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[106pete]

Quick version: I rear ended a mk5 golf this morning, the dork emergency braked while we were dedicated to goin though traffic lights and just turned Amber!

Now I need options, the car was a beautie and loved driving it. It's a 99 3.0l elite estate auto and only 74k with full service history. If I can find another that good I'd have it straight away.

Here's the damage


It's not huge but lights broken, wings further out and slam panel is stuffed, bonnet seems ok except a small crease in center. While I can fix it with 2nd hand parts I'm not sure it's cost effective and it'll never all be perfect again.

My best option I can see now is take off my Porsche wheels and brakes, leave it lowered, put stock bits back on and sell it to a drifter!! I only paid £650 for it 18 months ago(standard spec).

What would you do? Also so far insurance hasn't been involved and hopefully won't be!

[Diamond Black Geezer]

a) you're lucky no insurance, If at all possible I'd say don't!

I got driven into 3 months ago and my poor car still looks in exactly the same state as it did after the smash. (Hugely dented in front wing and pass door, scratch down the entire NS)


b) Looking at that car, by eck there's time and effort in that, love the idea of Porsche wheels. I'd say keep it, keep it. But depends if you have sentimentality there or purely as a cost exercise.

Realistically it's a PFL headlamp, under-lamp trim and a slam panel and you're back on the road. Other elements are cosmetic and consequentially less of an issue. £100 might see that right, which is nothing in the grand scheme of things. You're close to making buying a donor car being a feasible option, depending how cheap you get one for and what you'd re-sell the donor for as scrap/spare repairs itself.

Sorry to see your car like this, but I'd say easy repair, and well, well worth saving. 

[Broomies Mate]

That's unfortunate!  With big brakes and you got outbraked by a Golf! 

Ah well, nobody injured, and that's the main thing.

I just hope you still have the washer jet.  They are apparently made of 'unobtanium'.

[Muroman]

I'd say too that easy repair not much damage if lucky not much money to spend and HEY it's an omega you have to fix it

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Checked the chassis is still square?

[Lazydocker]

Easy fix really... I'd fix it as there's a lot of work in it already 

As for insurance... Surely the 3rd party is intending to claim? If so, you may as well claim yours too as a claim is a claim whether it is £1000 or £5000 Don't let them take the car, haggle on the settlement and buy back the scrap. Then you should have a few pennies to pay for the repairs 

[Nick W]

So neither of you want the other to pay for repairs? I bet the Golf is damaged worse, even if it doesn't look it.


As for your car, if you can find the whole front end in the right colour for <£200, repair it.


But realistically, it's scrap.

[106pete]

As far as I can see the chassis is fine but can't say for sure, I can't see the car being worth fixing economically to a standard I'd be happy with so I've started to bodge it back together so I can use it.

Expanding Foam to hold in the head light and hammering out the slam panel seems the solution. I may even drift it myself then sell it.

I don't know what to replace it with, must be an estate (x2 Labradors). No more autos, same high towing capacity and preferably rwd. 5k tops but cheaper the better. Another omega would be fine.

Also there's another omega, same colour on eBay locally goin very cheap atm, I guess I could just swap everything over and scrap it?

[05omegav6]

All I will say is...
Before...



After...


Cost me £300 to have the car collected, slam panel fitted, painted and car returned. I did all the stripping and the rest of the repair... cost about a grand at the end of the day, and I would do it again.

[106pete]

That's a pretty good turn Around, I've got the option of this car from eBay or just leave it slightly bent and a new headlight is the least I can get away with I think.

Insurance wise I'm reluctant to except full responsibility as the guy was driving like a tool and slammed his brakes on for a Amber light despite being dedicated to drive through, I don't even think he stopped before the line.

He is taking the car to a garage and may settle out of the insurance but price will dictate that.

[Sir Tigger KC]

That's a pretty good turn Around, I've got the option of this car from eBay or just leave it slightly bent and a new headlight is the least I can get away with I think.

Insurance wise I'm reluctant to except full responsibility as the guy was driving like a tool and slammed his brakes on for a Amber light despite being dedicated to drive through, I don't even think he stopped before the line.

He is taking the car to a garage and may settle out of the insurance but price will dictate that.

Are you sure he's insured?  If I rear ended someone and they were reluctant to get insurance involved alarm bells would be ringing big time!   

Kind of irrelevant really though as I'd imagine you'd have a job convincing the insurance companies that you were not at fault seeing as you went up his arse, no matter how badly he was driving. 

[TheBoy]

That's a pretty good turn Around, I've got the option of this car from eBay or just leave it slightly bent and a new headlight is the least I can get away with I think.

Insurance wise I'm reluctant to except full responsibility as the guy was driving like a tool and slammed his brakes on for a Amber light despite being dedicated to drive through, I don't even think he stopped before the line.

He is taking the car to a garage and may settle out of the insurance but price will dictate that.

Unfortunately, that means absolutely nothing. You hit him, not the other way round. It will be clear cut your fault, you had not left enough stopping room between you. And if he was braking for Amber, it would have been dangerous for you to proceed, as the 2 second rule would have made those lights as red as a red thing.


(Not getting on a soapbox, hell no!, just being as blunt as the insurance will see it)

[106pete]

It's cool, I know evidence is not on my side but iirc part of the high way code does state if you are dedicated to making the lights and your distance/speed make a stop unsafe then you must proceed. Totally irrelevant unfortunately tho without a witness or evidence.

The lads a 2nd year apprentice at my work so assume he doesn't want the crash on his already expensive insurance. I haven't heard of him before this but could end up working with him at some point.

[TheBoy]

but iirc part of the high way code does state if you are dedicated to making the lights and your distance/speed make a stop unsafe then you must proceed.

He did(ish), you didn't

Totally irrelevant unfortunately tho without a witness or evidence.

Or with, as he stopped, you didn't.

 

[STEMO]

No witnesses needed. I wouldn't be too complacent on this one. If he does  decide to go through insurance, the whiplash will set in, along with various other maladies no doubt.