Someone hit my DS3!

[benihana]

Hi All,

Not been active on the forum for some time but I was hoping for some advice from the community if possible. Someone reversed into my car on Saturday evening (parked outside our house, quiet street, no other traffic involved) and has caused the damage you can see in the images.

Earlier this morning I took it to the garage my insurer recommended and they gave it a very quick once over, said "two new panels" and sent me on my way. As it has a ceramic coating on the paintwork that had to be professionally applied, I contacted the chap who did it who said based on the amount of work that would be required to replace the back quadrant, my insurers may well write it off. It is a 12 plate with 67k on the clock if that helps with my following question - what would you say would be the likelihood of it being written off? I should clarify, that is the LAST thing I want to happen as I love my little Wasp!

Thank you for any feedback/advice.

Dave.

[streettweeks]

Ouch sorry to hear about that looks pretty bad. I take it the idiot in question drove off without leaving details?

If he reckons a write off then let it be a write off, plenty more DS3's in the sea get another. (on my 3rd). Each seems to be better than the last embrace it. Not having known the value or what's its worth of what you have
been quoted i couldn't say if it would be a write off but its the easy way out usually for insurance if its triple figs.

[benihana]

Ouch sorry to hear about that looks pretty bad. I take it the idiot in question drove off without leaving details?

If he reckons a write off then let it be a write off, plenty more DS3's in the sea get another. (on my 3rd). Each seems to be better than the last embrace it. Not having known the value or what's its worth of what you have
been quoted i couldn't say if it would be a write off but its the easy way out usually for insurance if its triple figs.

I want to give the person involved the benefit of the doubt and say they were on the way to speak to me - but the cynic in me isn't sure. I heard a crunch, looked out the window, saw nothing, fired up the CCTV on the tv in the living room, found the moment in question, saw it happen, got my shoes on, down the drive and stood inspecting the damage (at least 5 mins in total) to be met by the person involved saying they were just on their way to see me. They have, understandably, taken full liability and it is in the hands of the insurers now.

I know where you are coming from with the idea of move on to another DS3 but after spending north of £3k on the stereo and another £500 on the coating, I'm really hoping it doesn't come to it!

[BenS]

If the coating was £500 for the whole car, then the insurers can't call that a write off for a dent over 2 panels!! That's mad! Even if you pay some extra after they claim the money from the other party involved, that should be able to let you hold onto it right?

Very sorry to see anyone's car get damaged by others Hope it works out in your favour

[streettweeks]

If non DS3 drivers would just learn how to drive we are on to a winner. Glad the person has taken responsibility. See what you mean now, unfortunately its the risk you take putting any money in to your car. It moves pretty quickly and makes a mess when it unexpectedly stops, or someone unexpectedly stops into yours.

[benihana]

If the coating was £500 for the whole car, then the insurers can't call that a write off for a dent over 2 panels!! That's mad! Even if you pay some extra after they claim the money from the other party involved, that should be able to let you hold onto it right?

Very sorry to see anyone's car get damaged by others Hope it works out in your favour

I perhaps didn't explain that part very well. He isn't saying it is a write off due to the cost involved in replacing the coating. I contacted him to discuss options on the coating once repaired and he offered his opinion based on seeing the vehicle. He suggested it may be a write off due to the amount of damage to the back quarter panel which will most likely need to be replaced instead of repaired. By all accounts, this involves a heck of a lot of work. I don't have any concept of the mechanical side of things so I took his comments at face value and thought I'd ask on here.

[Jan79]

For this damage I would see a garage doing dent removal.
Even if the rear panel looks bad I've seen worse damages repaired by dent removal.

[Funky]

Gutted for you!! IMO I think they'll get it sorted and not write your little wasp off. Really hope they do, I love the yellow and black combo.

[Hyperkev]

Shame, can't see them writing it off.

[WTF]

Sad to see

Is there are any more news on this?

[benihana]

Quick update on my little wasp -

It wasn't written off (as you all correctly said). They replaced the passenger door panel and repaired the back quarter. The repair was to a good standard but unfortunately the quality of the paintwork on the panels they had dealt with was atrocious. The chap who was re-applying the SIRamik APT coating charged me for an extra 2 days purely for prep work to get the repaired panels up the standard of the rest of the car, prior to re-applying the coating. He very kindly put a report together detailing the extra work undertaken and I have this very morning received payment from my insurer for the full amount (this was the only bit I had to pay out personally as the bodywork was done at my insurers approved bodyshop). It was a long few weeks driving a Ford Focus so it has been great having my little car back.

8 years we have lived at our current address. From July 2008 until October 2016, I parked on the drive as I had the newer car, whilst my wife parked on the road right outside the house (quiet cul-de-sac). She bought a 15plate Cactus on the 1st of October which earned her the spot on the drive. I managed to have my bright yellow car on the road for 7 weeks before someone reversed into it!

[BenS]

Glad to hear you got you car and your money back eventually

You'd think a bright yellow car would be easy to spot while reversing! Hope that's the case in the future.

[WTF]

Glad it's sorted!

She has the newer car BUT, her car is armoured

[Jan79]

Nice to hear it survived.
Maybe some reflective stripes added to the yellow?