Teenager crashed into my parked car at 2am

[eyelight]

Went out this morning to find my car had been crashed into at 2am last night, (got the time from the neighbours, can't believe we didn't wake up).
Found culprit soon after. Young guy in an Astra showed up with his mother. Looks like they'd made an attempt to tow his car away in the night but front wheels pointing opposite ways don't help. Got all his insurance details.

He'd also hit a Ford Focus which took most of the impact, before continuing on and hitting my car.

My car, 1994 E280 Estate has minor rear end damage, but tailgate is definitely out of line and bumper smashed. The car was pushed about 10 feet up the road and onto the kerb by the force though, so I'm thinking there could be quite a bit of damage that's unseen, to the parking brake, and more importantly the transmission, and maybe the front wheel bearings. Car was in park.

Anyone care to speculate what damage could be to these parts?

 

[jpbp200]

That's bad luck. Sounds like quite an impact. Any idea how fast he was going? I am no expert so wouldn't like to comment on the damage. Lucky he had insurance and turned up this morning! Have you tried to drive the car? It would be a good idea to take photos of all vehicles involved and length of skidmarks etc with some kind of reference in the shot ie a tape measure. Do this before you move any vehicles.

 

[Aussie Nick]

It is unrealistic to speculate on the damage without a detailed examination of the vehicle. Best advice so far is to take it out for a good test drive.I dont think the park brake has had any damage but your suspension may have. I would say this unlikely as the Focus took the brunt of the impact.

 

[jibcl500]

Think I would have requested a word in private with him, then beaten the Cr@p out of him.....

jib

 

[jon_harley]

Think I would have requested a word in private with him, then beaten the Cr@p out of him.....

jib

That would sure teach him not to own up next time.

 

[gordofski]

That would sure teach him not to own up next time.

owned up after he sobered up no doubt

 

[eyelight]

Looking at my car again this afternoon, I'm thinking it's probably a write off. Looks like the rear of the car is damaged more than I thought. Shut line of rear passenger door is squashed, and there is some very slight buckling of the sheet metal behind the rear wheel. Makes me think the rear suspension could be out of line.

Crazy thing is, I'd only replaced the bonnet star yesterday morning, after someone tried to swipe the old one and broke it.

 

[Rory]

Looking at my car again this afternoon, I'm thinking it's probably a write off.

I was thinking that from your first post - there was someone on here not to long whose car was written off when he did liitle more than crack the front bumper. I think he bought his car off the ins co and fixed it up, but yours sounds more challenging.

 

[jibcl500]

owned up after he sobered up no doubt

Exactly my point, probably stoned and or drunk, legs it and comes back in the morning so he cant get done, I assume he will for leaving the accident.

The guys a Pri£k and deserves a good hiding......

jib

 

[hawk20]

Make sure you report it to the police. I would not drive a damaged car. Ask the insurance company if you can get it towed to the nearest Merc dealer for a full report on the damage. My dealer has an accident number. You phone. they take over and deal with everything. See if yours does. Good luck. Stay inside the law just as you expect others to do.

 

[jpbp200]

I agree with Hawk, and can't stress enough the importance of pictures. Insurance co's pay people (a lot!) to try and get them out of a claim. Let us know what happens.....

 

[jibcl500]

Toyota issue a disposable camera with each new car so that you can take pictures in the event of an accident.

Suprised all new car dont come with them or at least the insurance companies dont insist upon it with each policy.

jib

 

[eyelight]

Thanks all.
Took several pictures yesterday of all the cars involved. Neighbours Ford Focus took the brunt of it all.
Reported the incident to the local police station but they weren't interested, just wanted to know if everyone had exchanged insurance details. Called my insurance company this morning (call centre in India I think), and they'll be someone coming round to take car away for assessment.
I haven't driven it other than to pull it off the footpath where it had been shunted up.
Transmission shifts between Park, Reverse and Drive okay, but I think the alignment of the rear wheels and frame could be affected.
I think that an impact hard enough to shift an E class Estate 10 feet up the road would be enough to write the car off, but am now worried what value insurance company would put on a 1994 car, not matter how well they age. Leather seats and traction control, but will their valuation reflect all that?

Or they could repair it. I tried to open boot today but can't. Boot floor probably buckled underneath too.

Good thing we still have the E220 Coupé parked round the corner.

 

[television]

I am so sad Eyelight on this news.

If it is written off you can always hold onto the salvage if the price offered is to low, and parts transferred to a replacement car

 

[eyelight]

If it is written off you can always hold onto the salvage if the price offered is to low, and parts transferred to a replacement car

Thanks Malcolm.
I think I'd sorted out all of my earlier overheating issues too and we had a trouble free 1500 mile trip around Ireland at Christmas in the car.

In over 20 years of driving however, I've never had much dealings like this with insurance companies so I'm in the dark about the process when a car is written off and salvage.

If they offer me a very low price, can I take it and still hold on to the car to part out? Leather interior in good condition has to be worth quite a bit. Or do I need a lawyer to try and up their payment?

 

[television]

We have been through this before, number one, always be nice to them, point out that you cannot find another car as good as yours if the offer is too low.

Tell them that you have put so much time in renovating parts of the car, if the offer is still to low, then ask for the wreck last when you have got the max offer from them, and that should clear it up

 

[verytalldave]

To move a heavy car like yours with the brake on and in park a distance of 10 feet takes a fair amount of doing. He must have been exceeding the speed limit by a fair margin. I cant believe the police dont want to get involved.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

........ I cant believe the police dont want to get involved.

I'm not

They don't appear to want to get involved with ANYTHING these days. Unless of course, it helps their STATISTICS :evil:

 

[hawk20]

Thanks Malcolm.
I think I'd sorted out all of my earlier overheating issues too and we had a trouble free 1500 mile trip around Ireland at Christmas in the car.

In over 20 years of driving however, I've never had much dealings like this with insurance companies so I'm in the dark about the process when a car is written off and salvage.

If they offer me a very low price, can I take it and still hold on to the car to part out? Leather interior in good condition has to be worth quite a bit. Or do I need a lawyer to try and up their payment?

Wish I could remember all the threads. lots of cases. They make offer. Owner says not enough. Quotes a few adverts or list of extras, or work done, and nine times out of ten they seem to raise the offer. I have been surprised how often people have got a satisfactory offer without too much hassle. One reason -according to a friend in insurance- is that their main worry is harm to humans where the payouts are getting to be enormous. Your car, big time to you, but small beer to them. Friend said, be nice, but be persistent.

 

[eyelight]

Wish I could remember all the threads. lots of cases. They make offer. Owner says not enough. Quotes a few adverts or list of extras, or work done, and nine times out of ten they seem to raise the offer.

Thanks all,
I'll await the verdict, and then maybe show them the recent advert that was mentioned on the forum here, http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C33347.

Or this W123 Estate priced at £7450, http://www.ccbenz.co.uk/30621/53588.html

And then maybe some of the cars Bolide has sold.

That ought to help my case a bit.