Written Off - worth buying back?
Discussion
So the story is Mrs Psycho is driving to work one morning last week on a dual carriageway and the cars in front stop. So does Mrs Psycho but the chap behind doesn't and parks his VW under the back of the Jeep and pushes Mrs Psycho into the car in front. I guess he was doing maybe
Jeep damage is light on the front - needs a new bumper skin but heavy to the rear it has/needs:
- bumper skin,
- tow bar,
- broken shock,
- bent arb drop rod,
- bent exhaust,
- possibly dented fuel tank definately fuel tank bash plate,
- boot floor pushed up including spare wheel well,
No issue with liability. The VW driver will need to payup.
The questions for me are:
- Is the Jeep worth buying back and fixing on the cheap. Its a good car, low mileage and very well maintained and I am handy with the spanners. I had the car over a pit and am confident about what is needed. I am thinking of second hand parts, replace shock, drop link, exhaust, bash out the spare wheel well and check out the fuel tank and a couple of used bumper skins.
- What sort of money will the insurers want for me to buy back the write off (2000W Jeep 4.7 v8 on 60k)
Any comments gratefuly received?
Jeep damage is light on the front - needs a new bumper skin but heavy to the rear it has/needs:
- bumper skin,
- tow bar,
- broken shock,
- bent arb drop rod,
- bent exhaust,
- possibly dented fuel tank definately fuel tank bash plate,
- boot floor pushed up including spare wheel well,
No issue with liability. The VW driver will need to payup.
The questions for me are:
- Is the Jeep worth buying back and fixing on the cheap. Its a good car, low mileage and very well maintained and I am handy with the spanners. I had the car over a pit and am confident about what is needed. I am thinking of second hand parts, replace shock, drop link, exhaust, bash out the spare wheel well and check out the fuel tank and a couple of used bumper skins.
- What sort of money will the insurers want for me to buy back the write off (2000W Jeep 4.7 v8 on 60k)
Any comments gratefuly received?
I used to do this sort of thing years ago, my FIL bought his car back twice(!) and I fixed it. It was only an old 1984 Nissan, but he was attached to it (we're taking over 15 years ago BTW). These days you need to take into account that when you do eventually sell it, you'll get a lot less for it as it will be recorded on the log book. No matter how thorough you are at repairing it, buyers won't pay anything near the same as an undamaged car, so factor that into your pricing and any offer you make for the salvage. If it's recorded as 'Cat C' then you'll have to take it for a 'VIC' after repair before it will be allowed back on the road and you can then tax it, so this is an extra expense and delay to getting it back on the road (Cat D won't require this).
HTH.
HTH.
Thanks
The jeep would be worth £2.5-3k mint with no write off history.
I would hope I could buy it back for £200 scrap value and spend £500 on repairs but its worth to me is more as a keeper as I know the value of the various parts I have changed and the history of the running gear.
How would the claims assessor value it - he comes on monday and will inpsect it in the street i.e. no workshop?
The jeep would be worth £2.5-3k mint with no write off history.
I would hope I could buy it back for £200 scrap value and spend £500 on repairs but its worth to me is more as a keeper as I know the value of the various parts I have changed and the history of the running gear.
How would the claims assessor value it - he comes on monday and will inpsect it in the street i.e. no workshop?
£200 is very optimistic. IME it's not worth it. Also, pity the fool who buys the Jeep off you with it's 'bashed out' boot floor and suspension damage.
Play it by ear, I know what you're saying but feel that your underestimating the extent of the damage. Is the geometry going to be correct? Is the boot shutline going to be tidy?
Big thirsty Jeeps are so common and cheap that I can't see the point unless you're going to be making significant financial gain.
Play it by ear, I know what you're saying but feel that your underestimating the extent of the damage. Is the geometry going to be correct? Is the boot shutline going to be tidy?
Big thirsty Jeeps are so common and cheap that I can't see the point unless you're going to be making significant financial gain.
Classic Grad 98 said:
£200 is very optimistic. IME it's not worth it. Also, pity the fool who buys the Jeep off you with it's 'bashed out' boot floor and suspension damage.
Play it by ear, I know what you're saying but feel that your underestimating the extent of the damage. Is the geometry going to be correct? Is the boot shutline going to be tidy?
Big thirsty Jeeps are so common and cheap that I can't see the point unless you're going to be making significant financial gain.
if he buys it back for 300 fixes it for 500 then he has a car that he knows for a grand total of exactly fPlay it by ear, I know what you're saying but feel that your underestimating the extent of the damage. Is the geometry going to be correct? Is the boot shutline going to be tidy?
Big thirsty Jeeps are so common and cheap that I can't see the point unless you're going to be making significant financial gain.
k all EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
psychoR1 said:
EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
Have you been given a loan car yet? If not then don't unless ablosutely necessary.
If you are planning to buy back don't get a 3rd party accident management co involved.
Try for cash in lieu of repair, instead of buying back write off.
snuffle said:
psychoR1 said:
EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
Have you been given a loan car yet? If not then don't unless ablosutely necessary.
If you are planning to buy back don't get a 3rd party accident management co involved.
Try for cash in lieu of repair, instead of buying back write off.
OP, not seen the car but..
"New" cars are meant to deform as part of the crumple zone etc. If you do a repair on the cheap, will you be able to replace enough to keep the strength there? it's your wife driving it, after all.
That said, if it's light, why not? Suspension mounts broken is an issue, because the handling won't be right. Suspension itself, just bolt on bolt off - we've set fastest laps in a car that has corners replaced 3 times that we know of - but curcially the suspension mounts never moved =)
"New" cars are meant to deform as part of the crumple zone etc. If you do a repair on the cheap, will you be able to replace enough to keep the strength there? it's your wife driving it, after all.
That said, if it's light, why not? Suspension mounts broken is an issue, because the handling won't be right. Suspension itself, just bolt on bolt off - we've set fastest laps in a car that has corners replaced 3 times that we know of - but curcially the suspension mounts never moved =)
mikelc said:
snuffle said:
psychoR1 said:
EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
Have you been given a loan car yet? If not then don't unless ablosutely necessary.
If you are planning to buy back don't get a 3rd party accident management co involved.
Try for cash in lieu of repair, instead of buying back write off.
The big issue is what the insurer would want for the car...
Like any transaction with your insurer, they'll start off with a silly offer and you'll have to haggle.
By the sound of it, it won't be a cheap repair and you've effectively written-off it's resale because it will be Cat D or C.
I'd just take their offer and get a new (to you) one...
Like any transaction with your insurer, they'll start off with a silly offer and you'll have to haggle.
By the sound of it, it won't be a cheap repair and you've effectively written-off it's resale because it will be Cat D or C.
I'd just take their offer and get a new (to you) one...
snuffle said:
psychoR1 said:
EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
Have you been given a loan car yet? If not then don't unless ablosutely necessary.
If you are planning to buy back don't get a 3rd party accident management co involved.
Try for cash in lieu of repair, instead of buying back write off.
balls-out said:
snuffle said:
psychoR1 said:
EDLT said:
It would be worth doing if you intend to keep it after fixing it, assuming there was nothing wrong with it before the accident. I'm not sure how many £2-3k 'mint' cars wouldn't need something fixing in the near future.
Exactly my thinking. I end up with my old car back (A 60k jeep) for less than a grand and some cash out of the deal for anything in the future rather than taking a punt buying a replacement. Main question is what it will cost me to buy the write off back?
Have you been given a loan car yet? If not then don't unless ablosutely necessary.
If you are planning to buy back don't get a 3rd party accident management co involved.
Try for cash in lieu of repair, instead of buying back write off.
Thanks for the comments - plenty of food for thought. The damage doesn't really give me any concerns TBH if I wasn't waiting for an engineers inspection I would have fixed the ARB, Changed the shock and bent the exhaust back today and be driving it.
In terms of how the damage occured the VW went under the back the Jeep mostly impacting on the 3 piece tow bar which sheared two of its mounting bolts allowing the crossbar to pivot and swing under the car taking the force on the engine/bonnet of the VW. The exhaust got in the way next, bent under and pushed into and bent the ARB droplink which pushed into the damper which is intact but now leaks. Where the tow bar folded under it pushed into the petrol tank/spare wheel well skid plate and put two creases in that have forced the spare wheel well up.
In terms of parts it needs:
ARB drop link £20
Exhaust £150
Shock £80 pair
Poss Fuel tank and guard £50 used
Bumpers £150 for pair plus paint
So arround £450 quid plus paint so lets say £600
There is no crumple zone on the rear, all lights/glass are intact and all doors and the boot still open and close and I have no worries about future impact resistance being compromised.
It is being dealt with by a 3p accident management company and we have a hire car already but I assume that this will go when the settlement on the Jeep is agreed?
If I can agree a 15% of value for it as it stands then that would be £450 tops so it looks like a plan!
In terms of how the damage occured the VW went under the back the Jeep mostly impacting on the 3 piece tow bar which sheared two of its mounting bolts allowing the crossbar to pivot and swing under the car taking the force on the engine/bonnet of the VW. The exhaust got in the way next, bent under and pushed into and bent the ARB droplink which pushed into the damper which is intact but now leaks. Where the tow bar folded under it pushed into the petrol tank/spare wheel well skid plate and put two creases in that have forced the spare wheel well up.
In terms of parts it needs:
ARB drop link £20
Exhaust £150
Shock £80 pair
Poss Fuel tank and guard £50 used
Bumpers £150 for pair plus paint
So arround £450 quid plus paint so lets say £600
There is no crumple zone on the rear, all lights/glass are intact and all doors and the boot still open and close and I have no worries about future impact resistance being compromised.
It is being dealt with by a 3p accident management company and we have a hire car already but I assume that this will go when the settlement on the Jeep is agreed?
If I can agree a 15% of value for it as it stands then that would be £450 tops so it looks like a plan!
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