I have to agree with this. this is sound advice in general even if you decide you want to trust the repair shop in question. That's up to you but the issue is not with them - it's the insurance company. They do this day in and day out, they have systems and those systems are set up to serve them. They will take any opportunity to get away with paying out as little as possible, and that means straight to the breakers as quickly as possible.

I had a similar experience to sRS16. In fact I've had a few and this is my advice. Of course you take it all on board and then decide for yourself but really think about it and take it as friendly advice from people who have been in the situation in the past - learn from our mistakes!

If an accident is your fault then you have less say in what happens, but like I said before if you were not at fault then you are in charge and you call that shots. That means don't let them take your car until they have paid you what you consider a fair price. They may tell you it can come back later - bollocks, don't let it out of your sight for a second. There's nothing they can't tell you with it 'in their possession' that an engineer can't see on your drive. This is your call but I wouldn't let it go if I were in your shoes.

When they took a car of mine that I wanted to buy back, by the time I got in contact the bloody thing was 200 miles away and in pieces. I was livid but it was too late by that point. I was very pissed off and I won't make the same mistake again.


Sound advice. As I have said, it's not your fault so you are in control. They are now serving you and doing what you pay them hundreds of pounds a year to cover you for. Make them earn it and get your money's worth. I refer you back to the post I linked to before. Read through the first post on that thread - particularly the section headed 'if it wasn't your fault' or something similar (was a while ago I wrote it now).

Remember (again, sorry if I'm sounding like a broken record but I feel like it can't be emphasised enough) you are in control and YOU will tell THEM what you want. (in fact the 3rd party's insurance co - that's the key here. It can be more effective to deal directly with the 3rd party but it's all in my post on the other forum. read it over.) This is not my opinion, it's your right as provided under common law and the criminal damage act. It's not difficult and you don't need to know every letter of the law, but you do need to understand that you are entitled to your property being put right. Anything they offer you is an offer - and if you don't like it you don't have to accept it. Just keep telling them what you want, refer to the criminal damage act if you feel they need reminding (don't make threats, just be firm and show them you know your rights and won't back down).

Anyway, I could ramble on all night but I think you get the point. Don't let them take the car, let them send an engineer, hear what they have to say and then decide what you want to do. It's your call.

Good luck!

 

There coming for it first thing in the morning and i'm gonna let them take it, there is already a letter in the car stating what i want which has also been faxed to the insurance company so if it doesn't go down that path then i'll have grounds to sue and they were all ready the repairer of my choice.

To be honest i want it off the drive, i'm fed up of looking at it and either want it gone for good or back repaired, i appreciate the time you have put in to writing your posts and really hope my claim doesn't go down that route, i'll be happy for you to say 'told you so' if it does though lol

 

well I hope I don't have to say told you so. So long as you've informed them well of what you want in writing - if they mess you around they won't have a leg to stand on them and you can indeed sue them for the criminal damage and associated losses.

 

Just make sure you remove anything from the car now that you may need in the future.

 

I'd be hoping for write-off cheque myself, then put your £1k with it to buy another mint one.

It may look like cosmetic damage to an untrained eye, but trust me, that's gonna be a MAJOR job to repair properly. Even then, it will never be to the factory standard it was before .

On top of that, just think of what internal damage could be done to engine & gearbox etc. in the shunt?


P.S. I have a freind with a mint '07 hawk STi, only 11k miles who would sell for the right money if/when interested