tjockhult

Looking for some advice here... Drove out of a car park doing about 5mph. Saw this Corsa coming at a great clip towards me. Slammed the brakes, the Corsa somehow turns right and hits my car at some clip - I'd say 20 mph. The other party has admitted liability and I have a paid for hire car (a white Skoda, the radio is quite good). The car is with a workshop paid for by the other parties insurer.

Damage to car is front bumper, wing and headlight glass. However liquid started to come out, I was worried this was coolant so I declared the car undrivable.

Have a look https://www.flickr.com/photos/121460785@N07/?

Car is of course 13 years old - is there a possibility the insurance company might write it off? Honda parts are expensive, at least looking at Ling... It would be an extremely sad day if they write it off, I love that car and I have had it since new for 13 years, and it is my intention to keep it for as long as I can.

Any thoughts - writeoff or not? Grateful for any replies.

MSC

I cant say if they will or won't I don't know enough about part prices but if they DO write it off you can probably buy it back for a low price? get it fixed up to your satisfaction. If you plan on keeping it forever then the Cat code A/B/C whatever won't matter as you won't sell. The same happened to my MR2, bought i back, fixed it up then you have to take it to a VOSA test station to get it back on the road officially.

RobinA3

From that picture I would say it's not a write off, I would guess new bumper, headlight, wing and maybe some suspension damage if its damaged the wheel but I don't think it has.

As for the fluid it could be coming from the headlight washer jet or it could be coolant - damage doesn't seem bad enough to have damaged the radiator.

Nottm_S2

I think write off, assuming reasonable mileage and condition it must be worth £6k plus at least.

The headlights are very expensive, add wing, bumper, washer bottle, wheel, labour and paint and its a lot more than half the value

But, you can buy it back, repair with used parts (just supply to a bodyshop) and have her back on the road no probs

richmc

CAT A or B will matter as it won't be allowed back on the road, and (A) has to be crushed (B) can be used for parts only. CAT C or D is repairable.

As for your car with it's age it's probably going to be a write off, but if there's no chassis damage it looks perfectly repairable with breaker parts.

unclefester

I'd bet there's 3k of damage + VAT and labour if you get it done using OEM new parts. You might even be in for more than that if the Bodyshop have to start blowing paint to other panels to get a match for everything else.

S2Bray

Also worth noting that some insurance companies wont insure a CAT C/D (some will but at a premium, and some don't give a monkeys)
Seems to always been glossed over when the "just buy it back and fix it yourself" words are thrown about..

heymynameismark

So, it looks like... bumper, headlight, wing, paint, headlight washer from what we can see.

It may well be just on the line between being repaired or not.

If it's written off, I echo what people are saying above, get the car back and get it repaired yourself.

PS. f@#king arseholes. Look at that poor S2000's face

hookedonboost

I was once told that if it isn't your fault they always have to bring it back and cannot write it off. Sorry to hear about the accident, one of my worst fears right there.

RichwiththeS2000

Isn't it great how pointless insurance is? If it's a write off, by the time you've bought the car back, paid for the repairs, paid a bit extra in insurance, accepted the car is now worth 30% less @resell (if you do sell it) - you'd have probably been better off just driving it home and not even calling the insurance company.

Sad

hope they fix it for you.