*sigh*

[Rapscallion]

Latest on this - I tried getting hold of the accident repair centre and I managed to turn my phone off like a silly bugger yesterday. Today, I managed to call them and it turns out it's a write-off, though the insurance company failed to tell me yesterday, since my phone wasn't on.

Yay!

I'm also working until 10pm minimum tonight. I suspect as it's just after 3pm, they're going to have a job - overtime's rather available right now.

The question is whether or not they're able to repair it on a cheaper basis with parts from the scrapyard up the road. The guy I would need to speak to is on holiday until Monday. Great.

Fortunately, the overtime is cracking into the 'upgrade to Mark II Bastardmobile' fund, but it won't be enough for anything as good as I've been looking at. May look at getting a minor loan to help cover a medium-level vehicle.

Smeg. Wish I'd been able to do this when I had the time to take instead of being given a deadline.

Rapscallion

Anyway, I got hold of the repair place and they said they may be able to repair it, but the guy to speak to isn't in until Monday.

[Rapscallion]

Started looking for the Mark II Bastardmobile. So far, nothing really suitable regarding price and reasonable quality. Can either get low-powered and high mileage old cars for about £1,500, or something a bit newer and overpowered for about £3k. Rather irritating, really. I think it's a side effect of the scrappage scheme (our version of cash for clunkers) - a sales dude today told me that the scheme has taken a large number of good cars off the road, cars that only had age against them.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Oooh - saw a good potential one on Ebay. I don't want to fixate on it too much, but it's a Yaris (generally reliable, gets good mileage), and it's not done many miles. Best of all, it's within twenty miles of me, so I'm asking when's a good time to have a look-see.

Still nothing from the insurance company etc. *sigh* Maybe I should turn my phone on (actually, it is on, but I've been working in the fridge often this week without reception).

Rapscallion

[Der Cute]

Good luck Raps. I would hate being sans auto!

Cutenoob

[Rapscallion]

This is irritating.

I could pre-empt things with the Yaris, since it's on auction for only 48 more hours. I'd have to contact the insurance company and then set the timer for saying goodbye to the courtesy car (a rather nice model, I have to point out).

The alternative is to ignore it for a little longer and keep the Micra for longer. Time's against me.

Have asked around and the fact that I could trade it in for a £2k discount on a new car apparently means nothing. From my point of view, the value of something is what they will give you for it, but I reckon there's legal precedent in this sort of case.

Bugger.

Pre-empt or not. Musing, musing.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Letter arrived, so any ponderings on my side are moot now.

They reckoned its worth is £640, and it's worth more than that at private sale according to the prices I've seen around. They also reckon it's worth £39 salvage, so they're letting me keep it, want me to get rid, and deducting what they think it's worth at salvage from the total, so I get just over £600.

To a certain extent, they've offered me a car that I know and is driveable (ish), and that needs some work on it, and there's some funds to get it on the road with second-hand parts.

What I don't get is why they think I should be doing any work on this - I was the person not at fault for this, so why should I be doing the running?

Meh.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Let's have a look at my options. (Ignore this if boring - just want to get it down on a screen).

I could accept the settlement and go to scrap it. Slight variant on arguing the pay out with the insurance company, but that's in all options. This puts money towards a newer vehicle. Down side, I'd have to contribute my own money on top.

I could accept and arrange for repair - this is the cheap option and I reckon I can easily get another year out of the car. Down side is that the car's had a bump and may be unstable on other areas.

Actually, those are the two options I have. I really have to make some sort of decision on this, but I'll be damned if I know which way to go, and I have a chance of a rather nifty motor that I can just about afford on Ebay, but it's an unknown quantity when it comes in.

*ponder*

Rapscallion

[Broomjockey]

I dunno, but personally, if you're only looking to get "another year" out of a car, and it could potentially have other issues to crop up due to this accident, I'd bite the bullet, and quickly snag something that I'd have for another 5-10 years, rather than the hassle of fixing this one now, shopping later, and the Sword of Damocles over my head as to potentially expensive additional repairs between.

[Rapscallion]

The next car I get could have just the same problems. Anything less likely to be prone to falling apart is out of my financial league right now, or would put me parlously close to the edge.

See the scrappage scheme has driven the cost of second-hand cars up hugely. Far fewer of them around. I wanted to be able to look at a trade-in or whatever at a time of my choosing with some cash backed up first. To get something reasonable would involve me spending what I have banked and going onto my credit card for the rest (can get an interest-free for transfer card easily enough to spread it out, I reckon).

Back's against the wall.

Still looking at all options, though.

Rapscallion

[cinema guy]

What I don't get is why they think I should be doing any work on this - I was the person not at fault for this, so why should I be doing the running?

Sadly, this kind of thing is a gigantic hassle, no matter whether you were at fault or not. Been through it a time or two.

I use: http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/ and http://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/ when I'm looking for a car.

[Rapscallion]

May have fallen on my feet. Guy at work is willing to sell his SEAT Leon (02 plates, less that 40k on the clock).

Can't get it until the end of the month, but it's in good shape and a low price considering.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Been checking out the value they put on my car, since the cheque arrived yesterday.

From what I can see, they've slightly overvalued the car, and I get the car as well out of the deal to sell on for a fixer-upper, or as scrap, or parts.

Cost me a little at a car website for this, but I got about 50% above the private-good sale price. Starting to think it's not worth my dignity to argue for more, as they'll have good grounds to tell me I'm full of crap.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Got the Bastardmobile back. Was a touch growly after being stood for some time. Turned the engine off at lights and the like Probably going to throw it onto Ebay on the grounds that I can get more there than I would for salvage - should be plenty willing to buy it to repair it.

Have confirmed with colleague about the Mark II. End of an era, start of another era.

*sigh*

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Well, I wondered about arranging a loan, but since any financial deficit is - hopefully - going to be temporary, I decided to ask at my bank about an appointment for an overdraft facility. The lady took my bank card and wanted to check some things.

I'd asked for more than I need - £1000 for six months. She gave me a permanent overdraft on the spot.

Sounds like I have a good name down there.

Rapscallion

[wagegoth]

Congrats, Raps. Be sure to post pictures of the Bastardmobile Mark II.