Poor little F written off!

[EmmaS]

I'm new to the forum but you look like the guys to help! My lovely F was written off three weeks ago by a doddery old eejit. Furious does not even begin to describe it! Just as the weather gets nice I'm the insurance company's ford focus! It's a cat C write off- he hit the front valance and right wing and scraped down the drivers door with a scrape of the rear wing for good measure. I know the car's not worth much ('99 reg, 77,000 miles), but can anyone help point me towards someone who may help to put it back on the road? I would very much appreciate some names around North West London. Thanks!

[Bandit]

The front panels (bumper & wing) and the doors are all bolt-on, so the only damage that couldn't be easily DIY'd is the scrape on the rear wing. A lot of MGFs & TFs have been dismantled recently so the availability of good condition panels is high, giving you a good chance of being able to get replacement front panels & door in the right colour and thereby avoiding the need for re-painting (that's the expensive bit)

I suspect the bodyshop that does repairs for the Trade Centre off Scrubs Lane would have a very competitive price, might be worth a call/visit to see if your feminine charms can extract that information from one of their salesmen

[Rob Bell]

Post some pictures Emma - but as Bandit says, replacing the bumper, wing and door is child's play, as each of these panels bolt on. The rear 1/4 panel is another kettle of fish, as it is welded on, and a stressed member of the monoque. Replacement is certainly possible, but expensive for obvious reasons. But it may be possible to get the panel beaters involved with a good cosmetic result, assuming that the scratch is not too deep and the pain unbroken.

All is certainly not lost!

Unfortunately, the body shop I usually use - Spraytech - although excellent and MGR approved - is going to be very very expensive - probably looking at a few grand I suspect to undertake the work to insurance standard. But there are plenty of smaller operators who could do a good job... but sadly I can't make a personal recommendation for this.

[colintf]

sorry to hear this news.

I personally, would travel to use Steve Tyler who is also on this forum

http://www.britishlegends.co.uk/

[Tipper]

Just put it down to experience and take the money offered by the insurance company....argue a bit if you think you are being short changed of course.

Then go out and find a better one!

[talkingcars]

Emma

Can you post some pictures.

You may be able to do some of the prep work yourself, removing damaged panels yourself which will help reduce costs, much of the car is only bolt togeather.

Also sourcing parts from ebay or any of the MGF specalist parts suppliers or breakers will keep costs down and possibly speed things up. If you can get the matching colour you will also reduce prep and paint time time and cost.

But we really need to see pictures for more accurate guidance.

James

Just put it down to experience and take the money offered by the insurance company....argue a bit if you think you are being short changed of course.

Then go out and find a better one!

That is a very negative veiw!

If the car is repairable it will work out cheaper than getting a new one, even a like for like.

If Emma can buy the car back from the insurance company and get most of the repair done at sensible private rates she may even be in pocket!

[Tipper]

Not negative just realistic.

If the insurance company writes it off then save hassle and stress and use the money to go get another, possibly better, one.

I've been there and it's not worth the hassle. A repaired car is never the same again.

[Bandit]

There is also a strong argument for "better the devil you know" - the settlement from the insurers is only likely to stretch to a like-for-like replacement if Emma buys privately, and an 11 year old MGF with no comeback from the seller is an unpredictable prospect. Where damage is major, i.e. bodyshell twisted, subframes bent then yes, there's a chance that repair will not totally restore the car to as-before, but with superficial dents and scratches that's not really very likely.

[talkingcars]

Not negative just realistic.

If the insurance company writes it off then save hassle and stress and use the money to go get another, possibly better, one.

I've been there and it's not worth the hassle. A repaired car is never the same again.

It really depends on the damage, hence the request for photos.

[Mark L]

There is also a strong argument for "better the devil you know" - the settlement from the insurers is only likely to stretch to a like-for-like replacement if Emma buys privately, and an 11 year old MGF with no comeback from the seller is an unpredictable prospect. Where damage is major, i.e. bodyshell twisted, subframes bent then yes, there's a chance that repair will not totally restore the car to as-before, but with superficial dents and scratches that's not really very likely.

Without the benefit of Rose Tinted......

Cat C ( Insurance classification) - 'An extensively damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road. Note: Cat-C vehicles require a VIC check before being returned to the road'.

Insurance valuation on an F of this vintage would be around £1500 Tops (I'd say less) buy back is usually around 25% of this valuation

So..... around £400 to buy the car back + cost of repairs. As Rob says rear quarter is the big one - you'd need to source and remove (not easy) from another car, then pay a decent body shop to remove the old/refit the new ( I was quoted circa £1200 for this job 4 years ago) then add on the cost of wing/bumper/door as well as paint and other sundries....

I'd say even doing the above work 'on the cheap' and factoring in the buy back cost you'd be getting on for £2K on a car that's only worth circa £1500, and remember even if all this was done the car will STILL be a Cat C write off so will only be worth around £1K if it were to be sold on....

If you REALY feel an attachment to the car here's what I'd do.....

Take the money and then buy the car back, with the remainder of the cash I'd source a decent 'F' as a base then transfer all the good bits from your present car before scrapping it.

[talkingcars]

Cat C ( Insurance classification) - 'An extensively damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road. Note: Cat-C vehicles require a VIC check before being returned to the road'.

In the real world insurance assors are writing off MGs as Cat C because the availability of new panels is very limited, even damage with just bolt on parts often get graded as cat C, with most makes they would be a D but the insurance company are just trying to make it harded to put them back on the road.

but

with a scrape of the rear wing for good measure

so the damage to this may not require a replacment panel and as the other panels are all bolt on one may be able to do the repairs for a few hundred - as I keep saying - without photos it is diffecult to tell.

[Mark L]

For about the insurance payout you could get this.. http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=366870 a newer - better spec'd car that ticks nearly all the box's you want in a S/H MGF.

Complete no brainer IMHO....

[Rob Bell]

Lots of different options explained here - and I wonder what Emma will decide to do? Personally, buying the car back is a no-brainer if you're reasonably adept at weilding a spanner - but what you then do with it is the other question!

For me, it all hinges on the condition of the substructure and the rear 3/4 panel. If the rear 3/4 panel has dents that can be pulled out with minimal effort, then no paint is required. A company like dents away could probably do this for not a lot of money. Then it's a question of replacing the other bolt on panels. They can be had for reasonably money if you know where to look, or get lucky on ebay. The best option here is to buy the same colour as the car. Under these circumstances, I think it possible to revive the car for 500 quid.

But yes, it's still a cat c. But with a VIC inspection, will be fit for the road - and no confidence worries. It'll be worth less than an equivalent car, but with values so low at the moment, so what?

BUT if the inner wings have been damaged, and the rear 3/4 panel needs replacing, then you might as well scrap the car if you are being hard headed about it. You'll get your money back, and then some from the high value items such as engine etc. Or you could sell it as a project car to someone else, and then go buy another car in a better spec as has been suggested.

No wrong answer here - it all boils down to how much work one wants to do, and how much one wants to keep the original car. If this happened to mine, I know I'd buy it back and rebuild it! Pure sentimental reasons, all acquired over 14 years of overship!

[EmmaS]

Thank you so much for all your comments! I have been away and haven't had a chance to log in but I was really grateful for all the suggestions.
Unfortunately I have just heard that the insurance company will not let me have it back so I am deciding what to do for the best. As the car is soon to be disposed of, would anyone like to make me an offer on the rights to the number - M99 MGF?
Thank you all again xx

[EmmaS]

Oops the images are huge! Sorry about that - I did say I am new to this forum lark

[Rob Bell]

Well, that is a recoverable car. It'll probably require a bit of a tug on a chassis jig, but nothing a competent body shop couldn't rectify. You need a new bonnet, wing, bumper and head light. The door could probably be replaced. I can't see anything particularly serious on the rear 3/4 panel (but the photos don't show this in perfect lighting conditions, so that's a bit tricky) - but basically nothing too serious IMO.

BRG (paint code HAM by the looks of things) is one of the commonest MG colours - so buying second hand, ready painted panels will be a doddle. I should be possible to source everything for under 200 quid. Then body shop/body puller time...

Why won't the insurance company not let you buy it back??? Not that you might want to of course, but a cat C should surely at least be offered back to you for repair?

Such a shame - I can see that this was a cherished MG

[Bandit]

The bumper reinforcer bar is buckled and that may mean the box section behind it is out of shape, and that's going to be a tough one to jig straight. Still do-able though, so I'm surprised the insurers appear to have decided it should be broken for parts only - presuming that's the case if it's not being offered back to Emma.

Worth putting the numberplate in the Classifieds section, and there are plenty of other MGF-oriented sites that also offer free advertising.

Good luck finding a replacement, and hopefully the insurers won't drag their heels too much in coming up with a reasonable settlement. Giving them a daily phone call often results in a speedy processing in order to make you go away

[EmmaS]

Thank you again. I went to visit it in the car graveyard in Sandy, BEDs yesterday! Gave it a final pat as I salvaged some bits and pieces. The insurance company were not budging an inch so I have now found another lovely F which I bought this morning. Copperleaf red, with a hard top too, only a tiny bit more than the £2000 the insurance company settled with. I'm delighted! So I'll be keeping the Reg No for my new pride and joy. Thanks again folks for all your suggestions and support. I'm sure I'll be logging in again if I have any issues. xx