Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 17:59:46

Title: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 17:59:46
Some ba***d has run / reversed quite hard into the front of my MV6..... :-\

I don't know when it happened. I only became aware of it, when I had trouble opening the bonnet. Everything has been pushed back about an inch. I have used two different coloured felt tip pens in order to demonstrate this.

Nothing is cracked or broken, but it is now impossible to get the top off the washer bottle( see pic). The WB tank is pushed tight against the fans. There is no leak and the fans are undamaged. The bonnet has a small kink in the corner (see pic). The cars drives perfectly.

As nothing is broken, would it be best to remove the bumper and try and pull everything straight.......or claim on my insurance? 

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/use3.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/use2.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/use4.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/use1.jpg)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2011, 18:17:47
At least it's only metal. :-\

Good news:

Bumper shell looks ok, will just need crashbar behind it. these are quite hefty, easier to bolt a good one on than repair. nice and easy to do.

Bonnet might be repairable, but easier replace. It is designed to fold in two places, so is probably donald.

Bad news:

The bonnet may have pulled the slam panelback slightly :-\

Had a similar claim back in March. Repair bill was £1800: bumper, crash panel, and bonnet.
Fix yourself possibly £150 plus an afternoon. Bonnet really needs two people as it's bstard heavy,(and big).

Would gladly help with repair, time and work permitting.

Claiming only viable if you a: know who did it and b: have reliable witnesses to the event. :-\

Notify insurers (or not), and fix yourself IMHO. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 18:41:00
At least it's only metal. :-\

Good news:

Bumper shell looks ok, will just need crashbar behind it. these are quite hefty, easier to bolt a good one on than repair. nice and easy to do.

Bonnet might be repairable, but easier replace. It is designed to fold in two places, so is probably donald.

Bad news:

The bonnet may have pulled the slam panelback slightly :-\

Had a similar claim back in March. Repair bill was £1800: bumper, crash panel, and bonnet.
Fix yourself possibly £150 plus an afternoon. Bonnet really needs two people as it's bstard heavy,(and big).

Would gladly help with repair, time and work permitting.

Claiming only viable if you a: know who did it and b: have reliable witnesses to the event. :-\

Notify insurers (or not), and fix yourself IMHO. :y


Thanks Al.

Yes, the bumper is undamaged.

Only real damage is the crash bar and the edge of the bonnet. I'm hoping that if  I can repair/replace the crash bar then the rest will be pulled back into shape. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: PhilRich on 06 November 2011, 18:55:05
I'm desperately sorry to hear this Opti! :'( The swine who did it & buggered off needs to be struck down with a horrible affliction!! >:(
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 19:31:10
I'm desperately sorry to hear this Opti! :'( The swine who did it & buggered off needs to be struck down with a horrible affliction!! >:(
]


Thanks, Phil. Much appreciated.

I'm guessing it was a woman having trouble distinguishing between forward and reverse gears, bless her little cotton socks.... :-\ :-\
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: hotel21 on 06 November 2011, 19:48:35
I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal..... ;)



 ;D 8)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Entwood on 06 November 2011, 19:50:49
Beaten to it by Broocie ... A rope, a tree/lamp post, and a touch of reverse should be enough to ease that back in-line .. :) ( worked on SWTSMBO clit .......  :) )
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: henryd on 06 November 2011, 19:51:53
I agree with H21,if insurance gets involved it will probably be written off plus loss of your own "no claims" unless protected
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 06 November 2011, 19:59:08
best method for repair  is to find a miggy with an untouched front and measure all distances from front wiper motors to different front points.. in the past someone also reversed into me and the only thing broken was front plastic panel with amblem..  but when we chaked the distances in a body shop it was some mm's behind and pulling them involves some extra tools you may not own or know how to..so imo visit a body shop with distance specs..
 
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 20:03:27
I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal..... ;)



 ;D 8)

Thanks H21 and Entwood.

I believe this to be the best probable solution.

Not being the sharpest tool in the box, would somebody more enlightened than myself care to tell me exactly what the "slam panel" is?

Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: aaronjb on 06 November 2011, 20:03:37
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y

Nah.. probably just a leg. Or an arm. Definitely not both, though.. ;)

(I can't imagine getting in & out of a bodyshop for under £200, though! I think I'd go with the ghetto straightening method myself..)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 20:06:32
best method for repair  is to find a miggy with an untouched front and measure all distances from front wiper motors to different front points.. in the past someone also reversed into me and the only thing broken was front plastic panel with amblem..  but when we chaked the distances in a body shop it was some mm's behind and pulling them involves some extra tools you may not own or know how to..so imo visit a body shop with distance specs..
 
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y


Thanks, Cem.

I guessing that the impact speed was well below 10 MPH, so I hope the damage is not more serious than it looks. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Entwood on 06 November 2011, 20:07:56
I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal..... ;)



 ;D 8)

Thanks H21 and Entwood.

I believe this to be the best probable solution.

Not being the sharpest tool in the box, would somebody more enlightened than myself care to tell me exactly what the "slam panel" is?

When you slam the bonnet shut, the catch enters a hole in the cross panel between the two wings.....  That's what I've always known as the "slam panel" .. the top crossmember
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2011, 20:10:08
I agree with H21,if insurance gets involved it will probably be written off plus loss of your own "no claims" unless protected

Thanks, Henryd, I agree...:y

She has just had a new cambelt and oil cooler fitted, and is far too good to be written off..... :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: hotel21 on 06 November 2011, 20:12:19
As nige says, slam panel is the panel that joins both front wings to each other and where the bonnet catch engages into.  As said, might be pushed back a tad but once replacement panels fitted, will soon know if slam has moved as panels wont fit!   ;)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 06 November 2011, 20:24:55
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y

Nah.. probably just a leg. Or an arm. Definitely not both, though.. ;)

(I can't imagine getting in & out of a bodyshop for under £200, though! I think I'd go with the ghetto straightening method myself..)

it took an hour to correct the parts and I paid 20£ :)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: albitz on 06 November 2011, 20:27:42
Bodyshops here Cem, are more expensive than Ferrari dealers. ;) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: aaronjb on 06 November 2011, 20:28:14
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y

Nah.. probably just a leg. Or an arm. Definitely not both, though.. ;)

(I can't imagine getting in & out of a bodyshop for under £200, though! I think I'd go with the ghetto straightening method myself..)

it took an hour to correct the parts and I paid 20£ :)

Labour rates are cheap over there ;) Either that or you paid cash to a friend?

An hours labour in a bodyshop here has got to be somewhere in the £60-£100 region..
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 06 November 2011, 20:34:01
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg..  :y

Nah.. probably just a leg. Or an arm. Definitely not both, though.. ;)

(I can't imagine getting in & out of a bodyshop for under £200, though! I think I'd go with the ghetto straightening method myself..)

it took an hour to correct the parts and I paid 20£ :)

Labour rates are cheap over there ;) Either that or you paid cash to a friend?

An hours labour in a bodyshop here has got to be somewhere in the £60-£100 region..

say 70£.. is it too much in UK ? and imo its worth for that nice car :)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: albitz on 06 November 2011, 20:44:09
If you involve the insurance they immediately dream up a work list with lots of parts which arent needed and produce a bill of £000,s
The majority of Omegas will be classed as a write off if assessed for any type of crash damage for an insurance company.
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 06 November 2011, 20:51:32
If you involve the insurance they immediately dream up a work list with lots of parts which arent needed and produce a bill of £000,s
The majority of Omegas will be classed as a write off if assessed for any type of crash damage for an insurance company.

those insurance companies,  >:( :-X
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Bionic on 07 November 2011, 05:39:51
Problem is m8 that I have recently been in the same boat and did it myself cos even though my motor is an exceptional one the insurance said they would probably write it off.
Fortunately for me the other party eventually had no option other than to accept full responsibility and my isurers claimed from them then paid me what it had cost me to repair myself with a bit added for my inconvenience. Thanx to the assessor!
Do it yourself, its possible even if you need a bit of assist from other oofers.
Lastly even if you report it as an 'inform only' it will still affect your insurance because it was an accident. Insurance rules - FRIKKIN STUPID!
Try DLK for your bits, you might be lucky. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 07 November 2011, 08:46:01
Slam panel easy enough, but time consuming. Took a day to strip mine off. Cost £325 plus change to replace:0

£25 new old stock gen VX panel. retail £300 ish.
£50 pick up and return of car.
£250 Labour paint and materials.

My local dealer charges £25 ph for bodywork, which is less than approved repairers so don't rule them out for the bits that you can't do.

HTH, Al. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 07 November 2011, 12:54:18
The good news is that other than the crash bar itself and one of it's brackets absolutely nothing further back is broken or bent.  :y. Even the washer bottle still has all it's contents. All I need now is a large tree and a piece of rope.  :y

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/useme3.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/useme2.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/useme1.jpg)

(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/janbowles/useme4.jpg)
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 07 November 2011, 13:00:15
Perhaps my best option is to replace the crash bar and it's bent bracket with S/H parts. Any idea of the cost chaps?... :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 07 November 2011, 14:19:13
Peanuts, though postage might be dear as they are heavy. For the sake of undoing four nuts, you maight as well replace. Just had my estimate done and rear crash bar is about £45 inc VAT New gen VX. Can't really see the front one being much more. :-\ The bumper shell is the really expensive bit. (£400).

New/ sh crash bar and a sh bonnet in the right colour, you should get change from £150. :-\
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 07 November 2011, 15:25:20
Opti, still I think you must measure symmetrical distances.. that hit is not that weak :-\
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: twiglet on 07 November 2011, 22:54:53
Perhaps my best option is to replace the crash bar and it's bent bracket with S/H parts. Any idea of the cost chaps?... :y

Bonnet in Star Silver.... £50
Front crash bar + foam... £25
Fitting + a cuppa... £free
The joy of a drive through the Suffolk countryside... priceless!  ;D

Let me know if you want them mate.  :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Del Boy on 07 November 2011, 22:58:57
I wouldn't say nothing to the Insurance company, bound to write it off  :(
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Del Boy on 07 November 2011, 23:00:06
Perhaps my best option is to replace the crash bar and it's bent bracket with S/H parts. Any idea of the cost chaps?... :y

Bonnet in Star Silver.... £50
Front crash bar + foam... £25
Fitting + a cuppa... £free
The joy of a drive through the Suffolk countryside... priceless!  ;D

Let me know if you want them mate.  :y

That's got to be tempting  :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 08 November 2011, 17:06:02
Perhaps my best option is to replace the crash bar and it's bent bracket with S/H parts. Any idea of the cost chaps?... :y

Bonnet in Star Silver.... £50
Front crash bar + foam... £25
Fitting + a cuppa... £free
The joy of a drive through the Suffolk countryside... priceless!  ;D

Let me know if you want them mate.  :y


Thanks, Twiglet. :y

Using brute force and ignorance I've managed to pull everything straight. By some sort of miracle the bumper was undamaged, and the bonnet has only the slightest kink in it, which I can live with.... :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 08 November 2011, 17:40:57
Leave the bonnet for the winter, but pick up a replacement one ready for the spring, that way when spring is sprung, and it's stopped snowing, you car will look its best for the summer. :y
Title: Re: Insurance claim or fix myself?
Post by: twiglet on 08 November 2011, 20:57:45
Perhaps my best option is to replace the crash bar and it's bent bracket with S/H parts. Any idea of the cost chaps?... :y

Bonnet in Star Silver.... £50
Front crash bar + foam... £25
Fitting + a cuppa... £free
The joy of a drive through the Suffolk countryside... priceless!  ;D

Let me know if you want them mate.  :y


Thanks, Twiglet. :y

Using brute force and ignorance I've managed to pull everything straight. By some sort of miracle the bumper was undamaged, and the bonnet has only the slightest kink in it, which I can live with.... :y

No problem Opti, I'm glad you've got it all sorted.  :y