BMW 330 Clubsport
Discussion
Thanks, unfortunately the insurance engineer doesn’t seem to agree.
I’ve just had the first of the phone calls I was expecting although not quite as I expected. He has valued it a £2k, I told him that he’s miles off. I looked on Autotrader a few weeks ago and similar cars with similar mileage were anywhere between £3500 and £4500. He said they go on book prices but he’ll see what he can do.
I then asked about getting it back so that I can sort it out, he said no.
What followed was a slightly surreal conversation where he tried to explain to me that because in their eyes the repair costs exceeded the value, nobody could put it back on the road in a satisfactory condition.
We agreed that the car was not dangerous and that there was no structural damage but he stood his ground.
To be fair to him, he was polite and at least listened to what I had to say, even enquiring as to the differences between the Clubsport and the standard car.
I explained that it’s almost irreplaceable like for like.
He said that he will go and research it and get back to me, which although I am not optimistic it will make any difference, at least is better than the last time where I got a simple ‘ it’s worth this much in our book, not interested in what you think it’s worth’.
I am at the moment finding very difficult you find a sensible answer when my son keeps asking ‘ why do you have to pay for insurance ‘?
I’ve just had the first of the phone calls I was expecting although not quite as I expected. He has valued it a £2k, I told him that he’s miles off. I looked on Autotrader a few weeks ago and similar cars with similar mileage were anywhere between £3500 and £4500. He said they go on book prices but he’ll see what he can do.
I then asked about getting it back so that I can sort it out, he said no.
What followed was a slightly surreal conversation where he tried to explain to me that because in their eyes the repair costs exceeded the value, nobody could put it back on the road in a satisfactory condition.
We agreed that the car was not dangerous and that there was no structural damage but he stood his ground.
To be fair to him, he was polite and at least listened to what I had to say, even enquiring as to the differences between the Clubsport and the standard car.
I explained that it’s almost irreplaceable like for like.
He said that he will go and research it and get back to me, which although I am not optimistic it will make any difference, at least is better than the last time where I got a simple ‘ it’s worth this much in our book, not interested in what you think it’s worth’.
I am at the moment finding very difficult you find a sensible answer when my son keeps asking ‘ why do you have to pay for insurance ‘?
If your plan would have been to keep it long term I'd be trying to get a decent deal that lets you keep your car, even if it will have a "Cat" marker on it.
I have a mate whose Imola Red 54 plate 325i Sport Touring was involved in an accident this year and his insurer (Hastings Direct) didn't even have it inspected - they classed it as beyond economical repair based on photos!
Still he eventually got a settlement he was happy with that covered all repair costs with the bonus of a new front wing on the side that wasn't damaged, but was crusty!
It looks better than it did when he bought it 2 years ago.
OK, it now has a Cat S but as he has no plans to sell it that isn't really an issue.
I know 330i Clubsports are rare, but probably no rarer than 325i Sport Tourings - finding his took some time.
I have a mate whose Imola Red 54 plate 325i Sport Touring was involved in an accident this year and his insurer (Hastings Direct) didn't even have it inspected - they classed it as beyond economical repair based on photos!
Still he eventually got a settlement he was happy with that covered all repair costs with the bonus of a new front wing on the side that wasn't damaged, but was crusty!
It looks better than it did when he bought it 2 years ago.
OK, it now has a Cat S but as he has no plans to sell it that isn't really an issue.
I know 330i Clubsports are rare, but probably no rarer than 325i Sport Tourings - finding his took some time.
I will fight to get the car back. I don’t understand his reluctance with this nor how he can realistically stop me. It’s my car, I own it. If had not been taken of my drive for them to see it, it would still be outside my house with nothing to stop me cracking on with repairs. Had there not been another car involved I may well have done that anyway.
I am expecting a call from him tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes.
I am expecting a call from him tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes.
Having had some recent dealings with an insurance company I feel your pain. It can be a tiring battle to get a simple outcome but if you feel the car is worth the fight press on. I sadly had an E46 written off this year but accepted the pay-out, which after some negotiation allowed me to buy another one for £250 more than the pay-out.
If I had any E46 spares to fit your car I’d certainly let you have them for a good price. Sadly the only part I have to fit your car is a rad, which postage costs would be too steep (and it fits my current car). Nissens is the one to go for.
If I had any E46 spares to fit your car I’d certainly let you have them for a good price. Sadly the only part I have to fit your car is a rad, which postage costs would be too steep (and it fits my current car). Nissens is the one to go for.
Thanks everyone.
I tried chasing up the insurance company this morning. They had not heard from the engineer a didn’t know what I was talking about!
They made some calls and he called me back.
Basically the same conversation was had again. He did say that he doesn’t see why the guide book should be so far away value wise but at the moment his top offer is still £2000.
We then moved back to the subject of my getting the car back so that I could get on with repairing it.
There is a well worn phrase here involving brick walls and foreheads that springs to mind
I thought that possibly he was confused and thought that I was expecting the insurance company the full BMW approved bill so I explained that this was not the case.
He kept repeating that due to their assessed value of the repair cost against their idea of the car’s value, I would remain a Cat B and be a spares car only. I responded appropriately.
The call was ended with him telling me that my many comments would be passed on to the insurance company.
Strangely, when I visited the bodyshop to retrieve something from the boot the other day, the first thing they asked was “are you taking the car back to repair it”? In a tone of voice which suggested that was exactly what they expected me to do.
Anyway in summation, I’m no further forward than a week ago.
Fortunately I have very understanding family and friends, I am currently custodian of my mother’s Ford Puma and one of my best friends has offered me the used of one of his fleet once it’s up and running
I tried chasing up the insurance company this morning. They had not heard from the engineer a didn’t know what I was talking about!
They made some calls and he called me back.
Basically the same conversation was had again. He did say that he doesn’t see why the guide book should be so far away value wise but at the moment his top offer is still £2000.
We then moved back to the subject of my getting the car back so that I could get on with repairing it.
There is a well worn phrase here involving brick walls and foreheads that springs to mind
I thought that possibly he was confused and thought that I was expecting the insurance company the full BMW approved bill so I explained that this was not the case.
He kept repeating that due to their assessed value of the repair cost against their idea of the car’s value, I would remain a Cat B and be a spares car only. I responded appropriately.
The call was ended with him telling me that my many comments would be passed on to the insurance company.
Strangely, when I visited the bodyshop to retrieve something from the boot the other day, the first thing they asked was “are you taking the car back to repair it”? In a tone of voice which suggested that was exactly what they expected me to do.
Anyway in summation, I’m no further forward than a week ago.
Fortunately I have very understanding family and friends, I am currently custodian of my mother’s Ford Puma and one of my best friends has offered me the used of one of his fleet once it’s up and running
well that's annoying.. 2k isn't going to get a decent replacement clubsport that's for sure and if you can't get it back your in a catch 22! Worst case if they'll pay out but let you buy the car back as cat b for a nominal fee then you could break it to try to make up the difference. Hope they start playing ball! I would certainly argue that on one well known auction site there are a number of clubsports of varying mileage and conditions for sale all between 3-7k, there is nothing at 2k..
Good to see this thread is still going but obviously it's not good to see your bad luck continue.
I hope you get to keep it though. Will the insurance company not pay any attention to adverts for current cars for sale if you gathered some?
It's simply wrong that they class them the same as every normal E46 coupe.
If you get to keep it and fix it then make sure you insure it with a decent Classic insurer next time, with salvage retention.
Good luck.
I hope you get to keep it though. Will the insurance company not pay any attention to adverts for current cars for sale if you gathered some?
It's simply wrong that they class them the same as every normal E46 coupe.
If you get to keep it and fix it then make sure you insure it with a decent Classic insurer next time, with salvage retention.
Good luck.
The insurers will only go by their book prices and having spoken to the Insurance Ombudsman that’s all they are obliged to do, wrong as that is.
My e36 was written off by another driver a couple of years ago and I went through all this then. They refused to pay out more than £1250 despite my sending them the adds for all similar cars showing a value of approximately £3000.
They argued that cars don’t sell for what they are advertised for and as such the adds were irrelevant!
At the moment I am giving serious consideration to just retrieving the car and telling them to shove their value.
I could probably fix the car for about the same as the shortfall anyway. In any event I will be left seriously out of pocket.
I did try to get some sort of agreed value policy, but couldn’t find one that covered an every day driver doing 15k a year. They don’t seen to accept that once the value has bottomed out, it won’t drop any further, continuing to use whatever formula it is to calculate depreciation.
My e36 was written off by another driver a couple of years ago and I went through all this then. They refused to pay out more than £1250 despite my sending them the adds for all similar cars showing a value of approximately £3000.
They argued that cars don’t sell for what they are advertised for and as such the adds were irrelevant!
At the moment I am giving serious consideration to just retrieving the car and telling them to shove their value.
I could probably fix the car for about the same as the shortfall anyway. In any event I will be left seriously out of pocket.
I did try to get some sort of agreed value policy, but couldn’t find one that covered an every day driver doing 15k a year. They don’t seen to accept that once the value has bottomed out, it won’t drop any further, continuing to use whatever formula it is to calculate depreciation.
A quick update.
I had a call from nice lady from RSA. She said that the original offer was too low and having looked into it and believes that the car is worth £3250, which is far more reasonable.
They will also let me keep the car for £500 but says it would be a cat S write off because of the structural damage! I enquirer what the structural damage was as it had not been mentioned before. All she could tell me was that a second engineer had looked at photos and classed it so.
Late yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to a bodyshop owned by the father of someone at work, of whom I have heard good things. He told me that he would be able to sort it all out as a ‘contract repair’ and if he does it shouldn’t be listed as a write off.
So that’s the latest plan. I shall ring the insurance company on Monday and fingers crossed it all gets sorted.
I had a call from nice lady from RSA. She said that the original offer was too low and having looked into it and believes that the car is worth £3250, which is far more reasonable.
They will also let me keep the car for £500 but says it would be a cat S write off because of the structural damage! I enquirer what the structural damage was as it had not been mentioned before. All she could tell me was that a second engineer had looked at photos and classed it so.
Late yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to a bodyshop owned by the father of someone at work, of whom I have heard good things. He told me that he would be able to sort it all out as a ‘contract repair’ and if he does it shouldn’t be listed as a write off.
So that’s the latest plan. I shall ring the insurance company on Monday and fingers crossed it all gets sorted.
Cat S is the new name for the former Cat C I think. Which basically means you can put it back on the road with a VIC check as far as I understand it. That seems far more reasonable than suggesting it was a Cat B, as the other bloke was.
Glad you dug your heels in with the valuation - I'm pretty sure they treat it as a negotiation in order to minimise their losses per claim.
Glad you dug your heels in with the valuation - I'm pretty sure they treat it as a negotiation in order to minimise their losses per claim.
Best of luck.
I had a Facelift Clubsport in Estoril too. It was really hard to sell, I almost let it go for £3500 the year before I sold it for £4700 (on 113k in 2014)
I think they are hard to sell because people search for M-Sport or Sport and might miss them due to search filters. I think they will always be worth a little bit more, if nothing else for the colour and wheels being quite unique.
I had always wondered what would happen in the event of a claim value wise.
Oh....Seriously...get M3 Leather in there. I picked up a full set for £350 with electric lumbar, bolsters, and heated. They are 100x comfier and look far nicer.
I had a Facelift Clubsport in Estoril too. It was really hard to sell, I almost let it go for £3500 the year before I sold it for £4700 (on 113k in 2014)
I think they are hard to sell because people search for M-Sport or Sport and might miss them due to search filters. I think they will always be worth a little bit more, if nothing else for the colour and wheels being quite unique.
I had always wondered what would happen in the event of a claim value wise.
Oh....Seriously...get M3 Leather in there. I picked up a full set for £350 with electric lumbar, bolsters, and heated. They are 100x comfier and look far nicer.
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