Kid on a scooter decided to bounce off the front of my mini on saturday
morning, he was fine but his scooter wasnt and my 1991 mini cooper
needs a new headlight, bumper and grill but no serious damage. My
insurance is fully comp but I also have a witness who will testify it
was the scooters fault. After an inspection by the repairers I have
been told by insurer (elephant) that its un-economical to repair - so
basically regardless of blame I'm shafted!

The problem is although its fully road worthy with mot until November
its got some rust in the usual places.

Any ideas how I can ensure I get the right price for it (in order to
buy it back and do the £100 repairs myself.

The insurer uses the glass guide, that only goes down to 1998. I
checked parker and they quote a 1996 cooper as in the region of £1500
for a good one (show me where to buy it!) or £800 for a poor one.
Assuming they will deem mine poor I could be in trouble, any ideas...

Regards, Gwilym.

p.s. no car for atleast three weeks now as my mini is apparently not
road worthy

dt97gdo (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:
Remember with insurance companies they are meant to give you the
replacement value, so find a few adds for minis of around the same year
in around the same condition (prior to accident) so you have some back
up when they try and get away with offering you around £500, as they'll
surely try ! Fully Comp GOOD Remember to keep train/bus tickets etc then
make the company an offer.
For your own sake, take LOADS of photos of the damage and loads when you
make the repairs, this way you'll have some proof that it was only minor
damage should you ever sell it on V5s I believe now have to state if the
car was ever written off.

I'm sure someone with more experience of write offs will be along
shortly to give you some better idea shortly.

Personally I've ever only written off one motor and that was a Mercedes
Actros and it's trailer in 2001 when I turned the **(ker over on a
roundabout. It was only a month old too ! The boss needless to say was
not too happy !

HTH
Jim

I would compare similar cars out of the mini world magazine, they are over
priced in this more often than not, so it should help you get a higher pay
out.

Steve.


"Jim" <me (AT) here (DOT) com> wrote

Hang on the only damage was a broken headlight, bumper and grille? I
wouldn't even bother using the insurance for those as they cost peanuts
to replace!

Just buy the parts yourself and then go around to the little scroates
house with the bill and threaten to smash all his toys (including his
bloody scooter) if he doesn't pay up with the pocket money from his
daddy!

As for insurance, well get any Mini on an "agreed value scheme", then
the insurer has got to pay up to the full agreed value of the car when
any disaster strikes as without that, they'll always go for bottom book
values, even though Mini's are appreciating assets now!

Sorry to hear about the accident.
I had similar problems last year - my 1990 City hit a concrete block
that came off the back of a pick-up, damaging both offside wheels but
nothing else (ok... I accept that the suspension components could've
been damaged). Repairers quoted for parts & labour of over a grand,
even though I could get the same parts from Minispares, etc, for a
fraction of the cost.They offered me £500 plus the car back, but I did
get the engineer to agree that if I could find him similar-condition
cars at higher value, then he'd reconsider. With my evidence from Auto
Trader, eBay, Local ads, etc, he raised his offer, and because the
claim had been dragging on for so long (4 months at that point), I
ended up with £650 plus the car back.
Just make sure you get *loads* of ads for similar cars, and make sure
you argue the point that Minis have a cult status, a huge following,
and regularly sell for more than their Glass's/Parkers value!
Good luck,
Colin

dt97gdo (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:

Thanks everyone for the advice bit of a dilemma...

I wont know what they're going to offer until I send all my documents
(point of no return) I pushed the customer services guy who went
through to the engineer and told me the repair was quoted at £1400 -
un-economical as the book value for a good car that year is £1400!
so option1:
I send them everything take the mini off the road and see what they
want to offer then haggle, buy it back for 10% of what they give me and
get it repaired - maybe have some extra to fix other bits But have
to deal with the hassle of new mot and everything else about getting it
back on the road and have a blot for evermore on the V5 saying it has
been written off (anyone confirm this?)

Option 2:
I withdraw my part of the claim get a new headlight grill and bumper
fit them myself and live with the dents until I come to deal with the
rust elsewhere.

Bearing in mind I'm not really bothered about resale, this mini is for
keeps (along with my Routemaster bus!)

Any advice much appreciated, the documents will be on their way to the
insurer tomorrow...

Gwilym.

Jim wrote:

Nice driving, ace! Hit a bike, go to jail!

dont forget to claim for the 2 expensive motorcycle helmets that where in
you boot, remember they are a "single impact device" been there done that!

Steve.

<dt97gdo (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

Thanks everyone for the advice bit of a dilemma...

I wont know what they're going to offer until I send all my documents
(point of no return) I pushed the customer services guy who went
through to the engineer and told me the repair was quoted at £1400 -
un-economical as the book value for a good car that year is £1400!
so option1:
I send them everything take the mini off the road and see what they
want to offer then haggle, buy it back for 10% of what they give me and
get it repaired - maybe have some extra to fix other bits But have
to deal with the hassle of new mot and everything else about getting it
back on the road and have a blot for evermore on the V5 saying it has
been written off (anyone confirm this?)

Option 2:
I withdraw my part of the claim get a new headlight grill and bumper
fit them myself and live with the dents until I come to deal with the
rust elsewhere.

Bearing in mind I'm not really bothered about resale, this mini is for
keeps (along with my Routemaster bus!)

Any advice much appreciated, the documents will be on their way to the
insurer tomorrow...

Gwilym.

If you're going to withdraw your part of the cklaim, try Taffy's advice
- have a word with the scrote who hit you and get him to pay for the
new parts.

dt97gdo (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:

I totally agree with Taffy,

You DONT have to go through your insurance at all.....

Go round to the scroats house MAKE him buy the parts for your car and forget
about the insurance.
If he says he aint gonna pay I have a few "friends" that will gladly go
round to his house and have a physical word with him LOL

"kilroycg" <cgrant (AT) charliegolf (DOT) flyer.co.uk> wrote

If you're going to withdraw your part of the cklaim, try Taffy's advice
- have a word with the scrote who hit you and get him to pay for the
new parts.

dt97gdo (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote: