Just coming back to the office half an hour ago, some idiot scaffolding lorry cuts up golf in front.Said golf brakes hard, I brake and white van behind me starts coming up fast woth some major screeching.BANG...into the back of me.Get out, exchange details and then the cops arrive.Damage:my rear bumper is mashed and the boot wont close now as the sill is pushed forward.I dont know what else is damaged.Pissed off because I am going to a wedding this weekend and cant go in the car if the boot dosent shut.Just wondering how long these things take to fix and which is the best place to take it for an assesment.I am in High Wycombe/Bucks but work in central London.
Any help would be appreciated.Will post some pics later.

P.S My neck is now starting to hurt like hell....

whiplash case = circa £2-3K in personal injury!

bad luck my friend, if only he had brembo brakes too [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]! there's no way it can be fixed in time for the weekend as you'd have guessed. In my experience with something like this, you're looking at a good weeks worth of work there sunhine (week to do a top job). if the boot is too knackerd for the pannel beaters then it will be quicker for them to replace it. are you're lights ok cose they those will be the expensive bits!

hope all goes well in finding a decend body shop, as some of the other guys might be able to help you out here!

Getting rear ended is rather like making love to a beautiful woman, they come up from behind feck you good and proper take your details then sting you for cash!!!!!!

You really don't have much luck do you :( there are stacks of places in Wycombe but you will probably end up at Markhams.

Let me guess that the lorry didn't stop :rolleyes::(

Paul

About 2-3 days for the claim form to arrive.
About a week before the assesor looks at the car (unless it you are with a ins co that agrees on the bodyshops say so.
Assuming parts in stock around 3 days to get to bodyshop (unless parts not in stock, took 6 weeks to get the parts from Japan for mine!!!)
About a week in the bodyshop to fix.

2 weeks minimum, likely to be 3 weeks IMHO unless parts not avaliable, it took 9 weeks to get mine fixed, nine fecking weeks!

Keep your 'foot' applied firmly to the insurance companies backside this will help keep it on track, always get a name of who you speak to, usually delt with by call centres, no-one gives a to$$ or takes ownership of anything that may arise, it is up to you to help yourself.

Also
It may be an insurance approved bodyshop - This does not necessarily mean they are any good just provided the lowest tender to the ins company - Better to get a reccommendation and tough it out with the ins company to get the best job. If the car is under warranty it may well eneed a Subaru approved bodyshop to keep the body warranty and in case of any mechanical repairs/warranty issues. lso they are used to repairing this type of car which may lead to a better job in the long run

You may well be entitled to a courtesy car as not ya fault.

Sorry to hear about your car, glad you are OK.

Hope you get it sorted


[Edited by Paul Habgood - 8/27/2003 2:33:03 PM]

Thx for all the replies.Just was wondeing whether i should use a subaru dealer locally(either locally or london) or depending on the insurance company get someone local.
Paul: Where is Markhams and what do they do.
AK47:Boot is dented, sill is pushed forward so boot wont close, bumper scarrped and dented and pushed forward at right hand side, but lights are all fine.I suppose it depends on insurers.
And yes the lorry didnt stop, dont be silly...
Now i need to get all this sorted and a courtsey car by the weekend.Oh joy...

sorry to hear the news. There is a good bodyshop in Bourne End if that is any good to you - Alexanders. Every time I drive past them there is a very bent Subaru of some kind there, so I guess they are well used to fixing them! The guys are Subaru fans and instantly recognised my rear spoiler, which I asked them to paint, as a genuine Prodrive item so I guess they know their stuff. I can get their number for you if its any use.

Steve

RB5320
Thx for that. I have just been onto my insurers Direct Line and they have given me 3 options of their approved bodywork outlets.
Cryers Hill Coachworks,Pilling Bodyshop (herts) and Spraytech(aleysbury)but to be honest i dont know what they are like so if you have the number for the one in bourne end much appreciated.I have the choice of getting my own quote as well.
Paul Hapgood;Cheers for that gloomy news!!Its a UK spec classic so lets hope its not as bad as your experience.
Any more advice gratefully accepted.
Just another excuse now for the wife to say "Get rid of the car"
Not just yet sweetheart!

Markhams are along abercrombie ave in wycombe and are an insurance approved bodyshop that most insurance companies use. If Alexanders is the one on the wessex road trading estate in bourne end then Zilch took his UK300 there but it was in there along time IIRC :(

Paul

min 3 weeks.

The number for Alexander's is 01628 850000.
It is the one Paul is talking about on the Wessex estate. I must admit they are only a small bodyshop. I couldnt fault the quality of their work though.
Markhams on the other hand are a big operation. A mate of mine used to do a lot of work for them a few years ago and they were very good then.
At the risk of upsetting the mods - I would stay well clear of Hazlemere coachworks, who are also an approved insurance repairer. The reason being that I had them repair a wheelarch on an MR2 a few years back. They cocked it up and the car ended up with a nice shiny gold bolt holding the sill cover on! :eek:
Best of luck getting it sorted.

Steve

Steve
thx .Have contacted Markhams and am getting them to have a look tomorrow morning.
Am in the middle of contacting Alexanders to see what they think.
Might have to have someone to whack the boot back into shape as a temporary measure until they do the major work.
Just pisses me off as the car was all clean ready for the wedding, brand new brakes on and looking fine (hence my braking distance) and then this happens.
Just what they say"your braking distance is only as good as the car behind"

If your suffering from whiplash make sure you hold out for as long as possible and seek professional advice and don't be as hasty as I was, About 5 years ago someone went in to the back of me at 30mph, I got a couple of grand payout for whiplash and was well happy at the time, but since then 5 years have passed and I'm still suffering from regular back,shoulder and neck pain. Suppose it's very hard to prove that the crash has effected me in later life and even if I did, i've already claimed :( , have come to realise that the pain and suffering I have now was not worth a few grand.


Anyway hope everything works out well for you :)

Maddy

TBH My neck still hurts Maddy but i was not thinking about compensation.I just wanted to get the scoob sorted and back on the road.But if the neck still hurts like this tomorrow, should i then start the claim for this.I have never really claimed for anything like this as i hate this stuff where people claim for all sorts of ailments after the event.Fair is fair, if it hurts should i claim anyway or if it passes should i just pass it off as a lucky escape.

Chris

If you want help straightening the car on a temp basis later give me a bell on 07739 ******* I am in Wycombe tonight checking out Shescoobys car so I can take a look at yours too if you like?

Paul :)

[Edited by paulpalmer - 8/27/2003 4:20:00 PM]

Paul
Cheers mate.I will give you a bell later.
Bring a big hammer...

Got one and a tow rope car do wonders mate ;) Got a trolley jack too ;) you will be back on the road by tonight trust me :D

Paul

p.s have you stored my number so that I can edit that post?

yes i have
cheers

Edited :D

See you later

SwissTony,

If your neck or any part of the body linked to it is still giving you grief, then I would first get yourself checked out by a doc, they will record your details and more than likly able to help reduce the pain with some prescribed pain killers. If your still getting pain a few weeks onwards or longterm then you should see a specialist.

I was in more or less in the same predicament as yourself, wasn't worried about my neck at the time as it didn't seem a serious injury and was more concerned about getting my pride and joy back on the road.

I did however make a claim 5 months down the line when I started to receive frequent neck and back pain and felt that I should be entitled to claiming.

I do wish though that I had not been so hasty to claim as over the years the pain is coming back more frequently and more severe.

Probably worth your while keeping a log in your diary of any pain you encounter, I might sound a bit OTT but it could prove useful should you wish to claim in the future.

hope this helps

Maddy

I am no advoate of the 'compensation culture' BUT it is not so much whether your neck hurts now or tomorrow but the long term effects of a whiplash injury that you need to consider.

You may be out of pain within a few day but unfortunately you will still have the whiplash injury. It is not uncommon for problems to then resurface several years later and it doesn't just cause neck pain. Neck problems can be the root of all sort of other problems such as frozen shoulder, migraine etc.,.. So even if you do not claim at this moment you certainly want to be sure not to sign anything that means you can't claim in the future.

This probably won't cheer you up, but better to know IMHO.

Regards

Robin

Tony - if your neck is giving you grief then get it checked out by your doc or if it gets worse then maybe A&E.

Incidentally my car was a classic UK Turbo, the part was an inner body panel. Ended up chasing it through IM myself as the dealership seemed to be content waiting for it ot arrive whenever.

Had a few dealings with insurance claims on cars, never as easy or as straight forward as you would like. Main problem being sub standard repairs, never accept it unless perfect or a close as humanly possible. A bad repair will cause you no end of grief when you come to sell + you have to live with it.

I hope you get it sorted promptly and easily.

Hi Swiss,

I live quite near Wycombe and I had a similar accident. I took it to SGT in Taplow for them to have a look and they recommended Alexanders in Bourne End who fixed it the same day (new backbox, bumper & bumper skin). There was no problems with my insurers (Tesco) as Alexanders are approved by them.

Oh and get your neck checked out, it may get worse before it gets better.

Gary.

Thx once again guys for all your concerns and replies.
Going to try and hook up with Mr Palmer for a quick fix.(car that is not the other fix)
Going to see 2 bodyshop specialists for quotes.
Going to Doctors tomorrow as well as it still hurts like hell.
Insurance company know of injuries so its all above board and I'm not trying it on.
If you are out and about on A40/M40 tonight look out for me.I will be the DBM classic with a strap holding boot shut and driving like Miss Daisy with a strange tilt to my head.
£1 to whoever spots this strange scooby.
Cheers lads

Do I get £1 for spotting it later ;):D:D:D

Paul
You get the £1 mate if you can put my boot back into shape,repaint the bumper, respray it to my satisfaction,put a STIV spoiler on and give it a valet.Sounds fair?

Tony, make sure you keep a record of any out goings, ie, fuel to doctors, hospital, any pain killers you have to pay for,osteopath (spelling)bills, lost time at work ect ect. Tel your insurance company you want to make an injurys claim, if you have any bruising come out, take pics of it.
My mrs is going through the same thing at the mo, sting them for the lot!

Tony/Chris
YHM

I got alot more than £1 for spotting it :cool: Thanks Chris :D we got the boot to shut and lock, popped the dent out, re-spray where the paint had been knocked off and polish off the scratches :cool: the car left my garage looking much better :cool::D

Paul :)