Bahn's prang :'(

[BahnStormer]

Reckon this will buff out? Or does it need something stronger? T-Cut?

Sorry - trying to use some humour to help me cope with this morning's commute "mishap", where somebody pulled out of a side road 15-20yds in front of me at 35-40mph... no injuries, other party has already notified her solicitors and admitted full liability, but doesn't change the stress of potentially having had my car written off - damage is very superficial*, but just worried it might climb close to the £3k value of the car

* damage:
bumper plastics are a mess,
bumper bar has the end bent
front quarter panel is buckled on the leading edge
wheel arch plastics appeared fine, but might not be after the car has been backed off the truck - they had all popped loose on the front edge
the drivers' side head/fog light units are in a LOT of bits, although all still working
and probably a bonnet hinge
NOT damaged: bonnet was very slightly bent, but no kinks and looked unscratched, even the washer bottle in that corner looked fine!!

[shnazzle]

Oh no!
that looks really bad

Sadly, based on experience, that'll be a write off unless you put up a good fight and go for cash in lieue option.
Worth a try

My main concern is that the car remains safe to drive for you after fixes. I.e. Being sure it's not bent

[BahnStormer]

Looks worse than it is - pretty sure it's not bent given the corner of the bumper bar only got a slight nudge and the washer bottle appeared fine - I was trying to steer across, but not enough time given the limited time/space. The concern is that a few body panels and spraying very quickly gets it into the £3k territory... so that is a very real risk of it being "beyond economic repair"...

Hopefully the fact that it's a late model (July 2007) will keep the value in the realms of economically viable to repair as it's a great little car and really solid motor (didn't consume a drop of oil in the 10k miles since I've owned it!)... plus new mohair hood (6months), new coilovers (2months) and brand new brakes (<1 month) mean I wouldn't want it replaced with any £3k alternative!

If they agree to repair it, I'll get it geo-checked again at WIM as SOON as it is back - £40 for the peace of mind and I was last in there a month ago, so should still be on file.

[shnazzle]

Well that is good news.
All the arguments you present are all valid and were the same kind of reasons Helen's wasn't written off (it was initially).

A few panels and a light is no biggie

Fingers crossed for you

[Chilli Girl]

I'm sorry to see this, so hope it is salvable especially after all your hard work getting to look it's best. I wish you all the best and hope it will soon be on the road again.  Why don't people look properly when they pull out? Grrrhh (:< >

[BahnStormer]

I'm sorry to see this, so hope it is salvable especially after all your hard work getting to look it's best. I wish you all the best and hope it will soon be on the road again.  Why don't people look properly when they pull out? Grrrhh (:< >

I reckon she didn't look that closely on initial approach to the junction and when she pulled out the rest of the way, I was so close to her I would have been behind her A pillar.

I had dipped beams, etc on (07.30am), but she still didn't see me. Fortunately none of that is being contested, but when the car flicks across towards the taxi waiting in the other side road, you can clearly see the headlights in his dashcam footage (already sent through to me).

NB Photo's taken with the wider angle lens as I've cracked the other lens - in another mishap But this was her view towards my approach - I was following the road straight on and she was at the give-way sign, turning slightly right to go across into another side road - she had just nudged half way into the other lane as I was approaching, then stopped and I was at the second post when she pulled straight across in front, leaving me nowhere to go. From the angles, I assume I was directly in line with her A pillar.

[Carolyn]

That is eminently repairable. 

Bumper, wing, bonnet and lights,  no more than £500 for used but good parts.  Probably no need to paint anything.

I reckon no more than four skilled man-hours.

Remember, this is not your insurance company's problem, it's the liability of the person who caused the damage.  In law you are entitled to full restoration of your property.

Insist on it.  Don't deal with her insurance company, deal with her,  It's her liability.  Make it clear that you will seek to recover any shortfall.

[BahnStormer]

Probably no need to paint anything.

Especially not if I'm going to wrap the car in day-glow neon!!

[lamcote]

That is eminently repairable. 

Bumper, wing, bonnet and lights,  no more than £500 for used but good parts.  Probably no need to paint anything.

I reckon no more than four skilled man-hours.

Remember, this is not your insurance company's problem, it's the liability of the person who caused the damage.  In law you are entitled to full restoration of your property.

Insist on it.  Don't deal with her insurance company, deal with her,  It's her liability.  Make it clear that you will seek to recover any shortfall.

Might be worth getting a solicitor's letter setting out the position if it comes to it?

[BahnStormer]

That is eminently repairable. 

Bumper, wing, bonnet and lights,  no more than £500 for used but good parts.  Probably no need to paint anything.

I reckon no more than four skilled man-hours.

Remember, this is not your insurance company's problem, it's the liability of the person who caused the damage.  In law you are entitled to full restoration of your property.

Insist on it.  Don't deal with her insurance company, deal with her,  It's her liability.  Make it clear that you will seek to recover any shortfall.

Might be worth getting a solicitor's letter setting out the position if it comes to it?

Is it really worth going there already? surely wait for their initial decision?

Given that it is the youngest MR2 I think I've ever seen advertised anywhere, I won't be able to find an equivalent with any amount of time / searching... and certainly not for £3k.

[Carolyn]

That is eminently repairable. 

Bumper, wing, bonnet and lights,  no more than £500 for used but good parts.  Probably no need to paint anything.

I reckon no more than four skilled man-hours.

Remember, this is not your insurance company's problem, it's the liability of the person who caused the damage.  In law you are entitled to full restoration of your property.

Insist on it.  Don't deal with her insurance company, deal with her,  It's her liability.  Make it clear that you will seek to recover any shortfall.

Might be worth getting a solicitor's letter setting out the position if it comes to it?

Is it really worth going there already? surely wait for their initial decision?

Given that it is the youngest MR2 I think I've ever seen advertised anywhere, I won't be able to find an equivalent with any amount of time / searching... and certainly not for £3k.

As Patrick said: "IF it comes to it".  Just remember that you have no contract with her insurance company.  You are under no obligation to accept any offer of theirs.

I expect that your car will be repaired with no hassle.

[Treboeth]

 

Sorry to see, but looks as if you are on the right track to get her back on the road.

[Joesson]

Very sorry for you and your 2. Sorry also that T-Cut won't help. Glad to hear you have a witness and his ( her) dash cam footage. The other driver's admission, if it is maintained, must help your case. Hopefully Carolyn and others are on the right track with saying it's fixable.

[delhusband]

So sorry to see this, glad everyone alright and liability admitted by OP but don't imagine it gives much comfort when looking at the damage. Hope everything comes good for you

[MR TWO]

Glad you and the other driver are not hurt, everything else will fix with a little time.  It looks worse than it is imo.  Goodluck matey!

[Smcknighty]

Not good


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[K T M Rider]

Sorry to see this but surely it will all work out ok.

Probably no need to paint anything.

Especially not if I'm going to wrap the car in day-glow neon!!

In your position I would be seriously considering a lime green, or yellow or orange wrap for sure.

I remember reading an article some years ago pointing out that these cars can be less visible to other motorists than the average car, something that will only have got worse with the rise of the SUV (not only because an oncoming SUV is SO visible i.e. the average car has got bigger, but also because all those operating SUVs - don't think many of them are "driven" as such  - sit that much higher which makes a small low car less obvious to them.

Was the other vehicle an SUV by any chance ?

And I'm sorry to say that lovely colour though it is , Sable is hardly the most noticeable colour, it blends too easily with UK skies and tarmac.

Suggest you ask @StuC about applying to join the UCC (not sure if wraps are allowed    )

[1979scotte]

@K T M Rider
Had a silver now have a yellow and it has made very little difference they still don't see you

[K T M Rider]

@K T M Rider
Had a silver now have a yellow and it has made very little difference they still don't see you

Ah.

Day Glo Neon it is then.

With about 200 LED DRLs ?

(EDIT) Just remembered my last 2 was red and definitely got more of a sense of being noticed in that than my current blue one. However that was in 2012, when general driving standards were probably a bit higher than they are now....

[BahnStormer]

Was the other vehicle an SUV by any chance ?

And I'm sorry to say that lovely colour though it is , Sable is hardly the most noticeable colour, it blends too easily with UK skies and tarmac.

no - 1 series convertible and passenger window was down... 99% sure this was an A-pillar moment....

I have LED's in the sidelights, so the whole unit is lit, even with without the dipped beams on... and I turn them on in ANY conditions, in this instance it was grey and drizzly, so dipped beams were on too.

I might be making a call to Demontweaks for some of those under-car UV/purple lights... suddenly they're feeling less "Need for Speed" and more "need to be seen"...

[Topdownman]

Sorry to hear this but hope it is fixed to your satisfaction asap.

I would start finding adverts for the most expensive 2s for sale to argue its value.

[mikek]

Not good. I'm sure it's fixibe. 

[BahnStormer]

Sorry to hear this but hope it is fixed to your satisfaction asap.

I would start finding adverts for the most expensive 2s for sale to argue its value.

That's where it gets tricky - how much room is there for debating the value - I think I had said £3500 to the insurance, but on the forms, it looks like they've put £3000, so I thought that was the pre-agreed payout value if it was a write off... but I wouldn't even take £4000 for it given it has new brakes, suspension and a Robbins Mohair hood for starters (not to mention the Yoko's, re-trimmed steering wheel and decent headunit and speakers).

I have another (much bigger/newer) car that I don't like to use for commuting... so I've said I don't currently need a hire car, however the other car is on a much lower agreed mileage, so I have told them that I will need to get my daily driver back ASAP, otherwise I will need a hire car.

If they're talking write-offs, then what grounds do I have to insist that they put me in a hire car until another "very similar*" MR2 becomes available? I don't want a hire car or indeed any replacement - the only reason I'd even vaguely consider accepting it being written off is if they can prove the chassis is bent, but I really don't think we'd come to that: although there are quite a few bits on that front corner that are cracked, I don't think any of the damage is anything more than very superficial...

*2007 MR2 with factory aircon and heated leather seats

[Carolyn]

Your deal with your insurance company is only relevant if they are paying.

As the other party seems to have admitted liability and as you have witness evidence, and as the way the collision happened is pretty obvious, your damages are the other party's problem.

If you are not offered sufficient to cover your real terms loss, don't accept the offer.  Somebody else's contract with their insurer does not include you, and it does not give them the power to write your car off because of an assumed value.

As I said, I'm sure it won't come to it, but you can recover any shortfall in County Court if you must.

A simple tally of sale prices plus the extras on your car should suffice for that.

[BahnStormer]

Thanks @Carolyn - I've only been in this position twice before - every time the other party has admitted full liability: one was a new car, that was repaired without fuss and the other was a motorbike that was written off (>£4k damage on a £2k bike), but I wanted rid of it by then, so was only to happy to have it Cat C'd....

A simple tally of sale prices plus the extras on your car should suffice for that.

That's my concern: I don't know if there is anything like mine out there and if I found somethign suitable, I sound like I'm taking the piss!

Even lowish mileage 2006's that are around £5k don't look appealing.... and even if I then I'd probably need £800 for an equivalent hood (parts and fitting) and the parts list to get it up to my spec is not pretty:

£200-£250 for HU+speakers
£400 Yoko's
£250 brakes and pads
£700ish coilovers
£210 steering refurb

and after all that I'd just hope I foudn another car that doesn't burn a drop of oil...

hopefully all an easy repair!!!