[Akshay2010]

For any Volkswagen or Skoda cars, I recommend that everyone should get engine guard from their service center. It is a hard plastic which is fitted to the bottom of engine and covers transmission and engine. This is a genuine accessory and costs around 22k. I got this for my Vento TSI within 1 week of taking delivery. In fact, VWs till 2013 came with this as standard factory fitted accessory.

[OffRoadFun]

Prima facie, I would tell what you would like to hear, it does not look like a damage to the whole gearbox assembly. Take it to a good independent garage and if the damage is indeed only to outer assembly, spend 10k and forget.

[igemini]

Looking at the pictures, I don't think it's a 500k damage. The behaviour from the service center seems very doubtful as well. The best way to overcome this, shall be to get it checked with an independent garage or even at another VW dealer. You must also send an email to VW customer care keeping the service center guys in the loop. Eventually, VW customer service will send this back to the dealership. If you haven't got the reply in a day or two, please post this on the social media tagging VW.

With the new launches, I don't think VW India wants to give any wrong messages to their prospective customers right now.

Another option is, go to an independent garage, explain the scenario and ask one of their technicians to come along and to check the car in person and seek his advice. If that's a repairable job, do it. Even if the car is with the dealer, you have all the right to inspect the car and to approve or disapprove the repairs the service center suggesting.

[gandharjc]

That is NOT how 5L damage looks like. Please explore the TRUSTED FNG option before trying to work out a deal with the insurance company - will probably save you time if it works out.

[Sahil00090]

This sounds really bad I am no expert regarding the damage and can see we have some expert suggestions here. I hope it gets sorted for you, please keep us posted.

Also, does it make sense to get one engine guard? Could this had been avoided if there was an engine guard?

[Comrade]

I hope its not Deccan VW Uppal (they are crooks in my opinion). I had really bad experience with them once, and they tried to swindle 80,000 rupees from me. I had gone to them for first service and reported that my radio's physical buttons were not working since delivery. They claimed that the accessories guy (third-party), who only installed a rear-view camera, damaged the car's wiring harness, and the entire harness has to be changed, and therby warranty for the radio has automatially lapsed. I asked them to show me the proof (as I knew accessories guy used coupler to coupler instead of cutting the wiring), and then they changed the stance, and denied me any service at all. I had much better experience with PPS Khajaguda where they replaced the radio under warranty without any questions. I have subsequently started going there for all my services.

The damage to your car looks superficial from pictures (puncture to the outer casing).

1. Unless some debris found its way inside the GB, there should not be any damage to the mechnical parts. Dealer can only assess this by opening up the GB, which I guess this service center has not done yet.

2. Also, if you have stopped the vehicle immediately, then there should not be any damage due to the fluid loss.

If possible show these pics and a clear video of the external damage to other dealers and FNGs and get their prelim opinion.

[paras211]

Has happened to me in the Jetta 6 years back. New gearbox was 7 lakhs, covered in insurance. Never get the IDV low to save a few bucks in premium.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Akshay2010

For any Volkswagen or Skoda cars, I recommend that everyone should get engine guard from their service center. It is a hard plastic which is fitted to the bottom of engine and covers transmission and engine. This is a genuine accessory and costs around 22k.

Engine guard for Polo/Vento costs 8k (dealer's price), I just got it installed in my new Polo few hours back.

[vvbkumar]

Hello All,

I am the person who shared this incident. Thank you GTO & RahulNagaraj for accommodating/posting this and thank you all for your valuable inputs and suggestions.

VW Service Center did share the estimate and quoted ~5.95L.



My apprehensions are purely due to multiple red flags in this ordeal:

1. Initial ballpark estimate given was 10K for casing replacement and 1.5L for gearbox replacement. however, post the insurance surveyor visit and inspection, this was changed to 5.95L. When i questioned the SA, he is now telling that casing replacement itself takes 1.5L.

2. ASS have not opened the gearbox till date, SA mentioned that they are equipped with replacement only and cannot repair the gearbox. I checked on this with other VW service centres also (Khajaguda and Suchitra), i got the same response.

3. Insurance company is pushing for "constructive total loss" where it will be sold as is and balance of the IDV will be paid by insurance company, the surveyor told me he expects minimum 3.5L in the auction. Also, if we go with private repair and claim it, the approved amount will be the difference in auction price and IDV.

4. VW SM reached out to us to get it repaired in independent garage for ~1.5L and he will oversee it (some sort of deal), he also stated that if we are unhappy, he can sell it on our behalf.

I have reached out to couple of FNGs, had shown them the images and specified the incident details (SS Car Zone & AR Greman Motors), both of them are saying it requires gearbox replacement and quoting between 2-2.5L

The reason i am not comfortable with the independent garage/FNG is due to the notorious reputation the DSG has (although i have not faced any issue till date) and if any warranty will be provided on the replaced part.

Oh boy, i never expected such a complex & painful process. I believe there is clearly something going on here.

[MiKeMo]

Originally Posted by androdev

All the above options save money for the insurance company because their net outgo is lower than the estimate. You have let them know that the settlement has to be a win-win (they save by paying less than the required 5L and you end with the fair value of the car instead of IDV).

The insurance maths could not have been explained better, Thanks @androdev. Once we, as owners, know this trick, it becomes a lot clear to handle such a situation. IMO, this forum is the only place where you get to know such useful tips

[nitkel]

Originally Posted by vvbkumar

Hello All,
I am the person who shared this incident. Thank you GTO & RahulNagaraj for accommodating/posting this and thank you all for your valuable inputs and suggestions. VW Service Center did share the estimate and quoted ~5.95L. Oh boy, i never expected such a complex & painful process. I believe there is clearly something going on here.

Considering all the options you have and your reluctance to go with the FNG route, I believe you should settle for a total loss. Maybe use that amount to buy a similar vintage or newer Polo? I'm sure you'll get a few well maintained GTs in Hyderabad for ~5 lakhs.

[vvbkumar]

Originally Posted by androdev

3. Ask the insurance company to pay cash settlement (say 3L) plus the value of the car sold in as-is condition (say 3L), so that your net payment matches or exceeds that of the market value of your car before the accident.

Appreciate your detailed suggestions and guidance. Is this an option, i thought the max amount an insurance company settles the claim is IDV.

Originally Posted by Comrade

I hope its not Deccan VW Uppal (they are crooks in my opinion).

No it is not VW Deccan, it is the one in Kukatpally owned by PPS. My previous experiences with them on regular services were good/satisfactory.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by vvbkumar

Appreciate your detailed suggestions and guidance. Is this an option, i thought the max amount an insurance company settles the claim is IDV.

Yes, their maximum liability is IDV. The key to a successful negotiation is to understand each party's motives. You should not agree for total loss settlement, instead you should explore all possible options for a repair. As I said in my earlier post, don't fight with any party. Try to collaborate :-)

Contact VW and ask them to help you in lowering the estimate. They can't be charging 5+L for a gearbox where the new car itself was sold for less than 10L incl road tax, etc. Explain it to them that inspite of having such an expensive cover-everything policy, you are unable to get the car repaired after such a minor accident. You can't afford to buy a new car and you need their assistance/goodwill.

Go through the list of approved workshops by insurance company and find a workshop that is willing to give an estimate that won't qualify for total loss. Maybe they can find a GB from a salvage seller or maybe they can repair it instead of replacing it. Insurance company will be forced to pay for that repair.

Who is the insurance provider and surveyor? Share the details here and fellow members might be able to connect you with the right contacts. Try to reach out to someone senior and tell them how unfair it is to the customer - someone who paid for zero depreciation and engine+GB cover and so on - only to be forced to sell the car just because IDV is cheaper than market value. Hypothetically, if the car gets sold in auction for 4.5L, insurance company would walk away without having to pay anything. This is the modus operandi of insurance surveyors, a case of a company helping themselves at the expense of the customer. You just want their cooperation (and that of VW) to help you repair the car instead of declaring it as a total loss.

Originally Posted by vvbkumar

3. Insurance company is pushing for "constructive total loss" where it will be sold as is and balance of the IDV will be paid by insurance company, the surveyor told me he expects minimum 3.5L in the auction. Also, if we go with private repair and claim it, the approved amount will be the difference in auction price and IDV.

Request them to allow you to buy the car for 2.5-3.0L and collect the balance cash so you will be able to get it repaired by yourself - assuming a relatively cheaper repair is possible.

There is nothing fishy here. Insurance company is just minimising their liability by declaring a perfectly repairable car as total loss. You be polite and firm that you want to explore all options to repair and not agree to any total loss settlement.

[igemini]

Originally Posted by vvbkumar

He

VW Service Center did share the estimate and quoted ~5.95L.

I am seriously surprised how a car worth 10L can get a gearbox worth 5.65L. Assuming the body shell would be approximately 2-2.5 L including painting. This means the 1.2 TSI engine cost will be only 1.85 -2 L. WOW VW India, your logic is amazing.

I assume the dealer / VW India (if they are involved) just wants to push you to purchase a glorified new-gen polo aka Taigun by replacing the current one.

[goingout]

Unfortunately this is real mate. Many many years ago I was racing for VW and I had the same unfortunate incident. I hit a curb too hard and it damaged the gearbox casing. I stopped the car immediately and it was fully functioning. The team also told me it seems like external damage. Few days later was handed a Rs 5L bill for gearbox replacement. Just to put in context that was almost the same as the entry fee for the whole championship. I had to pay it or they wouldn't have let me continue the racing.

Still amazed how that gearbox costs half of the whole car. Completely ridiculous.

Try your best for goodwill discount.

Originally Posted by vvbkumar

Hello All,

I am the person who shared this incident. Thank you GTO & RahulNagaraj for accommodating/posting this and thank you all for your valuable inputs and suggestions.

VW Service Center did share the estimate and quoted ~5.95L.

Attachment 2284149

My apprehensions are purely due to multiple red flags in this ordeal:

1. Initial ballpark estimate given was 10K for casing replacement and 1.5L for gearbox replacement. however, post the insurance surveyor visit and inspection, this was changed to 5.95L. When i questioned the SA, he is now telling that casing replacement itself takes 1.5L.

2. ASS have not opened the gearbox till date, SA mentioned that they are equipped with replacement only and cannot repair the gearbox. I checked on this with other VW service centres also (Khajaguda and Suchitra), i got the same response.

3. Insurance company is pushing for "constructive total loss" where it will be sold as is and balance of the IDV will be paid by insurance company, the surveyor told me he expects minimum 3.5L in the auction. Also, if we go with private repair and claim it, the approved amount will be the difference in auction price and IDV.

4. VW SM reached out to us to get it repaired in independent garage for ~1.5L and he will oversee it (some sort of deal), he also stated that if we are unhappy, he can sell it on our behalf.

I have reached out to couple of FNGs, had shown them the images and specified the incident details (SS Car Zone & AR Greman Motors), both of them are saying it requires gearbox replacement and quoting between 2-2.5L

The reason i am not comfortable with the independent garage/FNG is due to the notorious reputation the DSG has (although i have not faced any issue till date) and if any warranty will be provided on the replaced part.

Oh boy, i never expected such a complex & painful process. I believe there is clearly something going on here.