Racing blue

[Tony Robinson]

Hi all,
Just after a bit of advice. Basically I had a 182 in racing blue, totally standard car with 70k on the clock, in mint condition both bodywise and service history. I managed to crash it, my fault with a loss of concentration. Insurance company originally offered £1,750, I fought with them and their final offer is £2,440. For me in that condition the value should be a minimum of £3,000 to £3,500. My options now are to accept their offer or go to the ombudsman. I'm finding it difficult to get a proper valuation as there aren't many of them around for sale. If anyone has been in this situation before I would appreciate their views, I don't want to take it further with the ombudsman if they will take the average value between glass and cap, which is basically what the insurance company have done. Would they realise the real value of the car. Any help would be appreciated as I'm currently tempted to let the insurance company win.
Thanks,
Tony

 

[Louis]

Have they just been looking at the prices of standard 182's/ colours? Does seem a little on the low side to be honest.

 

[Stay Puft]

Tell them RB does get a premium and find cars with similar price. They arent 'that' far off the mark, but another £500 would be nice.

 

[imprezaworks]

What year was the rb?

 

[Tony Robinson]

Tell them RB does get a premium and find cars with similar price. They arent 'that' far off the mark, but another £500 would be nice.

I would have taken2,750. But they won't go any higher. It happened over a month ago and I had to send in trade adverts to them for the same model, and I haven't come across one with the same colour and mileage. Just really annoying as they offered book price first, then sort of listened, but neither glass or cap valuations have anything to do with colour difference or demand. Just don't know if I should go to all the hasstle of fighting them for another £300. Its more the principle as they have messed me around big style, which I can prove

 

[imprezaworks]

I would fight it.

 

[Tony Robinson]

What year was the rb?

It was 2005, both cup packs, and I mean it was absolutely in showroom condition with the full service history

 

[Louis]

Are you going to buy the car back? Or is it bad?

 

[imprezaworks]

It was 2005, both cup packs, and I mean it was absolutely in showroom condition with the full service history

Gutted

 

[Tony Robinson]

Are you going to buy the car back? Or is it bad?

This is another bone of contention. They wrote the car off, I'm assuming on their original valuation of £1,750, so no thought of its actual worth just a bog standard low end book valuation. They have never sent me a damage report or asked if I want to buy it back. I saw it after the crash. I basically travel to work on windy roads, it had been very wet, I caught a grass verge, tried to correct it and ended up spinning across the road and got stopped by a hedge. The back bumper was loose, the front bumper was hanging off, and there was a small dint in the passenger side quarter, my estimate would be around £1k to put it right

 

[172_Tom]

Tricky situation! Who is your insurer? (or broker and underwriter if applicable)

I would fight it as far as you can. If you go to the ombudsman make sure the insurance co can't go back on their previous highest offer.

 

[Matthew]

In my view, they should be putting you back in the same position you were (minus excess) before the accident. If you cant purchase like for like another car the same, then they aren't doing their job. I used to work in insurance (not car insurance) and we always had to do this. Like for like, so to speak.

 

[imprezaworks]

What Mathew said. We often cap (valuation guide) in work to help people out with regards pricing.

 

[Tony Robinson]

Tricky situation! Who is your insurer? (or broker and underwriter if applicable)

I would fight it as far as you can. If you go to the ombudsman make sure the insurance co can't go back on their previous highest offer.

 

[Louis]

This is another bone of contention. They wrote the car off, I'm assuming on their original valuation of £1,750, so no thought of its actual worth just a bog standard low end book valuation. They have never sent me a damage report or asked if I want to buy it back. I saw it after the crash. I basically travel to work on windy roads, it had been very wet, I caught a grass verge, tried to correct it and ended up spinning across the road and got stopped by a hedge. The back bumper was loose, the front bumper was hanging off, and there was a small dint in the passenger side quarter, my estimate would be around £1k to put it right

If they're only offering you a low value for it, you should be able to get a fairly good price buying it back, no? Parts are cheap and if only a small dint in the quarter it'll probably be pullable! You have the history with the car which is the most important bit, and as long as there's nothing majorly wrong it'd be a worthwhile repair.

 

[Tony Robinson]

One call insurance is the broker, commercial legal the underwriter. I know I should have went to a specialist insurance company. I guess after 25 years of driving with no crashes I got a bit complacent

 

[Tony Robinson]

If they're only offering you a low value for it, you should be able to get a fairly good price buying it back, no? Parts are cheap and if only a small dint in the quarter it'll probably be pullable! You have the history with the car which is the most important bit, and as long as there's nothing majorly wrong it'd be a worthwhile repair.

I agree but like I said they haven't given me the option to buy it back. They are hasstling me to sigh the V5 over to them, but I'm resisting until I'm comfortable with the situation

 

[Louis]

I agree but like I said they haven't given me the option to buy it back. They are hasstling me to sigh the V5 over to them, but I'm resisting until I'm comfortable with the situation

Maybe worth asking them.

 

[Tony Robinson]

In my view, they should be putting you back in the same position you were (minus excess) before the accident. If you cant purchase like for like another car the same, then they aren't doing their job. I used to work in insurance (not car insurance) and we always had to do this. Like for like, so to speak.

I can't find one like it, that's the major problem. Been looking around since they asked me too. I would need to find 3 trade adverts for the same colour and similar mileage..impossible so far

 

[172_Tom]

Where is the vehicle stored? Do you have somewhere to store it? Who has the keys? It's probably racking up storage fees...

I would not be handing over the V5 until they'd given you an acceptable offer, but even then it sounds like it might be worth you buying back the salvage and getting it repaired. Ask how much it will cost to buy it back. When my Octavia was written off in 2014 it only cost me 10% of the value (so about £200) to buy the car back - the wheels and tyres were worth more than that! I fixed it and have continued driving it for the last 2 years or so as it was so hard to find a decent replacement for sensible money.

Another couple of arguments to present to the insurance company:

• Price guides only take into account age and mileage and are an average and only a guide. Better than average condition cars are worth more than average condition ones - especially with this type of car that is popular with enthusiasts.
• Glass' price guide only requires part service history for cars of this age. Therefore a car with FSH is worth more than the guide price generally speaking. Check the info on the other price guides they're using.
• Price guides often don't take into account factory options (cup packs?)

Edit: I had a look at eBay completed listings - the cheapest one went for £1600 ish but had faults and a lot more miles so not really a good comparison. Another went for a best offer from £2.5k (so probably £2200+) but had 116k miles. Then another one went for £3.5k and there's another on there now at £4k which says it's sold.

 

[Tony Robinson]

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it, I'm tempted to fight them over it.

 

[Tony Robinson]

Where is the vehicle stored? Do you have somewhere to store it? Who has the keys? It's probably racking up storage fees...

I would not be handing over the V5 until they'd given you an acceptable offer, but even then it sounds like it might be worth you buying back the salvage and getting it repaired. Ask how much it will cost to buy it back. When my Octavia was written off in 2014 it only cost me 10% of the value (so about £200) to buy the car back - the wheels and tyres were worth more than that! I fixed it and have continued driving it for the last 2 years or so as it was so hard to find a decent replacement for sensible money.

Its in Sheffield, miles from me, I'm just north of Newcastle. The V5 was in the car, you wouldn't believe the incompetence they have shown to understand and get the V5 back to me. They supposedly posted it on the 3rd, but surprise surprise I never received it. When I registered the whole matter as a complaint they miraculously found a picture of the V5 so I could at least declare it off road and keep myself legal. The whole thing is very fishy to me

 

[172_Tom]

Just made a fairly big edit...

Why was the V5 in the car? Did you drive the car home after the accident or was it recovered, and who by?

 

[Louis]

Probably someone working at the garage it's being held at wanting to buy it. I'd fight for the car back mate, even if it's cat D, if you aren't looking to sell it and it costs a few hundred to repair, who cares?

 

[Tony Robinson]

Another good thing for me is I live about 10 minutes away from DTM cars, they are a very well know and respected specialist for Renault sport cars, Trevor runs it and sold the car to the previous owner and serviced it for me after I bought it. I'm sure he would be happy to confirm the value of the car

 

[Tony Robinson]

Just made a fairly big edit...

Why was the V5 in the car? Did you drive the car home after the accident or was it recovered, and who by?

I kept it with the service history, rightly or wrongly. The police attended by chance after the crash, spoke to one call and they were happy for the police to arrange to have it removed.

 

[Tony Robinson]

Probably someone working at the garage it's being held at wanting to buy it. I'd fight for the car back mate, even if it's cat D, if you aren't looking to sell it and it costs a few hundred to repair, who cares?

I've got a mate who would buy it off me to do it up. I would give him it for whatever it costs me to get it back, but they aren't playing ball

 

[Louis]

I'd have it for £240 if it's 10% of the value 😂:smile: Hope you get it sorted though mate!

 

[172_Tom]

Another good thing for me is I live about 10 minutes away from DTM cars, they are a very well know and respected specialist for Renault sport cars, Trevor runs it and sold the car to the previous owner and serviced it for me after I bought it. I'm sure he would be happy to confirm the value of the car

Sounds like it would be worth asking him to put something in writing that you can forward to the insurance company. I'm thinking date of sale, mileage, price and then his valuation of your car pre-accident and explanation of reasons your car is worth more than the guide prices (colour, history etc.)

I kept it with the service history, rightly or wrongly. The police attended by chance after the crash, spoke to one call and they were happy for the police to arrange to have it removed.

Sod that! If your car got stolen having all the paperwork in it would make shifting the car on easier for the theif. Likewise the insurance co having the V5 is making things harder for you right now. Maybe you could request a new V5 from the DVLA? I think in theory the old one should become invalid.

Was it not drivable after the crash then? Is it now in the insurance co's yard or the police's? Crazy it's so far away, makes it harder to go and get it back yourself to put an end to the storage fees.

 

[Tony Robinson]

Sounds like it would be worth asking him to put something in writing that you can forward to the insurance company. I'm thinking date of sale, mileage, price and then his valuation of your car pre-accident and explanation of reasons your car is worth more than the guide prices (colour, history etc.)



Sod that! If your car got stolen having all the paperwork in it would make shifting the car on easier for the theif. Likewise the insurance co having the V5 is making things harder for you right now. Maybe you could request a new V5 from the DVLA? I think in theory the old one should become invalid.

Was it not drivable after the crash then? Is it now in the insurance co's yard or the police's? Crazy it's so far away, makes it harder to go and get it back yourself to put an end to the storage fees.

It was recovered by the police and taken to a local recovery specialist. Wasn't driveable because it was in a ditch. The insurance company then picked it up and moved it to their salvage yard in sheffield

 

[Tony Robinson]

Trevor is on holiday, but no doubt he will be happy to put in writing the value of the car, in his opinion

 

[Louis]

You main concern at the minute is the payout on the car, i'd then focus on getting the car back as surely they have a legal obligation to do so? I'm not sure about the ins and outs of that. Recovery wouldn't be expensive. I'm sure someone in sheffield wouldn't mind helping you out if you're struggling.

 

[Tony Robinson]

You main concern at the minute is the payout on the car, i'd then focus on getting the car back as surely they have a legal obligation to do so? I'm not sure about the ins and outs of that. Recovery wouldn't be expensive. I'm sure someone in sheffield wouldn't mind helping you out if you're struggling.

I would happily recover it, but no option to buy it back so far. I am going to fight the insurance company over this, ombudsman here I come

 

[172_Tom]

It was recovered by the police and taken to a local recovery specialist. Wasn't driveable because it was in a ditch. The insurance company then picked it up and moved it to their salvage yard in sheffield

Ah - fair enough!

You main concern at the minute is the payout on the car, i'd then focus on getting the car back as surely they have a legal obligation to do so? I'm not sure about the ins and outs of that. Recovery wouldn't be expensive. I'm sure someone in sheffield wouldn't mind helping you out if you're struggling.

Getting the car back ASAP might not be a bad idea if they intend to add storage fees to the amount it'll cost him to buy back.
At the moment the car is still his property and I believe he could legally go and get it. Beyond that I'm not sure what the insurer's obligations are or whether there are any rules around buying salvages back and storage/recovery fees. Might be worth checking the small print...

 

[Louis]

Ah - fair enough!


Getting the car back ASAP might not be a bad idea if they intend to add storage fees to the amount it'll cost him to buy back.
At the moment the car is still his property and I believe he could legally go and get it. Beyond that I'm not sure what the insurer's obligations are or whether there are any rules around buying salvages back and storage/recovery fees. Might be worth checking the small print...

True, as you could quite easily have had it recovered yourself back to your house sat on your driveway.

 

[172_Tom]

Good luck with this by the way @Tony Robinson - hope the insurance company see sense and give you a fair amount. Please keep us updated!

 

[Plummer]

I had this happen with my Megane 250 cup (in yellow) I wrote off a few months back, bought it for 12.5k and the insurers were offering 8.6k
What I did was get three car adverts from the same dealer for Meg 250 cups with similar mileage, so I gave them an example of a yellow with the same options as mine (13k), a yellow without (11.8k), and a silver with the same options (12.5k). They revised my offer and I got 12k from them.

 

[Tony Robinson]

I had this happen with my Megane 250 cup (in yellow) I wrote off a few months back, bought it for 12.5k and the insurers were offering 8.6k
What I did was get three car adverts from the same dealer for Meg 250 cups with similar mileage, so I gave them an example of a yellow with the same options as mine (13k), a yellow without (11.8k), and a silver with the same options (12.5k). They revised my offer and I got 12k from them.

I have sent them 7 quotes, all between 4k and 3.2k, but they aren't really taking any notice. All the ones I sent them are bog standard silver or black ones with higher mileage and crap service history, and not full fat. Can't do much more but go to the ombudsman. But in reality I shouldn't have crashed, just all messed up and maybe best to draw a line under it and move on

 

[Plummer]

I have sent them 7 quotes, all between 4k and 3.2k, but they aren't really taking any notice. All the ones I sent them are bog standard silver or black ones with higher mileage and crap service history, and not full fat. Can't do much more but go to the ombudsman. But in reality I shouldn't have crashed, just all messed up and maybe best to draw a line under it and move on

It's up to yourself really, I will add this took me 2-3 months to sort out, so it depends on how much time your willing to invest.

 

[dynodan]

The reality is that YOU pay THEM for insurance, you are a customer and they are a supplier.
You pay insurance so that should the worst happen, you are not out of pocket.

That means... if you had to get a taxi home, stop and get lunch because your lunchbox flew out the window OR had to pay £1 to use a toilet as you were upset... they pay for it all. End of.

Accepting less than you paid for the vehicle in these circumstances is a foolish move.
You made a mistake by crashing. You didn't make a mistake by paying for insurance.
Remove ALL thoughts from your head that you should have a price to pay for crashing [you have paid for it by being insured and you will pay for it even more come next years insurance renewal].