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Trading in a crashed car

  • 16-09-2009 7:58pm
    #1
    Shandon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭


    I got rearended in my 03 Astra the other week and the other fella admitted liability and his insurance is paying out.
    There was damage to the bumper and boot door (very little chassis damage if any) and the insurance company are giving me 2,750 in damages.
    According to the VRT calculator the car, with 69000 miles, is worth about 4,500 euro. It's in good condition inside and out, apart from the dent in the back! (which isn't massive in fairness, I've been driving it around fine for the last few weeks)
    I was half thinking of changing the car anyway when this happened and my question is how much do people think I would get for the car if I didn't repair it and traded it in? I would then have the 2,750 to put towards whatever car I buy?
    Do garages take crashed cars as trade ins?
    Any experiences with this type of thing or opinions greatly appreciated..


Comments

  • #2
    cadaliac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭cadaliac


    expect to get little or nothing from a garage with the car dented. just ring around.


  • #3
    Shandon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭Shandon


    So do you reckon I'd be better off spending the 2,750 on getting it repaired and then try and trade it in?
    Would the fact that it was crashed, even though repaired, knock an awful lot off what I would get for it?
    Will definitely ring round and go into garages, only got word on what money I was getting today.
    Was just wondering had anyone any direct experience or other info before I did...


  • #4
    Santa Claus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭Santa Claus


    VRT calculations for a cars value are notoriously unreliable...some are too high and some too low (although they're in the minority now).

    Are his insurance paying for repairs or an economic write off of your car. Given the age I would say they are paying you the 2750 as the current market value of the car !

    Cash is king when buying a car now so if garages are reluctant to take in cars as trade ins then i'd imagine they'd be even more so with a car that they have to repair.

    You could always ask your insurer what they would value your car at and if they thought it was a fair settlement. Also the insurance companies used to put you in touch with people who would buy the crashed car off you, not sure if this is still the case but worth asking !


  • #5
    Shandon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭Shandon


    thanks for the reply Santy.
    No they are giving me the money to pay for repairs. They were originally going to go straight through the garage where the car was assessed first.
    But after speaking to the mechanic there I just rang back the insurance company and got them to send out the cheque directly to me.
    I was hoping the low mileage and general decent service history etc of the car might get me 500-1000 but maybe I'm being wildly optimistic.
    Surely even the parts would be worth a fair amount? everything bar the boot door and bumper in perfect working order


  • #6
    Shandon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭Shandon


    Also that's an interesting point re the VRT calculator but on carzone.ie 4,000 is really at the low end of what 03 Astra's are being offered at.
    I realise that in the current climate you can knock a good bit off those offer prices but with the low mileage of my car it really would look like one of the more attractive of the cars on of. A lot of fellas are looking for upwards of 6 grand for 03 Astras with similar mileage.


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  • #7
    lifer_sean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 890 ✭✭✭lifer_sean


    Several 03 Astras available on Carzone for less than 4000 asking price. I doubt you would buy one for 2750, but on the other hand it's not worth 4500 pre-accident.

    Some dealers would take it as a trade-in ... for example I'd trade it in at a price if you came into my yard. I'd price it as worth 3000 or so repaired (won't be worth the same as one that wasn't damaged. I'd then estimate what it would cost me to repair it and to service etc (tyres, timing belt ?) to leave ready to retail. Take that off the 3000 value and I'd arrive at the trade-in value.

    The one comment I'd make is that a car hit in the rear can have significant damage, eg to the boot floor, and still look fine or almost fine from the outside. So just because the dent in the back isn't massive as you say, doesn't mean that it would be cheap to fix. The car may well require to be "benched" (realignment) ... typical cost is 200 euro or so just to put it on the machine.


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