Will this be a write off? Estimated repair cost?

[Trailhead]

A friend has just done the below and is wondering if the car would be a write off?

The bumper and light are easy repairs - it's the pushed in rear quarter panel that I wouldn't know how to fix.

[Trailhead]

Thanks.

It's a 57 plate 116i with around 50k on I think. So probably worth around £5 or £6k?

I've only seen the pictures he has sent me so far and not the actual car but it's the quarter panel that is the worrying part. Hard to see how badly damaged it is.

[Trailhead]

Thanks both.

He is back from holiday now and has sent me some slightly clearer pics -

[Trailhead]

He found a bodyshop who will do the work for £800-£1000. I'm slightly dubious but we will see.

[Trailhead]

BritishRacinGrin said:

yes we'll see. I would expect the genuine parts cost alone to be in that ballpark, and that probably wouldn't include the most expensive part- the rear quarter, which presumably they're repairing, rather than replacing.

£280 for (second hand I think) parts £500-700 for pulling the dent, a loooooot of filler and respray.

[Trailhead]

BritishRacinGrin said:

If this comes back a decent looking repair I shall be stopping by at the garage for a business card. Not a straightforward job getting those shutlines around the light / bumper right, and the cheap metallic black paint blend into the rear quarter/ 'C' pillar will be very interesting.

I'm interested in the results too. He will get it back on Friday so I'll put pics up if people are interested!!

[Trailhead]

gizlaroc said:

Trailhead said:

He found a bodyshop who will do the work for £800-£1000. I'm slightly dubious but we will see.

Did he do what I suggested earlier?

Get the insurance company to get a quote from their approved bodyshop, which will be a few grand, and then ask for cash in lieu.

They will offer the repair price less the vat.

He can then take it anywhere, this will then cover any potential losses when selling on if someone sees it has had work, but may also see him a few grand in pocket.

He didn't because he doesn't want the insurance co to know anything about it - he is a young lad!

[Trailhead]

Fairly sure damaging your car on private land and then repairing it yourself isn't defrauding anyone actually.

[Trailhead]

loskie said:

Your insurance asks "have you had any accidents claims or convictions?"

There's always one isn't there...

The answer would be no, because what you do off road falls outside of the remit of insurance, like track days for instance.

Stop trying to cause trouble, it isn't the purpose of this thread.

[Trailhead]

ZOLLAR said:

Trailhead said:

loskie said:

Your insurance asks "have you had any accidents claims or convictions?"

There's always one isn't there...

The answer would be no, because what you do off road falls outside of the remit of insurance, like track days for instance.

Stop trying to cause trouble, it isn't the purpose of this thread.

Good one, I hope you and your mate don't actually believe this?

As far as I was aware, if you have a right to use private land to which the general public does not have access then you are within your rights to drive on that land without insurance - so if you do damage your car then I can't see why your policy for the road would need notifying.

Not that I am insurance whizz and its not my car anyway, so not really bothered either way.

He's going to sort it out himself so this thread was more about the cost to repair the car!

[Trailhead]

4rephill said:

Trailhead said:

ZOLLAR said:

Trailhead said:

loskie said:

Your insurance asks "have you had any accidents claims or convictions?"

There's always one isn't there...

The answer would be no, because what you do off road falls outside of the remit of insurance, like track days for instance.

Stop trying to cause trouble, it isn't the purpose of this thread.

Good one, I hope you and your mate don't actually believe this?

As far as I was aware, if you have a right to use private land to which the general public does not have access then you are within your rights to drive on that land without insurance - so if you do damage your car then I can't see why your policy for the road would need notifying.

Not that I am insurance whizz and its not my car anyway, so not really bothered either way.

He's going to sort it out himself so this thread was more about the cost to repair the car!

So if you crash your car on private land, causing damage to the chassis that results in the car being dangerous to drive, as far as you're concerned you can just re-panel the car, not bother to tell the insurance company and continue to drive the car on the road?

In that case, I take it you also assume that should you then have an accident on the public highway due to the damage, your insurance company will completely overlook the undeclared damage and payout regardless? - Good luck with that theory!

(Of course, this theory doesn't take into account that you'd probably not declare the damage, re-panel the car and paint it and then sell it on for some innocent next owner to end up in a serious accident due to the car being an undeclared write-off! A case of: I'm all right jack! - fk everyone else!)

As for that damage being repaired for £800~£1000, I hate to think how shonky that repair will be!

Bumper's fked, rear light's fked, rear quarter panel's fked, boot floor/rear inner wheel arch looks to be fked.

For £800~£1000, that's not going to be repaired properly! (Still, as you say he's: "a young lad", I'm sure he won't give a st about whether it's repaired correctly and safely or not!)

Wow.

You are assuming the repair will leave the car unroadworthy, which of course would be a completely different kettle of fish.

You are also assuming if/when he sells it that he wouldn't declare any accident damage.

Lots of totally random assumptions that only he could answer anyway.

Personally, I would expect it to be roadworthy since a proper bodyshop is doing the work. I am sceptical it will be up to my standards, but you get what you pay for.

[Trailhead]

Car is back from the shop now. Haven't seen it in the flesh yet, but my friend has just sent me this picture and says you can't tell the difference. It cost £985 and some beer!

Thanks to everyone who posted helpful comments!!