Could always swap bonnets, if you can find me a good Sprint Blue one within the next week.

The Ink Black one will be changing to Sprint Blue very soon, hopefully.

The damage to mine was caused by a dozy bint too(no, not me ) and not only did she start crying, but had a big panic/asthma attack too.
Not before I callled her a lot worse than a dozy bint though

Echo all of the above, really sorry to hear this Neil. A pleasure to have seen your 16v in such good condition.

Terrible news Neil . Owned since new, you must be devastated.

You seem to be taking it well, let's hope it all works out and you get her back on the road

Sorry mate

Gutted for you Neil

Sorry to hear that! That's bad news!
Hope you can repair / restore the 16v privately without costing too much!

Just got back from the dealers for a quote. Haven't seen it yet, but there was much indrawing of breath and sucking of teeth. General conclusion was that it's going to be about three times the book value of the car, even if they could get a new bonnet, which they can't

A conversation with Carl has improved my spirits somewhat, though

Neil

Just read this thread - sorry to hear about your bad luck, Neil. I just hope you can get it back on the road again as it's one of the best looking Coupés I've seen from your pictures (pre-dozy bint).

So you can't actually buy new coupe bonnets from fiat anymore?
I though manufacturers had some kind of obligation to produces parts for cars for a certain number of years? The last coups were only sold six years ago wern't they?

Ha ha hmm may be worth getting those ones made from GRP or something just for them if they willing to pay silly money??

They wont 250-300 is topps for them.

Mine go in 72hrs but people wont pay any more. esp as you carnt deliver the buggers.

Ps the HA HA wasnt at you Barnacle.

I feel gutted for yet another coupe now I just hope mine stays safe at icerbergs if a little dirty untill i pick her up

Sorry to hear about the car Neil. Hopefully it will get sorted one way or another.

Thats most saddening Neal, I hope that the old girl is reborn in some form,if not, that you acquire a nice replacement to continue the coupe odyssey for at least another 10 years.

MrF

Fingers crossed she'll get back on the road Neil!

Well done for being the gent and not having a go at the lady responsible. I know it is just a car, but this one was pretty special and you must be gutted.

Hope everything gets sorted out quickly and not too painfully.

Ah, you know me Mark - no point screaming after the event; que sera and all that. I was seriously concerned that I might have to do some first aid and call it in as an RTA but she turned out to be ok, just very shaken. Being the perfect gent, I offered to wait with her till her pickup arrived, but after a while she declined. Checked on Sunday that she got back all right.

The inspection yesterday revealed that not only is the quarter and the boot floor bent, but the spare wheel well is also creased. Lots of new panels for an insurance job, but Carl is confident (well, as confident as he can be without seeing it yet) that this can be restored. I shall probably be seeking cash from her insurers (or the young lady directly) and getting it fixed, rather than have them trash it on my behalf

Neil

ah Neil ....

sorry to see about your car there.

.. but you can definitely claim against her insurer for the
damage to your car , and probably be able to put the car
back on the road.

.

Is it not the case that if you are claiming on the other parties insurance that they have an obligation to put your car right, even if it costs above what they class as write off costs?

I can understand if you were making a claim against your own insurance that they might go "ooohh we're not fixing that mate, it would cost too much" but if it's not your fault then sureley the other party hgas a responsibility to put your car right.

Insurance often includes free legal cover and as I understood it, you could use this to claim for uninsured losses... But I suspect you'd have a tough time explaining why your losses were uninsured: Why isn't the book value adequate, why didn't you get an agreed value policy, etc?

What I mean is, what's to stop their insurance company saying, "The industry standard book price is £x, that's what we're offering."?

My argument is that I should have no need to make *any* claim on my insurance; I am the injured party. If I do need to use my insurer, I would expect upon winning the claim that the other party would make good my expenses etc - e.g. loss of around ten years no-claim bonus. Under law I have the right to damages equal to the value of the, um, damage. The question is whose estimation of the damage. However there is little doubt that repairing the damage will cost significantly more than the 'book' value of the car.

As to whether they can scrap my car I don't know - but it seems likely that they will offer book or close to its value.

It occurs to me that it would be unwise for me to discuss my claims strategy on a public forum.

Any agreed value policy I may or may not have instituted is immaterial - that is my assessment of risk due to *my* mishaps, not those of other drivers.

I do not seek profit or improvement, I seek restitution to the situation I enjoyed on Saturday morning.

Neil

Understood & I do think you're being very calm about the whole situation.

I just worry that you're not going to win here either way & after quite a lot of pain. If you get the car repaired it'll probably never 'feel' right to you and if they give you the 'A1' guide book price you still won't get one in the same condition

Good luck with it though - I hope it works out OK.

It's the classic argument, PH. There *aren't* any more in the same condition; it being a single owner vehicle is part of the equation. I'd *much* rather have it repaired than replaced - apart from anything else, I don't want the hassle of replacing all the parts I've replaced over the years.

That car has need a lift home on a transporter only three times in eleven years - and one of those occasions was a cam-belt breaking a fortnight prior to its scheduled (and booked) replacement. That has to be due to my care and maintenance... compare that to some of the cars we see on here, particularly the unfortunate 'just bought, mint condition, engine toasted on the way home' stories we see so often.

Neil

To be fair i can see your argument and its one thing im intending to claim for when i finally get the bums in gear at prudential regarding the nob driving into my brothers C2.

Its going to affect my insurance premiums for the next 5 years and i want compensation as such as driving and owning a high group car means that its going to add a hefty amount onto each renewal and ill have to get exact figures from HIC and then add the wasted time figure onto that as well as i would always submit a claim with time on it at what my current hourly rate for work is due to it not being my fault and also having better things to do than chase insurance companies up at 30mins a pop everyday to chase the thing up

Not all companies load your premium for non-fault claims KP...and often for *only* 3 years...

Still F****s either way.

I am so sorry to hear about his though...

How you are dealing with it is great. A real example, i cannot say how i would react to be honest i think i would flip

So sorry to here this Neil.

If restoration is not possible, erect it as a shrine for us all to worship.

I am not worthy!

Neil

Sorry to here about the mess you've been left with...


Do you think its worth people contacting their insurance if they have just spent a £1000 (or more)on new parts and labour and try and get a fixed payout if something bad happend... although its maintance costs surely theirs an argument to say that it would increase the value of the car, as someone who was going to buy a coop would look for a car with the cam belt etc recenlty done and be willing to pay a bit more than one that hasnt???