So, what do I do next?
Discussion
Liokault said:
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 be a leaking radiator.
Any advice appreciated.
Use a competent garage. An overnight pressure test should have diagnosed the right problem at the outset. Not a week - on the bench - and still faffing about.Any advice appreciated.
bungz said:
What a garage.
Cannot tell the difference between a dud water pump pump and a leaking radiator
Then the car randomly sets on fire.
No, it was more complex than that. They fired the car up after they got the pump and water was coming out of at least one connection to the rad. Probably a pressure issue due to the pump not working correctly.Cannot tell the difference between a dud water pump pump and a leaking radiator
Then the car randomly sets on fire.
Rtype said:
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
Hmmmm wEll, I'm not SURE if I can name the company, even though they are being complete nobs and have taken around 6 weeks to decide that there's no problem from their side and have abandoned my car 80+ miles away.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
OK, up date:
Just been on the phone to the insurance company, they have sent me two reports, one from a salvage company and one from the independent assessor.
the main thrust of this is:
"the garage had the car in for a failed water pump, later noticed smoke coming from under the bonnet. NO fire was noticed only smoke"
"Upon examination I found no evidence of fire damage and suspect that smoke was coming from water pump"
But then notes required parts to fix as engine wiring harness and water pump and estimates total cost to repair as "1246.01.
In the second report, the one with pictures, its clear that no one has been under the car as all pictures are generic interior/exterior/engine bay shots...no real investigation at all.
Just been on the phone to the insurance company, they have sent me two reports, one from a salvage company and one from the independent assessor.
the main thrust of this is:
"the garage had the car in for a failed water pump, later noticed smoke coming from under the bonnet. NO fire was noticed only smoke"
"Upon examination I found no evidence of fire damage and suspect that smoke was coming from water pump"
But then notes required parts to fix as engine wiring harness and water pump and estimates total cost to repair as "1246.01.
In the second report, the one with pictures, its clear that no one has been under the car as all pictures are generic interior/exterior/engine bay shots...no real investigation at all.
Liokault said:
"Upon examination I found no evidence of fire damage and suspect that smoke was coming from water pump"
Guesswork on the pump, but if the guy is correct that would suggest incorrect wiring by the garage if that is possible, or the original pump wasn't broken at all and the issue was the wiring upto and around the pump area??Pupbelly said:
Guesswork on the pump, but if the guy is correct that would suggest incorrect wiring by the garage if that is possible, or the original pump wasn't broken at all and the issue was the wiring upto and around the pump area??
Its total guess work, he's not had it up in the air to look at the damage. No wiring was touched by the garage, the new pump was never fitted.The assessor phoned me about 3 weeks into them having the car asking what the issue was as he couldn't see anything, he's certainly not been under the vehicle.
When the insurance company said it had to go to salvage, at that point did the car not become their possession? So when it turns out it should not be at salvage, should the onus not be on them to return the car to your possession?
Also if the finding was no fire hence no cover, where do they stand on water damage?
Also if the finding was no fire hence no cover, where do they stand on water damage?
JuniorD said:
When the insurance company said it had to go to salvage, at that point did the car not become their possession? So when it turns out it should not be at salvage, should the onus not be on them to return the car to your possession?
Also if the finding was no fire hence no cover, where do they stand on water damage?
Not sure on possession. I'm fairly confident there is fire damage, certainly a fully burnt out harness back from the engine. The local garage put it over there pit and had a look before it was picked up, they said it was just bare metal wire as far as they could trace.Also if the finding was no fire hence no cover, where do they stand on water damage?
Tyre Smoke said:
Why are you not claiming from the garage?
The damage was done while it was in their charge. It is their liability surely?
Again, surly they would have had to have done something wrong? No work was done by the garage other than a bit of a drive, ordering bits and lifting the bonnet.The damage was done while it was in their charge. It is their liability surely?
Up date:
Just been back on the phone with the insurance company. Not impressed. The assessor hasn't been under the car. The damage is under the car!!!
His wording is he "suspects" the smoke was coming from the water pump...the insurance company are taking this as gospel and don't want to do any further investigation. They don't want to acknowledge the fact that the wiring loom has totally combusted.
I have said that I will take it to the ombudsman with actual evidence of fire on the loom, and if we go that way I will be looking to get back the £600+ I have now spent on rental vehicles (looking at the first email, they have had the car for nearly 2 months).
So, now the car is being returned to the original garage who will provide evidence of fire/burning.
Any advice on how to deal with the ombudsman process?
Liokault said:
No, it was more complex than that. They fired the car up after they got the pump and water was coming out of at least one connection to the rad. Probably a pressure issue due to the pump not working correctly.
How was the system under pressure if the pump wasn't running? Surely the water flow is 0 therefore the car overheats if stationary due to no airflow. There should be no pressure to cause a leak that would force a hose to pop??The garage had it over their pit. So you said in your original post. Therefore it must have been in their workshop.
In my eyes, it's in their charge, therefore their insurance.
How do you know they didn't do something stupid and short out the wiring causing the fire? They seemed unable to diagnose a simple water fault. Now you are asking them to provide evidence of the fire, that they may have inadvertently started. I hope you get a decent outcome, but it looks unlikely to me.
In my eyes, it's in their charge, therefore their insurance.
How do you know they didn't do something stupid and short out the wiring causing the fire? They seemed unable to diagnose a simple water fault. Now you are asking them to provide evidence of the fire, that they may have inadvertently started. I hope you get a decent outcome, but it looks unlikely to me.
I had a similar issue years ago with my Triumph Vitesse.
The alternator fried itself and burnt out the wiring harness.
This happened whilst I was driving it at night, first symptom was a misfire, followed by smoke from the bonnet vents. I stopped, opened the bonnet, and pulled the fuses which stopped it. Was a right old mess.
Insurance company tried all sorts to avoid paying. First attempt was an undeclared mod as the car originally had a dynamo, they'd conveniently forgotten about the list of mods I sent them 7 years previously.
They then came up with the "electrical fault" get out clause.
After a short battle, the upshot was I had to pay for the alternator and the insurance covered the rest of the damage.
The alternator fried itself and burnt out the wiring harness.
This happened whilst I was driving it at night, first symptom was a misfire, followed by smoke from the bonnet vents. I stopped, opened the bonnet, and pulled the fuses which stopped it. Was a right old mess.
Insurance company tried all sorts to avoid paying. First attempt was an undeclared mod as the car originally had a dynamo, they'd conveniently forgotten about the list of mods I sent them 7 years previously.
They then came up with the "electrical fault" get out clause.
After a short battle, the upshot was I had to pay for the alternator and the insurance covered the rest of the damage.
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