Might Be A Silly Question But......

messi · August 9, 2014

Hi guys

I have a mk4 ls400, but I just wanted to ask seeing that mine is a 14 year old car, if god forbid someone hits me or I hit them, it's obviously going to be written off cat c or d, but should I be bothered about that, I mean I'm like 2 minds now about upgrading to a 430 again , because I do know if it's a cat c then value will go down a lot if I try selling it

Malc · August 9, 2014

If it's a Cat C or D the insurers will write it off for your purposes unless of course you buy the wreckage from them and put it back on the road and all that entails ! . ask Steve2006 about this, I think he knows best !

It wouldn't be easy, depends on the extent of damage I guess....... insurers will generally only replace parts with genuine Lexus parts .... hence even tiny damage writes the car off.

e.g. I remember reading somewhere that the wiper arm system at OEM prices is @£1000.

Then you will be in the position of maybe putting a few hundred or so ( maybe less ) towards replacing your beloved.

When my Mk2 was vandalised to write-off 3+ years ago ( at 42k miles I think ) I battled with the insurers and got enough to buy my Mk3 and have £500 left over ............ a result !!!!

Just hope you're never put into that position....... but I'm sure you will do the right deal at the time.

Malc

Bluesman · August 9, 2014

If you check the archives on this subject you will find the following.

If you are involved in an accident which is 100% not your fault then you can insist that your car is repaired by Lexus to put your car back on the road again. It may recieve initial protests from the insurance company but persistance on your behalf will see your pride & joy back on the road again. Mike

goldtop · August 9, 2014

If you check the archives on this subject you will find the following.

If you are involved in an accident which is 100% not your fault then you can insist that your car is repaired by Lexus to put your car back on the road again. It may recieve initial protests from the insurance company but persistance on your behalf will see your pride & joy back on the road again. Mike

That won't be true of a car with this sort of value! A scrape along a door panel and rear wing will certainly write all of these cars off. Including the LS430. The law says that you have a duty to mitigate your expenses, so you'll get book value (and only after you haggle from the outrageous offer they start with). there will be no £4000 job at Lexus for it.

These are old cars, and small damage is nothing to be worried about except for difficulty when selling. I've bought a repaired Cat D car before where the only damage was to two doors - the owner took the settlement, kept the car and sourced used doors for £50 each. So it's not necessarily the end of the world for the car.

But a front/rear impact may be another matter - so many things to source and replace.

Gbneil · August 9, 2014

When I insured my car I gave it a value of 2k....aviva tried to tell me it was worth £400...three owner, 67k mile ls400.....and charge me £731 for the privilege.....

Bluesman · August 9, 2014

If you check the archives on this subject you will find the following.

If you are involved in an accident which is 100% not your fault then you can insist that your car is repaired by Lexus to put your car back on the road again. It may recieve initial protests from the insurance company but persistance on your behalf will see your pride & joy back on the road again. Mike

That won't be true of a car with this sort of value! A scrape along a door panel and rear wing will certainly write all of these cars off. Including the LS430. The law says that you have a duty to mitigate your expenses, so you'll get book value (and only after you haggle from the outrageous offer they start with). there will be no £4000 job at Lexus for it.

These are old cars, and small damage is nothing to be worried about except for difficulty when selling. I've bought a repaired Cat D car before where the only damage was to two doors - the owner took the settlement, kept the car and sourced used doors for £50 each. So it's not necessarily the end of the world for the car.

But a front/rear impact may be another matter - so many things to source and replace.

Check back and you will find its true. The trouble in this country is that we have soaked up all the lies and dishonest dealings of insurance companies and accepted them as true.

You insure your car so that if its damaged in a non fault accident then no matter what the cost they have to repair it and then they claim back the money from the fault drivers insurance company. This obviously dosent apply to cars involved in accidents where the car is literally swept up off the road and put into sacks.

Think how happy they are to lay out thousands of £'s in car hire bills and personal injury claims, they cant get you into a hire car or down the doctors fast enough.

There are members on here that have done it and I am sure it will only a matter of time before one of them read this thread and aquaint you with their facts.

We had a Volvo 240 estate about 10 years ago value £250, thats what I paid for it, and somone took the nearside wing off, I insisted that the car was repaired and after a bit of haggeling it went into the local Volvo dealer and a new wing was fitted.

Mike

ambermarine · August 9, 2014

I had a similar experience with my Mark 1 when it was 10 years old but in mint condition, I backended a fiat and wrote it off, I was distracted by a pedestrian falling into the road on the opposite carraigeway and the driver in front also stopped suddenly for the same reason we were both braking for a roundabout so the speed was about 5mph.

Aviva told me to take it to a bodyshop of their choice, I did so but was less than happy with the outcome .The techy took a photo of the front bumber and sent the image electronically to Aviva ,now we are talking 1999 here so were not at todays standards of imagry.I asked the techy what they intended to do and he said filler a rub down and a paint touch up.

I left the premises with the car and immediatly phoned Aviva.

I insisted on a Lexus body shop and the claims manager told me and I quote "We are not putting your ten year old banger in factory condition".What she did'nt know was at my business all phone calls were recorded.

I did'nt mess with anybody else in her dept as she had already informed me that she was as far as I could go, big mistake on her behalf.

I then contacted an Aviva board member through another source and played him the tape.

Result, Lexus repair at a cost of £3000, new bumper, skirt and realignment of the headlights which had been kocked about, something the first bodyshop had'nt spotted.The Claims manager lost her position and I got what I paid for because at that time because the car was used for business the insurance was £650

even with full no claims bonus.

I totally concur with Bluesman, you are entitled to have your Pride and Joy put back how it was if you are not in any way responsible for the damage and even if you are propotionally they must give you a decent deal to help save your car.