When's a total loss - I'm buggered!

Hi, i managed to slide off the road on Tuesday in my 92 golf clipper auto. damage to the paint works was sustained along the near side, new wing needed possible new door and paintwork plenty.

i called the insurance company and they told me the car would be a total loss. i asked why and she told me they if the repairs come to 60% of the value then the car would be written off. At this stage she did not know how much the repairs would cost neither could she tell me the value of my car. I was told that generally "due to the age of the car we will write off the vehicle". I asked if there are any exceptions and she said NO!

I have had the car assessed from the insurance companies "recommended garage" and also taken to my local body shop. Today my local body shop have told me they cannot source VAG parts as the car is no longer supported. They are going to quote using non OEM parts. The reccomended garage has not completed the quotes yet

my question is - can the insurance company have this 60% of the value rule?

Also, how will the insurance company value my car? are cabrio's worth less in the winter?

I?m considering doing the work myself but finding the time is going to be tough.

what are my options?

Thanks

In answer to the question - yes. Cat C writeoff is when the cost to repair exceeds the value of the car; and Cat D is used when the cost doesn't exceed market value, but the insurance company has chosen to pay out, for other reasons. (Part supply seems a reasonable enough reason). Its perfectly possible to 'buy back' (typical price will be 10% of market value) a Cat D you used to own, from the insurance company, and fix it yourself, although of course it will still have the Cat D marker on the registration at DVLA.

do you have an agreed valueon your car????

if you dont have an agreed value your scuppered. Book value is soooo low.

But could look at it positively and get the insurance company to include the car as part of the payoff, but back etc whwat every they wish to call it. Will have the damage noted against it which may affect resale.

But you get to get the work done yourself a lot cheaper than a big repair shop.

what is the garage charging for a wing, a door and some paint work?
I think you could do that for under ?100 yourself.

thanks for your responses guys.

the cost the reapirs as ?1469. i spoke to the insurance engineer and he told me the car is a write off due to its market value being ?1000. i asked him how he calculated the market value and he told me he had seem M reg golf cabrios for around that value and mine was older. I tried to explane that the mk1's a more desireable then the mk3's but he was having none of it.

he told me that if i could find similar examples of my car for sale for more than 1000 then he might consider looking at my valuation

my car  is a 1993 dark blue clipper, completely standard with the orignial steel wheels and whilts not in mint condition it has full VAG history, a new mohair roof and has covered 130000 miles. And it's an Automatic.

i think my car was worth ?1900 pre damage.

i have searched the net and identified 12 examples of mk1 clippers from 1500 to 2500.

i'll kepp you guys posted on teh results

?1469 seems expensive for the damage you describe. Can you break that down for us? Might be worth getting more quotes.

hi i have been though this with my cab a customer i was working for backed his volvo into my cab denting only the door .garaged wanted over a grand for fixing it the door was nearly 600 on its own then seals painting etc .the guy at insurance place offered me 500 plus my car back unless i could prove it was worth more, send in all the ones you have found but  they cant be newer or have less miles . i ended up taking the car back and the 500 cost me 30 for a door 80 to have painted left me 390 for new bits  for it. depends if you want to keep it or not . i would take the 1000 ask for your car as well break it and get another with all the money good luck !!!

hi thanks for the respnses,

i have another quote from my garage i usually use, they told me they could not source a new door, he did say they if i supplied the door and wing he would fit and paint for around 500, but the rear quarter has a little bit of damage and also the rear bumper, i'm temped to live with the damage on the quarter and bumper,
would it be worth me getting my own compressor and painting myself? how much time/hrs are involved in prepareing and painting pannels?

i don't fancy breaking the car, it's a great runner and i love the auto gearbox. plus i don't have a drive or a garage. also, it took me 6 months of slogging around to find the one i have.

thanks for your support guys.

Can you post pics of the damage?

I paint for a living and a insurance price is something like this,

To paint the side of the car approx
12.5 hrs@?35
?185 for paint and materials
New wing ?130 Genuine
Door if repairable another 6-8hrs labour

So as you can see i adds up that comes to about ?960-1040 plus vat at 15%=?1104-1196.

That takes into account no repair work to the 1/4 or rear bumper.

HTH with the insurance costing

Rob

hi guys, today i purchased a wing and a door from GTI unit in dewsbury, the same colour and in good condition,

the guys there were really friendly and even provided me with lunch!

they regulary break golf mk2's but had recieved a clipper last week, still loads of stuff on it for grabs, including the filler neck!

there number is 01926 458414 ask for sam

now i'm off to fit my new bits, anyone got any tips for fittign a new wing and door? wing looks pretty straight forward but i have never done a door.

see ya

there's a few "off street" sprayers round my end who charge ?70 ish per pannel, dont be but off by "back / off street", if they were that bad the wouldnt be doin what they do

ive been in the insurance repairers game an it sucks, i've seen more cars wrote off for slight wing damage, lock damage etc etc quote on gen pannels an fit cheap!

a good friend of mine bought a cat c clipper for ?600, wrote off cos some scum bag dragged a knife through the roof.

if your keeping the car buy it back an get it repaired, if not buy it back an break it as it would end up in a scrappy or cubed, try an find pannels for sale etc


my old boss wrote off a vx220 just because he fancid a weekend toy!!

recieved a letter today from the insurance company. they are nmow valuing my car at 1350. still want to write it off. cheeky buggers.

i'm going to ask them if i can buy the car back and repair myself

ta

hi again, iv'e just spokent o the insurance company, I told them i did not wish to scrap the car and asked what my options were to keep the vehicle.

1) get the car repaired at a garage of my choice for ?900. i would still have to pay 450 excess.

2) scrap the car on cat D write off and buy back the car for 450. therefore after my excess i would have 450 to get teh repiars done my self, which i think is achievable, i already have a wing and door the correct colour. these cost me ?80, i can fit myself. i need some fasterners and other sundaries and some of the body kit, which should not cost me too much.

He said i would need to get a MOT ( which i have had post damage with no problems) test to enagle me to keep teh car on teh road.

what other implications are there with having a car which is cat d?

If you have the choice of garage I would seriously consider option (1). ?900 does not sound unreasonable considering the original estimate. Also factor in your car will be worth very little as a Cat D come selling time.