Latest modification....

[nunchukhamster]

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x314/Nunchukhamster_photos/IMG_0088.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x314/Nunchukhamster_photos/IMG_0086.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x314/Nunchukhamster_photos/IMG_0085.jpg

Whilst parked on my own driveway FFS.

[Ang]

OMG how did that happen?

[nunchukhamster]

Some tw@t swerved to avoid a cat and forgot he was towing a trailer. Ran the bloody thing down the side of the car.

I have a nasty suspicion the insurance will try & right the car off :(

[Crazy_C]

I doubt they'd write the car off for that cos it's a fairly newish car isn't it?? Just looks like a new door and a bit of body work on the rear wing.

That's a reet buggery though dude, sorry to hear that! :( You'd at least figure your car is safe from shit like that on your driveway!!

[nunchukhamster]

Wasn't liking the way the insurance company were talking, so told them to forget about the claim and engaged a Claims Management Nazi hit team to do the work. The advantage with that is they value the car as a whole, including all the mods.

I worked it out during the night, to replace the car alone will cost £3,500. That is the figure that Admiral would base their write-off decision on, which would be touch and go I think as the cars going to need an entire set of side panels and a door skin. However, to get the replacement car to the same modified spec as mine would cost another £2,600 for all the parts. The claims people will do all their work based on the total value of £6,100 as there is a legally binding court decision from 2001 which states that the third party has to return me to the state immediately before the incident which obviously includes the mods. So, if they do their job properly, the repair could only be called uneconomical if it exceeds £6k. It just depends if HSBC want to repair the car, or give me a wad of cash.

If it was the latter option, then I think I'd want the car back plus at least £4k. With that, I could buy another one, swap over the re-useable parts and break or flog the wreck. Whatever money I have left should pay for a replacement remap and some other toys. We shall see.

[Ang]

You can do refuse to let them take the car in an insurance claim, they are then forced to let you have the car for scrap value. Means a nice cheap project ;) They cannot legally take it from you, that's how I kept my manta, I just refused to let them have her.

Its going to be a write off due to that rear panel, its too difficult to get it into proper shape and spray up (though good for project work). The door is not too bad to replace as a hole.

How can you forget that you were towing a trailer :rolleyes:

[nunchukhamster]

I only found out yesterday, the rear panel is actually available seperately, i'd assumed that the roof and both sides are all one piece. As such, that improves the repair odds a bit I think. If not, then I have 3 or 4 plans in mind, ranging from take cash and buy another then swap parts over to saying 'bollox' and changing to the darkside and getting an E39 530 or even a Passat W8 (a 4.0l, 8 cylinder Passat is just sooooo wrong!).

[nunchukhamster]

Right, I can get all the body panels, door handle etc, brand new and unpainted from Volvo, using my discount, for £1133 (as opposed to over £1400 at full price).

Sent a nice long e-mail earlier today to the accident management company, listing all the mods with links to current suppliers prices for them all, comes to a total of £2657 provided I do most of the fitting myself.

Also a detailed explanation of the quality/spec required of any replacement vehicle, the closest one available at the moment is £3,500, but would require money spending on it.

Total cost to return me to the situation I was in pre-accident, is (at a MINIMUM) £6,157.

(Yes, I know I can do it for less, particularly if I retain the wreck and transfer the parts that I can but that's not the point ;))

[Ang]

Yeah anyone could do it for less but it would never be as good as the original, you can always tell close up. With damage like that its only fair to have it written off ;)

[nunchukhamster]

After much thought today, I've decided I only want to settle for one of two scenarios, full repair using genuine Volvo parts or full value cash payout. There's a lovely 2003 S60 T5 for sale round the corner, £4995. Leaving me a grand for map and lowering..... Gonna be a PITA whatever happens I suspect though :(

[macca]

Only just read this, good luck with it all, dealing with insurance companies is a PITA at the best of times :( Keep us posted!

[nunchukhamster]

Things are looking a bit better. HSBC have appointed a claims company who I'm dealing with direct. Loan car will be on my drive at 4pm, car being looked at within the next 36hours, but no insurance assessor's involved, declared intention is to REPAIR THE C70!!!! :D

[macca]

Cool, very good news!! It's horrible thinking that your pride and joy may be written off, I've been there :(

[Ang]

Things are looking a bit better. HSBC have appointed a claims company who I'm dealing with direct. Loan car will be on my drive at 4pm, car being looked at within the next 36hours, but no insurance assessor's involved, declared intention is to REPAIR THE C70!!!! :D


Great news for you :)

[nunchukhamster]

Great news for you :)

Aye. Loan car (a Jetta TDI) has arrived, the C70 gets taken on Wednesday morning. So fair I've asked 3 separate times if my car is getting repaired and the answer has been yes every time. And then when I spoke to the garage to arrange collection I asked again and they also said as far as they are concerned it's to be repaired :D

[nunchukhamster]

The hamster-mobile lives on! Just heard, repairs were approved this afternoon :D

[macca]

Brilliant news! :D

[Kerry_T-5R]

That is really good news, I hope they do a good repair!

[nunchukhamster]

All communication now sorted out, estimated date for return of the car is 9th July. Come on!!!!

By then I'll have a set of 470cc injectors and an IPD rear ARB waiting to go on (should be happening tomorrow at MRG Volvo meet :()

[Ang]

Great news, looking forward to seeing it out and about. :D

[nunchukhamster]

Right, all new (genuine Volvo) parts have now been received by the bodyshop, they've started the stripping down work and haven't come across anything unexpected so far.

I've actually got a copy of the full quote they sent to the insurers complete with all the part numbers etc, £2,200 plus the costs of whatever additional clips etc they need to replace and a couple of other parts that they hadn't priced at the time. The rear wing is actually being repaired, but the entire front door is being replaced, not just the skin.

Additionally, they are respraying the entire side of the car, front wing included (which had a pair of nasty scratches on it), which means I now only have to get a single small dent on the passenger side sorted out of my own pocket :D

[macca]

Very good! How long until you should have her back?

They very often respray the whole side of the car, it's a lot easier than trying to blend in large areas of repair paint. They did on my car when I had a mishap a couple of years ago.

That was an interesting bill, nearly £7k :innocent: :D

[nunchukhamster]

Estimate is that the car will be back with me on the 9th.

[Crazy_C]

Good to hear that things are going well there for you man and only got a little dent on the other side now :)

Will be all nice n new looking on that side :)

[Ang]

Great one! Any chance that other little dent can be done by the bodyshop for a little extra?

[nunchukhamster]

Great one! Any chance that other little dent can be done by the bodyshop for a little extra?

They came back with a quote of £380 :scare2:

So, it's getting done on the 24th by ChipsAway. The original quote I had from ChipsAway included doing the scratches on the drivers side, so I'll be saving that money anyway :yahoo:

[Kerry_T-5R]

Look forward to seeing your finished pics - should be almost mint then after you get it back!

[nunchukhamster]

Heard this afternoon, nothing unexpected found under the skins. Car actually went into the paint shop today. So, Thursday is looking good still :D

[Ang]

Getting closer to having it back.......... hope its going well:D

[nunchukhamster]

Going to be Friday now :( It's taken an extra day in the paintshop because of the two stage metallic on my car. Should be out of paint about now, re-assembly tomorrow, valet Friday morning, back with me Friday afternoon hopefully.

[nunchukhamster]

It's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack :D

Looks like a decent job, but will have to go back for a few hours next week to get the door alignment adjusted as I have a whistling window now, it's a common problem on these cars and I was fully expecting it to happen as they haven't test driven it at Hamster speed :D

[Ang]

Great news........... and glad you are pleased with the finish. :d:d

[macca]

Cool, really pleased for you :D