Totalling a new vehicle and/or the thought of?
Discussion
Last week I picked up my new (to me) Velar D300 from a main dealer in Bristol and promptly drove the 100 or so miles home along the M4 to Wokingham in absolute comfort and issue free.
I don't know whether its because it's value far surpasses anything I've bought before or, because (and again to me) it felt really special to be in, but even manoeuvring out of the car park I was struck with an almost overwhelming fear of someone hitting me up the rear (oooh errr) or, for some inconceivable reason driving into another car and writing it off!?
Gladly, this odd thought process diminished once I'd parked it up and home and I'm now enjoying ownership immensely...
Without wishing to revel in the misfortune of others or, appear sadistic, has anyone else had the same feelings, or worse had the gut wrenching experiencing of the unthinkable!?
I don't know whether its because it's value far surpasses anything I've bought before or, because (and again to me) it felt really special to be in, but even manoeuvring out of the car park I was struck with an almost overwhelming fear of someone hitting me up the rear (oooh errr) or, for some inconceivable reason driving into another car and writing it off!?
Gladly, this odd thought process diminished once I'd parked it up and home and I'm now enjoying ownership immensely...
Without wishing to revel in the misfortune of others or, appear sadistic, has anyone else had the same feelings, or worse had the gut wrenching experiencing of the unthinkable!?
DanL said:
Not sure I worry about a write off, but every time I change cars I worry about dents and scratches for the first month or two. Once it’s had the first one I can relax a bit, but while it looks pristine it does trouble me a little. 
I agree with this- it's the minor stuff that bothers me. Or the prospect of repair delays/problems. Written off? Get another one! (Perhaps a better one, although I guess if it was in the first few days of ownership that doesn't really work!)I've had it happen to me. My then 7-month old Polo GTI, into the back of a very-suddenly-stationary Vauxhall Insignia.
Not written off - I managed to scrub off just enough speed to not set off the airbags and the crash structure wasn't damaged. Required new front end though (bumper, grille, headlights, bonnet, radiator and intercooler), compared to the Insignia which had the faintest of marks on the rear bumper.
A sickening feeling, but no injuries thankfully, just bent metal and plastic sorted by insurance. And a reminder to look 3 or 4 cars in front.
Not written off - I managed to scrub off just enough speed to not set off the airbags and the crash structure wasn't damaged. Required new front end though (bumper, grille, headlights, bonnet, radiator and intercooler), compared to the Insignia which had the faintest of marks on the rear bumper.
A sickening feeling, but no injuries thankfully, just bent metal and plastic sorted by insurance. And a reminder to look 3 or 4 cars in front.
Edited by Dyl on Friday 11th June 12:45
imagineifyeswill said:
Whilst working in the vehicle recovery industry I have known a brand new vehicle totalled within ten minutes and five miles from the supplying dealer on August 1st
Back in the late 70's, an old mate of my Dad had his brand new car totalled as he drove it off the forecourt, literally delivery mileage. He pulled out across the traffic to make a right turn, and got T-boned by a speeding car that he just didn't see.....luckily for him, he had just bought a Volvo 244, and he was hit in the rear passenger door/rear quarter, as he had just got past the white lines when hit. Speeding car was doing about 50 in a 30 when he was hit, and spun him 360 degree's, and he had a short stay in hospital. Can't remember now what the car that hit him was, but I know the driver was in a bad way and had a much longer hospital stay, and was prosecuted as well.Not quite the same but around 2 1/2 years ago I had a nice Audi A4 S Line Avant, I'd had it maybe 3 months and one morning I woke up and opened the curtains to find no car then I go downstairs and my front door left ajar and then realise they had snapped the lock on the back door to gain entry before using my keys to walk out the front.
I think 4 or 5 days later I got a call from the Police to say my car had been found abandoned and it was at a recovery garage, later the same morning I met a Crime Scene Investigator there to go throguh the car and point out what was not mine in it and to see the car whcih had been in a bad smash and had someones blood on the dash and drivers seat along with bleach and petrol poured inside where they had presumably tried to either destroy it or cover the blood.
Was the one of the most gutting things i've ever seen.
I think 4 or 5 days later I got a call from the Police to say my car had been found abandoned and it was at a recovery garage, later the same morning I met a Crime Scene Investigator there to go throguh the car and point out what was not mine in it and to see the car whcih had been in a bad smash and had someones blood on the dash and drivers seat along with bleach and petrol poured inside where they had presumably tried to either destroy it or cover the blood.
Was the one of the most gutting things i've ever seen.
Also not quite the same but dropped my car off at Lotus to get it serviced as they were just unloading the remains of an S1 esprit from a lorry. Service manager was absolutely gutted…main reason being they had had the car for 6 months and done a complete rebuild of it. Customer had picked it up an hour before I got there and then crashed it on the second roundabout out from the dealership by going in way too fast, losing it and spinning it into the trees on the far side. It was properly borked 
DanL said:
Not sure I worry about a write off, but every time I change cars I worry about dents and scratches for the first month or two. Once it’s had the first one I can relax a bit, but while it looks pristine it does trouble me a little.
Yes, unrecovered theft or a write-off would not bother me (cue: GAP insurance thread bounce). But, yes, it is the parking dings and dents. Now 4+ years in the car has had a few, luckily with the minor thumbnail size ding by a blue car, I could scrape the paint off and the surface is fine, and it had its first ‘war-wound’ (yes, I parked it in an empty end of a Morrison’s car park, so some dork must have parked next to me, fist and last time I went to a Morrison’s).Overall, I take heart in that there are a lot of 10 year old cars around that look almost new condition.
DanL said:
The first time into a narrow car park with high kerbs - where are the edges? Will I kerb a wheel? White knuckle stuff, sadly…
Then at some point, a horrible sound and some swearing.
4 or 5 years ago I bought a very tidy R26. Out on the town the day after I bought it Playing about with a couple of other mates in their cars. Going round a roundabout I have been around a thousand times, not speeding, not even going quickly. Completely misjudged the radius of the roundabout against the car which was a lot wider than I was used to, destroyed a previously mint alloy and took a lump out of the expensive tyre aswell. To say I was displeased doesn’t really sum it up...Then at some point, a horrible sound and some swearing.
Yes, totally. I bought a new Mini Cooper in 2002, the first car I'd bought and spec'd from new. Drove it home from the dealer and a large stone flicked up and put a star-burst in the windscreen. Couldn't believe it and was gutted. It was only small and never fixed it but kept that car immaculate and not so much as a parking ding in the next 5 years I had it.
In some ways I'd prefer a new car to be totalled and replaced than take a big hit and come back to me repaired. You'd know it just wasn't the same again.
In some ways I'd prefer a new car to be totalled and replaced than take a big hit and come back to me repaired. You'd know it just wasn't the same again.
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