Crashed car advice

[itchyfeet]

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.

 

[DPG]

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

 

[Steve84N]

Write off for sure but in the real world repairable.

 

[Marlon]

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

 

[Buckz]

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]

That's a shame OP. Buy it back and repair it. I've never seen a Z4 in Olivine. Must be rare.

 

[cj10jeeper]

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

 

[Hagasan]

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

 

[Anonymous]

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.

+1, plenty of parts around and tons of guidance and info on here

 

[Monkeydonkeyratmagic]

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?

 

[TomK]

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).

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 :lol:

 

[ben g]

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.

 

[Smartbear]

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.

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 suspect :?
Rob

 

[cj10jeeper]

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.

No, but basic estimation and maths can give a good indication of the likely outcome
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

 

[ben g]

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.

No, but basic estimation and maths can give a good indication of the likely outcome
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

'easy to fix'... Still isn't completely fixed 4 months later.

 

[mr wilks]

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.

A 15 yr old Z4 & a 66 plate Fiesta ST :? where is the connection or relevance between the 2 cars or claims ?

 

[ben g]

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.

A 15 yr old Z4 & a 66 plate Fiesta ST :? where is the connection or relevance between the 2 cars or claims ?

The connection is the cost to repair vs value of the car. Insurance company said it was right on the limit of being uneconomical to repair, to the point they were going to declare it a total loss. My other half had to argue for it to be repaired and even had to refuse to be provided a hire car (a volvo v40 at a cost of £140 a day) to keep the cost down, for the repair to take place.

What's your connection or relevance to your comment? Beside's having a chip on your shoulder, for some reason.

 

[mr wilks]

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.

A 15 yr old Z4 & a 66 plate Fiesta ST :? where is the connection or relevance between the 2 cars or claims ?

The connection is the cost to repair vs value of the car. Insurance company said it was right on the limit of being uneconomical to repair, to the point they were going to declare it a total loss. My other half had to argue for it to be repaired and even had to refuse to be provided a hire car (a volvo v40 at a cost of £140 a day) to keep the cost down, for the repair to take place.

What's your connection or relevance to your comment? Beside's having a chip on your shoulder, for some reason.

you do like to throw your infinite wisdom into various threads but the minute someone else offers their own opinion you deem they have a " chip on shoulder "

 

[Pastry]

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.

A 15 yr old Z4 & a 66 plate Fiesta ST :? where is the connection or relevance between the 2 cars or claims ?

Beside's having a chip on your shoulder, for some reason.

:lol: pot.......kettle........ black

 

[Lynchy]

Did someone mention kettle?