37 replies to this topic

[Andrew_North_London]

Approaching traffic lights in a 30 zone and they were on amber. Plenty of space to stop and no excuse not to. I mean I could have floored it and gone through but I probably would have broken the limit and the traffic was bunched up on the exit of the junction so the right call was to stop.

1 second later... Crunch

She jumps out the car and started saying I should have gone and it's my fault for slamming on. No amber means stop ("unless it is unsafe to do so"). Then she started saying she couldn't have been going fast because there were no skid marks. "NO. There were no skid marks because I didn't brake hard... And judging by what happened neither did you."





1 stroke of luck was that a guy drove past 15 mins later who runs a motor racing repair shop which specialise in Lotus's. He's said it needs a new clam, new bumper, there's damage to the heat shield, significant damage to the exhaust and he won't know what else until the body works been ripped off. He's making a guesstimate of it being £2,500 and he'll get me an accurate quote asap.

The insurers are talking about it being a write off which is bullshit. It's an LY ffs so is a limited edition car!! Here's a couple of pics on the back of the tow truck...





In terms of me - I've got a bump on the head where I hit the plastic above the headrest but it's not bad and I've stopped feeling dizzy. Mum/Gf both insisting on me getting it checked - rolls eyes.

[fezzasus]

Bumper and clam are one and the same. Also second hand rear clams are easy to source if you want to go down that route.

[CocoPops]

1 stroke of luck was that a guy drove past 15 mins later who runs a motor racing repair shop which specialise in Lotus's. He's said it needs a new clam, new bumper, there's damage to the heat shield, significant damage to the exhaust and he won't know what else until the body works been ripped off. He's making a guesstimate of it being £2,500 and he'll get me an accurate quote asap.

Who is this chap? As for it needs a new bumper and clam? Err.... it's a one piece

[Wolfstone]

Sorry to hear of your accident but it sounds like it may not have been safe for you to stop if it only took her one second to hit you. Either way though.....she was driving too close and couldn't stop in time if you braked.

[Pidgeon]

Much though I dislike claims handlers, go through one and claim off her insurance rather than your own.  Europa are well regarded.

 

I'm several months into a claim upon my own insurance and they're effing useless (Aviva).  If you claim on hers, you're in the driving seat.

[techieboy]

A definite p!sser but that likely is a write-off by insurance company cost guidelines although I'd be a bit concerned by this Lotus repair specialist who's talking about a bumper.

 

It's an LY ffs so is a limited edition car!! 

 

Doesn't mean it's worth anything more (and as it's yellow, arguably less ).

[Tony H]

How upsetting. Good luck with the repairs.

Edited by Tony H, 27 April 2015 - 11:59 AM.

[Andrew_North_London]

Well it's me that said bumper - he just said clam - I said it would need the bumper too as I thought they were separate. I thought the clam was just the one main massive section at the rear. In his defence he did also concede to me that he was a specialist on the engines and his business partner was the real expert on bodywork. His place is Podium Preparation at the business park at Binbrook Airfield in Lincolnshire

[Andrew_North_London]

The top of your sill section in the first pic looks like it is missing a small bit.

Indeed it is. Someone hit me in November and drove off - I was parked up at the time. My insurers therefore told me I would have to pay as it didn't exceed my excess. Couple of days later I see a big people carrier parked up less than 100m from where it happened with accident damage on its front right and yellow paint. I took pics and sent them to my insurers who say it's difficult to prove. So I've been putting it off until I have the cash spare - I'll probably get them both fixed at the same time for convenience. It's not been a good 6 months.

[slindborg]

by the book from the insurance that's a new clam (3 month lead time from GM unless you are lucky), new heat shield, possibly new exhaust (again 3 month lead time unless lucky).... chuck in the hire car for that time and voila, write off before you even get to paint or labour

 

LY or not, the book prices are shite

If you are lucky and shes insured with Aviva, it'll be total lossed but not recorded

[rob999]

Any witnesses to this incident?

[Gedi]

The insurers are talking about it being a write off which is bullshit. It's an LY ffs so is a limited edition car!! Here's a couple of pics on the back of the tow truck...

 

Unfortunately that'll be a write off.

 

Expect it to be listed as a Cat D with the option for you to buy it back from the insurer. As long as you don't mind owning a cat d car it can work in your favour. The trick is to buy back at a good price and be prepared to assist in the repair (e.g. researching, sourcing parts, doing some work yourself)

[SteveA]

I think podium prep is run by Andy Jebson (The son of the guy who owns Javelin Trackdays). Nice guy and has been doing race car stuff for a fair few years.

[Andrew_North_London]

Yup that's the chap who stopped to help me. No witnesses I'm afraid however things just got a lot better - she's accepted liability and her insurer is willing to provide me with a courtesy car. They've said they'll offer a "like for like" substitute - so I've put in a request for a lotus exige V6 I can ask - it won't work but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping really hard!!

[slindborg]

Skoda Octavia it is then

[techieboy]

2 seat car worth < £10k so Toyota Aygo (with sunroof) should be sufficient.

[Andrew_North_London]

Turns out they're offering me either a C class merc or a 3 series BMW - at least it's not an mx5/smart roaster or similar... I was worried they'd see a yellow 2 seater convertible and offer a bright pink convertible street ka I think I'd have died of shame

[VX Boyd]

I hope this goes well for you. But once they look into repairing it and realise how much a rear clam is and the lead time, they might be quick to write it off as the hire car prices go up.

 

There's a few horror stories on Pistonheads of hire cars coming back to bite you in similar situations, leaving you to pay the hire car bill.

[Tony H]

Could do a lot worse than be wafting about in a merc c class.

[Andrew_North_London]

I hope this goes well for you. But once they look into repairing it and realise how much a rear clam is and the lead time, they might be quick to write it off as the hire car prices go up.   There's a few horror stories on Pistonheads of hire cars coming back to bite you in similar situations, leaving you to pay the hire car bill.

How's that work? Their insurance offered the hire car. Frankly if the hire car is the deciding factor on writing it off or not - then I'd rather have no wheels for a few months and have it all fixed