Is my car still around

[darich]

Just wondering out of pure curiosity if my previous Z4 is still around.
NU 54 MMV.
Sterling grey roadster. I sold it around 2009 to another forum user, and after some searching around the forum, it looks like he sold it to another member.

Just wondering if it's still on the go.
No records on any car app so it's either dead or on a private plate now.

 

[smorris_12]

Nominally cars these days go back to their original plate after private ones come off so I've always thought one has to assume the worst after so many years.

I had a Jag S-Type that went on to a private plate and never resurfaced which always vaguely annoys me as I like to know how long cars lasted after I sell them.

 

[Pondy]

I had a Jag S-Type that went on to a private plate and never resurfaced which always vaguely annoys me as I like to know how long cars lasted after I sell them.

Being an S-type; my guess would be about three weeks! :lol:

 

[smorris_12]

Being an S-type; my guess would be about three weeks! :lol:

You're probably not wrong! Loved the car but shoddy Ford quality always gave the impression that something was going to fail and parts wouldn't be cheap.

 

[buzyg]

I did what little I could to try and ensure my ///MR was never re-hashed, after the insurance write off. They never got the service history or second key. Though someone was trying, for some time, to get the service history from SCG, who did all the regular work on her. She travelled to Plymouth, then Bodmin then Cheshire then London, over a period of months, before I lost track of her. I still keep half an eye open. Hope she has been laid to rest.

 

[paddy wright]

I did what little I could to try and ensure my ///MR was never re-hashed, after the insurance write off. They never got the service history or second key. Though someone was trying, for some time, to get the service history from SCG, who did all the regular work on her. She travelled to Plymouth, then Bodmin then Cheshire then London, over a period of months, before I lost track of her. I still keep half an eye open. Hope she has been laid to rest.

Why were you so determined to keep it off the road if you don't mind me asking?

 

[buzyg]

I did what little I could to try and ensure my ///MR was never re-hashed, after the insurance write off. They never got the service history or second key. Though someone was trying, for some time, to get the service history from SCG, who did all the regular work on her. She travelled to Plymouth, then Bodmin then Cheshire then London, over a period of months, before I lost track of her. I still keep half an eye open. Hope she has been laid to rest.

Why were you so determined to keep it off the road if you don't mind me asking?

If the insurance told me it was a write off, then it was a write off in my opinion. There is always someone out to turn a buck though. Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.

 

[paddy wright]

Fairs enough, I never saw how badly it was damaged but it never takes much to write these cars off these days. I’m always happy when I see them being fixed if they can.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.

Insurers seem to write off anything these days, and if your car needed parts that are NLA (like bonnets and bumpers I think) they'd always write it off as the easy option.

But depending on the extent of the damage used parts can make a repair a viable, and perfectly safe, proposition. And I'd rather see any car saved than scrapped.

My 3 Series was made a Cat N this year because the rear bumper had 2 tiny cracks in it.

So I kept it as it drives perfectly and I've got 50% of what I paid for it 4 years ago back.

 

[Pondy]

If the insurance told me it was a write off, then it was a write off in my opinion. There is always someone out to turn a buck though. Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.

Agree with that totally. I would do the same TBH.

 

[Mr Tidy]

buzyg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 3:49 pm
If the insurance told me it was a write off, then it was a write off in my opinion. There is always someone out to turn a buck though. Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.
Agree with that totally. I would do the same TBH.

That's just wasteful!

There are write-offs and there are write-offs. Cat N means b*gger-all damage but not economic to repair, Cat S can mean they couldn't be bothered to look at it, Cat B shouldn't be repaired but can be stripped for parts, Cat A means scrapper.

What Cat was yours anyway buzyg?

My 3 Series became Cat N because of these blemishes.





Scrapping it would have been madness so I kept it.

 

[buzyg]

Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.

Insurers seem to write off anything these days, and if your car needed parts that are NLA (like bonnets and bumpers I think) they'd always write it off as the easy option.

But depending on the extent of the damage used parts can make a repair a viable, and perfectly safe, proposition. And I'd rather see any car saved than scrapped.

My 3 Series was made a Cat N this year because the rear bumper had 2 tiny cracks in it.

So I kept it as it drives perfectly and I've got 50% of what I paid for it 4 years ago back.

Had the same with my old daily. A guy drove into the back at the lights. Insurance wrote it off and I but it through an MoT the next week, Flew through. They gave me 90% of the cars value and I kept it another year.

The ///MR was entirely original genuine BMW parts. Even the centre Brake light. I'd know it since new and kept it that way. No mods just parts replaced when needed. Fixing with after market bits, may indeed have made it as safe as required, but it would not have been the same car. Better to put some spares into the pool and help maintain the value of the good MR's still out their. IMHO

 

[Mr Tidy]

Had the same with my old daily. A guy drove into the back at the lights. Insurance wrote it off and I but it through an MoT the next week, Flew through. They gave me 90% of the cars value and I kept it another year.

The ///MR was entirely original genuine BMW parts. Even the centre Brake light. I'd know it since new and kept it that way. No mods just parts replaced when needed. Fixing with after market bits, may indeed have made it as safe as required, but it would not have been the same car. Better to put some spares into the pool and help maintain the value of the good MR's still out their. IMHO

I can see why you wouldn't have wanted it after that, but surely it would have been better kept on the road than broken for bits?

Although we don't know how broken it was.

 

[buzyg]

buzyg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 3:49 pm
If the insurance told me it was a write off, then it was a write off in my opinion. There is always someone out to turn a buck though. Didn't see why I should help out in that process. It was never going to be that beautiful factory straight ///MR again. It might still be out there. But I think it has gone.
Agree with that totally. I would do the same TBH.

That's just wasteful!

There are write-offs and there are write-offs. Cat N means b*gger-all damage but not economic to repair, Cat S can mean they couldn't be bothered to look at it, Cat B shouldn't be repaired but can be stripped for parts, Cat A means scrapper.

What Cat was yours anyway buzyg?

My 3 Series became Cat N because of these blemishes.

Left Crack 190523.jpg

Right Crack 190523.jpg

Scrapping it would have been madness so I kept it.

I never asked. I chatted to the assessor a number of times, he clearly liked the car. He new every nut and bolt that was going to be required to repair that car. Someone had put time and effort in before they wrote it off. The bonnet was a large part off why it was written off. There simply wasn't one available. The steering rack was also damaged. He said it was possible it could be repaired but they were required to replace it. Air bag replace ment. Oil cooler, front bumper, drivers side wheel and associated suspension. Lots of little trim and sub frame bits. paint and labour. I tried myself to source a bonnet. Just like the exhaust on the M's there aren't any anywhere.

Then after all that the rest of the car had suffered that impact. Who knows how that had effected the engine.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Given that much damage I wouldn't have wanted to keep it buzy.

But I like to think I wouldn't be too bothered if it got repaired to a good standard by someone, rather than being broken for parts - I just hope I never have that dilemma with my Z4.