Bah- we’ve had a bang.

[basherX]

Mrs B calls to say some chap’s just t-boned her at a junction. She was passing on the main road, he was pulling out from a side road. Straight into the side of her, as it happens. He’s admitted liability. All going via insurance.

I appreciate it’s a bit of “how long is piece of string” question but anyone like to hazard a guess as to what they’ll assess this damage as in £?





In addition to the obvious damage to three panels there’s damage to the alloy and the front neat side wheel is badly toed out rendering the car undriveable. There are dash warnings re city stop (stop/start?) not working, hill start assist not working and the traction control light is on.

This is our family workhorse so annoying to have it out of action.

[Johnspex]

I'd have an uninformed guess at it being a write-off.

[Wacky Racer]

Depending on the value of the car.....how old is it?...It could be a write off.

Only guessing but I would say 4-6k,

You don't get much for 1k these days in body shops.

[tr7v8]

99% sure that will be a write off.

[basherX]

My first reaction too.

Really annoying- I like buying cars, but not under pressure.

[king arthur]

Would be very surprised if that's not written off.

[basherX]

Wacky Racer said:

Depending on the value of the car.....how old is it?...It could be a write off.

Only guessing but I would say 4-6k,

You don't get much for 1k these days in body shops.

2017 and AT valuation is a bit under £4.5k private sale. Quick squiz says something similar from a trader is about £5.5k.

[bristolracer]

As long as your wife is fine then be happy the car did its job of protecting her.

T Bones are really nasty accidents and that could have been so much worse.
Keep an eye on her for 48 hours, she will have a sore neck tomorrow.

It's just a car, everyone got home.

[Gary C]

I would imagine total loss but, if the A & B pillars are sound it would be a good buy back, new wing and two doors and its an easy shed

but if the pillars are bent at all, its probably going to be a cat B

[vaud]

Is it a Ford Focus Estate (Mk3 facelift)?

Depending on year/mileage it’s worth £3500 to £6000 (apparently) so either way I guess it’s a writeoff.

You could buy it back from them and fix the sensors, and bits to make it run and live with some of the damage… personally I wouldn’t unless it was just a station car.

[Inbox]

Looks like you will be car hunting, not because the damage is significant just the numbers don't stack up. IIRC correctly if repair costs exceed 50-60% of the (trade) value then it will be written off.

Subject to the possibility of hidden damage would buying it back and repairing with 2nd hand parts be a possibility?

[kambites]

As above, even if the damage is purely cosmetic, that's a write-off.

[trashbat]

basherX said:

There are dash warnings re city stop (stop/start?) not working, hill start assist not working and the traction control light is on.

Not especially helpful, but I would expect all of that to have a singular root cause, like loss of the NSF ABS sensor connection measuring wheel speed.

[basherX]

Inbox said:

Looks like you will be car hunting, not because the damage is significant just the numbers don't stack up. IIRC correctly if repair costs exceed 50-60% of the (trade) value then it will be written off.

Subject to the possibility of hidden damage would buying it back and repairing with 2nd hand parts be a possibility?

That’s all beyond me. Looks like I’m car hunting.

My mate’s just sent me a link to a Montego and my wife’s now threatening divorce.

[basherX]

Cheers all. Helpful.

This is (was) our all round dog/dump/mileage motor and is just back from a 1,200 mile jaunt around France. As ever, its value as a known quantity exceeds (to us) its market value and the plan had been to run it until it dies. And that day appears to have hoved into view slightly earlier than anticipated.

[edd1e]

Buy it back from the insurance co before it goes to Copart, fix it with used panels , keep forever. The buy back value on that will almost certainly surprise you.

As you say it’s a known quantity, the damage isn’t structural , if you’re keeping forever the write off marker isn’t important.

Edited by edd1e on Tuesday 19th August 21:35

[legless]

Almost certainly a write off.

This damage to a single door on my ID.7 earlier this year was £6,500 to repair without even factoring in the hire car costs. There was some sill damage too but this was repaired without using any new panels.

[sherman]

Thats written off
If using OE parts
2 doors -£1500
1 wing £500
1 wheel £300
Towing eye cover £50
Other suspension parts £500
Brakes etc £500
Labour - £ 2000
Paint £2-3000

---

£8350
On a car thats worth £6000 it doesnt stack up.

[J4CKO]

Yeah, to an insurance company it’s toast.

But, I would buy it back having checked that it’s just cosmetic, it looks it.

I would just use it for a bit and source panels from eBay, about £100 per door and wing, might get a deal on a set.

If the car is otherwise ok, would definitely swap the panels over if remotely handy, it’s not hard and can likely find panels the same colour, for a workhorse I wouldnt worry about it being perfect, we have a Golf mk7 that’s battered, it was used by an older lady in a city centre and has a knock on every panel, we bought it on 21k, pre ruined !

Reckon on it taking a day to swap it all over, less if you are more used to that kind of work.

Glad your Mrs is ok, so annoying when this happens through no fault of your own.

[Mr Tidy]

I'd be amazed if it wasn't a Cat S.

But if you were handy with spanners and didn't mind second-hand parts you might get a result keeping it.