161 replies to this topic

[bingobango]

That is most definately a write off. Trust me, i had a similar shunt from somebody. The shell is twisted you can blatantly see this down the right hand post.

£500 is knowhere near enough, you want more like £2000. Think of the work that is needed to be done including labour. Your mate is having a bubble.

This is a no brainer man, tell him your sorry, explain that it will cost much more than 500 quid to sort it, then ring up your insurers for christs sake, and get this done properly!

[Ouster]

Is your door out of line as well?

[danrock101]

I think it is out of line the passengers took some opening

[Ethel]

It's not your legal right to have it repaired if it's not economical to do so. You have a legal responsibility to mitigate your losses so you'd need a pretty strong argument not to accept the cost of an equivalent replacement car. It might be possible to avoid having it written off if you can get a "mates rates" quote that's acceptable to the insurers. If you went to court to reclaim such a repair bill and it was close enough to the car's value you'd probably get it.

There is a nagging doubt that your mate's insurance may not be quite up to scratch if they are so keen and eager to hand over the readies. I hope not, or it could get very messy.

[leaky]

I feel so sorry for you mate. Im learning to drive at the moment and have only been out in my Mini a couple of times. As already stated go through the insurance. He went in the back for you. Did you get a witness? Cause that would help your case as well. And I can see how anyone can say its your fault. So you braked hard. Their is no way in hell that should cause a crash as the person following you should have a bigger enouth cap to stop. I mean what if a deer and run out in front of you or a car pulled out in front of you. Brakeing shaply should not cause crahes no matter what people say. Your so called mate had been driveing propley then this would not have happend.

[dave21478]

I guess I must have just imagined that whole episode of my life where I had my written-off Astra GSi repaired to its pre-accident condition at no cost to myself then, after some arguing with the guilty parties insurers.

[brianmini]

I guess I must have just imagined that whole episode of my life where I had my written-off Astra GSi repaired to its pre-accident condition at no cost to myself then, after some arguing with the guilty parties insurers.

I'm not saying it does happen, you just get an ulcer arguing with insurance companies (who've got their fingers in their ear, lalalalalala).

By all means try to get it through the insurance. Worth also remembering that even though you claim on the other parties insurance there will still be a note of it in your record. You've got to declare any accidents, whether they are non-fault or not, or non-claimed through your insurance. If anyone tells me this won't affect their premium I'd say prove it, because on the occasions i've had a non-fault accident i've always had my premium bumped (regardless of which firm i've moved to).

If your shell is twisted then I think you might end up putting this down to a lesson in life and moving on.... but it would be hell of a sad to see your mini be scrapped, so fight for it mate.

[Dan6061]

Can't really get a good look at the damage from that one picture, so I wouldn't 100% listen to everyone on here saying the shell's bent etc.

Seeing as the £500 isn't enough, and that's all your mate can afford, your only option is to go through insurance! Go to a few garages and get quotes on it yourself, then get all quotes printed off by the garages. That way you have proof for yourself and your insurers. If you leave it to your insurers, they'll just use the first garage (probably...) and go from there!

Good luck with it all, can only sympahise with you! Make sure you get it back on the road! Don't want to see Mini's being written off.

[blackbelt1990]

I havn't really read the whole thread.... but I can kind of see whats happening.

A "friend" of mine ran into the back of me last year... near enough the same situation except I was stationary in traffic.
He tried to give me some money to make it go away, but I went out and got my own quotes (£1500 was the cheapest) which he refused to pay.
I rang my insurance straight away to let them know I was thinking of claiming, and in the end up, I had to. Got myself a courtesy car, and a new rear end, boot and valance, which I wouldn't have got had I taken some money from him.

You need to ring your insurance to inform them you've had an accident. With my insurors, it had to be within 24 hours, if you don't so this... and you do end up claiming.... it MIGHT make it harder.

Just my experience... Ryan

[sonowucme]

Hi, guys
Dan I agree with everyone here get him to pay bigger £ £ £. In South Africa if you had to make an emergency stop (even for a Cat or Kid only you saw) and gets rear ended it’s not your fault.
You can’t lose your babe…I would take his car sell it and repair my car(add a few extras for my pain)…lol

Kevin

[jaydee]

.. I think he thinks that it was my fault for braking but even if I did an emergancy stop!! His dad thinks it was my my fault too but he should of been able to brake in time with his modern car with abs and kept his distance ofcourse.

Err What??? I hope they're joking..

Anyway the problem if you're going to claim off insurance, most insures will write off with a damage like that.
Take your mate and go to a mini friendly garage for a quote and let him/his dad pay.

[Wallm0nkey]

To be honest friend or not I'd go through the insurance why else is it there?

Or if your friend is really against that get multiple quotes and let them pick one? It doesn't make sense to settle for £500 and potentially lose your car when you haven't done anything wrong.

[E.L.M.O]

Have you decided what you are going to do?

[Asphalt]

If he's a real friend-friend he would've accepted to (fully) pay for his misstake... He's 17 and allready drives like a *willy* - let him bleed. Some people have to learn the hard way... If he doesn't now, he might never will...

I'm sorry for you & the Mini It sure is fixable, but looks like insurance will not cover it. Can you provide some closer photos of the boot floor and a side view? This would allow a better guess for the actuall damage.

[THE ANORAK]

in my opinion i would give him his £500 back, polity tell your dads to keep out of it and claim on the insurance.

thats the way it works I'm afraid, it's not like you bent each others bicycles is it

oh, and it may be worth putting some legal number plates on it before his insurance company see it, just to be safe