SLK front bumper - unavailable ??

[laurie.lea]

My wife had a low speed bump in her 2008 SLK280 last week. The insurance company tells us that the replacment bumper is zero stock in UK & Germany and will take a few months to source !

Does anyone have any thoughts ?

 

[laurie.lea]

Or anyone know of a good condition s/hand one ?

 

[Craiglxviii]

Call MB Grangemouth and ask if they can source stock. Tell them you’re a forum member. Don’t take the insurance company’s word for it.

 

[LostKiwi]

As Craig. Phone number is 01324 409696 and ask for Steve

 

[laurie.lea]

MB Grangemouth confirms none in U.K. or Germany. Wondering about ebay but will the auto repairers agree i wonder

 

[John Laidlaw]

I’ve 01324 686002...

 

[Craiglxviii]

I’ve 01324 661000...

 

[laurie.lea]

I think the result will be the same....

 

[laurie.lea]

Update is that the insurance company intend to write off the car as uneconomical to repair (panel cost around £1,500 if a bumper was available) plus labour (say another (1,500 to change bumper and bonnet and spray) car value (similar on Ebay) around £7,500 to £9,000. Cant understand why itis uneconomical to repair but waiting to find the numbers from the insurance company.

 

[Rory]

How bad is the bumper? I thought it was common the plastic weld them now.

 

[Trev1964]

Weird on value...
My Mini was recently repaired at a cost of £1550 to the third party insurer.
Car was valued at £2850 by their own assessor.
I think he over valued it by about £850.
Repaired it and as good as new again.
I always thought above a certain percentage of value it would be written off.

 

[laurie.lea]

60% or so I'm told. Saga must move to the beat of a different drum !

 

[Trev1964]

Company who third party was insured with was called Tradewise, traders policy.
60% would explain it vs their valuation.

 

[laurie.lea]

Trev. - I confess I really struggle to understand your comment but it sounds interesting. Would you care to PM me and enlarge a little please ?

 

[LostKiwi]

I struggle to understand the insurance company logic that a £1500 bumper plus paint and labour will equate to 60% of £7500-9000....

 

[Trev1964]

My comment was simply that i dont see how theyre going to get above 60% of the value of your car in repairs and therefore make it a write off.
Only thing i can think of is hire car costs bumping it up...?
My example of the Mini was just to say that they spent a large % of its value repairing it.. exact opposite.

 

[Xtractorfan]

Posta few pics of the bumper and we can get a better idea of the damage.

 

[laurie.lea]

Good point Trev , and it did make us think. However they have never actually asked us if we want a courtesy car or not. Three weeks without a car and no sign of one and we can manage very well without.

 

[Trev1964]

We didn't want a courtesy car either.
Might have had a lot to do with it now you mention that..
I hope you get the result that you want. Good luck with it.

 

[Submariner1]

60% or so I'm told. Saga must move to the beat of a different drum !

Actually you can fight them.
They wanted to write off the wifes A Class slight dent on rear wing, and a paint scratch on the bumper.
They come up with these crazy “values” and Industry standards that suit them.
Just tell them to f off.
Well I did, and they are now repairing it.