Warning, don't ever tell a neighbour that you have (a) a car lift, and (b) can weld, esp. when he has a moggy minor!

[Melvyn Best]

I've long since tired of people quoting the cost of repairs outstripping the cars value being an excuse to scrap it. The relevant metric is surely the cost of suitable, known, replacement?

I had an immaculate Mini pick up in 95 that was damaged by some woman pulling out of a side road without looking, Insurance companies became involved and an accessor came and had a look, he argued that it was “ Only a Mini pick up, it will go as scrap” so when I asked if the insurance would replace it with one as good as mine he argued about the value before agreeing that it could be repaired using pattern parts . The price difference on a new genuine wing that would fit and a crap pattern item that wouldn’t was less than a fiver , also I would have to fit a sealed beam headlight unit rather than the halogen that was in it? In the end I pointed out the gate to my unit and said he had 5 seconds to get his backside out of it before I kicked him out . Unfortunately it was a couple of days after my dad had been killed in a crash and I wasn’t up to dealing with the prick

 

[skotl]

I've long since tired of people quoting the cost of repairs outstripping the cars value being an excuse to scrap it. The relevant metric is surely the cost of suitable, known, replacement?

Doesn't really matter what you would do, only what repairers and insurers agree

 

[marlinspike]

Where do you even start with something as rusty as that? It looks like dozens of hours of work to me and I can see why garages wouldn't touch it. The cost plus vat at a garage would soon outweigh the value surely. He should be very grateful you are saving his car from the scrapper.

 

[Domdom]

That isn't "THAT" bad. But like the XR4i I welded up, much easier to strip it out to a shell and put on a jig. Be nice to see it saved.

Complete sills, some floor bits etc on the Sierra. Much easier to weld in the optimum position and with it all braced up so you can cut out rot with no drama.

 

[arther dailey]

this brings to mind my uncles morry pick up as a nipper near 60 year ago ,I used to be fascinated at watching the road go by through the hole in thefloor where your feet were meant to be , it was always all tools in the back as they would drop out in the front , happy days as a lad.

 

[Beanwood]

this brings to mind my uncles morry pick up as a nipper near 60 year ago ,I used to be fascinated at watching the road go by through the hole in thefloor where your feet were meant to be , it was always all tools in the back as they would drop out in the front , happy days as a lad.

That was most of our cars at some point in their lives. Extra bit of carpet on top usually helped solve the problem..
I’m not brave enough to take on something as rotten as the OP is doing- but I bet it will be really satisfying seeing all the rotten and rusty metal cut away and new parts going in.

 

[bricol]

Doesn't really matter what you would do, only what repairers and insurers agree

Assessor came to see one of mine a good few years ago . . . he spotted the RACMSA tax disc holder in the screen (free gift when you paid a lot of money for a competition licence) . . . he was a scrutineer . . . claim approved

 

[minimutly]

Doesn't really matter what you would do, only what repairers and insurers agree

Well I wasn't talking about insurance...

 

[Morrisman]

Indeed. That’s why insurance has gone through the roof - what would have been a £400 component repair is now a £3,000 module replacement. What was a £2,000 set of panels is now a write off

The ridiculous small dent my daughter put in a van she grazed with her car cost her insurance company over £3k. I still believe there was some scam involved but she has complained and they have told her everything is above board etc.

I recommended she take it to the Ombudsman but she won’t. She’ll possibly regret that when she gets her insurance quote next year…..

 

[Gareth J]

My folks had a British something or another in the 70s that the dog could get in and out of through the floor. By the pedals.

I know that cars were simpler to repair 50yrs ago but they often weren't. Add in things like ABS, mirrors bigger than a thumbnail, wipers that work, a fuelling system that doesn't throw a good portion of fuel straight out the exhaust, lights that aren't awful....etc, vehicles are, on balance, definitely better than they were and worth the extra complexity imo

 

[pedrobedro]

My folks had a British something or another in the 70s that the dog could get in and out of through the floor. By the pedals.

And it was a Labrador

 

[lazybones51]

The ridiculous small dent my daughter put in a van she grazed with her car cost her insurance company over £3k. I still believe there was some scam involved but she has complained and they have told her everything is above board etc.

I recommended she take it to the Ombudsman but she won’t. She’ll possibly regret that when she gets her insurance quote next year…..

View attachment 449537

A PDR guy would have that out within an hour for ~£100. £3k is ludicrous money for a small repair like that!

 

[pedrobedro]

A PDR guy would have that out within an hour for ~£100. £3k is ludicrous money for a small repair like that!

Is it a VW Caddy, they are much dearer to repair than ordinary vans.

 

[colnerov]

A PDR guy would have that out within an hour for ~£100. £3k is ludicrous money for a small repair like that!

Yes, but it's their general principle to replace rather than repair, so it would be the whole side panel.

 

[arther dailey]

My folks had a British something or another in the 70s that the dog could get in and out of through the floor. By the pedals.

I know that cars were simpler to repair 50yrs ago but they often weren't. Add in things like ABS, mirrors bigger than a thumbnail, wipers that work, a fuelling system that doesn't throw a good portion of fuel straight out the exhaust, lights that aren't awful....etc, vehicles are, on balance, definitely better than they were and worth the extra complexity imo

agree with that , look back at a mk 1 escort, the bees knees then, but now , try and hit those brakes at motorway speed in the rain ,much safer these days all be it more frustrating to fix.

 

[gaz1]

The ridiculous small dent my daughter put in a van she grazed with her car cost her insurance company over £3k. I still believe there was some scam involved but she has complained and they have told her everything is above board etc.

I recommended she take it to the Ombudsman but she won’t. She’ll possibly regret that when she gets her insurance quote next year…..

the scam is all ways

the driver/drivers of either vehicle whilst all i would do is sort it myself but insurance wont pay out and if they do your premiums go silly

the insurance as they say only approved repairers

approved repairers charging double the price for repairs

last of all gov policy to remove old cars from the road

 

[CompoSimmonite]

and I bet the inner anchor of the seatbelts is though that same floor . . .

Actually the original anchorage was through around 2-3mm aluminium with no reinforcing !