Car written off. Is it worth keeping the car and repairing?

[Mexico14]

Insurance have offered me £4,244 or £3,055 if I keep the salvage. The repairers quoted 7k for parts and labour.
Obviously they'd use all brand new parts for that. I was wondering if the repair could be done for a fair bit cheaper and the car kept? Has anyone done similar repairs? To start with I have a spade full sized wheel so that would replace the damaged wheel.

[GiveMeABreak]

What about subsequent insurance category - what are they classing it as? Best to research that before deciding and cost to insure.

[Mexico14]

Cat N

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so uneconomic to repair, not structurally damaged from the sound of it, but will be more expensive to insure - I'd just advise getting a quote before hand for peace of mind....

[Stickyfinger]

CAT N really does not matter at that value.

You will be able to find a wing/bumper etc in the correct colour (I would think white is a common one) via the breakers network in the UK.....bolt on..... I would think a few 100 pounds would do that.

I cannot see the insurance will load it due to CAT-N....they will because you have had a prang however.

[PaulC5]

Looking at the list of new parts costing about £4300 then the damage would appear to be more than just a bumper/wing replacement and includes a light and the steering and suspension so the chassis might also need to be aligned professionally. Have you looked at the cost of a similar replacement car in good condition, this should be the amount the insurer is offering you but if not then get back to them for a higher offer. I would also get a good idea of the cost of parts from your possible sources to see what it may cost for a diy repair. If you end up spending a lot then you would be better letting the car go but from the insurer offers you have to spend a lot less than the cost of new parts (as in the quote) to get it back to original condition and value to even be worth your efforts.

If you do keep the car and repair it to get it insured again you will need the car to be professionally checked so the insurer will cover it again - I had to do this with a car in the 1980s and this was a new MOT, otherwise it would only be valued as scrap. They also asked for receipts from the repairer but I had to explain it was a diy using s/h parts. If you ever try to sell the car again you may not get a good price and you may have to declare it was written off.

[PaulC5]

A quick look on Autotrader at a C4 Picasso 2016 year suggests they are up to about £9000 so I would be having a close look at the insurers valuation of your car.

[RichardW]

If it was just cosmetic I'd do it, but with suspension parts and rack it's going to add up. Think you posted this on FB and it has done >> 100K? in which case I would let it go probably. Are you claiming off your insurance or third party's?

[xantia_v6]

The list of parts required is a "worst case" estimate, the actual damage is probably much less. The wheel is still located correctly in the wheel arch, so I would think on probability there is no suspension damage, or maybe a lower arm. The track rod or hub may have got bent, but unlikely the rack. The fact that the wheel has slid past the obstacle without the rim being broken or tyre ripped would indicate that there was not a huge impact through the suspension and steering.

I would repair it without hesitation if it were mine.

[Rp0thejester]

If not repairing it, would it be worth dismantling the car and sell the parts?? Get a grand from the parts and you've made money.

[Stickyfinger]

Well there is a £300 +vat wheel there which is a £120 (max) referb .... it is hard to see that breaking the steering rack ....but it all very much depends on the OP skills/facilities etc.

I would VERY much also be on them like an angry ferret regarding their valuation.

[Mexico14]

If it was just cosmetic I'd do it, but with suspension parts and rack it's going to add up. Think you posted this on FB and it has done >> 100K? in which case I would let it go probably. Are you claiming off your insurance or third party's?

Had to claim off mine as third party were dragging their heels on admitting liability. Felt a bit pressured to claim off mine to mitigate costs... Then the next day third party admit liability
Probably going to let it go. For some unknown reason it was taken to a repairers 45 minutes away and I'd now have to collect the vehicle at my own expense. A headache I can do without. I'm Going to collect a Toyota Corolla touring sports tomorrow - hopefully I'll have more luck with that.

[xantia_v6]

If the front wheels are both pointing in the same direction, I cant see why you can't just drive it home. oh... insurance may be an issue.

[PaulC5]

I have always gone through our insurer rather than trying the other persons. It makes it easier and then your insurer gets the costs back from the other party if they were at fault and it should not affect your no claims discount. Even if you did not go through your insurer you would still have to let them know about the claim.

Whoever recovered your car if you were not able to drive it would take it to the nearest repairer (or they were the nearest repairer who could recover your car or maybe they have agreements with whoever was in charge of the recovery) and then it would be up to your insurer to take it to their own repairer. We had this once, the police had arranged somebody to recover it as the driver was taken to hospital. Another time the RAC recovered the car as the abs pump was damaged and lost the brake fluid.

[RichardW]

If the TP has admitted full liability then you need to push hard on the valuation. Your insurer will only give a derisory trade in figure, but if claiming on someone else's insurance you are entitled to be put back into the position you were - so that effectively means a realistic retail price for a replacement.