Anyone had their Merc written off ?

[Scop]

Hi

Just wondering how much damage it would take to write off my W124 E280 estate (1994)? An old dear pulled out and T boned me at around 40mph on Friday causing a big dent in the passenger door, rear passenger door and scuffed wheel (not sure about suspension damage), also all of the plastic mouldings below the waistline will need replacing. I have jsut read some internet articles and I reckon its not looking good.

Many Thanks

 

[Blobcat]

The problem is not how much damage is done, more how much the new parts cost to repair it. My bike was officially written off for that reason, although I managed to buy the salvage back and have bought all the bits I need from ebay. Although I am still awaiting a final valuation 5 months after the accident. You are now at the start of a long and drawn out process.
You will probably find they value your car at very much less than you think it is worth. You will need to ensure you have a market value policy, you then need to find adverts for cars of a similar age and condition. Print out the adverts and keep hold of them until you hear back from the insurance. Then if you are unhappy with the valuation right back to them and very nicely ask them to revalue it based on the adverts. I would also try and get the slavage back and repair it yourself.
Although look on the positive side they may just repair it for you

 

[Scop]

Thanks Blobcat, I really hope they do repair it as I bought the car for the long term and paid a bit over of the odds because it was in very good condition. I'm not really sure what view the insurance companies take on older cars.

 

[television]

Thanks Blobcat, I really hope they do repair it as I bought the car for the long term and paid a bit over of the odds because it was in very good condition. I'm not really sure what view the insurance companies take on older cars.

You do have the option to buy it back from the insurer, you can always get second hand doors etc.
If there are any kinks in the roof over B pillar forget it,also think twice if you have sill damage.

Put a photo up.

Malcolm

 

[Scop]

Thanks for that, I'll try and get a photo tomorrow.

 

[hawk20]

Attached is a really heavy smash:- a C class t boned by a big SUV. Nasty. Good luck with the insurance guys.

 

[television]

Attached is a really heavy smash:- a C class t boned by a big SUV. Nasty. Good luck with the insurance guys.

NO I would pass on that one,both rear lamps are broken,and they are expensive.

Malcolm

 

[Rory]

The problem is not how much damage is done, more how much the new parts cost to repair it.

I think it's more the labour cost than the parts that is the killer. There was a thread on one of the forums a couple of months or so ago (which of course I can't find now) about an older merc worth about £2K that had little more than a cracked bumper and broken headlight and it was touch & go whether it was written off or not (IIRC the insurance company did repair it.

The damage in this case sounds pretty substantial and, as Malcolm suggests, it's hard to imagind that the B post and maybe other structural parts haven't been damaged.

 

[dean36014]

I had my '94 E220 stolen from my garage, with the keys and the contents of my house in it!, when I was away on holiday.
The car was recovered and additional damage done by the recovery company. Total damage to the cars was, new locks required, as stolen with keys, damage to radio aperture, when radio knicked, and the recovery company dragged it 400 yds in reverse with transmission locked in park, by the towball. This meant the bootlid wouldn't shut correctly as the back end was slightly tweaked. Result, was the car was uneconomical to repair. The damage was all minor, the car was in very tidy conditon, with only 111k on the clock. First offer was £1150 from the insurance, eventually accepted £1500. I'd only had the car 6 weeks when it was stolen, and it took another 6 weeks to get an insurance payout, although in all fairness, the insurance company couldn't initially do anything to the car until it was missing for three weeks, it turned up 1 day before this deadline, in an entry about 500 yds from my house!!

 

[television]

I had my '94 E220 stolen from my garage, with the keys and the contents of my house in it!, when I was away on holiday.
The car was recovered and additional damage done by the recovery company. Total damage to the cars was, new locks required, as stolen with keys, damage to radio aperture, when radio knicked, and the recovery company dragged it 400 yds in reverse with transmission locked in park, by the towball. This meant the bootlid wouldn't shut correctly as the back end was slightly tweaked. Result, was the car was uneconomical to repair. The damage was all minor, the car was in very tidy conditon, with only 111k on the clock. First offer was £1150 from the insurance, eventually accepted £1500. I'd only had the car 6 weeks when it was stolen, and it took another 6 weeks to get an insurance payout, although in all fairness, the insurance company couldn't initially do anything to the car until it was missing for three weeks, it turned up 1 day before this deadline, in an entry about 500 yds from my house!!

Hello Dean and welcome to the forum, that was bad luck with such a nice car.
I know that there is a level at which the car is written off. I think that if the cost of the repair is more than half the value of the car, it is no go,the insurance companies play safe to allow for unforseen eventualalities.

I will ask my body shop for more details and reasons.

Malcolm

 

[ennio]

am not sure about my facts on this, so please check with a lawyer/citizen's advice...

If you will be claiming on the other driver's insurance and not on your own, you may be able to demand a repair even if they prefer to offer you a write-off.

The write-off value of your own car is a factor which determines the premium you pay to your insurer: when you take out the insurance you are entering into a contract which binds you to this.

Third-party claims are quite different, and by driving your car you have not entered into a contract with the "old dear"'s insurer.

Andrew

 

[Scop]

Update

Thanks for the replies guys.

The bodyshop has quoted £2650 for 2 new side doors, front wing, plastic mouldings and they say its beyond reasonable economic repair.

I took the car to my local bodyshop who reckon that one door and the wing could be repaired but I would still need one new door and the mouldings - quote 780 for labour + VAT, having phoned Mercland they have said they would do me 2 secondhand doors for £100+VATwhich would bring the total to around £1000 ish

I'm thinking of buying from the insurance company as a CAT D (plus cash settlement) getting it repaired and then de-listed by Autolign.

Does anyone know what the scrap value might be ? Its immaculate with 109K on the clock, FSH, leather, aircon (working), new head gasket.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Blobcat]

Sorry to hear it's been written off :-(
As most insurance companies auction off the salvage it is hard to get an accurate value. Ask if you can buy back straight from the insuance company as part of the settlement. The insurance assessor should be able to value the scrap and this is what the insurance company would want for the vehicle.
Your insurance company may say that the car has to go to auction and that you would have to bid on it. They said that to me, then said I could keep the salvage so it is worth persuing them until you get the answer you want.

 

[dean36014]

I was monitoring my old one on Universal salvage's website, and it sold at online auction for £530 + £36 buyers fee. That was for a saloon, with 111k miles in nice condition. Not sure how they workout a buy back fee though.

 

[television]

I was monitoring my old one on Universal salvage's website, and it sold at online auction for £530 + £36 buyers fee. That was for a saloon, with 111k miles in nice condition. Not sure how they workout a buy back fee though.

Allowing for commision and transport cost why not offer £400 it would be a fair start.

Malcolm

 

[Iain the gadget]

I think it's more the labour cost than the parts that is the killer. There was a thread on one of the forums a couple of months or so ago (which of course I can't find now) about an older merc worth about £2K that had little more than a cracked bumper and broken headlight and it was touch & go whether it was written off or not (IIRC the insurance company did repair it.

The damage in this case sounds pretty substantial and, as Malcolm suggests, it's hard to imagind that the B post and maybe other structural parts haven't been damaged.

The hourly cost of labour is actually very low to become an authorised repairer in the first place.The major costs are manufacturers parts at full retail and some very elaborate marking up of time spent!

 

[Scop]

The Merc Lives On

Good news ! Despite 2650 worth of damage, the insurance companies engineer has agreed to repair the car. I managed to convince them of the cars value by showing them some currently for sale and some that have been sold on www.w124.co.uk

You can't keep a good W124 down !

 

[Blobcat]

Excellent. Bolide helps even when he doesn't post.

 

[television]

Excellent. Bolide helps even when he doesn't post.

And more so when he does.

Malcolm