Thursday evening I was going up a slip road and a van driver got too close to Gerrard's 'arris. I had to stop at the top, in order to give way.. but the van driver was presumably looking at what was on the carriageway and didn't stop, to give way.
The damage to Gerrard would ordinarily be classed as "not toooooo bad..." but for a 17 year old car, that's worth "£0", according to WBAC.com.. it's pretty much killed it.
I'm not going to claim off the insooorance, since it'll be a write-off for sure. They'll offer me 2 shillings and sixpence.... and I'll lose my car (2 new tyres), they'll cancel my insurance policy (just renewed) and they'll make me pay more for insurance next year, even though I was hit from behind... so, I'll need a "DIY repair" as far as possible.
Tanner the local Neaderthal body repair man is looking at the bent metal... the rear panel is knocked in on the left corner, so that'll need to be pulled straight and the light socket repaired.
I *think* I may have a spare rear light cluster somewhere.. so that bit is not bad.
I may need a new bootlid if Tanner can't straighten mine. At the moment the bootlid doesn't close, which is a joy since the car is due for an MOT in 10 days time, so it needs to be fixed and Tested before then. A flapping boot-lid doesn't sound like Pass material...
On the other hand, if Tanner can straighten the panel, and the hatch is still bent, it only has to be straight enough to latch properly, in which case, it's just cosmetic, until I can sort it out next year.
Does anyone anywhere near S.Wales have a good, intact (paintwork condition and colour are not important, as long as the bumper doesn't have any gouges in the plastic) rear bumper for a 5-door (hatchback) - 2004, although I don't think there's any difference with age?
I can see one really manky one on fleabay which may not be that bad once it's clean (though I'd have to go to collect it) and one rather nicer one, which is a bit dear and similarly "Midlands" which is quite a way to go.. unless I have no choice.
Ralf S.
The damage to Gerrard would ordinarily be classed as "not toooooo bad..." but for a 17 year old car, that's worth "£0", according to WBAC.com.. it's pretty much killed it.
I'm not going to claim off the insooorance, since it'll be a write-off for sure. They'll offer me 2 shillings and sixpence.... and I'll lose my car (2 new tyres), they'll cancel my insurance policy (just renewed) and they'll make me pay more for insurance next year, even though I was hit from behind... so, I'll need a "DIY repair" as far as possible.
Tanner the local Neaderthal body repair man is looking at the bent metal... the rear panel is knocked in on the left corner, so that'll need to be pulled straight and the light socket repaired.
I *think* I may have a spare rear light cluster somewhere.. so that bit is not bad.
I may need a new bootlid if Tanner can't straighten mine. At the moment the bootlid doesn't close, which is a joy since the car is due for an MOT in 10 days time, so it needs to be fixed and Tested before then. A flapping boot-lid doesn't sound like Pass material...
On the other hand, if Tanner can straighten the panel, and the hatch is still bent, it only has to be straight enough to latch properly, in which case, it's just cosmetic, until I can sort it out next year.
Does anyone anywhere near S.Wales have a good, intact (paintwork condition and colour are not important, as long as the bumper doesn't have any gouges in the plastic) rear bumper for a 5-door (hatchback) - 2004, although I don't think there's any difference with age?
I can see one really manky one on fleabay which may not be that bad once it's clean (though I'd have to go to collect it) and one rather nicer one, which is a bit dear and similarly "Midlands" which is quite a way to go.. unless I have no choice.
Ralf S.