crashed my treasure

[andrew bazeley]

Oh dear - after 14 years of preserving my high-spec gorgeous Cali 2.5 TDi, I've managed to get involved in a nasty crash. Driver door bashed in (and my right ear gone deaf because of the very efficient airbag!), and both front wheels bent.

The reason I've posted this here is because the insurance assessor looked at it disapprovingly, and was clearly intending to categorise it as a write-off. But as I gave him a guided tour of the van, and explained how precious, practical and original it was (and how much a new one would cost!), he was mighty impressed and converted: now they are fixing it!

We have a wonderful vehicle worth preserving, friends.

 

[GrannyJen]

Oh Andrew


I so feel for you. You must have been gutted.

I hope it will soon be back to it's bright and shiney loveliness. Well done for keeping hold of it.

Jen xx

 

[GeorgeandAnne]

So sorry to hear about your crash and your hearing. Hope both car and ear are restored soon.


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[andrewjkidd8]

You could let them write it off then buy it back and get it repaired yourself?

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[andrew bazeley]

You could let them write it off then buy it back and get it repaired yourself?

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Yes - I had considered that. Apparently you can make quite a profit, as the repair is probably a lot less than the write-off value. But I reckon that might have a dramatic effect on the insurance - I bet you have to declare on the insurance form that it has been written off. Never done it!

 

[PeteS]

Sorry to hear of you crash hopefully everyone is ok.
My wife crashed her 16 year old Beetle just before Christmas. It was fully comp and when we phoned the insurance company they were prepared to write it off on the phone did not even want pictures.
I managed to repair it for less than the cost of the excess so in the end we did not claim. Luckily the local breaker has the some coloured bumper in stock and the paint match is not bad.
I did speak to LV about writing it off and they confirmed that they are not bothered if the car has been written off for the premium purposes but they would consider it if the car was in an accident again as the value would be less. In fact the LV engineer almost encouraged me to repair it. The resale value would be less if you wanted to sell it.
If you go down the route of write off and repair then there are lots of costs that can crop up like the odd broken bracket or sensor. If you insurance company are willing to repair it I would go with that at least they will pick up the costs and you will have some warranty on the repairs.
Hope you get it back soon.

 

[Skieryounger67]

Good job getting them to do that. You don’t want it declared as a write off you’d never sell it. Cat d cars are hard to sell.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Yes - I had considered that. Apparently you can make quite a profit, as the repair is probably a lot less than the write-off value. But I reckon that might have a dramatic effect on the insurance - I bet you have to declare on the insurance form that it has been written off. Never done it!

The insurer will declare it was written off automatically. They will now declare it as a repaired claim. They will also declare the severity of the damage and repair. This will stay with the vehicle now. This will have an automatic consequence on the book value of your van, for future insurance and eventual sale.

Ask the insurer what class of damage repair they are intending to declare as this will have a knock on going forward for you.

 

[andrew bazeley]

Sorry to hear of you crash hopefully everyone is ok.
My wife crashed her 16 year old Beetle just before Christmas. It was fully comp and when we phoned the insurance company they were prepared to write it off on the phone did not even want pictures.
I managed to repair it for less than the cost of the excess so in the end we did not claim. Luckily the local breaker has the some coloured bumper in stock and the paint match is not bad.
I did speak to LV about writing it off and they confirmed that they are not bothered if the car has been written off for the premium purposes but they would consider it if the car was in an accident again as the value would be less. In fact the LV engineer almost encouraged me to repair it. The resale value would be less if you wanted to sell it.
If you go down the route of write off and repair then there are lots of costs that can crop up like the odd broken bracket or sensor. If you insurance company are willing to repair it I would go with that at least they will pick up the costs and you will have some warranty on the repairs.
Hope you get it back soon.

Thanks so much for that! I'm going along with the assessor's decision to repair it and accept how that might affect future insurance. At least - as you say - the resale value wouldn't be affected (not that I want to sell it!).

 

[Perfectos]

I would imagine the assessors initial thoughts to write off the vehicle were based on two assumptions:
Approximate cost of repair vs market value of a Van !

the old 70% threshold (repair cost) rule went out along time ago, now insurers will repair a vehicle where the repair cost = 100% of the claim value !

i.e. when the assessor carried out some basic due diligence valuations of the potential replacement value of the Cali, (total claim) vs total Known repair cost (insurers know what the future repair will cost will be, at the time of the assessment, based on a system the insurers force their repairers to use) they would have quickly re-assessed their initial “write off” assessment payout vs repair cost !
you would need to have an awful lot of damage to justify writing a Cali off , due to massively high residual market value.
your damage Does not look too bad at all.

good luck with the repair and getting back on the road (discussed in length in another thread)

to put a perspective on it have a look below
it makes yours look like a mere scratch

despite the extensive damage, this ended up back on the road ! (Discussed in previous thread )

Salvaged Cali

Sorry to see this Cat S 4mo for sale and hope the occupants were ok after a nasty rear end. Not sure there’s much Cali left to salvage for over £15k+vat though. https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/26539560

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[andrew bazeley]

I would imagine the assessors initial thoughts to write off the vehicle were based on two assumptions:
Approximate cost of repair vs market value of a Van !

the old 70% threshold (repair cost) rule went out along time ago, now insurers will repair a vehicle where the repair cost = 100% of the claim value !

i.e. when the assessor carried out some basic due diligence valuations of the potential replacement value of the Cali, (total claim) vs total Known repair cost (insurers know what the future repair will cost will be, at the time of the assessment, based on a system the insurers force their repairers to use) they would have quickly re-assessed their initial “write off” assessment payout vs repair cost !
you would need to have an awful lot of damage to justify writing a Cali off , due to massively high residual market value.
your damage Does not look too bad at all.

good luck with the repair and getting back on the road (discussed in length in another thread)

to put a perspective on it have a look below
it makes yours look like a mere scratch

despite the extensive damage, this ended up back on the road ! (Discussed in previous thread )

View attachment 92728

View attachment 92729

View attachment 92730

View attachment 92731

Salvaged Cali

Sorry to see this Cat S 4mo for sale and hope the occupants were ok after a nasty rear end. Not sure there’s much Cali left to salvage for over £15k+vat though. https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/26539560

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Ooh - that's really nasty! Makes me feel like I'm making too much fuss!

Although it costs us up-front, we're lucky these beauties are still very desirable. I reckon I could get back close to the money I paid for my 2008 Beauty!

 

[Perfectos]

Ooh - that's really nasty! Makes me feel like I'm making too much fuss!

Although it costs us up-front, we're lucky these beauties are still very desirable. I reckon I could get back close to the money I paid for my 2008 Beauty!

can you keep this thread updated with progress.

one thing I would do is request photos of the repair process (from the insurer via the repairer) being carried out so you have photographic evidenence of the repair In Future , that will solve any future questions if you ever sell.
I don’t think any insurer will refuse that as an unreasonable request, the repairer has to do that for the insurer under normal practices.

 

[Ting Tong]

Glad you are ok….airbags are like a shotgun going off!

Warning!!! Some graphic pictures in the thread below of what’s involved in that repair.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/she’s-injured.33023/#post-388839

 

[andrew bazeley]

Hooray!

The Cali is back fully repaired and shinier than ever - even the inside has been thoroughly cleaned! The cat likes it too. Terrific repairer: DPN Car Body Repair, Westbury, Wiltshire.