Uninsured driver hit my parked car. What to do?

LillySV · 08-02-2020 11:57am

listermint wrote: »

Never heard of an R8 then no.

Lamborghini engine

LillySV · 08-02-2020 11:59am

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Even an S4.

All “I don’t believe you, you’re making it up” posts should be met with public flogging. The site is infested with them.

Had only been kidding ... chillax

jmreire · 08-02-2020 12:09pm

Calibos wrote: »

As far as I know, the little sh1t hit no one else though a Taxi Driver Witness to the hit on my car told me the same car had a near miss on the same road as a local secondary school which is why I reckon the kid goes to my old alma mater. The guards mentioned no other incidents reported between the hit on my car and when they caught up with him elsewhere in the town.

So in that respect, its looking good that the damage to my car and the fathers car is the only damage the father will have to pay out on meaning sorting this privately is at least potentially still possible.

Going by the pic showing the position of both car's, i'd say what happened was he met oncoming traffic, and being inexperienced, panicked a bit and pulled to far over and hit your car. I would not consider him to be a joy rider, in the accepted sense, of people who steal a car, don't give a damn about life or the damage and mayhem they cause. and to round it off, set fire to the vehicle when they are finished.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 12:22pm

jmreire wrote: »

Going by the pic showing the position of both car's, i'd say what happened was he met oncoming traffic, and being inexperienced, panicked a bit and pulled to far over and hit your car. I would not consider him to be a joy rider, in the accepted sense, of people who steal a car, don't give a damn about life or the damage and mayhem they cause. and to round it off, set fire to the vehicle when they are finished.

Not sure if I mentioned it in my OP, but witnesses said he stalled the car on the corner where the photo is taken from. Restarted the car and not used to its power compared to his mammies small car he is learning in, he launched forwards into my parked car hitting it a glancing blow from the rear wheel as far as the drivers side door but not the front drivers side quarter panel.

Guy:Incognito · 08-02-2020 12:24pm

Calibos wrote: »

You are correct about it being an A6 but I wasn't sure at first because on carzone, the first 2012 A6 Saloon photo's I looked at had the white reverse lenses lower down in the light cluster.

Unless you knew the model straight out, just check the reg on cartell or another checker and get it. Better than searching ads online to try match it.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 12:41pm

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Unless you knew the model straight out, just check the reg on cartell or another checker and get it. Better than searching ads online to try match it.

A6 2.0 TDI S LINE 177PS 4DR according to Cartell apparently.

I used to own a 2004 2.0TDI 140PS A3. The extra horsepower of his engine is probably balanced out by the extra weight so acceleration probably similar to my old A3. The avalanche of torque from those TDI's that I remember from my A3 is what caught the kid out. He was in such a rush to get the car started and moving again due to the 'embarrassment' of stalling it while showing off to a his schoolboy friend in the passenger seat, that he floored it and the TDI torque launched him into the side of my car.

Tails142 · 08-02-2020 12:58pm

callaway92 wrote: »

That is such an unfair thing to mention in this thread. Shame on you for that.

Hey, just reminding ya kids do stupid stuff.

Obviously you need to follow through and get your car fixed, unfortunately the way the system works is terrible, by rights you should tell your insurer, but you'll be screwed for having an open claim, won't be able to switch insurers and you're premium will go up. It sucks for everyone involved even though you're at no fault

mondeo · 08-02-2020 1:14pm

Nala Substantial Dustpan wrote: »

Just because it’s a write off doesn’t mean it can’t be repaired.

It's a write off if ever I seen one. You'd buy another one for the price you would pay to repair that. Sentimental reasons is the only way I would repair it.

08-02-2020 1:29pm

mondeo wrote: »

It's a write off if ever I seen one. You'd buy another one for the price you would pay to repair that. Sentimental reasons is the only way I would repair it.

You are buying an unknown buying another. If you want the same car much better to fix your own one.

mondeo · 08-02-2020 1:39pm

Nala Substantial Dustpan wrote: »

You are buying an unknown buying another. If you want the same car much better to fix your own one.

I agree and disagree, knowing your driving around in a repaired write off would turn me off it though. But I understand your point of view.

punisher5112 · 08-02-2020 1:41pm

mondeo wrote: »

It's a write off if ever I seen one. You'd buy another one for the price you would pay to repair that. Sentimental reasons is the only way I would repair it.

That will be fixed easily.

Won't be as expensive as one would think but when you start adding all the bits up out of Audi etc of course it would be eye watering.....

Car has feck all km on it and it's a good car.

Mad to get rid.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 2:11pm

mondeo wrote: »

I agree and disagree, knowing your driving around in a repaired write off would turn me off it though. But I understand your point of view.

You are forgetting that its likely a Cat D Economical write-off, not a damaged beyond reasonable repair dangerous to put back on the road write-off.

Its likely a write off as far as insurers are concerned because despite the condition and ultra ultra low mileage for a 13 year old car its still only worth between 5-6 grand at best as far as they are concerned and the panel work and suspension work will cost close enough to that.

I'd prefer to know I am driving around in a repaired economical write-off that I have owned since new and trust is a genuine 'barely run in' 40,000km(26,000mile) 2007 TT, than give up the car to insurance, have them sell it to a garage who repair it and someone else gets the benefit of a cheap 40,000km 2007 TT, all the while the €5000 I may get from the insurance won't even buy me a high spec, great condition 150,000km TT that I have no clue how much it was ragged over the last 13 years.

So its absolutely a no brainer for me to want to repair and keep this car and to not be worried about the repairs that its undergone. The only issue really being discussed now is how the vagaries of insurance and write-offs If we go through insurance might mean it ends up costing me money to keep and repair the car, whereas if we can sort this privately without going through insurance I can get the repairs done at no extra cost to myself.....as is morally right.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 2:20pm

mondeo wrote: »

It's a write off if ever I seen one. You'd buy another one for the price you would pay to repair that. Sentimental reasons is the only way I would repair it.

I refer you to the post above.

[EDIT] Ah, I see that was you I quoted above too. NVM

08-02-2020 2:22pm

mondeo wrote: »

I agree and disagree, knowing your driving around in a repaired write off would turn me off it though. But I understand your point of view.

The term write off doesn’t mean what a lot of people think it does.

jmreire · 08-02-2020 2:47pm

Nala Substantial Dustpan wrote: »

The term write off doesn’t mean what a lot of people think it does.

100% correct noxoo1. Theoretically ( and practically too, as it has happened) Someone for one reason ( or none ) keys both sides of your car..but the cost of the respray is more than the value of the car....and your insurance write it off ( pure economic decision ) you would not consider that car unsafe to drive.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 4:07pm

Some more photo's mostly the suspension.

I can't believe I ever thought the wheel skew was potentially just perspective. Looked at it and took more photo's today and its plain as day. LOL

Calibos · 08-02-2020 4:08pm

Calibos · 08-02-2020 4:35pm

Still waters wrote: »

That car is fcuked

Based on the Body panel damage photo's from yesterday and economics of repair or based on something you see in the photo's of the rear suspension.

Unless the repairs are silly money, if the father is prepared to not go through insurance which is likely cause its not in his interests nevermind mine, then its highly desirable for me to get this repaired and back on the road because like I've said a few times now, there isn't likely another 2007 TT in my price range on Irish roads within 50,000-100,000KM mileage as my 40,000km(26,000mile) TT.

Of course, potentially there is more serious damage than is visible and it might be a CAT A or B write off and shouldn't be back on the road economics or not. That'll hurt me big time. Through no fault of my own I'll have lost a good condition 40,000km barely run in 2007 TT that I finished paying for in 2012 and will end up in a 2007/08 TT with lower spec and 150,000+ on the clock for the 4-5 grand I'd get from insurance or a 2012 Golf GTI with 150,000km+

jmreire · 08-02-2020 4:40pm

Calibos ,If that car was mine, what I have seen in the pics would not stop me from repairing it. The impact pushed the wheel forward, and this can be seen in the "twisted" rubber bushing in the lower arm. Once the anti roll bar has been released, the wheel will move back to where it should be, and the arm will move back too. Bear in mind, that most of the parts shown are bolt on's. And they are all rubber mounted. Not a major problem. Remove the suspect parts and replace them. Easy to check the alignment after replacing the parts. It's still not a write off, and not from a technical viewpoint either. These arms are a commonly replaced item , subject to normal wear and tear, and so are the rubber bushings.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 5:03pm

jmreire wrote: »

Calibos ,If that car was mine, what I have seen in the pics would not stop me from repairing it. The impact pushed the wheel forward, and this can be seen in the "twisted" rubber bushing in the lower arm. Once the anti roll bar has been released, the wheel will move back to where it should be, and the arm will move back too. Bear in mind, that most of the parts shown are bolt on's. And they are all rubber mounted. Not a major problem. Remove the suspect parts and replace them. Easy to check the alignment after replacing the parts. It's still not a write off, and not from a technical viewpoint either. These arms are a commonly replaced item , subject to normal wear and tear, and so are the rubber bushings.

Thanks for the reassurance mate. I wasn't sure if Still Waters' comment was an educated 'That car is Fcuked' from someone in the trade or an off the cuff comment by a randomer.

So in your opinion theres nothing majorly fcuked with the suspension that'd make the car unrepairable or cost a bomb to repair? Its still likely the panel work that'll make up most of the eventual total repair cost?

TBH I'd even be prepared to swallow the cost of the side skirt myself. I always planned at some point to replace the front, side and rear skirts/diffusers with Mark 2 TTS ones to freshen up the look of the car. When the car was in for this damage to be fixed, I was thinking about getting them to fix a 12inch keying on the passenger side front quarter panel and the 4inch diametre dent in the bonnet where some college students ran up the car onto the roof and dropped his cacks and pissed on the car. I kid you not. Obviously this was going to be on my own dime. Like I said, I'm a nice guy and not a chancer so I don't mean this extra repair work was going to be rolled into the bill presented to the kids father, just that it would be convenient to get that work done at the same time as the repair work for this accident.

So its not a question of not being able to find the money for any repair cost shortfall if this had to go through insurance and I didn't get the full cost of repair from a claim, because I was/am half thinking about getting other non related bodywork repairs done at the same time and maybe even TTS skirts/Diffusers anyway which would add a couple of grand to the Panel shops pair of invoices (Accident repair work and my unrelated work). It'll just Sting big time having to make up a potential claim shortfall to get the repairs related to this accident sorted if thats the way it plays out.

(For others reading) "I thought you said this was a great condition 2007 TT??" It is....inside the car and under the hood and under the chassis. Its barely run in with only 40,000km(26,000miles) on the clock. Before this accident though it did have that 12inch keying and a 4inch college student pissing bonnet dent but those are cosmetic and it doesn't change the fact that this is likely the 'freshest' 2007 TT in Ireland. Heck it might have been the freshest in terms of wear and tear 2006-2010 TT in Ireland.

Calibos · 08-02-2020 5:55pm

Back in happier times in 2007. Before the dark times, before the empire keying, roof pissing and Schoolboy smashing!

jmreire · 08-02-2020 7:05pm

Calibos wrote: »

Thanks for the reassurance mate. I wasn't sure if Still Waters' comment was an educated 'That car is Fcuked' from someone in the trade or an off the cuff comment by a randomer.

So in your opinion theres nothing majorly fcuked with the suspension that'd make the car unrepairable or cost a bomb to repair? Its still likely the panel work that'll make up most of the eventual total repair cost?

TBH I'd even be prepared to swallow the cost of the side skirt myself. I always planned at some point to replace the front, side and rear skirts/diffusers with Mark 2 TTS ones to freshen up the look of the car. When the car was in for this damage to be fixed, I was thinking about getting them to fix a 12inch keying on the passenger side front quarter panel and the 4inch diametre dent in the bonnet where some college students ran up the car onto the roof and dropped his cacks and pissed on the car. I kid you not. Obviously this was going to be on my own dime. Like I said, I'm a nice guy and not a chancer so I don't mean this extra repair work was going to be rolled into the bill presented to the kids father, just that it would be convenient to get that work done at the same time as the repair work for this accident.

So its not a question of not being able to find the money for any repair cost shortfall if this had to go through insurance and I didn't get the full cost of repair from a claim, because I was/am half thinking about getting other non related bodywork repairs done at the same time and maybe even TTS skirts/Diffusers anyway which would add a couple of grand to the Panel shops pair of invoices (Accident repair work and my unrelated work). It'll just Sting big time having to make up a potential claim shortfall to get the repairs related to this accident sorted if thats the way it plays out.

(For others reading) "I thought you said this was a great condition 2007 TT??" It is....inside the car and under the hood and under the chassis. Its barely run in with only 40,000km(26,000miles) on the clock. Before this accident though it did have that 12inch keying and a 4inch college student pissing bonnet dent but those are cosmetic and it doesn't change the fact that this is likely the 'freshest' 2007 TT in Ireland. Heck it might have been the freshest in terms of wear and tear 2006-2010 TT in Ireland.

She is a beauty, for sure !! I can understand your attachment to it. And what ever you would get cash -wise would not buy you a replacement in the same condition.
Get your Quote (s), and go the the Father and lay it out in clear simple terms, does he intend to put it through his insurance ( assuming that they will accept responsibility ) or will he pay cash.? Tell him that you just want your car back in pre-accident condition,, nothing else.
Next step depends on what he decides to do...
But it is repairable, for sure. I've repaired much worse than that,and so will any panel beater worth the name. Perhaps still waters might elaborate on why he thinks the car is "fcuked"?
Suspension's, shock absorber's and bushings are replaced all the time due to normal wear and tear...ask anyone whose car has failed the NCT due to faulty shocks and worn track control arm ball joints, steering rack's etc and all due to Irish Roads, and not accidental.

Still waters · 08-02-2020 7:27pm

Ive deleted my previous post, i said the car was fcuked from looking at the back wheel the panels and the age of the car, an insurance company would probably write it off, thats all i was basing my opinion on.

But going by the condition the car was in and the spec of it, also the fact that it wasn't just a yoke to get you from a to b i can see now why you'd want to fix it, its a nice model and example of a really cool well kept car, i hope you get it fixed op, best of luck with it

jmreire · 08-02-2020 7:47pm

Still waters wrote: »

Ive deleted my previous post, i said the car was fcuked from looking at the back wheel the panels and the age of the car, an insurance company would probably write it off, thats all i was basing my opinion on.

But going by the condition the car was in and the spec of it, also the fact that it wasn't just a yoke to get you from a to b i can see now why you'd want to fix it, its a nice model and example of a really cool well kept car, i hope you get it fixed op, best of luck with it

No problem....like I mentioned in a previous post on this thread, a car with keyed paintwork can be written off by the insurance, despite the fact that the car will be perfectly road worthy. In this case, its for sure more than a scratch...none the less, it is very repairable, strange as that may seem. I can understand when people look at it and say that its"fcuked", but a professional would be looking at it differently, and that's the way I look at it.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 08-02-2020 7:59pm

You don’t need to accept the insurance companies offer. They’ll start a spiel about taking it to one of their “approved” repairers. Refuse. Tell them it’s booked in to be repaired at (garage of your choice - must be legit/registered etc, not Paddy the panel beater) and they’ll be contacting them with the invoice. Politely explain that any deviation from this, you’ll be rejecting, and you’ll take legal action to recoup your costs. They’ll cave.

Toyotafanboi · 08-02-2020 8:13pm

You'd definitely get that car repaired through an insurance company as a third party claim without getting it marked as any kind of write off.

The damage is extensive but I'd say no more than €3k ish main dealer figures. I wouldnt be too worried about the suspension work, I'd probably avoid driving it until it's either deemed safe of repaired but other than that it's (hard to look at) not too bad. Unfortunate to hlgrt the rear quarter damaged like that as that'll be the most telltale area of the repair in future but the rest is bolt on, bolt off stuff.

Even if the parents have to pay cash (very likely) it's bargain for them all things considered.

Toyotafanboi · 08-02-2020 8:29pm

jmreire wrote: »

Reputable Body Shops are more than capable of handling all the paperwork and certification, without involving the main dealer. I know because I've done it in a professional capacity for many years. Involving the Main Dealer will only add to the costs, without laying a hand on the car. If you had the bad luck to have an accident with your own car, ( no one else involved, just say an icy road, and minor damage done, new headlight, bumper and front wing repairs.etc ) And will pay for it your self, would you go direct to the panel shop, or the main dealers, who don't have their own in house repairing, but will send it to the local independent panel shop? Which would you choose?

While I generally agree with you on things jm, I work for a dealer where we do operate our own bodyshop and to be fair, the Bodyshop market is a lot tighter than the mechanical market and if you weren't competitive, you would be very quiet very quickly.

Our mechanical rate is €165 an hour but the Bodyshop is only €55 which is in line with the rest of the industry. The cost price and achievable price of paint and sundries doesn't vary too much.

The biggest place we'd differ is with parts prices as we would use OE stuff only but to be fair any decent independent panel beater will he using main dealer panels anyway.

If you aren't familiar with a good Bodyshop it'd be main dealer all the way for me.

jmreire · 08-02-2020 11:45pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

While I generally agree with you on things jm, I work for a dealer where we do operate our own bodyshop and to be fair, the Bodyshop market is a lot tighter than the mechanical market and if you weren't competitive, you would be very quiet very quickly.

Our mechanical rate is €165 an hour but the Bodyshop is only €55 which is in line with the rest of the industry. The cost price and achievable price of paint and sundries doesn't vary too much.

The biggest place we'd differ is with parts prices as we would use OE stuff only but to be fair any decent independent panel beater will he using main dealer panels anyway.

If you aren't familiar with a good Bodyshop it'd be main dealer all the way for me.

I too have worked for many year's in a Main Dealership too, Toyotafanboi and one which had it's own in house fully equipped Bodyshop, so I know where you are coming from.
Assuming that the main dealership has it's own in house body shop , Yes, thats the route I'd recommend too, and especially in the OP's case if the local Audi dealership has one.
But in the case where the dealership will hand out the job to an independent body shop, then I would bypass the dealership.
In my opinion, he should get 3 quotes ( inc at least 2 from dealerships)
And when the financial end has been sorted, then make up his mind as to what are his best options. As you and I both know, it's pretty common practice for a customer to get a repair quote from the main dealer, and then get the job done in an independent body shop.
He would be well advised to get some mechanically minded or workshop savvy friend to accompany him when looking for quotes and making decisions when choosing who will repair the car. Usually, if the body shop has a web site, it can be checked for review's.

Needles73 · 09-02-2020 3:16pm

Poor form of the parents of the culprit if they hadn’t the decency to try and make contact with OP. It’s been 2 days.

Andrew76 · 09-02-2020 6:37pm

Calibos wrote: »

Thats an upsetting story but I think a thorough read through of my posts in this thread will show I am sanguine about all this and despite calling the kid a little sh1t/bollix I am not calling for his head on the block....or his neck in a noose. FFS! I've also said I don't want to crucify the kid or his dad financially in retribution. I just want my car put right. But thanks for putting that morbid thought in my head that the panicked kid could potentially do something like that. :eek:

TBH, I reckon if the mother and kid came to talk to me about the crash, they'd leave relieved how sanguine I am about it and how it appeared I wasn't out to crucify them or their son for this and just wanted my car repaired. I'm such a softy that if the kid and his mother were visibly upset when they came to talk to me, I'd probably give them a Hug! (While also obviously telling him how stupid and irresponsible he was and he was lucky he didn't injure or kill someone and how I hoped he had learned a very valuable lesson)

The kid being prosecuted or any legal ramifications are nothing to do with me. Thats the Guards choice/responsibility.

Fair play to you OP and fingers crossed you get the car back on the road.

Uninsured driver hit my parked car. What to do?

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