240 crash, write off? Help!

[66Lover]

Hi all,

In a bit of a situation.

My much loved 240 SE was involved in a crash last week. Not my fault. Third party pulled out in front of me, I slammed on brakes, wheels locked and T boned.

Gutted as have spent a lot of new parts getting her running 100%, clutch, tyres, pretty much the whole inj system. And countless hours getting her to show condition. Been to many shows this year where its had a lot of attention.
Car was £3000 to begin with and have spent more making it the best it can be.

As you can see drivers wing is mashed.
Inner wing bent back.
Bonnet bent in.
Lights, radiator, everything in that vicinity is pretty mangled.
Chassis leg has ripples in it and what looks lie could be a crack.
Cabin firewall as some small buckles due to GT strut brace impacting on it.
Drivers door hard to open.

Insurance have already said its a write off - obviously.

Problem is A - how do I get the most for it out of the insurers??
B - Repairable at an economical cost to me?
C - If not repairable how much is it likely to cost to buy it back to break for all the new parts i've fitted?

Insurers valuer/engineer coming on Wednesday.

Gutted is not the word...

[john.wigley]

What a shame, but at least you are OK. The car did exactly what Volvo intended it to do to protect you and yours.

Regarding the insurance claim. Obviously you will be claiming against the third party, but if you have a 'classic' policy and an agreed value, your insurer should honour that and reclaim it from the TP's insurer, together with any excess and incidental costs that you may incur.

If you have a standard policy, the insurers will press for current market value and you will need to mount a very compelling case to persuade them otherwise. Your photographs depicting the pre-accident condition will be a good start.

Hope you are successful with the claim.

Regards, John.

[cassell]

Hi Graham,

Following the discussion we had on the facebook page, this may be of interest:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1992-Volvo...4AAOSwxh1ZnZfZ

Assuming you can negotiate a settlement with your insurers for you to clear at least £1500 payment and keep the salvage of your old 240, you could buy this one (it's in north Lancs), swop over all of your new parts and any additional bits needed to bring this 240 up to scratch (exhaust?) and you'd then have an equivalent car for no cash outlay!

Good Luck,

Paul

[DW42]

Here's a recent Brickboard thread about repairing accident damage that looks about the same level of damage:

https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo..._happened.html

[luggsey]

It would need a pull on a jig but it looks easily repairable?
Show your pics to a local crash repair shop and ask how much for cash to pull it straight then do the rest yourself maybe?

[b296]

Ouch, all I can suggest is do not make any rash decisions. - Hold out and do not accept the first insurance offer if not on an agreed value policy.

Personally I would buy the car back and wait until another pops up and swap all the parts over. Regardless- you should easily recoup the cost of buying back whatever you decide.

[66Lover]

Thanks all.

Not an agreed or classic policy. Hence why i'm worried.

Third party admitted fault.
Myself and my fiancee are ok, both sore with stiff necks. But very pleased with how the 240 held up. In a smaller car it would have been worse.

I've got a local repairer who has a passion for 240s coming in the next few days to have a look and see how much it would be to repair it. Not sure how doable it is with a warped chassis leg and mashed up inner wing?

I'm also putting together a collection of photos of the car looking its best and at various car shows including the VOC stand. I've also listed all the work done to it since i've owned it. Whether they'll take any notice i don't know, I could have written any old tosh in their view I guess...

If its not repairable, as Cassell says, I'm tempted to get another car, buy back the SE and swap as much as I can.

[57RKL]

Hi Graham, So sorry to see this news. Hope you get it back on the road, its a lovely car.

[Simon Jones]

What value did you give the insurance company when you took out the policy? The pay out will never be higher than that value (which is why it's sometimes worth over-estimating to be on the safe side). Having said, the claim is against the third party so you could perhaps eek out a bit more. Good luck - hope you get a good outcome.

[Austin160]

The two important things (in order) are that you are both relatively OK and the car does appear to be repairable.
Easy to consider in hindsight, but classic car cover (agreed value) was something of a must for such a car and its enthusiastic owner, and I think it would be wise to consider this once the car is repaired. Mileages can be restrictive, and usually you have to have access to another daily driver, but shopping around can produce a cover that would suit you. I'm not sure, but there may even be an insurer who would agree the write off value even on a daily driver - someone might have experience of this.
I'm afraid this isn't going to help your case, but beware that your premium will/is most likely to, increase (significantly?) at renewal even though it will be a no fault accident and your excesses are refunded. Unfortunately something of a fact of life, and you may consider asking your legal cover people to look into claiming this anticipated increase (over the next 5 years?) from the third part's insurers. Unlikely, but worth a try. OK, bonus may be protected, but this only protects the % of the premium not the premium itself.
Anyway, good luck in getting it sorted .