It's Dead

[Parthiban]

Funnily enough - it looks much worse in the flesh than it does in the pictures. All the guys at the recovery garage were saying "nah, you won't be seeing that again".

Kinda hoping it is a write-off - would be worried about damage of that magnitude being repaired: I'd always know it wasn't as it used to be.

That looks so similar to mine! Nice to see that all ISs crumple the same way! The front of yours is much worse than mine though - mine had a repair bill of £4500 so I'm guessing yours would be pushing £6000 probably so has to be a write off........

Good luck with what you replace it with, glad you're staying with a Lex :)

Are the alloys damaged? Any chance you'll be selling them on if you get them back??

[Hando]

Are the alloys damaged? Any chance you'll be selling them on if you get them back??

Sorry mate - I've already snaffled them off the old car to go on whatever replaces it. :winky:

UPDATE: rang body shop and they are saying it looks like it's a total loss - but they need to wait until insurance company engineer officially pronounces it dead tomorrow - then it's valuation time and then the hunt for a replacement begins..

[DJ Wozza]

fingers crossed for your new one matey, get looking in the auto trader now !!

[Vyker]

thats a good looking IS gone!

i would love to own a black one like that with the TTE bumpers!

what a shame :(

glad you're ok though, and im sure you'll fine a sterling replacement!

[Hando]

thats a good looking IS gone!

i would love to own a black one like that with the TTE bumpers!

what a shame :(

glad you're ok though, and im sure you'll fine a sterling replacement!

Cheers!

It was TRD front lip and TTE rear - I was going for the look of Chris S's one only in black instead of red (I loved that car).

I've already decided that I'm gonna replace it with another black one - yes, they're a nightmare to keep clean but when they ARE clean nothing else comes close. (IMHO)

[Hando]

I could use some advice here:-

My insurer's engineer is going to call me tomorrow with a proposed valuation of my car. I want to be as prepared as possible. I'm going to have Autocar, Parker's and Glass's valuations ready for my exact car (spec/mileage/age etc) but can anyone who's been through the same experience give me any other advise?

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Also price up and print off similar vehicles from Autotrader, you will be able to use these as negotiating power as well as the guides.

Tip. Don't take first offer ...........

[Vyker]

not taking the first offer means you have to appeal, it adds delays to getting your money.

most insurers just pay out what you set as the market value of your car when you bought out the insurance in the first place.

if you do choose to appeal, you have to send in other examples of your car on the used car market.

good luck

[maneesh]

Glad ur ok buddy. Time for a new project then... Don't get too attached to material things, it adds no value to your life.

Why not get a GS and pimp it up?

[maneesh]

not taking the first offer means you have to appeal, it adds delays to getting your money.

most insurers just pay out what you set as the market value of your car when you bought out the insurance in the first place.

if you do choose to appeal, you have to send in other examples of your car on the used car market.

good luck

I appealed at the first offer they fobbed me off with, when mine got written off. Sent in a few prices. A week later got an EXTRA 50% on top of original cheque. If you don't ask, you don't get.

[Hando]

Glad ur ok buddy. Time for a new project then... Don't get too attached to material things, it adds no value to your life.

Why not get a GS and pimp it up?

Cheers - and yes time for a new project. Will have to wait and see how much I get for my old one from the insurance first and see how much I can add to that.

Was thinking of staying with IS but looking for a 300 or a late-model 200.

we shall see......

[Dodds]

UPDATE:

Spent the morning turning the car back to almost stock at the garage - managed to grab the alloys, dash tray, floor mats, bluetooth phone kit and a few other bits'n'bobs and replace them all with the stock parts.

Here's some pics of the old girl (look away now if you can't handle IS snuff)

[Dodds]

Sorry to see your rather poorly looking IS - know exactly how you feel - GUTTED!

On a personal note - my other half wrote ours off two nights ago.

Just wondering - did your airbags go off? He had front off side pretty major damage (argued with a Land Rover with a bull bar - obviously the Lexus came off worse!!)

I really want another IS - but he's a bit unsure - 'cause of the airbags - has to be said - the drivers footwell was completely intact - just a slightly buckled brake pedal.

Just wondered how yours faired in the accident really - would be great for some advice - we've also sent a query to Lexus on it.

Have no idea how to post a piccy of it - but could e-mail it to anyone for some advice - or advice on how to post a picture.

Cheers - completely understand how you're feeling!

[Hando]

Sorry to see your rather poorly looking IS - know exactly how you feel - GUTTED!

On a personal note - my other half wrote ours off two nights ago.

Just wondering - did your airbags go off? He had front off side pretty major damage (argued with a Land Rover with a bull bar - obviously the Lexus came off worse!!)

I really want another IS - but he's a bit unsure - 'cause of the airbags - has to be said - the drivers footwell was completely intact - just a slightly buckled brake pedal.

Just wondered how yours faired in the accident really - would be great for some advice - we've also sent a query to Lexus on it.

Have no idea how to post a piccy of it - but could e-mail it to anyone for some advice - or advice on how to post a picture.

Cheers - completely understand how you're feeling!

Heya - sorry to hear about yours too - must be the season for it.

And, no, none of my airbags went off. I'd like to believe that it was simply because the force of the impact was too small (it wasn't enough to make me come all the way forward and hit steering wheel.)

It's possible that someone else will be along in a sec who has greater knowledge on how the airbags deploy and what their thresholds/triggers are.

[Parthiban]

Also price up and print off similar vehicles from Autotrader, you will be able to use these as negotiating power as well as the guides.

Tip. Don't take first offer ...........

Yep, this is far more important than glass's guide valuations - make sure you have plenty of examples of similar cars for sale and how much they cost.

You have to prove to them that you need x amount of money to be able to replace the car with another one the same - then there's nothing they can do to refuse it. Obviously Ahmet went through this when he replaced his car, maybe have a chat with him if you haven't already?

[Hando]

Yep, this is far more important than glass's guide valuations - make sure you have plenty of examples of similar cars for sale and how much they cost.

You have to prove to them that you need x amount of money to be able to replace the car with another one the same - then there's nothing they can do to refuse it. Obviously Ahmet went through this when he replaced his car, maybe have a chat with him if you haven't already?

Good idea - I'll get in touch with him today - cheers for the advice!

[Hando]

UPDATE: Insurers contacted me just now to confirm that my car IS a total loss.

The engineer gave me a valuation which was actually from Glass' guide (which surprised me a bit).

It's pretty much in line with what I was expecting and seems to tally up with what my spec/age/mileage of car goes for on Autotrader from private sales (minus mods of course).

I think I'm happy-ish with this valuation but it's only in line with private sale values not dealer values. Not sure if I should contest it or not really....

Either way the search for new project starts here....

Anyone selling a black 300?

[Hando]

Thread ressurection with an update...

Got a knock on the door this evening - looked out of the window and there was my old IS!!!!

A guy had bought it as a repaired Cat C and had come round to see if I had service history etc.

Car looked to have been repaired very well and the new owner clearly loved it. I was able to give him the master key and original aerial and will be sending him all the documents etc asap.

It's quite a nice end to the story that she lives again and is going to be looked after and nearby too so I might well see her on the roads around me.

Needless to say I've directed the new owner to this site and I hope they'll pop up here and say hello. :)

[corsavandal]

did they take you for a spin in it then? How similar to how you had it have they managed to make it?

[Hando]

did they take you for a spin in it then? How similar to how you had it have they managed to make it?

Didn't take me for a spin no - but he said he loved the drive of it.

It looked identical to how it was - TRD front, TTE rear, debadged sport grille, Tein springs.

Looked from what I saw like a really good repair job. Only noticeable difference was it had earlier clear rear lights rather than smoked.

[corsavandal]

does sound like a really good ending, especially now you've got a new love.......... :)

out of interest, is it you thats bidding on the sport bumper on eBay?

[Hando]

does sound like a really good ending, especially now you've got a new love.......... :)

out of interest, is it you thats bidding on the sport bumper on eBay?

Yep it was - been outbid for now. We'll see how it goes - I'm not too bothered either way but if I can get it for a song it'd be nice as an option. Have you got your eye on it? If so let me know and I'll back off.

[corsavandal]

wrong colour for me, and sure as hell couldnt afford the respray! i'd posted about it on here after seeing it then looked earlier today and seen a HANDO had bid on it.

I much prefer the skirts you have at the minute to this bumper, but i suppose two bumpers gives you a little extra choice. Just dont start a collection so you can have a different one each day :)

[Unregistered_User]

Aw that's cracking that :)

Glad to hear it was fixed and now seems to be in the hands of someone who will enjoy it...

All the best,

Jamie

[Ian D]

Don't be taken for a ride.

It sounds like it's not your fault.

Whatever, you have the right to be put back into the position that you were in before the accident.

Whether you use your insurance and claim for loss of NCB, admin costs etc; from the other driver or whether you hit him/his insurer for the claim, you have the right to be put back into the position that you were in before the accident so put your foot down and don't be fobbed off. If they take it with £2,000 of alloys on then they have to provide the same thing or the cost of buying them again (unless you haven't told your insurer and the alloys invalidates your insurance (expensive alloys = higher costs from theft and accidents)) and so on for other goodies.

As regards the car, it becomes the property of the insurance company paying you for it. They flog them through specialist auctioneers unless the original owner asks for a price and buys it back off them.

And make a claim for whiplash.

Consider using a specialist solicitor - normally well worth the cost (which you normally get back anyway).

The more direct and assertive you are with insurance companies the better.

Good luck.

Ian

PS: I work in insurance and have bought written-off cars at auction, so I've a history here (and have never been in an accident that was in any way my fault)

PPS: Don't trust your friends. I was rear-ended, won £2,000 in damages for "whiplash" for my skiver of a friend and didn't even get a drink bought me for my pains.