Is it worth buying back my car?

[arnieboy]

Hi

I’ve got a 2005 130 bhp tdi trendline estate and it been 100% reliable in the 34000 miles and nearly 3 years I’ve had it.
I got rear ended yesterday and unfortunately the boot floor has been damaged as well as the bumper, offside light and tailgate. It’s going to be a total loss but is it worth buying it back and repairing? I guess it would be a class C write-off. The main shell seems undamaged apart from the floor by the tailgate.
My thoughts are better the devil you know as my car had a fsh and one owner when I got it. It’s got 142k on the clock and still drove perfectly after the prang.
Thanks.:(

[Eshrules]

Depends on how you feel driving the same car that's been shunted.

I've been lucky enough never to face such a decision but personally, I couldn't drive a car that had been in a rear shunt right off, I just don't think they're ever the same.

Even if it is in my head.

posted using my phone that isn't an iPhone. Fancy that!

[996jimbo]

With that mileage and as a write-off it will be worth very little when fully repaired, so it depends entirely how much it will cost to repair and how much they want from you to buy it back. Looking on ebay everyone wants to sell for £2,300+ but they struggle to achieve £1,500 (without having been written off).

[scotty33]

I think you need to weigh up what it will cost to buy the salvage and what it will cost to repair, then factor in that it will be worth approx 75-80% of it's previous value when repaired. If the maths works and you can live with a repaired car, go for it.
If you plan on keeping it, make sure the repairer uses adequate rustproofing treatments, if you don't ask you rarely get this..

[arnieboy]

I've been offered 2800 for my car, £500 to buy it back leaves £2300. No idea how much it costs to buy the floorpan panel, fit it, paint it. The bumper, light and tailgate seem cheap enough on ebay. Anyone had any exerience of doing this? Seems pointless to pay close to what the car is worth as I'll need a VIC check and MOT on top. Thanks

[zollaf]

forget it. to replace a floorpan and rear panel is a lot of work. then you need to rustproof it properly, paint it, and thats after sticking the car on a jig to make sure the rest of it is straight. its amazing how a little twist in a shell can go un noticed until you just can't get the tracking right and it crabs down the road.
try to buy another though for £2800. a few months ago i was looking for more or less what you have and expecting to pay 4 - 5k for one with similar mileage. i would laugh at that offer and tell the person that hit you you want to be put back in a position that you were in before the crash.
if you really want your car repaired then get it repaired, but by vag, to their standards, at the expense of the third party, or at least their insurers. you actually have more rights than you know about and any insurance company will not tell you this.

[arnieboy]

Thanks. My insurance say they only offer money but I could ask theirs (Axa) what they can do. If I do have the right to another car rather than cash it seems no-one is admitting to it...

PS got a B6 140 bhp hire car and it seems slower than my 130 bhp B5.5. I need to rev it to get it to go well whereas my 5.5 has loads of low down grunt...

[zollaf]

yes, the 1.9 is a pd and the 2.0 140 is a common rail. like chalk and cheese, the pd is much better.
basically, the person who smashed your car up is liable to put you into a position you were in before the crash. there are people on here more qualified than me to tell you, but you write him or her a letter telling them what you want, and giving them 14 days to respond or you will take them to court. they have insurance sure, but its the person that is responsible, and you deal with them personally. the insurance is there to pay for their mistake. you are entitled, since it was not your fault, to an identical car, or for yours to be repaired, where you want it repaired, to a standard it was in before the crash.
don't be fobbed off, don't accept any offers until you know exactly what you are entitled to. obviously 'they' dont want you to know this as you can then have a field day at their expense rather than be out of pocket and the insurers in more profit.

[arnieboy]

Thanks for this, I will take a look. My issue is, as a family man like many, I need a car quickly so time may rule out any prolonged process. If I were single I think I would fight tooth and nail!

[scotty33]

I've been through this twice in the last 2 years, I used a claims handling service who got me in a decent hire car while the wrangling went on and glass's guide top book settlements. Zollaf is dead right about you being entitled to be put back in your pre accident circumstances. I don't have the details, but this is a legal precedent which has been set.
You should be able to get more for your car, my '01 passat sport saloon 148ish k was valued at £2250 back in April, despite it already being a (reduced value) cat c from the previous bump. I got to buy back the salvage for 10% of the valuation in both cases.
You need to get copies of ads for equivalent year/ spec/milage cars, in order to argue your case for a better payout.
They should leave you in a hire car for 1 week after the cheque is issued or your repairs are completed if you make them repair your car.

[arnieboy]

Hi, I decided to leave my car and bought another. Unfortunately it was so far away I had to go on what the guy told me and the advert wording. It is hpi clear, a one owner car with a fullish history. Bought from a garage. It was delivered yesterday but I'm not happy with:

1. Both front wings have corrosion as per the known 16 page debate, which he never mentioned
2. A couple of bubbles of each rear arch not mentioned
3. Drives really well but the clutch bite point is high, should I worry?
4. There is an airbag warning light which I did know but the pads warning light also comes on, which he was meant to fix but did not.
5. The a/c is not cold again not mentioned.

I am most worried by the corrosion, clutch and warning light. He will refund me but not the del cost or offered £250 to wards the paint fix. Not sure what to do, cost me £3k inc del and new mot.

[scotty33]

Hi, I decided to leave my car and bought another. Unfortunately it was so far away I had to go on what the guy told me and the advert wording. It is hpi clear, a one owner car with a fullish history. Bought from a garage. It was delivered yesterday but I'm not happy with:

1. Both front wings have corrosion as per the known 16 page debate, which he never mentioned
2. A couple of bubbles of each rear arch not mentioned
3. Drives really well but the clutch bite point is high, should I worry?
4. There is an airbag warning light which I did know but the pads warning light also comes on, which he was meant to fix but did not.
5. The a/c is not cold again not mentioned.

I am most worried by the corrosion, clutch and warning light. He will refund me but not the del cost or offered £250 to wards the paint fix. Not sure what to do, cost me £3k inc del and new mot.

Under the sales of goods act, goods must be "of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose" This still applies to second hand cars. I don't know the details of distance selling regs, but in cases of new goods you get a 7 day 'cooling off period' in which you would be entitled to refund of purchase price AND delivery costs, but I don't know how this would apply to a second hand car.

At best he has misrepresented the car and failed to honour his promise to make the repairs agreed. I would get onto trading standards, see what they say?

If you like the car and can reach an amicable settlement it would probably be a lot easier in the long run?

[996jimbo]

A few points to consider:
- Did you pay a deposit or pay for the whole thing with your credit card? If so you should investigate what rights that gives you (paying deposit by credit card is a Good Thing)
- If the rust is from a repair (which you can't yet know) you may not be able to claim for rust from VW under warranty, so that is an avenue closed in future
- Pad warning lights aren't the end of the world depending on what causes them (loose connection or serious problem)
- Airbag warning lights could be long term pain in the ****, might mean you and/or passenger doesn't have an air bag.

Basically you don't know what the causes of the problems are; the causes could be costly or could not.

I'd be inclined to look at what protection the credit card (if you used one) gives you, and if you did use one and you can claim back against your card then go hard nosed for the full refund as the car was not properly described. If you didn't use a credit card then I'd still go for that approach. No need to be melodramatic - just clear and assertive that there are fundamental issues he did not tell you about.

Of course you might get a decent refund and the problems turn out to be cheap fixes but you won't know until you spend some time and money trying to find out, but consider that if they are cheap fixes why didn't the garage do it before selling?

[arnieboy]

Thanks, I've done just what's been advised... the seller won't budge so I am pursuing my credit card company and a legal route. I forgot to mention the advert stated 4 nearly new tyres and guess what, the fronts have 2mm!!

Anyone know a good mobile mechanic near Harrow to get it inspected, as no doubt I will not be deemed an expert?

[zollaf]

the aa do vehicle checks, and would probably stand up better than any mobile mechanic.

[scotty33]

Why the mechanic/AA? You have enough to say it has clearly been misrepresented and is not of satisfactory quality, speak to trading standards and (sorry I forgot about this one) your card issuer. Or are you interested in keeping it?

[arnieboy]

I guess because I would not be deemed an expert if it went to court and a mechanic would be judged independent. All I am after is the issues fixed which should not have been there in the first place. Yes, I did go to my card provider, another reason to get the independent report, as they would not accept my word. Thanks for the advice.

[scotty33]

I stand corrected, I guess this occurred to you, but it might be a good idea to pay for the report and any repairs on the same credit card. I also wonder whether trading standards would see their way to getting it inspected at DOT place (at their expense) if they think there is a case to answer...
I also think a main dealer might be best placed to find fault with one of 'their models'?

[caldirun]

Hi, I decided to leave my car and bought another. Unfortunately it was so far away I had to go on what the guy told me and the advert wording. It is hpi clear, a one owner car with a fullish history. Bought from a garage. It was delivered yesterday but I'm not happy with:


4. There is an airbag warning light which I did know but the pads warning light also comes on, which he was meant to fix but did not.

I am most worried by the corrosion, clutch and warning light. He will refund me but not the del cost or offered £250 to wards the paint fix. Not sure what to do, cost me £3k inc del and new mot.

Have you asked how he got a new MOT, air bag and brake pad alerts would at least be notified if not failure points

[arnieboy]

Hi
I did wonder this about the MOT – it does seem genuine according to the government website but I suspect the garage knows the MOT people.
I’ve had the car inspected now and basically everything I said is true so I will reject my car. Trading standards were not sure if I can claim back the cost of delivery (I hope so) plus I’d want the cost of the inspection. However the Scottish courts have a limit of £3k for small claims so this would take it over. Can I force my credit card company to pay up or do I have to pursue the garage to the bitter end?
If I reject the car, should I stop my insurance or wait till it is collected, which may be ages if we have a dispute. I believe it’s an offence to have an uninsured car

Thanks

[scotty33]

The credit card company is jointly liable, basically, the way it works is the credit card company bought the car on your behalf, you are paying them back. If you can claim against them, they will 'retract' their payment from the garage, until the garage resolves the problem.
It is now an offence to keep an unisured vehicle on the road. Off road would be fine, claim the tax back too, before the new month begins if possible?
Arguably the purchase of the vehicle and the cost for delivering it are 2 seperate arrangements and maybe could be treated as such in small claims court?
If the trader sends all their MOT's to one place, they probably get more than a little 'lattitude'.