Possible write off :(

[FronteraGirl]

Hey all, my mum was driving the Fronty on weds and someone smashed into the side of it. The damage we can see is a bust wing mirror, dented drivers door, passenger door is dented badly with a slit in it and the door handle is forced up and out (haven't dared open it cos I don't think it'll shut again) and the trim is torn off the wheel arch along with scuffs and scratches and minor dents on the arch. The alloy wheel took a bang too as the centre is punched in and the hub bit is split. To the eye, it looks like the back wheel on the drivers side is further back and nearer the wheel arch than the wheel on the other side is, and there is obvious movement on the chassis where the rust has been loosened around a bolt and joint. Anyway, based on that info the insurance comp have listed it as un-drivable, but we won't know if its a write off until they take it away and inspect it We've been told to get 3 market prices for insurance purposes. Bearing in mind this is an X reg 2.2 DTI Limited, I've just looked on Autotrader and am shocked (in a good way!) to find prices for the two Limited ones on there are £2450 & £2000, with a non-Limited at £1675.

Do you guys have any idea of whether they'll write it off based on the damage and / or any other places apart from Ebay to look for 'market' prices for the beast.

Will be so sad to see her go if that's the case

[4x4 bobby]

If its any good when mine was a write off it was the insurance company that had to look for a guide price and they only used Auto trader in my case they took 3 prices from there and did an average. Turned out to be a lot more than I paid for the truck. Mine was only CAT "D". I cant see the point in you getting 3 prices as its them that have to pay out. If it was the other drivers fault they should sort it, with your insurance company. Thats what you pay them for.

[FronteraGirl]

Thanks Bobby, been told by the solicitors to get the prices to be ready for when they other insurance comp try and haggle

[4x4 bobby]

Oh! Ok pick some juicy ones from Auto Trader then you can buy a nice shiny truck with the proceeds and have a bit left over to play with!!!!

[kees]

When i got bumped from behind in my p reg 2.2 they wrote it off, the damage was, spare wheel cover and a slightly bent rear door. Had it insured for £500(what i paid for it). When i brought it back from them they paid out book value minus 10 percent. £1200-£120=£1080 . Removed the cover and am still driving with the dented door.

[4x4 bobby]

Same as mine just caught rear tow bar. £1128 . I only paid £450 for him and it cost me a £1 for 2 new bolts. So i got to look after him as i owe him not the other way round !!

[jimmybhoy]

Just had the same thing recently with my van. Started looking for another straight away, i knew it would be a write off. Armed to the teeth with mileage Prices & condition, when they phoned with their laughable offer, I said, i couldnt buy like for like for the offer. I told the guy i was working, & couldnt discuss this issue any further. I asked him to call me back later (this gave me time to hit the laptop when he called). As he gave me his offer, i asked where he based his price. I was given 2 ads. The 1st was moon miles, with 2 months mot left
The second was about £ 500 short of my valuation & was 280 miles away (560 trip). I told the guy i didnt want ANY money, just another vehicle. As that was the closest, then to get me that vehicle, delivered & i would accept. He came back with a further 2 offers, & each time, i told him, i thought he was calling with a delivery time & as he wasnt there was no point in discussing cash, as i didnt want any. Next call raised price £800 to make up the shortfall & fuel there & back to go & buy. Stand your ground, dont sound desperate.

[FronteraGirl]

Haha, some good tips there guys, we'll see how things progress then Supposed to be getting a replacement 4x4 with towbar to tide us over til its all sorted out but guess what, they can't supply one just yet as none in this area, hey, its only rural Scotland, not many 4x4s around lol

[FronteraGirl]

E3jcr - what happened, did you get the new van or end up with cash?

[Frenchfarmer]

If it is a write off and it still belongs to you then you could sell some bits on here etc. before you get rid of the rest of it.

[jimmybhoy]

[RatCav]

As soon as you accept a payout from the insurance company they take ownership of the vehicle. You can offer to buy back the vehicle from them, but a lot of companies will not allow that if it is a Cat C or above write off.

[Drift]

I wouldnt bother buying it back if the suspension or chassis is damaged, just too much work to get it correct again.

I had a sport written off about 7 years ago due to vandalism, they couldnt get in it so trashed it.
The insurance wrote it off and after a few days (I sent in receipts for parts and work I had done recently like clutch and stuff).
I had paid £1600 for the car and they offered me £2000, I sounded shocked on the phone (I was pleasantly shocked) then the guy asked if he could call back in ten minutes. He called back and said final offer £2300 I bit his hand off

In two days I had bought my 2.8 for £1400 and had all the money to kit it out

[Spike.]

Get all your info for prices/mileage of equivelent Frontys on Autotrader etc and when the insurance call make sure you're on your computer.

I had the same thing with a Bike of mine that got written off, guy phoned me up and offered me a laughable £800 and had the cheek to say I could buy it back for the salvage value of 15% which was £120. I laughed and hung up but a plan started to formulate in my devious cranium

Got on to Autotrader and checked out the prices of the best equivalent bikes. The insurance guy kept phoning and making daft offers to the point that I would just ask if it was above £2500 and when he said no I just put the phone down.

After a week he phoned desperate to settle and I told him I wanted minimum 0f £2500 and had the guy tell me that it simply wasn't worth that, a which point I told him that I was looking at 3 identical to mine right in front of me all above £2700. He asked me where I was seeing these and I told him Autotrader. Heard a keyboard tapping over the phone and then a "oh . . . right. Yes I see them"

So after that I made him an offer, £2400 settlement and I keep the bike. He started to protest but I reminded him that it was himself who'd originally told me the salvage value was only £120 so what all of a sudden made it more valuable . . . . unless he had been trying to scam me.

End result was I got what I wanted and kept the bike. It probably helped that it was also in my garage at the time. So onto ebay for a new mudguard, radiator, and a left side fairing and a few other bits and bobs and bike was ready to roll. Best bit was I only paid £1600 for it in the first place

Moral of the story is get informed, stick to your guns and only discuss prices when you have the ammo in front of you and somewhere they can see it too like Autotrader. They can't argue when it's in front of them in black and white.

Good luck!

Oh and mine is for sale soon too lol! By the sounds of it you'r not far from me!