Crashed my 35is

[Busterboo]

I'm sorry about the accident, Andy.

When I've had them - and probably will again - it's the boredom of sorting them out that ticks me off.

However, I was very lucky that an Egyptian workshop manager for Mercedes taught me a lesson a long time ago. I was standing, looking at the damage to my new car, really upset, but he said, 'My dear, it is only mechanical.'

And he was right, of course. Compared to human injury, mechanical damage is nothing worse than a curable pain in the arse.

 

[Zforbes]

I took the pics requested and copart message was instant asking to book collection, I think it is automated due to age of car and ceratinly not enough time to assess car value against cost if repair - i hope this isnt wriiten off on this whim of a response. This car IMO is worth the £15k I paid and therefore shouldn't be written off for bodywork damage

 

[Zforbes]

Not wanting to p!ss on your chips here bud but I’m in agreement, Copart is not a good sign. If it was getting repaired it’d be the garage allocated the repair that’d be calling you.

When my daughter had an accident last year in an almost new car the approved/assigned garage phoned to arrange pick up. As they were 85 miles away I had a quick chat with them they asked me to send some photos, 45 min later phone call to say written off. Within another few hrs Copart on the phone to arrange collection. Looks like your insurance has decided to skip authorised repair estimate. I wonder if they’re solely basing it on the age of the car??

I share your pain knowing how much time and effort you put into getting it

Thanks for the feedback Andy, no, copart I was familiar with and rang AXA before I completed their questionaire. It shouldnt be writtem off, pictures look worse than it is. I have no issues running this car again, no mechanical damage, otherwise i'd be browsing what to replace it with

 

[Argyll Andy]

Not wanting to p!ss on your chips here bud but I’m in agreement, Copart is not a good sign. If it was getting repaired it’d be the garage allocated the repair that’d be calling you.

When my daughter had an accident last year in an almost new car the approved/assigned garage phoned to arrange pick up. As they were 85 miles away I had a quick chat with them they asked me to send some photos, 45 min later phone call to say written off. Within another few hrs Copart on the phone to arrange collection. Looks like your insurance has decided to skip authorised repair estimate. I wonder if they’re solely basing it on the age of the car??

I share your pain knowing how much time and effort you put into getting it

Thanks for the feedback Andy, no, copart I was familiar with and rang AXA before I completed their questionaire. It shouldnt be writtem off, pictures look worse than it is. I have no issues running this car again, no mechanical damage, otherwise i'd be browsing what to replace it with

Not too long to wait, insurance will be wanting it resolved one way or another quickly, especially if there’s a courtesy car.

If you’re happy with it being repaired that’s all that matters

 

[Chippie]

Sorry to hear about your accident and hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction, can’t you keep the car at home until the repair is authorised, I’ve heard that once the car has been removed it could be written off and dismantled/sold on before you get the chance to buy it back

 

[mcbutler]

Hi all,

Not long been home after in incident a couple of hours ago.

Basically i have run in the back of a car after the car in front of him made a stupid move deciding not to pull off on a roundabout. Police called by the car in the middle who clearly has no blame, small hit on the front but shunted in the rear by myself. Police opinion is that the front car is 100% blame although since no injury they will leave to the insurance companys to resolve, I have an incident number to quote FWIW. Not sure if i'm going to get a claim off the lead car though, police man stated 2 stories match (the car I hit and myself) and thats that, hope so as I feel driving sensible and nowhere to go I did nothing wrong.

Anyway, Sh!t happens and i'm more concerned about my P&J and whats going to happen to it.

What do you guys and girls think - I'm gutted
crash.jpg

Thats a bitch chum but it looks repairable, even if they write it off I would keep it and get it repaired with the payout plus a bit from your pocket.
However....
If you run into the back of someone its always your fault, no argument. Only way around it is to prove that the driver in front was incapacitated drink/drugs a mobile phone chat may even count nowadays. Dashcams and witnesse will do little to help and may actually add to the other drivers case.
Police know very little about the actual intricacies of law and their 'opinions' count for little, for example most of them still think its an offence not to give your name when asked......
Simply put you got too close to the driver in front, painful but its true, we both know that if you had had a couple more meters you could have stopped/swerved!
I came within an inch of exactly the same thing, literally an inch, just an uncontrolled jerk of the wheel to the right and 'thank god' no traffic on the roundabout and I avoided it.....

 

[kinger]

After reading this..i may fit a dashcam....
Hope its resolved quick and you get your car back.
Mike

 

[Ole gits rule]

I have done this previously when my son a 4 series written off, get on the Internet and get a series of ads into a mail and send to your insurance company and clearly state you will be looking to replace the car with an identical one if they write it off, please see the amount you will accept for this within the ads.

 

[step_change]

Really sorry to hear this. Sadly all too common.
I think, unfortunately, you are liable or jointly liable. No matter what the vehicle in front of you, or to the front of you but in another lane does, or is doing, you should be in control of your vehicle 100% of the time with a view to being able to take preventative, avoiding action, no matter how unfair that may seem.
Familiarity breeds contempt on the roads.
I hope you get the car sorted mate.

TIP. I have dashcams in both my cars. I suggest you get one too.

 

[step_change]

....and also never forget, it's a tin can at the end of the day made of plastic and metal. As much as you loved it, it is replaceable. Your legs, hips, life, another's life are not. Be grateful you didn't lose both your legs had you slammed into the back of it.

 

[Dav the wheel nut]

I wouldn’t want the car back as you’ve then got a cat s marker when you want to sell it

 

[Zforbes]

After reading this..i may fit a dashcam....
Hope its resolved quick and you get your car back.
Mike

The thing is I took one out of my last car :headbang:

Never got round to fitting it as I was nervous about scratching the trim and getting into the fuse box

 

[Zforbes]

Update.

Copart collection refused by myself on Monday, I'm not letting them have it but what a fight I've had sorting this out. I was told by Copart - ok instead of the collection they would assess the damage and potential for repair or total loss from some photo's I provided using a step by step criteria - the results came back as structural damage and they would arrange collection. Not sure how they have the verdict as it simply not true so again I refused to arrange collection.

When asked how they based their opinion I was told trained engineers and predicted valuation of £12400 (2010 decent spec 35is mint pre-accident condition with 53000 miles). Some may see this valuation as fair, I personally see it as in insult and challenged them to get me something similar for less than £5k more in today’s market. The conversation quickly went sour, I again but no so politely told them to go forth..... :headbang:

Time to change tact and get a local reputable insurance approved bodyshop to assess the damage. A more detailed view on the damage was swift and precise, no structural damage and list of replacement parts provided with a quotation for repair with new OEM parts from the main dealer, the parts aren't cheap and neither is the garage but their work is excellent, total cost to repair including a sizable contingency for parts - £4927. I reckon I could do that at half price if i used a 2nd had bonnet bumper and headlight which I'd be prepared to do if offered a settlement price and buy back cost was reasonable.

I called the insurance again to discuss and have now agreed to tell Copart to withdraw interest in my car, I have provided the quote and some further images for their 2nd opinion on repair cost so hoping to have some positive news soon an get the go-ahead to send it to my bodyshop of choice.

All this hassle is due to Copart trying to force me to accept it as a total loss - my thoughts are more like Copart can see a quick easy and profitable transaction hence their haste to take it off my hands.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Sorry to read your latest update, but you did the right thing not letting Copart get hold of it as I doubt you would have seen it again if the had.

I don't know why insurers seem so averse to getting cars repaired these days, and both they and Copart are apparently able to identify Structural damage without even looking at the car. :headbang:

It sounds like your best option would be getting a professional repair by the bodyshop that gave you the quote.

Good luck getting a decent outcome.

 

[MKZ4000]

Of course they will. They’d fix it cheaper than you and make a nice profit.

Based on what you’ve stated, won’t the insurance company now just pay the £4900 to repair it?

 

[Zforbes]

I don't know why insurers seem so averse to getting cars repaired these days, and both they and Copart are apparently able to identify Structural damage without even looking at the car.

The insurance formula is easy to read, the form I completed: BMW 2010 10-30mph incident = Copart, the referral was instant so no consideration of model or value. Once you are registered it's bloody hard work to reverse that decision. Fingers crossed though my determination not to accept this works out.

 

[Zforbes]

Based on what you’ve stated, won’t the insurance company now just pay the £4900 to repair it?

The insurance company assessors need to agree first. If they can do it cheaper elsewhere there is every chance another bodyshop will get the job. Hope not as I know the repair will meet my very demanding quality standards at my shop of choice.

 

[Argyll Andy]

Based on what you’ve stated, won’t the insurance company now just pay the £4900 to repair it?

The insurance company assessors need to agree first. If they can do it cheaper elsewhere there is every chance another bodyshop will get the job. Hope not as I know the repair will meet my very demanding quality standards at my shop of choice.

One thing here to try and do is get them to agree on a higher value, this’ll push the % of repair = value down and won’t meet the formula fot writing off.

Have they given you any inkling about where they see the blame lying? They may be a lot keener to write it off if they think that another party is ponying up.

 

[Zforbes]

Based on what you’ve stated, won’t the insurance company now just pay the £4900 to repair it?

The insurance company assessors need to agree first. If they can do it cheaper elsewhere there is every chance another bodyshop will get the job. Hope not as I know the repair will meet my very demanding quality standards at my shop of choice.

One thing here to try and do is get them to agree on a higher value, this’ll push the % of repair = value down and won’t meet the formula fot writing off.

Have they given you any inkling about where they see the blame lying? They may be a lot keener to write it off if they think that another party is ponying up.

I told the insurance company the valuation by Copart is BS but it was based on trade value and not cost to replace, usually insurance assessors base it on market value, i.e. What you can get on Autotrader, the cheapest 35is is also 2010 lower miles but also no IDrive, Heated seats, steering wheel etc for £15900, I see my value north of that, nobody wants these without certain extras as I know you agree Andy as you guided me when I bought it.

My insurance is pointing the finger firmly at the driver at the first car as its 2 opinions against 1 - If this works out I'll be happy as it would be justice for bad driving.

I get it though as others have stated what usually happens. :headbang:

 

[Ole gits rule]

Think is I think what usually happens is changing based on the raft of false claims, insurance now take a look at what's happened and now you have 2 v 1 they will think hard about it.