My Car that Caught Fire

[Habitual]

Thought I'd share this with you lot, as it cost me a lot of money. May as well get some entertainment from it, eh?

So, back in 2011 I bought a brand new VW Polo 1.4 TDI. I love the new shape Polos... Ordered it in November 2010, collected it March 1st 2011.

The day of collection:

Day of Collection by Tom Cash, on Flickr

I also spent some money on some personalised plates, for the lulz... (Which are for sale, if anyone is interested).

New "FA11 LLL" Plates by Tom Cash, on Flickr

New "FA11 LLL" Plates by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Had weeks of fun in my smart new eco friendly car. Managed to catch it at 1000 miles:

1000 Miles by Tom Cash, on Flickr

A couple of days later, on the 27th March, I went to play Football in Birmingham before coming back to a closed street:

Street Closed by Tom Cash, on Flickr

...And the fire service putting out my car:

FIT Team Checking the Car by Tom Cash, on Flickr

...Which looked like this:

VW Polo After Fire by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo After Fire by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo After Fire by Tom Cash, on Flickr

The FIT (fire investigation team) said that it wasn't arson but also couldn't see signs of an electrical fire. Witnesses also told police that the car was sealed when they saw the fire, until the windows exploded moments later. Therefore, arson was ruled out and the police didn't consider it a crime.

Here are some pics of the following day:

VW Polo the Morning After by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo the Morning After by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo the Morning After by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Inside:

VW Polo Burnt Interior by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo Burnt Interior by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW Polo Burnt Interior by Tom Cash, on Flickr

VW insisted they had the car immediately and took it away within hours of finding out, the morning after:

Going to the Garage by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Going to the Garage by Tom Cash, on Flickr

I never saw that car ever again. VW kept it at the garage for two weeks before someone from Germany came over to inspect it and before they let the insurance company view it.

Meanwhile, they gave me this:

Courtousy Car by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Following their Germans visit, they said it was arson and would be offering no compensation and immediately took away my courtesy car.

The insurance had an independent surveyor view the car. He said it was "inconclusive".

No one owned up, I suggested a few things, got threatened with legal action for slander and shortly after, lost my no claims.

I tried to keep a smile on my face...

Insurance Form by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Demotivational by Tom Cash, on Flickr

All in all, one of the worst months of my life.

Safe to say my new apartment has a secured, private car park.

 

[.Adam.]

F*ck!

 

[leeds_182]

Did the insurance pay out in the end?

 

[Ged]

so, you still have no idea what caused the fire? id go kick off at VW!

 

[BREMBO]

F*kin hell

Don't even know what to say.

Gutted for you.

 

[K1NGY]

f**k about! Love that new shape polo, really gutting to see them piss you about
Hope it gets sorted

 

[Scrooge]

How much are the plates?

 

[Turkish]

I'd indeed they did send someone from Germany to look at it that sounds highly suspicious and certainly indicates there may have been similar incidents hence prompting them to investigate.

Regardless of whether it was an electrical fault that VW aren't wanting to take responsibility for or a case of arson it sucks that you're out of pocket as a result.

 

[The Fatty]

must have been arson, I dont see how it would catch fire when not being driven. The fuses would blow on anything that was pulling the required amount of amps to cause a fire. Did you get a payout? did you not have protected no claims?!

 

[SC03OTT]

must have been arson, I dont see how it would catch fire when not being driven. The fuses would blow on anything that was pulling the required amount of amps to cause a fire. Did you get a payout? did you not have protected no claims?!

It's not impossible. It's happened to someone on here before IIRC.

 

[Laura]

how bizzare. Still as much as its sucks thats what insurance is for.. and its easly replaceable

 

[The Fatty]

It's not impossible. It's happened to someone on here before IIRC.

Yes but did it have any electrical modifications?

 

[The Fatty]

ironic really that your plates say fail and thats exactly what happened if it was an electrical fault!

 

[Turkish]

Yes but did it have any electrical modifications?

Much as this may surprise you modern cars and their manufacturing processes are not infallible. Regardless of safety features and measures to stop this kind of thing happening it can as still does happen.

 

[kpowell911]

Are you leaving it there? OR pursuing it any further with VW?

 

[The Fatty]

I truely am shocked at that turkish. i thought they would have had so many rules and regs to stop it from happening.

 

[guysy]

So you bought the Fail plates for the car when it was fine? and then it caught on fire...? You jinxed it!

 

[Addicted]

Also wondering if you're still pursuing it Tom? After having to claim on ur insurance you at least deserve not having to do that!

 

[Turkish]

I truely am shocked at that turkish. i thought they would have had so many rules and regs to stop it from happening.

All technology has its Titanic moments. Human beings aren't clever enough to avoid it with 100% rate of success.

For the record I'm on the fence about the cause but a fault is as perfectly plausible in my opinion as an outside influenc.

 

[Adam.]

Sare yin.

 

[dudes45]

Say what? Surely that would be covered under warranty or do they not cover that:

"Warranty Clause 18.2 - What if my brand new Volkswagen Polo bursts into flames?

Unfortunately Volkswagen are unable to provide warranty under these situations and will not be held accountable. The warranty will be null and void in the occurrence of spontaneous combustion."

I think not, surely they have to admit to something like that, how can they just let one of their customers be treated like this. That's ridiculous, gutted for you mate..

 

[AK]

Looks mint with the black roof.

 

[Marky_]

Holy crap! Abandoned Polo?

Nightmare

 

[BREMBO]

New Polo's do look fantastic though.

This looks like a nice spec, bet it was pricey being a TDi

 

[Christopher]

Ouch.

Same as that H12 fella's Twingo 133. Just parked up and it decided to combust.

 

[Knuckles]

that plate is cursed!... id leave that out of the for sale ad.

 

[Rob]

I love that plate.

That's honestly mental about the car, I'd 100% be pursuing in MUCH further with VW.

How many witnesses do you have saying the car was sealed and then the windows popped?

Proper awful customer service that.

 

[Gally]

must have been arson, I dont see how it would catch fire when not being driven.

Are you serious?

My friends Saab went on fire outside her house. Electric seats iirc.

 

[Gareth]

Lol, you put FAIL plates on your car and it ended up on fire, even with arson ruled out I can't see some little kid not wanting to set it alight with that plate on. I'd of loved to have seen VW's face when it turned up burnt out with that plate on, priceless.

Just like the guy who lives around here who had M5 SN0B on his M5, within weeks it was keyed the full length down both sides.

 

[Goodj]

OOFT!

that is weak, bad news!

Cant believe you got dragged through all the mire though, that's disgraceful

 

[Kat@Renparts]

We get loads of cars in that are interior damage, really bad. Mainly scenic IIs! I can't believe you didn't get a pay out?! Madness! Id never buy those plates off you... definately jinxed!!

 

[Englebert]

Well, at least it makes a good story down the pub!

Bad luck, shame you will never know the truth. I love the plate!

 

[Adam.]

Did you get a payout or not? :S

 

[Will.]

Oh the irony of that plate. Hard luck pal

 

[jenic]

Shocking!

I'd definitley be persuing it, can you not use the legal assistance that comes with your insurance to persue them. That might pay for legal advice and an independant professional inspection?

 

[Budgie]

I WANT that plate. Well, I want a car new enough to put it on first, lol

 

[Revels]

That's awful.

I'd imagine he got an insurance payout, hence the lost no-claims.

How far did you take it with VW?

 

[Addicted]

As said above Tom, don't give up, I sure wouldn't! You shouldn't have to give up all your no claims for it tbh.

 

[Brian]

Are you selling the plate just because you want to or because it's clearly jinxed? How much are you asking for it?

 

[Short Norman]

didn't some recent Peugeot's go through a spate of setting themselves on fire, I think it was either 406' or 206's. I saw that ginger haired b**ch on about it on watchdog a few years ago.