car paint vandalized

[Master of None]

I have included pictures.
On saturday my girlfriend had her car vandalized. Mirrors kicked off, wipers snapped off, ariel etc. All of which i could fix cheaply from the breakers, given it is a R reg astra. However they have also deeply scratched almost every panel on the car (metallic green). The car itself is not worthy of an entire respray due to its age, however my girlfriend has had this car from new and has looked after is very well, serviced etc.
The insurance company would probably put it beyond economical repair and so I am left with trying to fix it myself.
My questions are...
Is there any way I could get this car looking respectable without an entire respray?
If the insurance company deem it to be beyond economical repair, do I have the option to purchase it from them at a lower price than they paid out, to administer a less than perfect repair myself.
Many Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

Untitled

• Master of None
• 3 Aug 2008
• 1

Untitled

• Master of None
• 3 Aug 2008
• 1

Untitled

• Master of None
• 3 Aug 2008
• 1

Untitled

• Master of None
• 3 Aug 2008
• 1

 

[gregers]

thats bad news m8,little ******* ,yes i do believe you may have a chance to buy it back from the insurance company,as it would probably as you have said an uneconomical repair cant see why you would have problems re insuring the car again,argue with the insurance company about the condition etc and service history it will help with the valuation of it,but do bear in mind they will only pay the book price if its still listed.

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Swear word removed
Moderator 9

 

[Stivino]

Even if you do get it written off and buy it back, you probably won't be any better off. I don't think you'll get any more than £700 top from insurer. They won't sell it to you for peanuts and it'll be more than just a respray, all that damage will need repaired. If I were you, I'd scrub it up as much as I could and live with it. It won't have that much longer to go before it's off to Dalton's anyway.

 

[^neo^]

First thing to try is some heavy duty cutting compound, Farecla G3 is pretty good. You certainly won't get it all out, but it may make it more presentable.
Second thing to do is find out who your girlfiend has p**sed off and have a quiet word with them

 

[Master of None]

Thanks for the response gregers. Will emphasize service history and the fact it was MOTed last month etc to the insurance company. I presume the omitted word was Little Blighters.

Thanks Stivino. After getting a quote for just a respray today £1600 . I am fairly confident the insurance will stump up for a full repair . However if they were to find it beyond economical repair, why would they not sell it to us for peanuts? I presume it would go straight to the scrapyard. incurring transport and disposal costs. Then i could make it half presentable for the last year or two of its life at little cost. And put whats left away for a deposit on a car later. Also should we discuss buying it back from the issurers before making a claim incase they refuse sale after they have paid out?

finally ^neo^. I don't think cutting compound will cut it . The scratches are to the light coloured primer if not metal. I was thinking of trying to rub some paint into the scratches so it looks ok at 200 yards. Do you think this will make any improvement? And as for your second point it happened during the early hours in a train station car park 20mls from home so I think the lightly hood is, it was just scum. Brainless scum I guess because they did not break a window to steel the sony cd player or £70 sun glasses

One last thing. If they write it off does that terminate the insurance also. Not really a problem cos it runs out next month, but will they still honor her no claims protection and be willing to reinsure her next year?

Thanks for all your help people. we appreciate it.

Wow i have just noticed how quickly you all replied These forums is just a bit to addictive aren't they.

 

[Stivino]

If you're talking £1,600 for a respray there's no way the insurer will pay out, it's only worth £800 max.
Ask them first if they'll sell it back, because they might not. They won't give you it for peanuts cos they're running a charity, it's a money making business. They might offer an ex gratia payment and let you keep it (the car) but I doubt it.
Have you contacted your insurer yet?

 

[Master of None]

No i have not contacted them because if they want to keep the car I would probably not claim
Is it safe to ask then not claim?

PS I was joking about them paying for repair

 

[Wontdothatagain]

If you go down the insurance route, the insurance coumpany will pay you the current market value and will then become the legal owner of the car and your insurance is then cancelled and if you have paid in advance, they refund any advanced payments as per their schedule in your insurance documents.

If you want to buy the car back you MUST inform them before you make a settelment.

If you do not they will then write it off online with DVLA and detroy the V5(log book).

You can still buy the car back after this but you will have to have a VIC (vehicle identerty check) to get a new log book.

They then have contracts with salvage companys who take it away and sell them for parts or crushing.

Nowwwwwwwwwww. The salvage companys only give around £30-£40 to the insurance coumpany to cover their costs of collection. They make their profit from selling the car, (they get about £100 for a crusher, can be a lot for more for repaiables or for front/rear enders where parts can be sold). If you make a offer at around the £100 mark most insurance coumpanys snap this up as it requires very little paperwork and they will deduct this from your payment. Be aware that the vehicle will be logged on the insurance and DVLA data base as written off and may be very hard to sell in the future.

 

[Stivino]

You can ask but tell them it's for "information only". i.e. at this stage you're not making a claim.

 

[^neo^]

Find another one on ebay with a blown engine and swap the bits over

 

[Master of None]

Thanks for your pointers wontdothatagain, I will take all your info on board when we call them. I will try the £100 tester. As it has over 100k on the clock most of the mechanical bits will be nearing the end of there life, given the swines have destroyed all the other salvagable bits, as salvage that leaves the headlamps .

You can ask but tell them it's for "information only". i.e. at this stage you're not making a claim.
Stivino that is what we will do. Sorry can't get the quote bit to work.

^neo^
To much hard work for an engine with 100k+ that burns oil.

Thanks you to all
MON and my other arf

 

[JohnD]

I strongly recommend you call "Chips Away" or similar company and get a quote. they are very good at repainting chips and scratches without having to respray the whole car or panel. My local large Halfords also has a repairer that comes round to do it.

when talking to the local person, see if he still sprays them in with an airbrush as many operators have changed over to brushing in which is not as good (apparently to reduce solvent emissions)

I have used them on my last 4 cars and they have mostly come out looking like new at modest cost

 

[Master of None]

Thanks JohnD, will look into that.

 

[JohnD]

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[Master of None]

Cheers JohnD, look like good repairs. I will check their website tonight (can't get car related websites at work)