Off to look at a coupe tomorrow

[neildavies]

I think if it's possible for you, it could be worth dismantling and selling it in bits.

Harsh, but realistically worth thinking about.

[highlander]

Not a possibility, I'm afraid - I'm not a homeowner, I live in a rented flat in a quiet little housing estate, so there is a carport with parking on a first-come, first-served basis. I can't keep a car here for dismantling.

If I had the room, I'd keep it untaxed and uninsured and try to sell it over time.

I have claimed on my insurance, as this is the only way I see of getting rid of the car (or making it sellable) in the short space of time I had available. I'm taking her in to the insurers' preferred accident repair centre on Tuesday morning for them to take a look at. The car is mechanically still in great shape; I see them either fixing it and returning it to me, or declaring it a write off, repairing the damage (at basically no cost to them, really) and then selling it on.

If I do get the car back, I'll be looking for a very quick sale...

[highlander]

Well, I'm now officially a Coupe owner - picked her up and paid for her today, and signed my name down as the new registered keeper, and drove her up from Edinburgh. All seems to be working great (though the previous owner ran her out of windscreen washer fluid, so the windscreen is caked with dirt right now). Pics later - it's dark and I'm knackered.

In other news, someone sent me a text asking about the saloon - I can't sell her until she's been to the repair centre (Tuesday 8:30am), so I'll text the guy back tomorrow.

[Doggy]

Well now you're a coupe owner and confirmed french car addict, Graeme!

Hope you have loads of fun and no issues with it, you lucky so & so.

[highlander]

The accident repair centre guy seems to think the damage to the saloon might be economically repairable, which means she'll live on. To be fair, if they do write it off, it'll only be a Category D write-off, which means she'll still live on, just with less market value.

Will find out in a few days or so. Mind you, they're going to call me and moan at me about the spoiler, alloy wheels, and stainless steel exhaust - and will probably want some back-dated increased premium as a result. I will fight them on the wheels and spoiler because I told the buggers about them when I took the policy out online, and the premium increased as a result - but I didn't think to tell them about the exhaust, so I'll own up to that. It just didn't occur to me

[Bailes1992]

The accident repair centre guy seems to think the damage to the saloon might be economically repairable, which means she'll live on. To be fair, if they do write it off, it'll only be a Category D write-off, which means she'll still live on, just with less market value.

Will find out in a few days or so. Mind you, they're going to call me and moan at me about the spoiler, alloy wheels, and stainless steel exhaust - and will probably want some back-dated increased premium as a result. I will fight them on the wheels and spoiler because I told the buggers about them when I took the policy out online, and the premium increased as a result - but I didn't think to tell them about the exhaust, so I'll own up to that. It just didn't occur to me

I even told my insurance when I colour coded the wooden strips on the inside of my car and put pawprints on them

[highlander]

Got the call from the engineer today - unfortunately she's being written off, and they're valuing the car at £1,000. I did argue that in pre-accident condition I could have got £1,500, but the guy just flat-out refused to listen, and said it's worth £1,000 and that's not up for debate

Unfortunately that's before the excess, which currently stands at £250, but is subject to change - Direct Line may decide to increase my excess AND ask for a back-dated increase in my insurance premium for the year. I will be telling them to feck off; they will end up giving me less for the car than I've paid them in insurance costs, and I'm not bloody having that.

I wish I'd repaired her privately now, I really do. I hate insurance companies, they're all bastards.

[waue1978]

As far as I know the values are negotiable. Best way to try to up it is to go through Autotrader for similar examples to yours for sale as the money paid out is supposed to allow you to replace with something similar. As yours was a low mileage, you may find a couple at £1500 on there & they might meet in the middle.

[highlander]

Claim = cancelled

I'll get her through her MOT and sell her on privately, as originally planned. I have never felt so cheated, ripped off, and frustrated in all my life.

In the meantime, I get my 2 years NCB back.

[sirwiggum]

Is the car still recorded as Cat D if you cancel the claim?

[highlander]

That I don't know... I don't want to call Direct Line again (well, not today, at least) as I'm sure I'll actually weep.

EDIT: They bloody better not; thinking about it - they shouldn't do that if they don't take the car away or give me any kind of recompense for it. If I find out they do

[waue1978]

Don't think it will be. That only applies if the insurer has paid out on the car & in this case they won't have.

Out of curiosity though, did you report the incident to the police at all? Realise they'll probably be about as useful as a French QC inspector, but there may have been cctv or witnesses somewhere in the area when it happened.

[highlander]

Yep, told the police - waited by the car for about 30 - 40 minutes while they drove over from Lauder, where the nearest Lothian & Borders Police Station is.

There's no CCTV on (that part of) the High Street in Earlston, unfortunately.

The police basically said "Don't get your hopes up", so I knew fine they couldn't do anything.

The problem with Earlston is that a lot of people just pass through it on their way somewhere else - almost all the traffic there is simply transitory. If the guy did live in town, someone would have recognized him.

[nutski]

Sorry to hear about the saloon mate, did see your post on the coupe forum but didnt realise the damage was that bad!
On a plus note the coupe does look awesome!!

[sirwiggum]

Yep, told the police - waited by the car for about 30 - 40 minutes while they drove over from Lauder, where the nearest Lothian & Borders Police Station is.

There's no CCTV on (that part of) the High Street in Earlston, unfortunately.

The police basically said "Don't get your hopes up", so I knew fine they couldn't do anything.

The problem with Earlston is that a lot of people just pass through it on their way somewhere else - almost all the traffic there is simply transitory. If the guy did live in town, someone would have recognized him.

I used to skirt by Earlston on the way from Edinburgh to NE England, Yorkshire.