Seriously close to giving up

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Having picked my car back up on Friday after 5 weeks (dash pod refurb, oil pressure sensor, lighting repairs, tyres etc etc) it then decides that the fan isn't going to work on Saturday morning & overheats in a traffic queue. & then once that sorted itself out, the gear stick linkage bolt snapped under the centre console leaving my stranded with no gears.

Fixed that, & then on my way home tonight the service bonnet decided it didn't like the car any more & flipped up, flew in the air, destroyed itself & laid in the opposite lane for a laugh. Also took 2 big chunks out of my bonnet for good measure on its way out.

Anybody know where I can get a new one? Or have an old one you want to sell???

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Thanks guys, really needing the encouragement this time! Yes good point on not hitting anyone else, also as another positive I've now got a new piece of art to go on the wall...


My problem is that this my daily runner & I don't have another car. It was my intention from the outset when I bought it as a rolling skip to buck the traditional trend & use it every single day, something which I have just about managed to sustain - until now. I've been close to breaking point a few times mind!

I've spent £10k on it in the last 2 years & I am on what can only be described as a 'very average' wage, so this is a huge amount of money to me & I simply can't keep up! I fear I may have to admit defeat & park it up for 6 months or so as I'm getting close to needing brakes & shocks, let alone a fing service bonnet, respray, carpets etc etc etc...

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Snapped front near side hinge I think by the looks of things.

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In fact it's this that's gone...

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• searches for sheds section...

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This is exactly what I didn't want to do! Although I think I might have to admit defeat now & get a daily runner. I can tell you now though it won't be boring & almost certainly won't be diesel! Mainly because I'm an idiot who doesn't know any better

Regards to the bonnet repair, I'm wondering whether it not to ring the insurers & ask the question? When I get a replacement there's no way I'll get a colour match (it was a one-off job mixed by god knows who) & I cannot afford a respray, so it's either speak to them or just put some form of wrap on said service bonnet, which will look horrid...

Opinions or experience with this welcome...

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I can get one that's not damaged for £300 already painted in primer, surely it will cost at least that to repair? It's pretty bad & much worse than it looks in the pictures. I'll certainly be looking into it mind, even if it's to repair & sell on or trade in against another one.

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T5GRF said:

Could you claim under your insurance for the service bonnet to be replaced and repainted and also for the subsequent bonnet damage?

Yes this is what I was thinking about, but because they wouldn't get a colour match I'm pretty sure they would have to do the entire car which would work out brilliant for me! Unless of course they decide to write it off, which is not so good!

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Whether it has simply fallen off or not, damage is damage at the end of the day so should be covered. & the premiums may well go up but I have protected no-claims (for what that's worth) & as it stands at the minute I only pay £210 a year. It's certainly going to be a damn site cheaper than paying for a respray anyway!

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So more recent news - after talking it over with a local-ish TVR specialist I'm going to call my insurance tomorrow! As soon as he saw it he said to claim on insurance, & as there's no way they'll get a colour match they will have to do the whole thing, which is nice.

So I'm going to ask then to send out an assessor to see it, then hopefully I'll be asking you all what colour to pick! Not holding my breath just yet though.

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RichardD said:

Good that things are moving forward .

You passed me at Somerden roundabout this morning too (I was driving a car that got attacked by a Mondeo at Marfleet roundabout earlier this year !)

Hi Richard, what car were you in?? Also do you not attend the local club meet at all?

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TVR_CS said:

Hi Ryan,

Have a word with Brendan at Concept Performance in Sheffield he repairs lots of TVR's and gets great reviews on here.

Chris

Thanks Chris but IF the insurance does come through then it will be going via SD Autotech over near York & to the guys he uses. We'll see though, they might not even pay out yet!

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Just as well you didn't see it, they don't look nice with that front bonnet missing! Yeah I go to both meets whenever I can, or should I say when my car is running!

Also I've just logged a claim with insurance, so we'll see how it pans out! Fingers crossed...

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m4tti said:

Hypothetically speaking, if they were to right it off can you withdraw the claim?

As far as I know, yes. I'm not forced to accept their offer if it's peanuts so they'd have to cancel the claim anyway I reckon? Anyhow I spoke to the guy who's gunna be dealing with the insurance & he said they'll just thrash it out between them until a deal is reached that they are both happy with & then I just pay the excess when it's completed. He said it won't get written off as it's going to be much cheaper to repair it than write it off?!

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Dischordant said:

I'd be surprised if somewhere like surface and design had to respray the whole thing instead of just the panels btw.

They'd have to do the lot as it's not a standard colour. It's one that somebody somewhere made up once upon a time. Yes it's a purple reflex but is most certainly not a TVR purple reflex. If it goes through it will be Chris Gregory at Auto Refinishing doing the work through Steve at SD Autotec, who has already said it can't be matched.

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Not 100% sure but it appears that the near side front hinge has given up & the wind got under it somehow & just ripped it off. I st myself though I can tell you that much!! I have to just sit & wait now though for another week or so before proceedings can get underway!

I do need to start looking at colours though just in case. I'd love to stick with a flip flop but I imagine that won't happen given the prices. So here's what I've been looking at so far:




My absolute favourite so far is this but is not going to happen:


Any opinions/suggestions welcome!

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swisstoni said:

Why shouldn't it be returned to the original colour? The fact that the paint is expensive should not be your concern should it?
That's what you were paying the insurance co for Shirley?

Only going on the few quotes I've had, I fear that if I were to push for the flip paint then the cost would force them to write it off? Depending what they offered me then I could end up slightly better off that way. However having bought it as a glorified green house & then going through hell & near financial ruin to resurrect it again, all the things I've done, places I've been in it & all the people I've met through having this car, I would be heartbroken to see it go to become worm food having once been very close to that point only a couple of years before now!

May sound a bit childish speaking this way, I don't know how else to explain it but it's not just a weekend toy for me. & even though it might be a bit of an ugly duckling this car is a lifetimes ambition realised for me & I love it to bits (which is just as well, as I've replaced nearly all of em) & I'm not willing to risk them taking it away from me!!