Just crashed my VRS

[stargixxer]

hey guys.

I've just ran into the back of another car in my VRS.

It was a German tourist in a Vectra Estate, who coming off a roundabout on the A1, slammed on the brakes as he took a wrong turning. I was coming round behind him, and was checking my blindspot for vehicles joining the roundabout when he hit the brakes (hard!!!).

When I looked round, it was too late, I was only doin 25-30mph but we all know the fabia brakes arent the best, so I hit him, prob aout 10mph. The airbags didn't pop so it was not really a fast shunt.

His car had the tiniest dent in the rear bumper, but my car defo came off worst. The bumper is creased in two places, the offside headlamp mountings are all snapped, and the metal beam (bulkhead) infront of the radiator is bent right in, and touching the radiator.

We swapped details, (he was in a hire car), and the police don't want to get involved, both breath tests were clear. Just got to wait now and see what the insurance companies say, my worry is we have 4yrs NCB that aren't protected :(

Wot kinda money do you guys think it'll take to repair the metal bit and the bodywork?

[Basil]

Gutted for you mate - thank goodness the airbags didnt deploy.

Hope you get it sorted out soon, and painlessly as well....

Bas

[Mike B]

The main thing is you're alright.

It's a bit early for tourists!

[Orta]

Gutted for you mate - thank goodness the airbags didnt deploy.

What happens if the airbags deploy? Is it an expensive job to get 'em refitted?

Sorry 2 hear about the crash buddy! Glad your ok!

[stargixxer]

Yeah nobody was really hurt, the mother-in-law was in the back seat and she has a bit of bruising from the seatbelt but thats it.

I'm just not looking forward to losing the car for a few weeks while it gets repaired.

The worst of it is, the hire company has said they won't have anything to do with it until the care comes off hire, which is the end of next week!!!!

I think I'll be looking into those 312mm disc upgrades!!!

[Mike B]

What happens if the airbags deploy? Is it an expensive job to get 'em refitted?

Most insurance companies will write it off!

[Captain Sisko]

Looks like a pretty straightforward repair TBH.

The hire companies insurance should take care of it

Who are you insured with?

[stargixxer]

We're insured through Budget (is my g/f's policy, but I have a lower excess as I'm over 25 and she isn't hehehe).

I hope it all gets sorted soon, as I have the stress of moving house in four weeks aswell!!!

It never rains but it pours eh.....

[Captain Sisko]

Hopefully your insurance company are understanding and it all gets sorted for you dude.

I'm insured through Kwik Fit. Got 60 days approx before renewal....

[nathwarr]

if you're found to be at fault you will loose 2 yrs NCB and have to pay your excess

by the sounds of it you will be found to be at fault as you hit the vectra up the back

[Captain Sisko]

I have heard if you do them up the bum its not rape but sexual assault....

errrrr Not the kind of ramming up the back this threads on about is it.......

[Dr Zoidberg]

Looks like a pretty straightforward repair TBH.

The hire companies insurance should take care of it

Why should they?

He drove into the back of the other car as he wasn't looking where he was going.

It's the sort of accident that it's easy enough to find yourself in , but at the end of the day you should always be able to stop safely if the car in front does and if you can't then it's your fault.

[Johnwg]

It's the sort of accident that it's easy enough to find yourself in , but at the end of the day you should always be able to stop safely if the car in front does and if you can't then it's your fault.

:orb_angel

[cheezemonkhai]

I would very quickly hide your reg plate on those pics.

I think a T-Cut/Scratch X would mean that most of the damage would polish out.

Is the damaged bar the front crash bar or a radiator of sorts (eg Air con)

[stargixxer]

The damged bar is the front crash bar. None of it will polish out. The bumper is creased so the bonnet doesnt close/sit properly.

Also needs a new headlight assembly, lower bumper grill (mounting clips snapped), number plate mounting plastic, number plate and front crash bar. The fog light assembly popped back into place luckily.

Hopefully the crash bar won't rub the radiator when driving for the time being......

[PaulC]

I ama fraid the insurers will either blame you or go 50/50 which will still be a faultclaim on your insurance, unless you can prove something that proves without doubt it wasn't your fault ie. witnesses etc.

At the end of the day you my lose 2 years NCB which will increase your insurance but you are alive and well the car should be repaired back to normal and you will still have it, I would imagine the increase will not be too excessive the main one to keep is the first 30%.

I hope it gets sorted in your favour although and it will be a test of how good your insurers are.

[andy0406]

SORRY to hear of your accident, sounds like a new bumper support approx £30.00 from a scrap yard, a new complete bumper and new headlight panel. (unless the fastening clips are snapped on your headlight)

I can get you some prices for a new bumper and headlamp panel if you would like, I would just need to know if you have headlamp wash or not.

If you would like some prices just drop me a line.

Andy

[mannyo]

Sorry to hear about your accident, I would wait before doing anything. The reason for my thinking is that sadly I believe you will be found at fault or it will go 50/50. The actions of the other car dont really come into play, because it is your responsibilty to make sure the way is clear before proceeding. If the car in front stops, then you should be in a position to pull up behind.

There is no point in trying to fix your own car yourself, especially if found to be at fault because the car rental company will claim from your policy, which will reduce your NCB by 2 years anyway, so you may as well get yours fixed through insurance as well.

I have been involved in 2 minor shunts where I was rear ended, and in both cases the person who run into the back of my car were found to be at fault.

[fordfan]

That'll be the thick end of £1000 + the repairs to the hire car + they'll want to claim loss of revenue on the car whilst it is repaired.

[how much?]

If anyone saw the programme on C4 last week about the insurance fiddles then you will know what i am talking about.

If you didn't, it spoke about lots of people crawling up to roundabouts then slamming on hard at last min causing driver behind to shunt them.

May not apply on this occasion but worth knowing for future

[Auric Goldfinger]

The main thing is you're alright.

It's a bit early for tourists!

Bet there relaited to Devonutopia( Jason )...." He's Half German "...the'll be looking for Devon..

[Lewiscypher]

sympathies

Its so easily done , nearly ran into some dork on the A38 doing about 35 mph!!!:thumbdwn: on a dual carriageway yesterday Iwasnt looking properly ill admit:eek:

but some people seem to make themeselves a moving road hazard, hope you get her fixed soon:thumbup:

[stargixxer]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've got two witnesses (the g/f and her mother) who both seen the car sudden slow on the exit of the busy roundabout, just when I was checking my mirror/blindspot.

The best of it was, when he stopped in the middle of the road, he just got out and left the car there, no hazards or anything. His motor nearly got melted by two artics in the time we waited for the police. Just goes to show that he should never have slowed down there in the first place!!!

[sharkrider]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've got two witnesses (the g/f and her mother) who both seen the car sudden slow on the exit of the busy roundabout, just when I was checking my mirror/blindspot.

The best of it was, when he stopped in the middle of the road, he just got out and left the car there, no hazards or anything. His motor nearly got melted by two artics in the time we waited for the police. Just goes to show that he should never have slowed down there in the first place!!!

without no-claims protection, you will prob loose two years of your 4....

and some advice.... you may (or may not) know I'm a driving instructor, but you would fail a driving test for checking over your left shoulder as leaving a roundabout, you should only check your nearside mirror... the reasons? exactly what has just happened to you, if you look over your blindspot, you can miss something happenening infront of you, therefore it's potentially dangerous, therefore a test fail... the examiners line would go "what if someone infront of you braked hard while you were looking the other way? assuming your mirrors are set up correctly, if you look in the nearside mirror, you can see all the way down the side of your car and behind, and also still see infront, with your peripheral vision, you would notice someone braking..."

I'm not saying this to have a go at you, I'm saying it as advice that if you put in your accident report form that you were checking your blindspot, they will certainly find you at fault, if you put that you were checking your nearside mirror (as the driving manual instructs) you may stand a small chance of it being judged 50/50....

good luck, and glad no-one was hurt

[ScoobyChris]

I've got two witnesses (the g/f and her mother) who both seen the car sudden slow on the exit of the busy roundabout, just when I was checking my mirror/blindspot.

Glad no-one was hurt and hope you get it sorted. I'm not sure whether the insurance company will require independent witnesses of the event to avoid bias or whether your g/f and her mother will be accepted.

Chris