Need advice about a car crash

PayPeanuts_2

Need your advice on my car please.
I have an old car that is due for an MOT next month, it will not pass and I don't intend to pay for the necessary repairs, it will probably get scrapped.

On Sunday someone ran into the side of it and put the wheel out, it is slanted to one side. It was 100% his fault and he admits that, I took all his details and got a witness. He has begged me to 'keep the insurance out of it' and has said he will get his mate to fix it. Hmmm. My mates dad (a mechanic) has looked over it and said it would cost about a hundred quid if he were to fix it for me.

I am left with four options:
- go ahead with the insurance claim
- let his mate fix it
- ask him for 100 quid and use it towards the cost of a new car
- just let it go

Any advice/opinions gratefully recieved!

colin79666

Either claim the insurance or take the £100.
Taking the £100 might be easiest and as you are planning on changing car anyway that's the option I would go for.

jrrowleyws

Yeah, I'd say to the guy "call it £100 to avoid the insurance and you'll forget about it"

harveybobbles

Or even better - ask for 500 quid!

deltic_2

Agree with HB, go for £200 and haggle from there. If you start at £100 they might beat you down from there.

the_big_fact_hunt

i would look at the cost to buy a similar age and model as it sounds like he has written your car off and the insurance would write it off if it wasnt worth fixing, so you may get a better price to put towards your new car

Conor_3

Go for at least a couple of hundred quid. My betting is that if you mention insurance, you'll find you'll get what you want as I bet they're not insured.

Thunderbird_2

as I bet they're not insured.

May be yes, may be no, you never know!

Once, I hired a van, LWB one. I went to TESCO. While revesing into a parking bay, I hit a trolley really lightly ( somebody left it in the parking bay behind the one I was reversing into and it was dark). I felt the bang to the back of the van, stopped, got out of the car to see what it was.

I saw the trolley going down the car park as it was a bit sloping land to hit a car really lightly causing a light dent of 2 inches length. A lady got out of the car to see what happened. She looked clueless! I went to her and told her what happened and for a second she couldn't believe what I told her!

Anyway, I offered her to pay the cost of fixing her car and leave the insurance a side as i didn't fancy paying the £500 excess to the Van rental company. She made some calls and then said it would cost £80 to sort it out. I said fine. We went to the ATM and gave her the money.

I know I could have ignored the trolley and walk away as she wouldn't have known what happened and how, but it is me who won't do that, but that is another story.

Back to the OP, I would ask for the amount that is enough to fix the car, nothing more, nothing less and use that money towards buying another car. It is not his fault that the car worth less what it would cost an insurance company to fix it. I know it is his fault to cause the damage, but, being fair with him is a rewarding feeling that will always make you feel proud.

Good luck in whatever you decide to charge him.

harveybobbles

Point out that the insurance route may make you go for a medical with the possibility of claming even more....

£500 is a nice figure...