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Crashed car advice
- itchyfeet
- Newbie
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:10 am
Crashed car advice
Hi all,
well as the title says I've crashed my lovely Olivine 2004 3.0i SE. It was a very low speed direct frontal impact which has quite clearly damaged the bonnet, bumper and grills. The impact centered on the BMW badge area so has also pushed back the slam panel. The car has the 'm sport' styling.
The insurers are looking at photographic evidence which I had to take via an 'app' to asses the damage before either sending out an assesor or declaring the car a total loss. I've said I wont accept a decision based on my photo's. They have already started with 'well the car is 14 years old'.
I've recently spent a lot on the car and anyway its my brilliant little roadster and I'd like it repaired. I know its difficult for anyone reading this to assess but if its just those areas ive decribed, will that constitute a write off? To be clear the bonnet, bumper, grills and slam panel will need replacing not a bit of filler as the are mullered. And then what do I do?
thanks.
well as the title says I've crashed my lovely Olivine 2004 3.0i SE. It was a very low speed direct frontal impact which has quite clearly damaged the bonnet, bumper and grills. The impact centered on the BMW badge area so has also pushed back the slam panel. The car has the 'm sport' styling.
The insurers are looking at photographic evidence which I had to take via an 'app' to asses the damage before either sending out an assesor or declaring the car a total loss. I've said I wont accept a decision based on my photo's. They have already started with 'well the car is 14 years old'.
I've recently spent a lot on the car and anyway its my brilliant little roadster and I'd like it repaired. I know its difficult for anyone reading this to assess but if its just those areas ive decribed, will that constitute a write off? To be clear the bonnet, bumper, grills and slam panel will need replacing not a bit of filler as the are mullered. And then what do I do?
thanks.
- DPG
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
Sounds like it could be a write off. Bad luck
Make them an offer and buy it back then repair from breakers parts if it’s only cosmetic
Make them an offer and buy it back then repair from breakers parts if it’s only cosmetic
- Steve84N
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- Marlon
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
Sorry to hear your P&J has taken a battering
Agree with above, sounds like a write off unfortunately - but repairable if you decide to go down that route
Agree with above, sounds like a write off unfortunately - but repairable if you decide to go down that route
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- Buckz
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- Location: West sussex
Crashed car advice
They'll write it off for sure. Buy it back and repair yourself and document the repairs for the future so it's easier to sell with a mark on it.
- patriot66
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
That's a shame OP. Buy it back and repair it. I've never seen a Z4 in Olivine. Must be rare.
Sterling Grey '03 2.5i SE / Infinitas Supercharger / S.M.G / Hardtop / Gloss Black 162s / Bilstein B4s / 3.0i Brakes / DLV De-Cat & Silencer / Rebuilt VANOS / Sonar 2Xcite Lights / Carbon & Alcantara Trim / M-Sport Seats / ...& Side Covers !
- cj10jeeper
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Crashed car advice
Sorry to hear this
To add a bit more colour if you estimate £600 bumper £600 bonnet and let’s just add £300 for panel and bits. Add £1000 to spray and £500 labour. Storage and assessment say £500 and you’d hit over £3k
Assume the car is absolute tops £4k (their book likely sub £3k) and it would be game over based on repair vs value percentages. Any repair over £1500 would be a write offf.
Best alternative is to negotiate value and a deal to buy back and fix it locally using resprayed used parts. You’d still be looking at £1500 to £2k, but get to keep your car if sentiment takes you down that route
To add a bit more colour if you estimate £600 bumper £600 bonnet and let’s just add £300 for panel and bits. Add £1000 to spray and £500 labour. Storage and assessment say £500 and you’d hit over £3k
Assume the car is absolute tops £4k (their book likely sub £3k) and it would be game over based on repair vs value percentages. Any repair over £1500 would be a write offf.
Best alternative is to negotiate value and a deal to buy back and fix it locally using resprayed used parts. You’d still be looking at £1500 to £2k, but get to keep your car if sentiment takes you down that route
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
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Crashed car advice
The good thing out of your bad luck is that you still have the car so have some control. Often if cars are towed away and the insurance company writes it off the insurance companies try to sell the salvage on quickly..
The key thing is you own the car and if you decide to accept a write off figure then you have first refusal on buying back the car. The fact you have the car in your possession mean you know you have everything there and parts do not to start to dissappear..
As a previous poster said just document everything and research the prices. If anything was modded on the car and you didn't declare it be careful on trying to up the resale value because of the mods. Maybe even change back to stock if possible before anyone turns up..
I had a Porsche 944 Turbo years ago with the slightest of bumps due to oil on the road. Repair price was £12k on a £10k (at the time not now) car so it was cat d. Salvage price was about £4k (they were less clued up 20 years ago). I bought a second hand bonnet, wing and bumper. Tiny amount of checking/straightening on a jig and all fixed for £2.5k I was obsessive about panel gap lol but all spot on.
So I got £10k back. Spent £6.5k and sold a few years later after prices had risen a bit for £10k even as a cat d so end up better off...
The key thing though was I knew my car and what I had invested into it so I was more than happy to keep it. Wish I still had it actually.
Sounds like you know/like your car so aim to retain it, just research all the figures before accepting anything. Never ever accept the first offer either. I ended getting another couple of grand through justifying my valuation. Play hardball with the insurance. They just want an easy life but it's your pride and joy and your hard earned... Good luck
The key thing is you own the car and if you decide to accept a write off figure then you have first refusal on buying back the car. The fact you have the car in your possession mean you know you have everything there and parts do not to start to dissappear..
As a previous poster said just document everything and research the prices. If anything was modded on the car and you didn't declare it be careful on trying to up the resale value because of the mods. Maybe even change back to stock if possible before anyone turns up..
I had a Porsche 944 Turbo years ago with the slightest of bumps due to oil on the road. Repair price was £12k on a £10k (at the time not now) car so it was cat d. Salvage price was about £4k (they were less clued up 20 years ago). I bought a second hand bonnet, wing and bumper. Tiny amount of checking/straightening on a jig and all fixed for £2.5k I was obsessive about panel gap lol but all spot on.
So I got £10k back. Spent £6.5k and sold a few years later after prices had risen a bit for £10k even as a cat d so end up better off...
The key thing though was I knew my car and what I had invested into it so I was more than happy to keep it. Wish I still had it actually.
Sounds like you know/like your car so aim to retain it, just research all the figures before accepting anything. Never ever accept the first offer either. I ended getting another couple of grand through justifying my valuation. Play hardball with the insurance. They just want an easy life but it's your pride and joy and your hard earned... Good luck
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Crashed car advice
Don't sweat it. Just take payout and buy the car back for peanuts and use the change to repair it. Used parts in that colour will be impossible to find. But just rub them down at home and do half the prep yourself to save on costs. Question though if it's damaged the slam panel. Did it hurt the rad at all?
MR-2 Turbo Rev2
Yep no Z yet. On the hunt.
Yep no Z yet. On the hunt.
- TomK
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Crashed car advice
Just 5 or so years ago I bought back my 968 club sport for just 3.5k I think it was after it was declared a cat C (eta: actually thinking about it it may have been a B which explains the value, but still). Apart from the shell everything was fine on it, made a tidy profit on parting out the whole thing in the end and a double bonus as the value paid back to me for the write off was considerably higher than what I had paid for it due to the market.
If I hadn't binned it though they are going for a ridiculous amount now, but then I wouldn't be in a Z I guess. Can't win
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage
- ben g
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Crashed car advice
No one on here can declare your car a total loss, based on your description alone.
The cost of the parts is the expensive bit, then adding labour on top, may well push it over the limit.
My other half had an accident in her 66 reg Fiesta ST in the summer. It cost 10 grand in parts and labour to fix, yet they didn't declare it a total loss.
The cost of the parts is the expensive bit, then adding labour on top, may well push it over the limit.
My other half had an accident in her 66 reg Fiesta ST in the summer. It cost 10 grand in parts and labour to fix, yet they didn't declare it a total loss.
Red Soft-top Sterling grey 3.0i - Z4M Front, Eibachs, Polybushed, Clear headlights, Triple clear spot rear lights, Shadow Chrome 107's, Sport MFSW, ZHP.
- Smartbear
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
I think it’s the cost of repair as a proportion of the cars value rather than just the repair cost alone, that’s why your mrs fiesta didn’t get written off I suspectben g wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:16 pm No one on here can declare your car a total loss, based on your description alone.
The cost of the parts is the expensive bit, then adding labour on top, may well push it over the limit.
My other half had an accident in her 66 reg Fiesta ST in the summer. It cost 10 grand in parts and labour to fix, yet they didn't declare it a total loss.
Rob
e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold
- cj10jeeper
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
No, but basic estimation and maths can give a good indication of the likely outcomeben g wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:16 pm No one on here can declare your car a total loss, based on your description alone.
The cost of the parts is the expensive bit, then adding labour on top, may well push it over the limit.
My other half had an accident in her 66 reg Fiesta ST in the summer. It cost 10 grand in parts and labour to fix, yet they didn't declare it a total loss.
Insurers are all about mitigating losses from payout so they, decide in minutes based upon book value and some rough estimates from experience.
They know if the bumper, bonnet, grille & more are gone it’s not worth assessing. Sure ask and push for what you want out of the excercise equipped with facts and figures
The car you talk about is way newer, common parts and easy to fix
Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Supercharged V6 S, Stratus Grey, LSD, Active Exhaust, CF wheels, Performance brakes, Sports seats and mods ongoing
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
Gone but not forgotten Z4 3.0i SE Roadster ///M front, Red ///M leather seats, Aero sills
- ben g
- Lifer
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Crashed car advice
'easy to fix'... Still isn't completely fixed 4 months later.cj10jeeper wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2017 6:13 pmNo, but basic estimation and maths can give a good indication of the likely outcomeben g wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:16 pm No one on here can declare your car a total loss, based on your description alone.
The cost of the parts is the expensive bit, then adding labour on top, may well push it over the limit.
My other half had an accident in her 66 reg Fiesta ST in the summer. It cost 10 grand in parts and labour to fix, yet they didn't declare it a total loss.
Insurers are all about mitigating losses from payout so they, decide in minutes based upon book value and some rough estimates from experience.
They know if the bumper, bonnet, grille & more are gone it’s not worth assessing. Sure ask and push for what you want out of the excercise equipped with facts and figures
The car you talk about is way newer, common parts and easy to fix
Red Soft-top Sterling grey 3.0i - Z4M Front, Eibachs, Polybushed, Clear headlights, Triple clear spot rear lights, Shadow Chrome 107's, Sport MFSW, ZHP.