Disco 1 Off to the graveyard....

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currymunster

Active Member
Posts
724
Location
Folkestone, Kent.
My trusty 300tdi was hit on a roundabout. Non fault accident and it has been written off.
Due to it being the second time I'm not allowed to put it back on the road. It has to be scrapped.
Real shame for a bent wing and bumper
So it's off to the graveyard.
 
Absolutely!
You say "no fault", what does this mean exactly? Did you just crash into some street furniture on the roundabout? "Was hit" implies some one else caused the accident, so the problem is down to their insurance company.
You do not have to accept their or even your own insurance company's word that it is "unroadworthy". It may be unroadworthy until it is repaired but once repaired to a safe condition it is no longer unroadworthy.
And this applies to whatever happened before. So having to fix it twice means nothing at all.
I get the feeling they are trying to tell you it is "uneconomical to repair" which just means they don't want to pay for the repair as that is more than the write off value.
In the past I have bought insurance write offs back from the insurance company, used the write off money to repair them and then just carried on driving them.
Remember it is YOUR vehicle and they cannot dictate to you what THEY want done with it.
To get it declared unroadworthy even once it is repaired would involve the Dept of Transport, police inspections etc etc.
There are public bodies you can consult like the insurance ombudsman, although they tend to be run by insurance companies, or simply getting involved with a solicitor who knows motoring law. But first of all I would get an independent inspection from a qualified vehicle inspector/accident examiner. We once had to do that, he fell about laughing when he had to say to us, "so where is the damage then" as it was so slight he couldn't even see it.
For it to remain seriously unroadworthy the integrity of the chassis would have to be seriously compromised.
I'll put up a link to a thread I put up ages ago about all this an article written by a bloke who used to write for Land Rover Monthly, about how even if it is beyond "economical repair" the at fault drivers insurance can be made to pay for it to be repaired.
 
Sorry I've been off the grid. Had the worst tooth pain with a tooth infection .......
I've bought the car back as salvage only.
It has been put as a category B so it is never allowed to be repaired. There reason is that two and a half years ago it was written off as a catagory N.
I bought it back and repaired it like I've done with other cars. However. He said that due to some insurance and European rule it can't be done again as it is more deemed unsafe.
I can tell you it's not unsafe.
Bent bumper with corner missing.
Bent wing.
Broken indicator.
Broken repeater on wing.
Scratch with some indentation on drivers door.
Plastic scratch down rear off side door.
Small dent around fuel cap.
Plastic scratch left on bonnet.
I'm sure it could be repaired but it now can't unless I jump a few hoops and still no guarantee.
I got a good payout however and have managed to get a 1999 300tdi Discovery which is the special edition safari. Highland green.
Very good condition. So I think I'm going to probably break the 95 300tdi for parts. Shame but I suppose life goes that way sometimes. I still hate insurance companies though!!
 
Got pics of the disco & have the insurance taken it away yet.
IMG_20220906_112450_892.jpg
 
That’s not a major shunt, it not near the chassis, it is very superficial, Yes I’m with Stanley I would be looking to have ago at the insurance company it absurd to write it off for a bit of panel damage and no major structural damage, thay are definatly taking the P1ss.........
 
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