28 replies to this topic

[Mini Mad Rich]

Early this morning around 12:30am my mini caught fire and is deemed a right off by the insurers

Me and my mum were in the car at the time, we are both ok but very shaken up and I have cried alot over the last few hours.

It started when we were approching the junction for warwick parkway station as the radio kept turning its self on and off then the lights and engine started to do the same then it just died on me. I opened the bonnet and it was fine but there was smoke coming from the boot, I opened it up and there was a small fire by the battery so I rang the fire service and we ran up the road to safety but by the time the guys got there the fire was in the the car.

I have never cried like I did last night since I lost my grandad and before that my brother.

And now comes the serious serious favor and I mean serious.

The insurance wants to take him away from the compound, check him over and then crush him and I cant bare the fort of it being his fate so here is my plea.

I want to buy him back from the insurers as I want him resorted to his former glory but I cant do it myself, I am willing to hand him offer for free or a small price because I really really want him to be looked after.
It would mean so so much to me to see him back on the road again where he belongs. I'm not messing about I really want him back his to his beautiful self.

I know this might sound a load of bull to you but he was one of the best things that happened to me, he was my first car, I learned to drive in him and he took so much and yet he was so reliable, he was like a best friend, a first child to me.

I do hope there is someone out there to take him on, I'v just come back from the compound and its only cosmetic damage as such, yes the interior is burnt to a crisp but the shell, the sub frames, the chassis, the engine its all fine.

Please?

Rich

[Bam]

Ill help you out mate! Im so sorry to here about this. Ill donate LOADS of parts. Dont worry mate I help you get it back on the road in no time.

PM'ed.

Chris.

[The Matt]

I'll chuck some parts in for you!!! What damage has been done? Is it mainly the paint work??

[PhoenixSimon]

crikey good to hear your both ok. Minis and electrics dont seem to get on well.
Get the car back and do it yourself it will be worth it in the end.
Simon

[millsminis]

Sorry to hear about this happening....especially as its your first mini I feel for your loss.

I do hope there is someone out there to take him on, I'v just come back from the compound and its only cosmetic damage as such, yes the interior is burnt to a crisp but the shell, the sub frames, the chassis, the engine its all fine.

The only issue I can see here is that eventhough you say that its only cosmetic damage and that the shell and everything else is fine there is nothing to say that there is nothing to say that the fire has weakened the actual metal of the shell. Afterall you think how hot fire is???

Do you have any picture of the car??

[Mini Mad Rich]

Hi thanks for your support, it means the world to me.

As to millsminis reply, I cant see any visual defects and when I pressed on the pannels they didnt move more than before the fire so from what I can see the structure is fine and the front end is untouched, the fire only got as far as the dash board which I spose can only be a good thing I spose.

I would do the work my self but I dont have the space or equipment to do it, I know it will take a few months even a year or so to put right but I'm simply not lucky enough to have a house with a garage or to like most of you on here, I dont mean to sound rude I'm just very upset and confused over what I should.

Thanks

Rich

[Juju]

That's so sad. I'm sorry.
I hope you find some kind mini-ist to help you get it back on the road soon.

[Jammy]

At this point I don't believe the insurers own the car as they haven't paid you anything for it, to that extend they can't legally crush it (I believe). They may also be able to pay for it to be moved from the compound to the your house, where they can then send an assesor to inspect the damage.

Unfortunately you can't do anything with it until that insurance assesor has been and given it a write off category, Cat D and Cat C can be repaired, Cat B can't, and Cat A I believe have to be crushed.

Talk to Jimmyarm about it, I'm not sure, but you may not have to claim off your insurance, in which case they may not be able to write it off, but as I say, check with Jimmyarm.

[Mini Mad Rich]

If I can ask who is jimmyarm and how can he help?

Thanks

Rich

[wilcooper]

Ah mate, that seriously sucks!!!
i hope she gets back on the road

[mattyoung69]

If I can ask who is jimmyarm and how can he help?

Thanks

Rich

He's a member on here and knows his stuff on insurance...

If I had any mechanical or technical skills I would offer help - i'd probably make things worse and be in the way!

[8vAlan]

remember everyone, to check your grommits!!

i feel for you man, tis unfortunate but glad your both ok...

[Jimmyarm]

You dont have to claim off the insurance, but then you will have to pay recovery costs etc...

They cant just take your car and crush it ! Give them a ring and say that you want to buy the salvage off them, they shouldn't have an issue with this and will take the amount out of the settlement & arrange for delivery etc unless its a Cat A then I think they have to crush it.

Having said that, I havent seen one where there is fire damage before. I dont see why it would be any different to any other write off though, what Jammy said above about the categorys will still apply.

The best thing you can do is talk to your Insurers and tell them what you want to do, they are your friends in situations like this

Edited by Jimmyarm, 13 July 2007 - 08:40 PM.

[Silicon Skum]

Since the first day I've been posting here, there have been a number of insurance related topics - and I've done some fact checking of my own before posting any replies. I've learned enough to know the slightest mention of combustion even near a car, is enough for insurance companies to declare it written off and NON SALVAGEABLE! (meaning they will NOT give it back to you, and more worrying, they have been known to crush the car before paying you....).

By LAW the insurance companies MUST ensure that any vehicle that has been involved in a "serious fire", the shell is CRUSHED and never returned to the road (CAT B - parts may be salvaged) if totaly burned out, then it will defo be CAT A and NO parts can be salvaged either, and ALL crushed.

I'm sorry to say, once the insurance company is involved with something like this, you are very unlikely to see that car again. Also you will not be able to get any parts of the vehicle, unless you replace them with like for like items.



You know the same sort of thing happend to me - Electrical faults, engine cutting out and a odd smell of sulphur (cooking battery acid..)....positive battery clamp had worked loose and arc-welded it's self to the shell. I got lucky, the connection to the shell was weak enough to burn out before anything serious happend (plus the battery was near dead anyway, so failed before it could dump it's power into the short). My car survived with only a burn mark on the edge of the battery box, and a strong sulpur smell that lasted a few weeks.

Think I might invest in a new fire extinguiser.......and large enough wire cutters for the main battery cable - just in case...

SS

[Ethel]

Fingers crossed, 'n I'm sure this is one occasion Skull won't mind if he's proved wrong. You do see some fire damaged cars advertised as repairable salvage so hopefully...

Try and get it covered up if it's outdoors and lacking paint and let us know what happens.
I had a cunning plan.