Gouge to Mini roof - what the bloody hell has caused this?
Discussion
Afternoon all,
I just went out to wash my Mini and discovered a large gouge on the roof, on the passenger side, front corner. No other damage to the car at all and, of course, no note or any form of apology.
There is a nearby CCTV camera for a shop, but that's closed until Tuesday so for now I'm wondering what the bloody hell could have caused this.
Any suggestions? And can anyone tell me how bad the damage is/what it'll cost to fix? Admiral is currently closed for non-emergencies.
Cheers
I just went out to wash my Mini and discovered a large gouge on the roof, on the passenger side, front corner. No other damage to the car at all and, of course, no note or any form of apology.
There is a nearby CCTV camera for a shop, but that's closed until Tuesday so for now I'm wondering what the bloody hell could have caused this.
Any suggestions? And can anyone tell me how bad the damage is/what it'll cost to fix? Admiral is currently closed for non-emergencies.
Cheers
Thanks for the replies! My first thought was write-off, but maybe the damage is just to the skin? Obviously it's hard to tell for now.
To answer some of your questions:
The car is a 2007 R56 Cooper S. It was parked where the silver Audi is in this Street View image, but facing away from the Google camera.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4441422,-0.19830...
There's a CCTV camera above the door of the shop on the right, pointing towards where I was parked. Fingers crossed that will provide some answers. It's quite a busy turning off the main road, so could well have been a truck, skip lorry or similar.
It's been parked there for a few days, so could have happened mid-week. Annoyingly, I only noticed it today because I went to move the car. I hate parking that close to the junction, but when I was last here it was the only space.
There's a skip further up the road but that's been there a while. I'll ask them anyway. I haven't seen any damage to other vehicles on the street.
Thanks again, all. I'll keep this thread updated as best I can.
To answer some of your questions:
The car is a 2007 R56 Cooper S. It was parked where the silver Audi is in this Street View image, but facing away from the Google camera.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4441422,-0.19830...
There's a CCTV camera above the door of the shop on the right, pointing towards where I was parked. Fingers crossed that will provide some answers. It's quite a busy turning off the main road, so could well have been a truck, skip lorry or similar.
It's been parked there for a few days, so could have happened mid-week. Annoyingly, I only noticed it today because I went to move the car. I hate parking that close to the junction, but when I was last here it was the only space.
There's a skip further up the road but that's been there a while. I'll ask them anyway. I haven't seen any damage to other vehicles on the street.
Thanks again, all. I'll keep this thread updated as best I can.
mike74 said:
You could try saying it's been hit by a meteorite... you'd be quids in!
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/how-a-dent-ast...
Haha, let's hope!http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/how-a-dent-ast...
V8RX7 said:
I would buy the car back from the insurer - fix it and keep it.
OP - if your insurer want to write it off ask how much to buy it back - I'd happily buy it from you, giving you a profit.
I may have to hold you to that! For those asking, I paid £5.5k for the car last year.OP - if your insurer want to write it off ask how much to buy it back - I'd happily buy it from you, giving you a profit.
Does anyone have an idea of what it'd cost me to buy the car off the insurer? I'd definitely look to explore this option if it's available. I like the car, it's my first (yes, I know at 26 that seems crazy), and I'd like to keep it if I could. Hopefully I'll have more to share in the coming days.
The shop has said they will check their CCTV camera, but needs to go through a 3rd party so this might take some time.
Tomorrow morning I'm taking my car to a local garage suggested by the insurer for an assessment. Hopefully I'll find out by the end of the day if it's salvageable or not.
Tomorrow morning I'm taking my car to a local garage suggested by the insurer for an assessment. Hopefully I'll find out by the end of the day if it's salvageable or not.
Another update:
Yes, it has been reported to the police, but beyond issuing a crime number they didn't seem interested.
Car has been assessed by a local garage this morning, who will be in touch once they've priced it all up. They took photos and I was able to take the car home again for now.
The only CCTV camera with a view of where I was parked was the shop's one-and-only fake. I've been shown their view, and now know the other three/four working cameras would not have captured the incident.
Yes, it has been reported to the police, but beyond issuing a crime number they didn't seem interested.
Car has been assessed by a local garage this morning, who will be in touch once they've priced it all up. They took photos and I was able to take the car home again for now.
The only CCTV camera with a view of where I was parked was the shop's one-and-only fake. I've been shown their view, and now know the other three/four working cameras would not have captured the incident.
Admiral has now emailed to say the car is "uneconomical to repair (total loss)" and a salvage company has been instructed to come and take it away.
I've been told if I wish to "retain the salvage" of the car once collected, then changes will apply.
Admiral also state that it is "not our policy to allow" me to buy the car back.
I'm really bloody frustrated by this whole situation, but what can I do now? There are a few items I want to remove (AEM intake [declared], retrimmed steering wheel), but that will mean a trip to the salvage company in Essex.
I'm now waiting for a phone call, where hopefully I'll find out what I'll be paid for it. Almost time for a new 'What car?' thread...
I've been told if I wish to "retain the salvage" of the car once collected, then changes will apply.
Admiral also state that it is "not our policy to allow" me to buy the car back.
I'm really bloody frustrated by this whole situation, but what can I do now? There are a few items I want to remove (AEM intake [declared], retrimmed steering wheel), but that will mean a trip to the salvage company in Essex.
I'm now waiting for a phone call, where hopefully I'll find out what I'll be paid for it. Almost time for a new 'What car?' thread...
405dogvan said:
The car still belongs to you BUT you will need to reach an agreement with the insurer and bear-in-mind they are incurring costs having the car recovered and stored pending sale or destruction (didn't look like a Cat A/B to me!) AND they have procedures they like to follow and don't really like breaking those so work with them.
Once that car arrives in a salvage yard, it's likely stuff will 'go missing'. I got to my Civic the day it was delivered to the yard yet most of the interior leather trim (wheel, gearknob etc.) were already looted (and it had picked-up MORE damage from being forklifted)
If it's NOT been picked-up, go get your personal stuff ASAP - if it has, go to the yard and loot the car ASAP (you'll need to take proof of ownership to the yard)
The insurer will soon make you an offer - NEVER accept the first offer, they will always increase it (sometimes more than once but always at least once)
Be prepared to find examples of cars similar to yours which are for-sale at much higher prices - be prepared to prove the value of any declared modifications on the car - highlight anything unusual in spec/color/features (they just look at MINI prices)
Only once offers have been traded consider throwing buyback of the car into the mix - and be bloody sure you know what it will cost to repair and what it's worth thereafter because they WILL slap a Cat C/D on it and it will be very hard to resell.
Meanwhile, continue trying to find-out what happened because all this is going on your insurance history (affecting premiums for all cars at your address) and hitting your no-claims or protected no-claims 'strike' fund too.
Good Luck!
Thanks! Sounds like a solid plan of action.Once that car arrives in a salvage yard, it's likely stuff will 'go missing'. I got to my Civic the day it was delivered to the yard yet most of the interior leather trim (wheel, gearknob etc.) were already looted (and it had picked-up MORE damage from being forklifted)
If it's NOT been picked-up, go get your personal stuff ASAP - if it has, go to the yard and loot the car ASAP (you'll need to take proof of ownership to the yard)
The insurer will soon make you an offer - NEVER accept the first offer, they will always increase it (sometimes more than once but always at least once)
Be prepared to find examples of cars similar to yours which are for-sale at much higher prices - be prepared to prove the value of any declared modifications on the car - highlight anything unusual in spec/color/features (they just look at MINI prices)
Only once offers have been traded consider throwing buyback of the car into the mix - and be bloody sure you know what it will cost to repair and what it's worth thereafter because they WILL slap a Cat C/D on it and it will be very hard to resell.
Meanwhile, continue trying to find-out what happened because all this is going on your insurance history (affecting premiums for all cars at your address) and hitting your no-claims or protected no-claims 'strike' fund too.
Good Luck!
I've been looking at similar cars in the classified and the range of prices is quite surprising. In my favour, mine has features like the JCW body, sat-nav, panoramic sunroof, half leather, auto climate and the £300 AEM kit I mentioned earlier. Hopefully this all gives me some ammunition to get the offer price up a bit. I also now need to get a load of quotes on what it could cost to fix - not too easy when I'm stuck in the office all day.
And to your final point, this was my first car so I'd no no-claims to lose. I suspect my next insurance quote will be interesting...
I've settled. My insurer valued the car at £5k after some haggling, of which they will give me £3.5k now, leaving me to fix the car myself. If I cannot find an economic way to fix it, then I can call up and arrange for the car to be scrapped, then given the remaining £1.5k of its value. My insurance policy continues as it did, but no doubt I'll need to shop around come renewal in a few months' time.
I'm fairly happy with the outcome and am confident I can fix it for a sensible price.
Now, who knows a good body shop...?
I'm fairly happy with the outcome and am confident I can fix it for a sensible price.
Now, who knows a good body shop...?
Edited by Alistair1990 on Sunday 5th June 10:55
lord trumpton said:
None taken 
Yeah I agree looking at it on the laptop its a metal skin with black gelcoat.
I still beleive it's not a welded structural item; there is a 'real' metal roof skin underneath
Agreed. There is a clear gap between the damaged outer skin and what I guess is the actual roof (or at least the structural bit) underneath. While the skin is punctured, the inner roof only has a small groove in it, a couple of inches long.Yeah I agree looking at it on the laptop its a metal skin with black gelcoat.
I still beleive it's not a welded structural item; there is a 'real' metal roof skin underneath
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff