Guessing Game - Write Off or Not?

[bahaimus]

My wife had a very similar (in appearance) accident and it was repaired. The repair was also top quality. I initally had the same concerns as you but they proved to be unfounded. BUT, the repairer will be a big determinant....

[towie]

It's insured with AAMI...

You'll wish they'd written it of then... :rotflol: You should have called me, I would have taken it to a AAMI recommender repairer (that is good) and it would have stayed there...

Let the repairer bidding start... Next we have a little job on a Mazda... Do I hear $1, $1 $1???

[ALLMTR]

My wife had a very similar (in appearance) accident and it was repaired. The repair was also top quality. I initally had the same concerns as you but they proved to be unfounded. BUT, the repairer will be a big determinant....

How do you know the concerns were unfounded? Did she crash it again?

The concern should be how will the chassis take another hit in the same spot. Metal is strong until you bend it and then bend it back and then expect it to have the same resiliance to being bent again.

[Paydirt]

A fellow official at Willowbank raceway had her same Mazda SP20 hit like that by a an entrant at the track one evening. It was very similar damage and was written off. Lets hope your's is too.

[PeterD]

I've contacted a trusted repairer who will be invited to quote on it, and he reckons if I kick and scream AAMI will accept him to do the work so long as the quote is competitive....

I'd be much happier with that knowing that it will be done properly and not the $1 auction style like Towie is referring to....

But i still hope it's a right off....

[r32-26tt]

thats gonna be fixed, i have seen alot worse get fixed

[Paddington]

yep, I call fixed as well

[Evaku8]

Sorry to hear about the car Pieter. At least your family are fine.

At a guess, I would say that's repairable.

My S15 looked alot worse and unfortunately they still repaired it. I know how you feel, once they've been in a decent hit you kind of hope it's written off.

Best of luck with it.

[PeterD]

Thanks Neil, how's the frenchy mobile going...

Update from today, I had a look at the car, and it was definately a good hit...Front rail that extends to the bumper is bent, but can be bent back i'm told...and the engine has been pushed back into the firewall quite a bit. The exhaust is damaged, some of the bracing under the car from block to gearbox etc is bent, and there is a leak that looks like it's coming from the gearbox. Air con lines are bent, and that was just from a quick look. I also found out today the car idled for about 5 mins and was then driven for 500m without any coolant whatsover, so that's not great.

I'm going to make a point to AAMI that I want the engine damage thoroughly checked and taken into consideration in the claim value...

[blackbart]

Unfortunately I agree that it will be repaired.

There are dodgy things you can do (not recommended) like inentionally set the airbags off, or as a guy I used to work with did, let his BMW keep idling with no coolant or oil in it after a front ender.

I think you said its already at their yard? If so theres not much you can do. It does suck that the car may never be the same and has lost some resale value.

[blackbart]

Just remembered something, though its not really relevant. About the mechanical damage, an old TAFE teacher of mine told me that HQ's (I think, very scetchy memory) when they got hit from the back would push the tailshaft into the gearbox and destroy a bearing. But it wouldnt be noticeable for 6 months + in some cases so insurance companies wouldnt pay for the repair all the time.

[PeterD]

another update...

my repairer is quoting the job at circa $10k, and the assessor has a salvage value in mind of $6k, so it puts my write off value at $16k ish, well short of the $24k it's insured for...

Not really happy with that, I'm going to try and squeeze AAMI but I think i have no chance....

[carcrazy]

Panel beaters can fix cars pretty good these days, body robots and laser alignment, it will probally be as good as it left the factory. But if your not happy when it's returned just sell it and move on.