You have to negotiate.

I think there is a misunderstanding with GAP insurance, it's to protect you when the accident or loss is your fault.  

 

If your car was hit, then you are the third party, and the third party does not need to be out of pocket (but must not make spurious additions either).   Just don't accept an offer that is less than the Ads for comparable vehicle and say you will go to County Court to recover any shortfall (and will add costs of recovery if you need to claim).

 

Of course they will offer you less (to try and get away with it), just send then  the Ads for similar cars and say this is what replaces it unless they can find one comparable standard for cheaper price.

This is all very helpful - many thanks. 

 

It seems very reasonable that for a completely non-fault claim you should receive the money that enables you to buy back like for like.  I'm fully happy to go through all the hassle and effort, that's no problem at all - I just don't want to lose out financially. 

 

As I say, all input above is much appreciated. 

Good luck, be sure to trawl the classifieds, the more evidence you can gather to use to support your request for a larger payout the better.

I had to really convince my insurance, even though it was a claim against someone else to up their offer, which they did probably 3 times until they wouldn't budge any further. In the end the pay out was just enough to cover a like for like car. I sent in lots of ads for cars, but they were very picky in which ones they would accept as evidence due to not being exactly the same, which is near impossible with options and mileage taken into account. Got there in the end though.

On ‎01‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 11:43, ahenners said:

Sorry to hear OP hope you get everything sorted without too much hassle. A quick search turned up a nearly new one being sold privately and you'd still have the balance of manufacturer warranty. Not sure if this is in the region of what you paid/what you will receive from the insurance company?

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201704154457301?atmobcid=soc3

 

Probably too late but if you had GAP insurance that would help minimise losses. Would cover the difference between the insurance loss valuation and what you paid for the car.

That's not an SE Sport, it does not have sat nav and I think, the wrong wheels. I contacted the seller a while back to enquire, then to inform him that he is misrepresenting the car. He has persisted in advertising it as a Sport

30 minutes ago, harrylime said:

That's not an SE Sport, it does not have sat nav and I think, the wrong wheels. I contacted the seller a while back to enquire, then to inform him that he is misrepresenting the car. He has persisted in advertising it as a Sport

 

Well spotted! Seller is an idiot for continuing to advertise it knowingly incorrect!

Hit the report ad button, a quick one liner explaining the advert title isn't accurate and Autotrader will send the seller a message advising them to correct it.