BUM...

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:16 pm

Just bought it. £45 Buy it now.

Unless there's someone near Milton Keynes who can pick it up for me and meet me as I mentioned near, say Letchworth, I'll need to arrange a courier.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 12:44 pm

Oh this gets good.

Been to the body shop and we had a good poke around. The inner wing, just above and rear of the n/s wheel has suffered - not helped by the rust that was there - which was only held in place with the carpet and underseal that dropped out revealing a fist-sized hole or two. What's more, the impact, although localised was exacerbated by (hardly surprising) corrosion in the seam between the rear panel and the rear wing (behind the light unit). This seam has come apart and the wing has been dented in. Tidying up the exterior it would seem is not too much work, and seeing as the new bumper will need painting then that could be made good on the paintwork front. The problem lies with the extent of the work within the value of the car. Or not as the case may be.

My insurers have suggested two plans of action:
First, contact the other driver's insurance directly and ask for the money to repair it back to pre-accident state (which I've done) or second, claim the value of the car, less the scrap value (nominally £100) and claim for lost excess, which might net me £550 all in.

And given the cost of repairs including parts supplied by me is coming out at £1,255 I can sort of see where this is going.

Mmm. what to do.

I'll post some pics, but whatever happens, it's not ideal. It's got a brand new exhaust from the centre box back, great Speedlines and superb tyres, a Tailblazer, working spots, Magnecore leads, K&N filter, FSH with cambelt done etc. Etc... 10 months MOT and three months tax, but it's always going to be worth more in bits... I could bodge it and keep some of the money, or I could fight for a full repair. Don't know yet...

Post by **Tim Leech** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:01 pm

Oh dear, that car has ALOT of cash spent on it over the years, yes its done lots of miles but you know it and its reliable. If it were me I would spend the money getting done properly, once its done its done then. You could go and buy another one to find all manner of problems, sometimes it is better the devil you know.

That rust issue was there before the accident, you just didnt know about it so it would of had to be done, this way you have some moneys towards it.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:16 pm

Well, I guess it will always have needed a new exhaust and some rot dealt with, so that makes it slightly less painful - although the timing couldn't be worse. I'd inclined however to rather spend the four or five hundred over and above max I am likely to receive on another car and get what I can for the GTi - hopefully as a whole car, but not necessarily; it has had a good innings.

But I'm just pissed off at the moment so may get less petulant as the day progresses!

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:25 pm

Going through an "official" garage repairer is always going to end up in 4£ figures.

Why not get in touch with Kermit and let him do his usual first class repair job on it, then find someone like my mate who can do you a good paint job for not a lot of dosh.

End result you end up with your own car that you know and trust in much the same if not better condition that it was before.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:42 pm

Ken, this is the plan (having sat down and had a think). The main task now is to get as much as is reasonably possible from the offender's insurance...

The BX shall live on...

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:00 pm

So they have tracked the guy who hit you down then? (I may have missed something in another thread?)

Will he be prosecuted?

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:22 pm

The guy was traced. He was fully insured and in all honesty I was baffled as to why he didn't stop. The Police have told me his passenger urged him in no uncertain terms to drive off - because he was wanted by the Police and once this 'passenger' had been dropped off (and the driver had spent a couple of hours with him having some grub

) the driver went and reported the incident at the local cop shop.

Anyway, I'm dealing through insurance and'll have nowt to do with him directly (although I do have his address)... Police tell me he's likely to be charged with driving without due care and for driving off after causing an accident. And, as the PC pointed out, he didn't know that nobody was hurt.

He'll probably get 3-9 points on his licence and a fine - possibly £250-500 apparently. And if he doesn't pay, his car will be disposed of.

His car is at least as badly off as mine in terms of accident-related damage and his insurers will not make it comfortable financially for him: as it is he's probably paying a lot.

So all in all. My heart bleeds...

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:27 pm

I bet they didn't stop because they were carrying drugs/off their faces on drugs.

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:29 pm

Hi Phil
I have sent you an email.
But it is doable the rear is much easier to repair than the front once the trims are removed and all the rot is cut away then weld in new metal seam seal underseal and paint no problem.
It will just have to be taped up for the time being and when the weather improves by about june we should be able to rescue the GTI.
Don't let it get you down, get as much as you can from the offenders insurance and keep the car and i will sort it out.
Remember how bad you thought the front holes were.

Regards Kermit/Phil

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:28 pm

I keep seeing this wanker in a ford fiaster. on the way home from work. I finish at 10pm Who keep wanting to race us. Putting his lights on full. Keeps tapping his back fog light to make it look like hes breaking. But the silly twat as only got on back fog light So you can tell when he does it. Where the bx has 2 back fog lights. So If he comes up behinde me againe. Im so tempted to do the same. He over took me. Then he put his indercater on so i started over taking him. Then he puts his foot down.
If there was a drag race between a shity done up fieasta and a bx 1.7 td who do you think will win.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:52 pm

I think you'd do well to avoid getting involved with these idiots, especially in weather like this, it'll end up in tears!

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:58 pm

Ive seen him 3 times now. I do try not to let it get to me. The first time i saw him. Went to the local shop to get some

. Then he was waiting for me started following me.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:02 am

Nutter. Keep clear.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:13 am

Don't react and he will move on. It would be nice if you felt like setting him up with the cops, but that's you're choice.