Happy New Year - Not for me

Happy New Year - Not for me

Author
Discussion

D1ckie

Original Poster:

739 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Not a great New Years Day, but it started last year when in October I caught my rear bumper on the gate post. Anyway nearly £1K and a few weeks later I get the Sag back and it’s tucked up in the garage ready for a nice day.


Forward a month and after a week at home with the family over Christmas and a nice fresh day I decide to take the Sag out for an hour before going to dinner at the in-laws.
Its New Years Day and I’ve been driving for 15mins when I take the car out towards the country lanes, approach a small left hand bend that I know often can pool with standing water so I’m taking it easy. No water but as I round the corner the back end steps out, first thoughts are no problem soon pull this back in line, but sadly not. Trying to correct the back end it then slides out the other way then back then the car hits the kerb, straight into a tree, rotates 360’ then ends up on the wrong side of the road facing the oncoming traffic on a blind bend with my foot stuck between the accelerator and the brake and this is the result...... sadly another Sag gone forever.
Interesting discussions with the insurance company, the broker was great, but the insurance company were quite simply a piss take. Anyway now paid up and awaiting the car being collected to go to the breakers.



Druid

1,312 posts

181 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Gutted to see that Richard. It sounds like you're ok which is the most important thing! Obviously I would be interested in your insurance experience in more detail!

craigcaf

185 posts

141 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Glad you're OK but feel for you frown

RedSpike66

2,336 posts

212 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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That's a big, big shame - you must be gutted !
Is there substantial damage to chassis then ?? Didn't sound like you were going that fast.

With the value of Sags today i'm surprised it's written off ...

Quentin1

468 posts

244 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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I feel sad for you...on the other hand, you walked away with no harm...
Lost my brother last year in a crash, so just enjoy what´s lying in front of you.

ChrisPap

395 posts

154 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Very sorry to read this! Hope you're ok (physically).
Do you know what category of write off they've given it? As someone else said, with the current value of Sags, I'd be suprised if it couldn't be saved.

alex_gray255

6,313 posts

205 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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censored

What more can one say?

Really sorry to hear it, but at least you walked away ok.

crimbo

1,308 posts

228 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Gutted for you mate would break my heart, but glad you are ok and the insurance is sorted, let us all know what you replace it with

D14 AYS

3,696 posts

210 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Very sad to see this frown Main thing is your OK.

Don1

15,939 posts

208 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Nothing else to add really - are you going to replace it?

piquet

614 posts

257 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but i've felt the back go a couple of times when it hit an area of decreased grip and felt the syvecs traction control getting it under control and preventing over compensation. In the dry it's turn off but in the wet it's just good to know it's there turned on just in case.

I'm glad you're ok, are you going to replace it with another sag or something else? I do love that red.

Even with chassis damage i'm surprised it's written off, isn't everything available to put it back on the road?

Don1

15,939 posts

208 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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Why, the Syvecs is an amazing system when set up.

SteveSPG

2,120 posts

202 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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sorry to see.....buy the salvage, it has got to be worth putting back together.

D1ckie

Original Poster:

739 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
quotequote all
Thanks all....

Had a guaranteed insurance value on the car when I renewed in December, but to gurantee at full rate at today needed a specialist report and didnt have time. So renewed at highest guranteed value I could without a report.

They then offered me £7K less than value when they wrote to say they were writing the car off, this is alos without anyone seeing it from the insurance company. Declared Cat B, needs a new chassis and front tub plus any damage to engine. They had a quote for repair and found a company with a "new" chassis, but when I questioned where the chassis was going to come from considering they havent been made in years they couldnt tell me. I told them I wouldn't accept a chassis off another damaged car.

Wasnt going fast at all, maybe 30 but if I hadnt crashed I'd have been out in the country lanes where I could have been hitting 60mph so it couldve been much worse.

I was looking for a new car before I crashed the Sag, but was going to keep the Sag anyway, but after the fact I just lost the car without being an idiot and driving too fast gave me a bit of a scare, and even more worrying was just glad none of the kids were with me.

Looking at another Sag but not much about and mine was only 16K miles and in top original condition, not a mark on it until this.

Considering an MP4 or maybe a 458 but still looking

Assume as Cat B I cant buy it back or would I have to get an independent report to see if this can be changed to Cat C???

RFC1

1,107 posts

197 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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So ,what were you driving on? Black ice? I cannot understand how you can loose a T car in these circumstances otherwise and at such low speeds..? Not being sarcastic ,just genuinely interested as to what happened and why.

Glad you are ok obviously.

Sandy

TOV!E

2,016 posts

234 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
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RFC1 said:
So ,what were you driving on? Black ice? I cannot understand how you can loose a T car in these circumstances otherwise and at such low speeds..? Not being sarcastic ,just genuinely interested as to what happened and why.

Glad you are ok obviously.

Sandy
Ditto don't understand it, glad you are fine though

D1ckie

Original Poster:

739 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th February 2013
quotequote all
RFC1 said:
So ,what were you driving on? Black ice? I cannot understand how you can loose a T car in these circumstances otherwise and at such low speeds..? Not being sarcastic ,just genuinely interested as to what happened and why.

Glad you are ok obviously.

Sandy
It wasnt black ice, was too warm for that. Although a bloke who lives in a house on the main road right by where the crash happened said I was the 4th one in 12 months to have lost the car there and one of them ended up in his front room.

Only assume it might have been diesel on the road

Edited by D1ckie on Sunday 24th February 21:05

RedSpike66

2,336 posts

212 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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Have you accepted the write off yet ?? Can you change your mind ?
I have been told Multipart have some brand new Sag chassis in stock !!

If you can, get it repaired - it has to be worth it.

I was also told by someone you have the right to insist they pay to repair it up to 90% of the insured value of the car. It isn't going to cost 50k to repair it surely ??

jrb43

797 posts

255 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
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D1ckie said:
after the fact I just lost the car without being an idiot and driving too fast gave me a bit of a scare, and even more worrying was just glad none of the kids were with me.

Considering an MP4 or maybe a 458 but still looking
Much as we all love TVRs and don't want to see another one lost; I sympathise entirely. Never kept a car that has had a big one; it's a difficult reminder and (in the case of production cars - I accept this is slightly different), never drive the same. Emotional has to meet practical and unless you were thinking of keeping it forever, I can't see it making financial sense to get it back on the road Cat C. I know people will argue that it doesn't greatly affect the value but it DOES reduce the number of interested buyers at that price. Do what's right for you!

Choosing new cars is fun cool

All opinions that of the author etc. etc.

D1ckie

Original Poster:

739 posts

190 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
I've accepted the settlement and have spoken with the salvage company about buying the car back. However as its class B there would be no point and apparently you cannot get this classification changed.

Although I dont think I'd ever be as happy / confident of using a car that has been repaired to such an extent as I dont think it would ever drive the same. I know other people who have had main stream cars repaired especially where chassis damage has been involved and they are never the same again.

Sadly this one is gone - the interior is in great condition for a 16K mile car and if anyone needs anything PM me and I'll give you the breakers details