I crashed my car in the snow on Thursday

Urban_Legend

Urban_Legend

Member
Driving round a bend at the top of a hill on full lock, I tried to go right, but my car continued sliding forwards and slammed into the kerb. The offside front wheel buckled. I was told, without it being properly assessed, that I'd broken the steering arm, steering rack, wishbone and damaged the sub frame.

The insurance company wouldn't get it looked at because of the age of the car, so wrote it off. I was pleased that they valued the car at pre-accident trade price. I couldn't afford not to have a car if I'd decided to get it repaired myself, as it would mean I wouldn't be able to get to work, so I've taken their offer and a salvage company are coming to take it away at some point this week.

Other than the wheel, the car is in really good condition. I bought it off a family member, who bought it from new, so I knew its full history. I've looked after it well; there's barely a scratch or dent on it, it is immaculate inside and it's been regularly serviced. It's a 13-year-old motor and it's only done 64000 miles. I'm devastated to see it go.

I've just been and emptied it of my possessions before it's picked tomorrow. It breaks my heart knowing that somebody mechanically minded is going to pick it up for a song. As it was not properly examined, the damage that was suggested may not even be accurate, and may end up being a cheap and easy fix. So...

Is it unethical to make the damage worse than it is, so the car isn't as desirable as it is at the moment? I feel like slashing the tyres, cracking the windscreen and denting every panel, so it becomes more expensive to fix. The car still has half a tank of petrol too, so I'd like to stick a screwdriver through the tank to siphen off and fill my new(er) motor with it.

The insurance company have not looked at it, so how would they know, and would they really care?
 
Glad you weren't injured (I hope) in the crash, sounds like it could have been nasty.

In terms of somebody getting the car and being able to fix it, Where's the harm there? sounds like a win win, you got the insurance money, insurance company obviously aren't that bothered, whoever gets the car maybe gets a bit of a freebie. All good isn't it?
 
Too late now but you could have asked the insurers to keep the car and then have it assessed yourself. The problem with going through the insurers for an old car is that they will insist on new original manufacturers parts on any repair. If you have it repaired yourself you could (for example) get a wheel off a scrapper, same for suspension components. If kept it they would have knocked something like £300 off your settlement and if it really was irreparable you could have still weighed it in at a Scrapper for at least a couple of hundred.

As I say too late now.
 
Urban_Legend said:
Driving round a bend at the top of a hill on full lock, I tried to go right, but my car continued sliding forwards and slammed into the kerb. The offside front wheel buckled. I was told, without it being properly assessed, that I'd broken the steering arm, steering rack, wishbone and damaged the sub frame.

The insurance company wouldn't get it looked at because of the age of the car, so wrote it off. I was pleased that they valued the car at pre-accident trade price. I couldn't afford not to have a car if I'd decided to get it repaired myself, as it would mean I wouldn't be able to get to work, so I've taken their offer and a salvage company are coming to take it away at some point this week.

Other than the wheel, the car is in really good condition. I bought it off a family member, who bought it from new, so I knew its full history. I've looked after it well; there's barely a scratch or dent on it, it is immaculate inside and it's been regularly serviced. It's a 13-year-old motor and it's only done 64000 miles. I'm devastated to see it go.

I've just been and emptied it of my possessions before it's picked tomorrow. It breaks my heart knowing that somebody mechanically minded is going to pick it up for a song. As it was not properly examined, the damage that was suggested may not even be accurate, and may end up being a cheap and easy fix. So...

Is it unethical to make the damage worse than it is, so the car isn't as desirable as it is at the moment? I feel like slashing the tyres, cracking the windscreen and denting every panel, so it becomes more expensive to fix. The car still has half a tank of petrol too, so I'd like to stick a screwdriver through the tank to siphen off and fill my new(er) motor with it.

The insurance company have not looked at it, so how would they know, and would they really care?
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If your not going to buy it back off the salvage company then it is really worth the effort of doing more damage to it. By all means siphon the petrol off and take anything of any worth off it.
 
I have been through this twice. First time was an eye opener just to realise what the heck goes on. My 12yr astra was driveable but had a huge dent in rear wheel arch. Anyway , insurance said more than 75% of the valuation of the car to fix it so offered me 1500 - my offset which was 100 so 1400 in all. I didn't know you could keep the car and try to get personal repairs done etc. I missed that 1.8 astra auto . Funny though as I was already fed up with the cost of mainteneace and running for the miles I did and I ended up not having another car for 16 months. Just went without because work was within 3 miles, made some adjustments.
Second time really got me in a chew as I wasn't even in the car, it was parked on street next to the house and a geezer in a suzuki sports came round the residential road during the Beast from the East snow conditions and smashed it up. Sub frame gone . I'd only had it 6 weeks , an ix20 with some visual mods. However , insurance gave me 6k for it and I'd only paid 4800 so I just let it go.
No one is going to be making a bomb on a 13 yr old cat s repaired car fella, just let it go as it is .
 
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I remember writing a fiesta off near whinstone view. Every panel had a dent in it.
Went to the salvage yard the next day to collect some paperwork out of the glovebox and whilst I was there I thought I'd take the £400 head unit I had in it. Was told I couldn't take it as the car was owned by the insurance company even though no V5 document had been transferred. 🙃
 
Urban_Legend said:
Driving round a bend at the top of a hill on full lock, I tried to go right, but my car continued sliding forwards and slammed into the kerb. The offside front wheel buckled. I was told, without it being properly assessed, that I'd broken the steering arm, steering rack, wishbone and damaged the sub frame.

The insurance company wouldn't get it looked at because of the age of the car, so wrote it off. I was pleased that they valued the car at pre-accident trade price. I couldn't afford not to have a car if I'd decided to get it repaired myself, as it would mean I wouldn't be able to get to work, so I've taken their offer and a salvage company are coming to take it away at some point this week.

Other than the wheel, the car is in really good condition. I bought it off a family member, who bought it from new, so I knew its full history. I've looked after it well; there's barely a scratch or dent on it, it is immaculate inside and it's been regularly serviced. It's a 13-year-old motor and it's only done 64000 miles. I'm devastated to see it go.

I've just been and emptied it of my possessions before it's picked tomorrow. It breaks my heart knowing that somebody mechanically minded is going to pick it up for a song. As it was not properly examined, the damage that was suggested may not even be accurate, and may end up being a cheap and easy fix. So...

Is it unethical to make the damage worse than it is, so the car isn't as desirable as it is at the moment? I feel like slashing the tyres, cracking the windscreen and denting every panel, so it becomes more expensive to fix. The car still has half a tank of petrol too, so I'd like to stick a screwdriver through the tank to siphen off and fill my new(er) motor with it.

The insurance company have not looked at it, so how would they know, and would they really care?
Click to expand...




What on Earth.


Did you bang your head in the crash?
 
Let it go feller, by all means syphon the petrol out, disconnect then re connect a fuel hose or something to get it but don’t damage, cut or slash anything. If you’ve been paid out it’s not your vehicle anymore and owned by the insurance company, would you smash up someone else’s car just to be petty?
 
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