>>If the driver's door is now a bit "snug", the bodyshell is distorted.
Maybe, but not necessarily. That panel on which the door is 'catching' on has been pushed along by the force of the bump. Because none of the panels gaps are 'wrong' or wonky on any other part of the car, as far as I?m aware, I don't think its all that distorted. However, I?ll be finding out tomorrow.
>>To true this up needs a proper jig and ram repair
I had half expected that to be the case, so this doesn't worry me all that much.
>>On a 12 year old car this is probably enough to write it off
Not a word of lie! This is why I?m trying to persuade the lady not to go through her insurance. But even if she does, and the insurance company write off, I?ll buy it back, as long as its reasonably repairable and I have the money to repair it.
>>Would you drive around in it unless it had been thoroughly checked over? How would you know for certain that some spot welds had not been ripped apart?
No. But any repair shop (the one I?m going to is insurance recommended) worth their salt wouldn't let a car hit the road which was in any way 'suspect'. As far as spot welds go, she?s hit the car hard, but seems to have hit very little structural areas, and even then, a good repair shop could put them right.
|
|
Robertson, you obviously know what you are about, good luck.
|
Just thought I?d keep you updated....
Well last weekend I went to the garage my dad had suggested. They looked at the car, and first impressions suggested it was destined for the scrap heap. But a look underneath the car, by having it up on the ramps, suggests otherwise. There was no damage to the floor of the car, so the damage seems to be entirely on the outer panels.
They gave my two quotes. One was for £350, on the provision it was outside insurance and they could do it in "down time", which means they would work on my car when they had time. The other was for £500-600 for a full insurance job, where the car would be in continuously until repaired.
The woman rang on the Monday to say she, and her husbands panel beater friend, were coming around to have a look today, 'cos he might be able to repair it without the need to go through insurance.
Well he came today, and I had no confidence in him. He looked at the damage, and said "well, that could be beat out with a block of wood"!!!. I instantly decided he was NOT getting his hands on my car.
So now, we are going through the insurance, with the hope of buying the car back, and repairing it with the spare cash from the payout. But the garage my dad deals with, gave the number of a solicitor who will deal with the insurers to get the full book price of the car, and get it back for free, without me having to buy it back.
|
Just thought I would keep you all updated, as this is the end of this hectic chapter.
Well, the solicitor I dealt with, sent an assessor around shortly after that above post, who confirmed the car was repairable providing that the cost was less than its value, £500.
To cut a long storey short, I dropped my car off at the body shop last Monday (21st) and collected my hire car (a Nissan Micra, well, its better than walking!)
The garage rang this morning to say I could collect it this afternoon, which I did. The hire company agree to drop you off at your destination when you drop their car back off at their depot. Being a decent kinda guy, I looked after the hire car they gave me. But they used my hire car (after I handed the keys back, obviously) to deliver me to the garage, but lets say, their driver wasn't as caring. We went up the motorway at 80 in 4th (5000 rpm), and driving around town wasn't much better, as every time he changed gear, he revved up to 4500 rpm, before letting the clutch back out, which save some pretty big surges.
The garage couldn?t get a bumper for my car (odd I know, but I can't find a one neither). But, the day before the car was due to go in, the rear spring gave up, which meant I had no rear suspension on the passengers side. This meant I had to drive up the A1 at 40 at 8.00 in the morning. Lets just say, I was the most popular guy that morning!!! But the garage fitted 2 new spring FOC, off setting the price against the cost of a bumper.
The repair job is of a good standard. Unfortunately, they couldn't solve the problem with the drivers door, but I?ll lower the latch on the b post to stop it catching. The panel gaps everywhere else though, are back to normal, even those seriously widened by the impact. The rear wing with the crease in, has been repaired very well, but has an ever so slightly bigger 'bow' in it that the passengers. But you can't tell, and even then, you need to compare one side with another, and the difference is so marginal some people can't spot it.
Now it just needs that bumper, and a big clean up, as the inside is covered in dust.
?Volkswagen Polo, small but tough? ? I?ll drink to that!
|
"But any repair shop (the one I’m going to is insurance recommended) worth their salt wouldn't let a car hit the road which was in any way 'suspect'."
First time I've read this thread and I had to smile when I read that. The place that took four months to get my Polo almost right comes very highly insurance recommended too!
By the way, my driver's door does exactly what yours does too. Must be a Polo thing.
|
|
|
|
