Stonejag 10 Posted May 10, 2012 So, I was driving home from work and a lady driver panicked when a bus approached the humpback bridge she was crossing. She did an emergency stop, the guy behind her did an emergency stop, I felt the ABS go off and crunch. She then drove off. :censored: The guy in front was driving a hired Toyota Avensis - I was only going about 20 and he had huge rubber bumpers so other than a couple of nicks in the paint, no damage at all. He's going to try returning it to the hire place to see if they notice... I, on the other hand, have all the clips ripped off both of my headlights, passenger's side front glass smashed, grille ripped in half and two of the mounting points and two spot welds torn off my slam panel. It even smashed my VR6 badge :( Obviously I can't stick it through the insurance since it was automatically my fault... At the least I need a grille and headlights, might be able to reuse the slam panel but it'd need to come out for welding and it was bent before... If anybody's got any bits (especially a blackberry slam panel) please shout, still got the Cabrio so at least I can come out and get them! :bad-words: Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 10, 2012 Pics: [ATTACH=CONFIG]62165[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]62169[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]62173[/ATTACH] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannyboy 0 Posted May 10, 2012 That's bad luck man,I've had similar incident years ago.ended up beening better I didn't go through the insurance. Is the slam panel damaged? Sorry for u anyway dude,I'm sure u can get it sorted! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 10, 2012 Unlucky fella could have been far worse though, what are them broken weld parts actually used for nothing mounts to them as far as i can remember? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robo22sri 10 Posted May 10, 2012 that sucks dude! Can the bits be riveted back? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIPVW 0 Posted May 10, 2012 Unlucky fella could have been far worse though, what are them broken weld parts actually used for nothing mounts to them as far as i can remember? They are what the base of the headlights clip into so essential. hope you get the bits sorted easily. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon_vr6 1 Posted May 10, 2012 They are what the base of the headlights clip into so essential. hope you get the bits sorted easily. Ah :thumbleft: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wesleyvr6 10 Posted May 10, 2012 That's a shame, hope you get it sorted! Can't believe he's even thrown a cig dimp inside your slam panel the cheeky bugger!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
job705 10 Posted May 10, 2012 Pics: [ATTACH=CONFIG]62165[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]62169[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]62173[/ATTACH] hi m8 sorry to hear this i got a grill with a badge , you can have it cheap if you want it m8 ok i know what this is like and if i can help pm with your adress and i will post it on ok Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) That's a shame, hope you get it sorted! Can't believe he's even thrown a cig dimp inside your slam panel the cheeky bugger!! I didn't spot it until after the pics, god knows how long it's been there! hi m8 sorry to hear this i got a grill with a badge , you can have it cheap if you want it m8 ok i know what this is like and if i can help pm with your adress and i will post it on ok Top man, thank you. PM sent :) Anybody know if I can use any slam panel or does it have to be VR6? If all the late ones are the same it would help a bit! To add insult to injury my driver's door handle has decided today would be a good time to give up the ghost :( Won't open from inside or outside, might be rocking the handle-less look again for a bit if I can get the door open... Edited May 10, 2012 by Stonejag Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Portent 0 Posted May 10, 2012 That's an absolute git :( I believe that early and late slam panels are slightly different so you'll need a late/VR6 one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 11, 2012 Good news: got some headlights, a grille and slam panel (sherry pearl, but close enough). Bad news: bloke rang me up and wouldn't tell me who he hired it from but they apparently want £450?! Looking like cat C is looming :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy 0 Posted May 11, 2012 Good news: got some headlights, a grille and slam panel (sherry pearl, but close enough). Bad news: bloke rang me up and wouldn't tell me who he hired it from but they apparently want £450?! Looking like cat C is looming :( That sounds suspect to me. Otherwise -Why has he a problem with telling you who the hire company is ? ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wesleyvr6 10 Posted May 11, 2012 Don't pay out a penny until he gives you the details if the hire company! Sounds sussed as anything to me that!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swampy 0 Posted May 11, 2012 I bet that £450 is his excess on the policy!!! The hire company will charge him it for the repair and then not bother doing the work!!! See it happening all the time !!! Ex hire cars are the Bain if my life at work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 11, 2012 Yeah, my excess is £450 too so not going through the insurers unless I have to. Traced them as far as an accident repair centre in Luton (groan) so I'll see what's on the invoice when they get in tomorrow... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 14, 2012 So, £450 was legitimate (even though ridiculous!) as it's leased from the dealership so apparently has to be repaired to their spec. So after telling him I had arranged to pay for the repair, why did he ring me up today to tell me he'd given it to his insurers and a solicitor?! Apparently I now have to wait all day for him to ring me because he refused to tell me who his solicitor is :shrug: Can't see any way of sorting it without insurers now, there went my premiums... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fla 9 Posted May 14, 2012 sorry to hear that - hope you get a good outcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Portent 0 Posted May 14, 2012 :( Has he advised who the insurance company is? Could you contact them and offer to settle directly? They may be more willing to do so than argue with another company. Unfortunately as this is now in the insurance system you will still need to declare an accident regardless of a claim on your policy. That will hit your premium anyway. I wonder why he's given it to a solicitor unless it's one of those No Win No Fee jobbies such as Helphire. :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 14, 2012 He won't tell me anything - even went so far as to say he couldn't tell me who his solicitor was because it was his personal details, though he was fine with giving him my details! You're right about it being in the system now - luckily I already have the parts so buying labour to fit them will cost me the same as just sorting it privately, I just don't get why he went charging off after I said I'd settle :( What's the book value on a 96-reg VR6 these days? Keen not to put it over the wrong threshold by accident... Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 16, 2012 Reported to insurance, was pleasantly surprised that I incur no excess for not claiming my damage so did that. They rang me up today to say they couldn't trace him because all his details were false and would I mind filing a police report :lol: No real surprise there, hopefully they give him a nice big fine when they catch up with him... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIPVW 0 Posted May 16, 2012 I'd consider that a good result then :) Just shows how devious some folk are. Gotta say as soon as he refused to give any proper details i'd have been a **** back to him, tosser! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stonejag 10 Posted May 16, 2012 I have some nice clear shots of his (lack of) damage and numberplate so it should be pretty easy to pick up the registered keeper and get the thumbscrews out. My money's on an 'unofficial' hire scheme which would result in him having no insurance, if he even has a licence at all! That would be very nice as I believe the uninsured driver is automatically at fault so my at-fault marker would disappear :D Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CorradoWannabe 1 Posted May 19, 2012 Stone - sorry to hear about the damage to your car - but sounds like the insurance part turned out as best as it possibly could. Hope it resolves itself and you get your car sorted ASAP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
