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Hi everybody

My 97 Subaru Liberty Wagon has been smashed by a truck. I got the contact details of the driver, and he verbally agreed to pay for the repair cost.

Problem comes! I went to a panel beater and people there estimated the repair cost to be $4000!!! OMG

Now the driver refuses to pay the $4000 and wants me to accept his $1000 offer.

Sure I will visit more panel beaters, but do you guys think that $4000 is a fair price??? please see the attached pics!:???:

Nup, Depends on what other damage was caused through the car.
But you should be able to get new panels, they are beond repair.
Then Paint them.
Where are you mate? I might be able to help.

Cheers Cam

Brumby Kid wrote:Nup, Depends on what other damage was caused through the car.
But you should be able to get new panels, they are beond repair.
Then Paint them.
Where are you mate? I might be able to help.

Cheers Cam

Syd!

Could you please have a rough estimation on the repair cost?;)

Personally i would tske the 1k and run.
I would be visiting your local wreckers, and getting new panels, and lights.
Do all the repairs yourself...
Rip off old panels, then place new panels back on.
If they are a different colour then i would paint them yourself.
Shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred i suppose.

Cheers Cam

yeah thats about right
complete rear side 1500
complete paint job 1500
bumper 500
lights 250

options are to take the 1k or get a lawyer, id take the lawyer option but W.E

Thats about right for a registered repairer.

you could try some one else but Im pretty sure you would be looking at around same price.

I take it the truck driver has no insurance and neither do you?

TOONGA

spike wrote:yeah thats about right
complete rear side 1500
complete paint job 1500
bumper 500
lights 250

options are to take the 1k or get a lawyer, id take the lawyer option but W.E

For a panel beater???
Yeah by law you will have to notify the cops within 24hours.
Then get a real quote, send it off to insurance companies etc, etc, untill someone works out who was at fault, then their insurance company pays for both damaged vehicles.

Cheers Cam

spike wrote:yeah thats about right
complete rear side 1500
complete paint job 1500
bumper 500
lights 250

options are to take the 1k or get a lawyer, id take the lawyer option but W.E

Brumby Kid wrote:For a panel beater???
Yeah by law you will have to notify the cops within 24hours.
Then get a real quote, send it off to insurance companies etc, etc, untill someone works out who was at fault, then their insurance company pays for both damaged vehicles.

Cheers Cam

yep... why do you think so many older cars are written off when rear ended?

I had a quote of $2500 to replace a tailgate on a 1982 MY wagon that had been rear ended. the car was worth 900 dollars but I managed to get market value for it and keep the car as well.

TOONGA

Thanks all for your kind advice

The driver does not really know whether the truck has insurance since he borrowed it from his friend who won't come back from overseas before the new year holiday.

I will try to ring him up again tmr...hope the truck is insured...

that would be a fair 4g repair job.

all panel beaters will be around that mark or more

davo

jeffrey_tc wrote:hope the truck is insured...

I'm hoping for you too mate!

Depending on where you go you might find they'll do a "cosmetic or economical write off" where the pay out for the insurance on the car is less than paying for the repair job...

Cheers

Bennie

Brumby Kid wrote:Personally i would tske the 1k and run.
I would be visiting your local wreckers, and getting new panels, and lights.
Do all the repairs yourself...
Rip off old panels, then place new panels back on.
If they are a different colour then i would paint them yourself.
Shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred i suppose.

Cheers Cam

Cam, there's been considerable structural damage. Its not just a matter of bolting on new panels n a lick o paint. I very much doubt anyone without a full body shop including body jig could repair it.

spike wrote:yeah thats about right
complete rear side 1500
complete paint job 1500
bumper 500
lights 250

options are to take the 1k or get a lawyer, id take the lawyer option but W.E

Plus tailgate damage if any. & I'm sure its bent the floor. Plus all the other things we cant see...


I think this joker is an a*****e for offering only $1000. My advice, get a couple more quotes, make sure they are complete & if anything on the high side, then send him an email with them attached & explain he is fully liable for all costs, incl legal fees if you need to go that way.
Do you have insurance? They need to be notifies ASAP. As he rear ended you & you got his details, most (but not all) insur companies will treat it as a no fault claim & it wont affect your insur.

If not, be prepared to bargain but don't let him bully you...it was his fault! Take a deep breath & play hard ball

Good luck, keep us informed

Are you insured?

Yeah, the first thing i said, (me thinks)
is that sometimes, the damage goes through the whole car, along the chassis etc.
If that has happened then it will become very expensive.

Dad once had a car, same thing happened, the mechanic traced all these faults from the rear, to the front.
Turns out it was a couple of half cuts, that in a crash failed.

Cheers Cam

Bungers wrote:Are you insured?

This is THE primary question before the debate of the repair bill or accepting offers.

If you are comprehensively insured, one (1) quote and you're all done (forget the 3 quotes business) - no communication whatsoever is then required with the third party. Is why you have insurance.

But, if you're not, then a different path you must take. If the other party is insured, he should pass on your estimated repair bill you have sent to him via registered mail. If he does not, by all means chase his insurance company (if you can determine it). If not, off to Small Claims Court for you.

BTW, reckon $4k is on the money.

Recon doesn't take much to rack up 4g's in repairs these days.

Agree with Sven, if you're insured then put the claim in and they chase it down.

They track the guy down if you have a name and number plate. No hassles then. He just claims it off his insurer. A giant merry-go-round......

Did you report it to the cops??????

Fix it yourself and you don't do a real good job and you're in a real prang, then the insurance company may have grounds not to cover you.

$4,000 looks about right to me too, give his details to your insurance company if you have one and let them take care of it. Don't let him bully you.

Make a police report asap.

Cam, unless you have a fair idea of what you are talking about I'd suggest you keep your ill informed opinions to yourself, it's not the rear tray of a Brumby where you unscrew something and hit it with a spray can.

My car is NOT insured...that's why I'm so worried now...
I'll visit more panel beaters to get a detailed quote once public holiday ends.

I didn't report to the police because I thought they don't care about this kind of accident where nobody gets injured

I believe the driver isn't a bad guy though. I wasn't in the car at the time of collision and he waited for me to come back.

Thanks all!
I will update the thread when I get any news from the driver.

Jeff

Report the crash to the police. Seriously. If the truck driver is offering you $1000 for a $4000 repair, he's trying to scam you. Play hardball, or you'll get shafted.

jeffrey_tc wrote:My car is NOT insured...that's why I'm so worried now...
I'll visit more panel beaters to get a detailed quote once public holiday ends.

I didn't report to the police because I thought they don't care about this kind of accident where nobody gets injured

I believe the driver isn't a bad guy though. I wasn't in the car at the time of collision and he waited for me to come back.

Thanks all!
I will update the thread when I get any news from the driver.

Jeff

Well that is certainly something, maybe he just didnt realise the severity. He might've just seen an older car & scaled down the bill accordingly...trouble is it doesnt work that way.

I'd suggest get your quotes ASAP & get in touch with him, play it cool & friendly to start with, BUT STILL FIRM. Be an iron fist in a velvet glove.

I think you should at least report it by phone to the police, ask them if you need to make a report.

d_generate wrote:$4,000 looks about right to me too, give his details to your insurance company if you have one and let them take care of it. Don't let him bully you.

Make a police report asap.

Cam, unless you have a fair idea of what you are talking about I'd suggest you keep your ill informed opinions to yourself, it's not the rear tray of a Brumby where you unscrew something and hit it with a spray can.

A little bit harsh, he was just trying to help...