So, what do I do next?
Discussion
Long story:
About 6 weeks ago my E93 335i started over heating, so I had it recovered to my local guy, he diagnoses a failed electric water pump.He quotes a £1000 to fix...a week later the water pump is on his bench ready to go, but now he had doubts and wants to take it for a test drive as he thinks it may me a leaking radiator. OK I say, just do what ever you need to diagnose the issue, ideally before you fit the £1000 pump (OK £400 pump + associated bits+time+VAT). he gets it back and tells me he's not sure, so I tell him to go ahead and fit the pump and if it turns out not to be the issue we can sort it out later, but I really need to have the car on the road. 30 mins later I get a phone call. They had the car over the pit....and it caught fire
I go down to look at the car, it has been pushed outside and is in a pool of blue powder and water, they hit it with a few buckets of water and a fire extinguisher. Apparently there was a lot of smoke. They put it back over the pit and the wiring harness has burnt out as far as they can trace it.
Call insurance company, they tell me as soon as its reported as a fire they just refer it to a salvage company....so a week later it gets picked up.
4 or so weeks (of paying for a rental car) later the salvage company phone me and report that its not a fire....its an electrical fault...can I pick my car up from Bristol (a good 80 miles away) please and if I don't ASAP they are about to start charging me a daily rate to store it.
The car cost me £7k a year or so ago, its worth maybe 5-6 now...ideas? Can I ask the insurance company to deliver it back to the place they picked up from? When does a burning out a loom become a simple electrical fault? Is t worth considering fixing it?
Any advice appreciated.
About 6 weeks ago my E93 335i started over heating, so I had it recovered to my local guy, he diagnoses a failed electric water pump.He quotes a £1000 to fix...a week later the water pump is on his bench ready to go, but now he had doubts and wants to take it for a test drive as he thinks it may me a leaking radiator. OK I say, just do what ever you need to diagnose the issue, ideally before you fit the £1000 pump (OK £400 pump + associated bits+time+VAT). he gets it back and tells me he's not sure, so I tell him to go ahead and fit the pump and if it turns out not to be the issue we can sort it out later, but I really need to have the car on the road. 30 mins later I get a phone call. They had the car over the pit....and it caught fire
I go down to look at the car, it has been pushed outside and is in a pool of blue powder and water, they hit it with a few buckets of water and a fire extinguisher. Apparently there was a lot of smoke. They put it back over the pit and the wiring harness has burnt out as far as they can trace it.
Call insurance company, they tell me as soon as its reported as a fire they just refer it to a salvage company....so a week later it gets picked up.
4 or so weeks (of paying for a rental car) later the salvage company phone me and report that its not a fire....its an electrical fault...can I pick my car up from Bristol (a good 80 miles away) please and if I don't ASAP they are about to start charging me a daily rate to store it.
The car cost me £7k a year or so ago, its worth maybe 5-6 now...ideas? Can I ask the insurance company to deliver it back to the place they picked up from? When does a burning out a loom become a simple electrical fault? Is t worth considering fixing it?
Any advice appreciated.
Liokault said:
Long story:
I go down to look at the car, it has been pushed outside and is in a pool of blue powder and water, they hit it with a few buckets of water and a fire extinguisher. Apparently there was a lot of smoke. They put it back over the pit and the wiring harness has burnt out as far as they can trace it.
Call insurance company, they tell me as soon as its reported as a fire they just refer it to a salvage company....so a week later it gets picked up.
4 or so weeks (of paying for a rental car) later the salvage company phone me and report that its not a fire....its an electrical fault...can I pick my car up from Bristol (a good 80 miles away) please and if I don't ASAP they are about to start charging me a daily rate to store it.
Any advice appreciated.
What evidence did both provide to the bits in bold? Agreed that this is something the insurance company need to resolve - but I am intrigued as to how the salvage company have investigated the fault and concluded it is electrical and not fire?I go down to look at the car, it has been pushed outside and is in a pool of blue powder and water, they hit it with a few buckets of water and a fire extinguisher. Apparently there was a lot of smoke. They put it back over the pit and the wiring harness has burnt out as far as they can trace it.
Call insurance company, they tell me as soon as its reported as a fire they just refer it to a salvage company....so a week later it gets picked up.
4 or so weeks (of paying for a rental car) later the salvage company phone me and report that its not a fire....its an electrical fault...can I pick my car up from Bristol (a good 80 miles away) please and if I don't ASAP they are about to start charging me a daily rate to store it.
Any advice appreciated.
Also, even if it was an electrical fault - the car still caught fire...……….
swisstoni said:
It sounds like someone somewhere is trying hard to make this not a fire as a way of not paying out.
I’d hold to the line that there has been a fire (what with all the burnt stuff and everything) and that the insurance company have to deal with it.
As above. My Dad years ago had an wiring fault which caused a fire under the bonnet. The cost to rewire was quoted at £5000+ The insurance company claimed it was a wiring fault, but no fire and so refused to cover it.I’d hold to the line that there has been a fire (what with all the burnt stuff and everything) and that the insurance company have to deal with it.
phil4 said:
swisstoni said:
It sounds like someone somewhere is trying hard to make this not a fire as a way of not paying out.
I’d hold to the line that there has been a fire (what with all the burnt stuff and everything) and that the insurance company have to deal with it.
As above. My Dad years ago had an wiring fault which caused a fire under the bonnet. The cost to rewire was quoted at £5000+ The insurance company claimed it was a wiring fault, but no fire and so refused to cover it.I’d hold to the line that there has been a fire (what with all the burnt stuff and everything) and that the insurance company have to deal with it.
phil4 said:
Liokault said:
Interesting, did you ever get the insurance company to cover it?
Sadly, no. They insisted there was no fire, so no cover.But I’d still keep on his insurance co’s case.
swisstoni said:
phil4 said:
Liokault said:
Interesting, did you ever get the insurance company to cover it?
Sadly, no. They insisted there was no fire, so no cover.But I’d still keep on his insurance co’s case.
I guess if I want to go that route it means small claims court, which I'm not going to do.
At what point is or isn't a burnt out wiring harness a fire?
Was the water pump failing due to the mechanical aspect of the pump (failed blades, shaft etc) or was the pump not working due to a potential wiring issue causing it not to work / work intermittently?
If the water pump was failing due to a wiring fault how at this stage would you ever be able to establish it?
Proper s
tty situation for you OP. Fingers crossed it comes good!
If the water pump was failing due to a wiring fault how at this stage would you ever be able to establish it?
Proper s
tty situation for you OP. Fingers crossed it comes good!Pupbelly said:
Was the water pump failing due to the mechanical aspect of the pump (failed blades, shaft etc) or was the pump not working due to a potential wiring issue causing it not to work / work intermittently?
If the water pump was failing due to a wiring fault how at this stage would you ever be able to establish it?
Proper stty situation for you OP. Fingers crossed it comes good!
Not sure. Water pumps do go on the e9X, fairly frequently (I was fully expecting to have to do one during my ownership of the car), I have never heard of one failing due to wiring. If the water pump was failing due to a wiring fault how at this stage would you ever be able to establish it?
Proper s
tty situation for you OP. Fingers crossed it comes good!Was your insurance with Admiral?
This is lifted straight from the Admiral policy wording 24/7/19 onwards under exclusions:
We will not pay for:
cont
for any loss or damage caused by mechanical, electrical, electronic, computer failures, breakdowns or breakages
cont
Always a caveat with 'budget' policy's which a majority of the comparison websites sell.
Sorry to hear your loss OP, I would suggest you ask them how they came to that conclusion, in a formal format detailing measures undertaken to form the opinion then ask for independent review from insurance co
This is lifted straight from the Admiral policy wording 24/7/19 onwards under exclusions:
We will not pay for:
cont
for any loss or damage caused by mechanical, electrical, electronic, computer failures, breakdowns or breakages
cont
Always a caveat with 'budget' policy's which a majority of the comparison websites sell.
Sorry to hear your loss OP, I would suggest you ask them how they came to that conclusion, in a formal format detailing measures undertaken to form the opinion then ask for independent review from insurance co
Liokault said:
Not sure. Water pumps do go on the e9X, fairly frequently (I was fully expecting to have to do one during my ownership of the car), I have never heard of one failing due to wiring.
Ah ok, I'm not a Beemer person so was just chucking it into the mix. Hope you get it sorted without too much grief. 
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