Virgin Car Insurance will not write off my car

westie666

I'll try and keep this breif.

My car was involved in an accident in Sept 2008
It has been back at UK Assistance (RBS owned) 4 times to be repaired.
I have a 2.5yr old Vauxhall Astra (was worth about £3.5k at the time of initial complaint).
Virgin have authorised £2.7k to repair the damage (initial £1.2k, then £800, £500, £200)
I have asked why they have not wrote the car off (as the rapairs were over 60% of value) UK-i 's answer was, we are not awarding you any more compo.

The car is still not write, UK Assistance will not look at the car again.
They have said I need to get the car assessed and based on the outcome they will see what needs to be done.

Where do I stand, and how can I pursuade Virgin to write the car off.

P.S The accident was the third parties fault.

Graham

Quentin

You can't "force" their hand to write off your car.

But you can get them involved in getting satisfaction from the repairer. Write to them and outline the problems still existing and ask for their help in resolving the matter. You might shortcut this by getting a quote from a main dealer to correct the repairs and send it in along with your letter.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

Whats not right about the car?

westie666

The car still wont drive in a straight line, passenger door does not close correctly (very stiff). All this and Arnold Clark (Vauxhall) have signed a piece of A4 paper with the wording
"We have completed a 4 wheel alignment and found the alignment to be within specification" - This I think was a get out clause from UK Assistance to say the car was fine.

G

westie666

Quentin wrote: »

You can't "force" their hand to write off your car.

But you can get them involved in getting satisfaction from the repairer. Write to them and outline the problems still existing and ask for their help in resolving the matter. You might shortcut this by getting a quote from a main dealer to correct the repairs and send it in along with your letter.

I know i cannot force them, but they have stepped outwith their own guidelines.
UK Assistance have outright said they will not look at the car without charging £175 for a 'consultation'.
There is a local garage that apparently has a chassis alignment jig, they say it is accurate to within 0.1mm, and will assess if the tracking is out, or the chassis twisted.

G

Quentin

The problem with the tracking is now "old" - who is to say you haven't hit a kerb since last September?

westie666

The problems took from September to December for the 4 returns
This has been logged with Virgin since late Jan early Feb.

Initial damage - frontal impact, drivers side steering and drive assembly.
fexed and returned.
The car went back after inital repair (onely 1 week) for not steering in straight line (new rear axel)
fixed, the test driven by me
went back again because still not correct (new steering rack and strut mount)
fixed, the sent back to me
went back again because the brakes completely failed within 7 days!

I personallyu dont think the car chassis is correctly aligned, there was a lot of force in the impact and my car turned 45 degrees (on the front wheels) then the rear wheels came back in contact with the ground.
The chassis has never been checked to see if IT is true. !!This is what I want Virgin to check}

G

Quentin

Virgin say you get a 3 year guarantee with the repairs, so get them involved as previously posted.

westie666

I used that one also, but they said that because they have repaired the brakes as a gesture of good will, they will not look at the car.
should I take legal advise on this, do you think?

G

Quentin

Don't spend money on legal advice till you've tried Virgin and if no response then first go down their complaints procedure.

Having the brakes repaired doesn't mean you have lost the 3 year guarantee (unless of course you signed anything giving up your guarantee rights when the brakes were fixed).

westie666

Will pester Virgin again, There is a complaint already running regarding the whole polaver.
And I signed nothing during the repairs.

G