Write off?

[Oakey]

So, my girlfriends grandfather has this annoying habit of parking across her parents drive, boxing her car in between his and the neighbours car as well as boxing in any cars on their drive. Apart from being annoying as it causes hassle for anyone actually wanting to go anywhere, he seems to be trying to get it as far up the back of her exhaust as possible. In fact, it was just this Saturday gone that I said it was only a matter of time before he shunted her car.

Today was that day.

He's apparently 'hit the wrong pedal' (he drives an automatic ffs!) and ploughed into her little Ford SportKa and shunted it into next door car which was about a foot away.

My girlfriend said the bumper was damaged:



Unfortunately I suspected it was more than this and went to have a look.

"Open the boot" I said



I'm fairly sure the boot floor is supposed to be completely level, it's now at a 45degree angle, so much so it's deformed itself around the jack and completely wedged it in.

Is this the sort of damaged that will compromise the safety of the car (well, as safe as a Ka can be) and consider it a write off?

ETA: How it should look;

Edited by Oakey on Monday 26th November 12:43

[4key]

That would be an insurance write off, it doesnt really make the car any less safe than it was though.

[N Dentressangle]

Depends on the value of the Ka, but I'd be surprised if that were an economically viable repair.

[Oakey]

4key said:

That would be an insurance write off, it doesnt really make the car any less safe than it was though.

Well, as safe as those piece of st tin cans can be

But I was more thinking along the lines of whether it will make the car less rigid or if there are going to be any other symptoms as a result of this.

She paid about £2k for it, her grandfather wants her to take it to her uncles (has a garage, restores a lot of old Aston Martins) but I'm in two minds whether she should do that or claim against him.

[SMcP114]

The insurance will most likely write that off. If the option of getting it fixed is there I'd take it.

[Krikkit]

I would be wary about getting that fixed - where are the rear suspension pickups on a Ka? Could easily have moved them about ruining the geo, something that you'd need a proper jig to see.

Let it be written off and buy another.

[CDP]

I don't know if she'll get loaded as the victim of an accident. It sounds stupid these days I know but apparently it increases the risk of you having a bump even if you're having breakfast indoors at the time of the shunt.

[ajb85]

You could do with knowing what it's worth. If that repair looks like more than 65% of the car's value then you know what the answer will be...

[Chrisw666]

Oakey said:

She paid about £2k for it, her grandfather wants her to take it to her uncles (has a garage, restores a lot of old Aston Martins) but I'm in two minds whether she should do that or claim against him.

Get it fixed, even with a full no claims bonus (protected or not) they will inflate the premium for a non fault claim.

I had quite a long argument with a couple of insurers about this and they will not budge. I was reversed into at a junction and had some imbecile skid out of a T junction into the side of me, both within 3 months both settled 100% non fault and yet because of these I pay at least £150 more than I would if they hadn't happened and I still have no claims bonus from before the shunts.

ETA: Even if she doesn't want to use it again ask the Grandfather to pay for the difference between the KA sold as salvage and a replacement.

[danjama]

Ask the grandad for cash (market value) to replace. Don't involve insurers. Scrap the car.

That would be my course of actions.

[Oakey]

The problem is, her car hit the neighbours and although as far as I'm aware there's no damage besides maybe a scuff on the bonnet (which may have been there previously, who knows) that's not to say they won't make a claim against her. In which case she may as well claim against her grandfather?

[CDP]

Oakey said:

The problem is, her car hit the neighbours and although as far as I'm aware there's no damage besides maybe a scuff on the bonnet (which may have been there previously, who knows) that's not to say they won't make a claim against her. In which case she may as well claim against her grandfather?

Sounds like it's necessary to ask the neighbours what they want to do. They might go for the repair route too. OK, that's not a minor scuff but IMO there's little point dealing with insurers unless it's well over a thousand pounds.

[calibrax]

Oakey said:

The problem is, her car hit the neighbours and although as far as I'm aware there's no damage besides maybe a scuff on the bonnet (which may have been there previously, who knows) that's not to say they won't make a claim against her. In which case she may as well claim against her grandfather?

All claims should be against the grandfather. Your girlfriend was not driving the car when it hit the neighbours car so their claim should be against the grandfather directly.

[calibrax]

And if the car cost her £2k, then it will definitely be a write off. These days even just needing a bumper respray will write off a car of that value.

[NISaxoVTR]

I wouldn't want that car anymore, its obviously been given a fair old thump. I'd say regardless what route you take its up to Grandad to put you financially back in the same boat you were in before his demolition derby. I wouldn't be happy with him getting his mate to 'fix it'.

[Chrisw666]

Oakey said:

The problem is, her car hit the neighbours and although as far as I'm aware there's no damage besides maybe a scuff on the bonnet (which may have been there previously, who knows) that's not to say they won't make a claim against her. In which case she may as well claim against her grandfather?

Any claim would be against her Grandfather, anyone who claims has their next few premiums loaded, even if the claim is non-fault. The Grandfather would also have his premiums loaded massively.

If your GF can't sort it amicably with her Grandfather then the insurance route is the obvious option, if repair has been offered take it.

[whitecobra]

I'd run it through the insurance. You need to think about how long the car will be in for repair - and if she needs it for work she'll want a courtesy car!

[KieronGSi]

Oakey said:

The problem is, her car hit the neighbours and although as far as I'm aware there's no damage besides maybe a scuff on the bonnet (which may have been there previously, who knows) that's not to say they won't make a claim against her. In which case she may as well claim against her grandfather?

They claim off the grandfathers insurance, I was in a three car shunt and did exactly that. I was at the front and I just claimed from the guy that caused it not the guy in the middle.

[Oakey]

KieronGSi said:

They claim off the grandfathers insurance, I was in a three car shunt and did exactly that. I was at the front and I just claimed from the guy that caused it not the guy in the middle.

I didnt think this was how it worked but thanks for clearing that up (and the other poster).

Problem with my girlfriend and her parents is they're too worried about offending people and what other people will think, rather than speaking their mind. This was inevitable, he's bumped up against it slightly before (no damage though) so it was obvious he would smash into it eventually if he carried on with his insistence of parking right up against her bumper. On Saturday his bumper was about 1mm away from hers with about 2ft of space between the rear of his car and the fenceline between her parents and neighbours drive!. If it was my car I'd be saying "Oi, grandad, why the fk do you insist on parking so close? For whose benefit is this? The guy next door doesn't even own a car so why are you giving him so much room?". Instead they just allow him to carry on and piss and moan about it when he's gone so they really only have themselves to blame.

[big_boz]

Many years ago my mums SportsKa got rear ended very lightly, just bumper damage, went off to be fixed, then a week after she got i back it got rear ended again at low speed on the motorway by a woman who wasn't paying attention in stop start traffic (eating a sandwich IIRC), it looked almost identical to your picture.

Needed to be Jigged to put it right, I am pretty sure it was something to do with rear suspension pick ups moving. It wasn't a WO but it was only 18 months old at the time, would imagine that is immediate WO with present value.