[loveforjeeps93]

Hi,
Please let me know if you need any help with the service centre here.

[graaja]

Sorry to hear about the accident, and at the same time very glad that you and your friend were not hurt.

I would suggest you to not make decisions based on emotional attachment to the car, but based on the reality and facts.

Why don't you have the car looked by an independent mechanic and validate that all the parts listed by VW workshop in the estimate are indeed necessary. That way you can rule out any foul play by VW workshop and insurance company.

If after such validation, if the car indeed is total loss, as NPV and Downshift7 have mentioned, make sure the insurance company does not get the benefit of getting a refund of your road tax, and get it yourself.

I can totally understand how you must be feeling about letting the car go. But you have to accept that the car did what it was supposed to do - keep you and your friend safe.

[bigben]

Good to know that all are well in the accident.
I would think that the car can be repaired. Get it assessed by someone who has good knowledge of this.
There are numerous videos on Youtube of how these guys in the US pick up salvaged cars and then fix then. Some of the cars are in a worse condition than yours.

The choice is ultimately yours. However, if I were you, I would get the car fixed and continue using it.

[GTO]

Glad to know you're okay .

Guys, a simple question. We all know that the authorised workshop will be at least 2X as expensive as an after-market workshop, if not 3X. In such a scenario - where the owner is keen on repair - can't a quote be taken from an independent workshop? In that case, the insurance company would have to agree to repair as the quote would be 2 - 3 lakhs only.

Originally Posted by Downshift7

The owner is paid a settlement amount and the insurance company (without cancelling the registration, by which you could get back remaining road tax paid of left over years) flips the car to a third party for a higher sum who repairs it and resells it to unknowing noob.

True. In India, nothing is salvage. Everything can be restored, no matter how poor the end product may be. Apparently, my ex-Vtec was repaired & sold to an unsuspecting buyer after this damage - thread link (R-I-P Vtec (1677). Farewell, dear friend).

[Mission_PGPX]

Originally Posted by graaja

Sorry to hear about the accident, and at the same time very glad that you and your friend were not hurt.

I would suggest you to not make decisions based on emotional attachment to the car, but based on the reality and facts.

Why don't you have the car looked by an independent mechanic and validate that all the parts listed by VW workshop in the estimate are indeed necessary. That way you can rule out any foul play by VW workshop and insurance company.

If after such validation, if the car indeed is total loss, as NPV and Downshift7 have mentioned, make sure the insurance company does not get the benefit of getting a refund of your road tax, and get it yourself.

I can totally understand how you must be feeling about letting the car go. But you have to accept that the car did what it was supposed to do - keep you and your friend safe.

Thank you for your kind wishes. The quote prepared by VW is definitely higher, for example, they have considered battery and battery stand as well in the estimate, while the car started after the accident. Meaning battery is perfectly ok. However, i have seen bhpian Iliketurtle's Jetta experience for similar repair. Even though his damage did not include airbags, the bill was somewhat 6.7 lacs, of which he paid about 2.5 and rest born by Insurance company. Considering my damage would be this much atleast i am not looking at a bill of less than 7 lacs to be frank. That means it will still be coming under total loss for insurance company.

Now repairing the car at after market workshop is a good thought, but gives me jitters because of the skill level of aftermarket technicians. I know some who worked in VW workshop for several years before starting their own garage, but still such accidental repairs require a good level of confidence. I am not saying it cant be done, but its a risky business and i have never touched a spanner outside workshop in last 6 years except alignment and balancing. Plus i will get a 6 month warranty of parts which are replaced at authorized workshop.

So now the only option i am left with is to accept the fact that its a total loss, take the money and come out of this emotional stress as soon as possible. Such an irony, within 2 days, that recurring thought of how it happened, could i have done something better have gone out of my mind and the thoughts of I will never be able to drive her again started pinching. I miss her so much!!

[Mohan Mathew A]

If there is indeed no chassis damage as ajmat mentioned, then i see no reason for you to let go of the car. You should be able to bring her back

My father's Ritz met a similar accident when it hit a pretty big boulder by the side of the road. There was a bit of chassis damage but it was fully restored and that was 4 years back. The car is still with us and there is no problem whatsoever. So even if there is a bit of damage, i think it will be repairable.

BTW the price of the airbags seem atrocious. Are they going to replace all the 6 airbags or only the 2 that inflated?


EDIT-Just saw your post. Seems you have made up your mind to accept total loss. Good luck on your next purchase

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by GTO

In such a scenario - where the owner is keen on repair - can't a quote be taken from an independent workshop? In that case, the insurance company would have to agree to repair as the quote would be 2 - 3 lakhs only.

+1

Originally Posted by Mission_PGPX

So now the only option i am left with is to accept the fact that its a total loss, take the money and come out of this emotional stress as soon as possible.
...
I miss her so much!!

Sorry to make it more confusing and put you in a spot; but I'd agree with @GTO (and others) and push for the repair option. The reasons are quite a few

1. As rightly mentioned by @ajmat, your estimate covers only the front part and the suspension; absolutely nothing on the chassis. So structurally your car is sound
2. Volkswagen parts start aging by ~6 years/80k kms mark; so some of the parts being replaced (battery, etc) would already be a maintenance cost for you irrespective of this accident
3. The replace vs repair option in case of accidents is (generally) based on an assumption of the new car being the primary usage by the owner; but in your case, you had planned this as a secondary car going ahead
4. Finding a good mechanic is not a problem these days; and you have team-bhp directory and feedbacks to help on that

Question is - do you need a new car? Or do you just want to get over this as early as possible? And most important (if you are still planning on replacing with a new car), are you decided on spending the extra money on a new car, which will happen even if you downgrade to a hatchback?

I'd suggest, get a second opinion within the family or someone in your circle whose opinion you trust and take a call.

[N4Nikunj]

Dear Mission_PGPX,

Sad to see your beloved car in such state.

I read your Jetta ownership thread sometime back, It shows how much emotionally attached you were with your steed.

Hope you recover with the emotional stress as soon as possible.

[Mission_PGPX]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

+1

Sorry to make it more confusing and put you in a spot; but I'd agree with @GTO (and others) and push for the repair option. The reasons are quite a few

1. As rightly mentioned by @ajmat, your estimate covers only the front part and the suspension; absolutely nothing on the chassis. So structurally your car is sound
2. Volkswagen parts start aging by ~6 years/80k kms mark; so some of the parts being replaced (battery, etc) would already be a maintenance cost for you irrespective of this accident
3. The replace vs repair option in case of accidents is (generally) based on an assumption of the new car being the primary usage by the owner; but in your case, you had planned this as a secondary car going ahead
4. Finding a good mechanic is not a problem these days; and you have team-bhp directory and feedbacks to help on that

Question is - do you need a new car? Or do you just want to get over this as early as possible? And most important (if you are still planning on replacing with a new car), are you decided on spending the extra money on a new car, which will happen even if you downgrade to a hatchback?

I'd suggest, get a second opinion within the family or someone in your circle whose opinion you trust and take a call.

Your points are valid. As a matter of fact i was very close in replacing this with 530d one month back but the deal couldnt work out. I was never going to sell this unless i received a respectable amount in the range of say 7 lacs. Actually my dad after 6 years and over 99500 kms of jetta, one day comes and tells me that i can try out your car and then we dont need a new hatchback if i am comfortable with the size of the car. Thats how the idea of keeping it as a secondary car generated.

Do i need a new car? The answer is no. But i definitely need a primary car on which i can trust with my highway drives. Regarding spending extra, I always wanted a sparingly used 530d and have been searching for the same since past 3-4 months anyway. So spending extra is not really a problem. Now the question is spending how much extra is.

With current situation, it looks like i will be without a car (forget primary or secondary) for atleast next 2 months. I can live with those difficulties but its hard to live with the fact that i dont own any car anymore to drive by myself. I am sure with time things will fall in its place. I need a long run this sunday to clear out my thoughts and come back to life fresh on monday.

[the_skyliner]

Sad to hear about the accident and glad at the same time to know about no injuries. That matters the most.

I understand your bonding with the car after living with it for so many years.

However, you need to consider following before deciding on repairing:

1. Do you have a standby car to use till the car is ready.

2. Are you willing to invest time, energy and money to get this repaired outside of VW service station? Because looking at the quote, it won't be an economically wise decision to go with cash loss option.

3. Are you willing to invest time, energy and money to resolve niggles which may arise due to expensive repairs (sensors, especially)?

4. Will you be comfortable with the knowledge of airbags being replaced by a 3rd party repair shop if you chose to go that way. Most important factor to consider, IMO.

If you are okay with the above points, then go with cash loss option (check the quoted market value from insurer first) and get it repaired at the authorised service centre.

Good luck!

P.S. From the quote it doesn't look like there is any structural damage, so I guess it boils down to the airbags replacement topic.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Mission_PGPX

1) HDFC ergo will take the call for repair or total loss. Vehicle owner has no say on this. Is that correct? Can i be forced to accept total loss?

2) Emotional attachments aside, Should I accept total loss? What is experts advise based on pictures?

I am interested in Repair since the engine and chasis is fine. The alloys and tyres are all ok.

I spoke to the insurance surveyor and he said i can opt for cash loss. In this the car will be put for auction to arrive at a market value for auction and hdfc will pay the balance amount to me. I have to repair the car myself, whatever the expense occurs.

Its sad to see the car in such a state, but glad to know the occupants are safe. To answer your queries:
1) Yes, HDFC will decide whether the car can be repaired or declared as total loss
2) It will difficult from pictures to confirm whether the car is worthy of total or can be repaired. Best leave it to the judgement of surveyor, you need to be in the discussion between the Surveyor and the workshop so that you are not taken for a ride in the name of parts to be repaired. If possible take help of a well known mechanic to understand the possible repairs.

Even if HDFC offers you cash loss, you need to tell them sternly that you should get the total IDV rather than a closer figure. If they auction the car, then ensure the balance will be paid by HDFC. Take this in writing. In no case surrender the RC, till the full IDV amount is paid. If the car is declared total loss then you will need to submit the certificate to RTO to get the refund of the road tax on pro rata basis.

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys, a simple question. We all know that the authorized workshop will be at least 2X as expensive as an after-market workshop, if not 3X. In such a scenario - where the owner is keen on repair - can't a quote be taken from an independent workshop? In that case, the insurance company would have to agree to repair as the quote would be 2 - 3 lakhs only.

The basis of Insurance claim is that the repairs are/will be done at Authorized service center only. If done at FNG, it may not be eligible for claim. Some Insurance cos though have a tie up with reputed FNG's/multi car service centres where the repairs done by the owner at lower cost will be approved during claim processing.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by the_skyliner

4. Will you be comfortable with the knowledge of airbags being replaced by a 3rd party repair shop if you chose to go that way. Most important factor to consider, IMO.

I was thinking along he same lines too. What kind of experience will a local mechanic have in replacing the airbags?! It is not just about fixing the airbags, all the sensors that act as a trigger point will have to be assessed and refitted as well.

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

The basis of Insurance claim is that the repairs are/will be done at Authorized service center only. If done at FNG, it may not be eligible for claim. Some Insurance cos though have a tie up with reputed FNG's/multi car service centres where the repairs done by the owner at lower cost will be approved during claim processing.

A lot of FNGs have a tie up with the leading car insurance providers including Bosch Service station. So if a (trusted) FNG has the tie up with the OP's current insurance provider then I don't see any problem. In fact the surveyor would be happier

Having said that, the OP has already opined that he was looking for a replacement but wasn't getting a good deal so if he gets at least 90% of IDV as total loss then I guess that is the best way to go, under the circumstances.

[Mission_PGPX]

Update:

Finally I decided to let the car go. Infact, I had no choice, its all at insurance company's discretion. They put my car in auction and I was surprised to see the highest bid. The guy from Surat bought my car for 3.5 lacs. Also it was informed that my car will not be scrapped, it will be sold after repair by salvage buyer. I called the guy next morning, he was preparing the DD for the agreed amount and he asked me only one question, is the engine running? I said yes! He seemed a good guy, spoke about an hour on why he bid so much and how much he will spend to bring it back on road. Just 1 lac. Entire process of claim lasted for 12 days including weekends. I have a choice to buy it again if I wish to but I will not for obvious reasons.

Overall, I am really impressed by the transparency of my surveyor. he got the full 7.35 lacs approved and received in 12 days of registering the claim from HDFC ergo.

I am sad and car-less for 3 weeks now and how much I miss my sasha. Very unfortunate event but I have some special memories of her.

Now the big question:

Buying a car is now a forced situation for me however i dont feel time pressed for the same. I can remain in the same state (read car less) for another couple of months but not more. What are my options:

1) Obviously a sparingly used 530d : very very hard to find. Infact last week I paid token for an imperial blue and took it to 360 check, paid 15000/- and found an expense of around 4 lacs, spring struts, 3 bent alloys, battery (unserviceable), Ac grill, front pads and discs etc. Deal is off, getting my money back today. So a tough situation to find a good example with clear history.

2) Get a used DSG Jetta / 1.8 TSi octavia for the same money and bring life back on track. continue searching for BMW.

3) Get a GT TSI, which can serve as a secondary car later on, even my dad can drive it. But this Polo is over a decade old and new one is expected in 2020. So doesn't feel like going towards it. I have to buy this new since dad doesn't like to use pre-owned for his own use.

Any advices?

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Mission_PGPX

Update:

Finally I decided to let the car go. Infact, I had no choice, its all at insurance company's discretion. They put my car in auction and I was surprised to see the highest bid. The guy from Surat bought my car for 3.5 lacs. Also it was informed that my car will not be scrapped, it will be sold after repair by salvage buyer. I called the guy next morning, he was preparing the DD for the agreed amount and he asked me only one question, is the engine running? I said yes! He seemed a good guy, spoke about an hour on why he bid so much and how much he will spend to bring it back on road. Just 1 lac.

Sorry to know about your loss---I know the emotions involved. But congratulations for coming out of the ordeal so quickly.

I am curious to know how he can get it repaired for only 1 lakh, when you were given an estimate more than 5 times that value?