My Surf has been written off

[woodwarm]

Personally, if someone offered me 2,600 for a 16 year old surf with starship miles, I would take money and run. Fast.

Wot he said.

Probable easy repair & will be as good as new.

[fatfires]

Good , no harm in getting a 2nd opinion, get your paperwork together, ready for the offer and add it on, I guess they will want to keep the LR on hire for you, if not get in writing that it is OK to hire yourself, if not charge them the going rate , it should be your choice to be without a vehicle not theirs!

[Dobbslc]

Personally, if someone offered me 2,600 for a 16 year old surf with starship miles, I would take money and run. Fast.

Hmmmm the next time some dumbnut pulls out in front of me I'll go right through them! As long as they look like they are insured
£ 2200 and the truck back ain't bad.
Tesco have still been very sly though .

[beach surfer]

The thing is - can you get a 3rd Gen Surf which has been highly maintained and has a towbar, bullbar, sunroof, long life ss exhaust, key fob locking, roof racks, totally new callipers, discs, brake overhaul, new shocks, altimeter, new belts , new bushes all round,new mot, spotless interior, new tyres all round for £2600?
Ive looked at several with a mechanic friend of mine during the past few weeks and all of them required work costing around £600 minimum. The cheapest surf I looked at was £2995!

If anyone is selling a 3rd gen surf which has all the spec and work done on it similar to mine and is for sale then please contact me!!!

There is nothing out there for sale. Ken in Bolton has a few. One is for sale at £2990 but has no tow bar, bull bar, sunroof, roof racks or altimeter. . The next one he has is £3495 and still doesn't have the same spec as mine although admittingly the front bumper has shinier paint!

At the end of the day I have to remind myself that this isnt my fault. Some silly woman didnt see my massive blue truck as she was so called driving and hit into it. So why at the end of the day should I have to accept a lesser spec or lesser maintained car and probably still be out of pocket?

I have been to hell and back dealing with this claim.

So no- ive decided to stand my ground and insist of the value if a replacement car to the same spec.

[Jon Tallis]

Insurance thieves...

I had almost exactly the same experience, this time with direct line 5 years or so back. Offered me a couple of grand less than I could find a replacement for on the basis that it was "market value". When I asked where they got their "market value" from they quoted Glass' grey guide, which I never knew existed. Finally got a look at a copy and the value in the book tallied with what they were offering me. Presented loads of evidence (ads from autotrader etc) to prove I couldn't buy a replacement for what they were offering me - no movement. Took the complaint to the insurance ombudsman - they supported DL so eventually I took the money.

My advise to "beachsurfer".

• Get a look at glass's grey guide (tap up a friendly import dealer, or maybe someone on here)
• check they are offering you the book value
• If they are you might as well accept.

That said, if I read your post right, they are offering you £2800 PLUS the salvage?? - you could easily repair it for that, take the offer, fix the car and have a meal out on the change.

Bit of general advise - when insuring an import for 'market valve' find out how the insurer determines market value (ideally get this in writing as it'll form part of your contract) and if possible get a view of whichever document they are using to check what value you're actually insured for.

[Sancho]

The two things that have the least impact on used car values are maintemance and accessories. There is a black Ssrx on auto trader for 2695 with a load of history, sunroof etc. It doesn't matter if it's actually junk, as far as anyone can tell it's like yours but in a better colour and with much lower mileage - two things that people are more interested in.

[beach surfer]

Im being offered £2200 plus the salvage.
This is all becoming really a big headache!!

Now im thinking take the offer from Tescos. Buy a lesser spec car. Take the towbar, bullbar, roof racks, altimeter and all the other bits i want off the salvage car and when im happy that ive got what I want back onto the replacement surf I can then either break the salvage or sell it as a whole unit for someone else to repair or break for spares on ebay?

However, do I wait until Tuesday and see what the DL engineer values the car at? Maybe the same? Would DL offer me the salvage too?

[beach surfer]

The two things that have the least impact on used car values are maintemance and accessories. There is a black Ssrx on auto trader for 2695 with a load of history, sunroof etc. It doesn't matter if it's actually junk, as far as anyone can tell it's like yours but in a better colour and with much lower mileage - two things that people are more interested in.

I cant see a black ssrx on autotrader.perhaps you have a link?. Anyway, why should I accept a Black car? I dont think it's a better colour. Who wants to be seen driving around in a hearse?
What's more-my car has the spare wheel underneath. I specifically looked for a surf like this due to me having to constantly use the large boot space. I dont want a surf with the ugly big wheel on the back and the hassle of having to move it 10x a day just to get into the rear of the car.
The DL driver hit my car. I feel that I should not have to accept a lesser spec car unless im suitably compensated. I can only find one car for sale with the wheel underneath and thats up for sale at £2990. It has no towbar, bullbar, altimeter or roof racks. If I were to buy this car it would cost me add these. So why should I have too? I would have to pay an extra £400 to buy the car. Granted it has lower miles so I dont mind paying that but how much will it cost me for someone to fit a tow bar, roof racks, source and fit a bullbar etc? Maybe £300-£400?
Also I will need to travel 230 miles to pick that car up. Thats nearly a 500mile round trip. £80 train ticket and £80?? fuel no doubt.
So it looks like I will need to find around a £1000 just to get back on the road again.

[BUSHWHACKER]

So it looks like I will need to find around a £1000 just to get back on the road again.

Yep or just take the money, sell yours for spares or repairs and get a Volvo estate. You don't need an altimeter in west Sussex!

p.s. Don't get a black one though.

[beach surfer]

Yep or just take the money, sell yours for spares or repairs and get a Volvo estate. You don't need an altimeter in west Sussex!

p.s. Don't get a black one though.

And why would I want a Volvo Estate? I take it that's what you have.

[J i m s t e r]

Although my green one is as shiny as it's ever going to be, I'd have a black one if I was given a choice.

The interior in that one on 'Trader is a bit manky, tbh. Looks like the dash has been painted and it's reacted.

Or summat.

You need a spare interior to fit in it...

I think the Volvo remark is Vince's sense of humour.

I think.

[beach surfer]

Oh. I thought Bushwacker had a Volvo for sale!

You see my point. That black one needs work doing to it. I cant see why I should have to do work on a car at my expense just to get back on the road again. If that black car is up for sale at £2695 is it fair that im only being offered £2600 for my car which is 100% mechanically sound?
I just cant see why I should be out of pocket for something that wasnt my fault?
And that's the problem with us Brits isn't it? We just accept the bullsh*t from companies and are expected to put up with it!

Im now trying to work out what i will get for a 3rd gen cat d? If its over £1000 then I might accept the Tesco offer.

[tashtego]

Oh. I thought Bushwacker had a Volvo for sale!

You see my point. That black one needs work doing to it. I cant see why I should have to do work on a car at my expense just to get back on the road again. If that black car is up for sale at £2695 is it fair that im only being offered £2600 for my car which is 100% mechanically sound?
I just cant see why I should be out of pocket for something that wasnt my fault?
And that's the problem with us Brits isn't it? We just accept the bullsh*t from companies and are expected to put up with it!

Im now trying to work out what i will get for a 3rd gen cat d? If its over £1000 then I might accept the Tesco offer.

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. Unfortunately, like someone said earlier in this thread, where "official" valuations are concerned the mileage is the main thing they look at. Which is wrong IMHO, especially when you're talking imports. They get clocked, most of them, I see it done over here quite easily, all it takes is a kid and a screwdriver.
Next day you get all these surfs and pajeros for sale with 60000Km on the clock.
That's why some people don't bother with too many expensive mods. I only have a measly 3rd party insurance, like most people over here. Minibuses often dnt have insurance.
So the chances of ending up in your predicament are high.
However your mods are easily transferable to your new surf, so buy it back and you'll be fine. Sometimes trying to fight insurances, Tescos and the likes can be costly and stressful.
Best of luck.
PS: I agree with you, black cars suck, they get too hot in the summer!

[J i m s t e r]

black cars suck, they get too hot in the summer!

No risk of that over here

[tashtego]

No risk of that over here

Ha ha, quite right...let me rephrase that:
Black cars are no good for Africa but they are perfect for the UK