Help needed... Xantia HDi Value

[DHallworth]

Guys,

Need a little help valuing our Xantia HDi Exclusive.

To cut a long story short, someone went into the back of it last week when my fiancé was driving it. They've bent the tow bar, bent the boot floor, distorted the boot lid, and even the rear view mirror fell off lol.

The insurance assessor came out today to view the car...

He's valued the car at £1200. He's then deducted £200 because of the high mileage (117k) and has then deducted a further £400 because someone has done a bad job of spraying the passengers door in the past giving the car a value of £600 and he wanted to deduct a further £50 for me to keep the car.

I've told him to get lost and that under no circumstances will I be accepting the offer he's proposed. 117k miles on a 12 year old car is actually well below the average. Average mileage would have the car at 150k now.

I've given the guy 3 options...

1. He increases his settlement offer to £1000 and leaves the car with me.
2. He repairs the car to the condition it was in prior to his client driving into the back of it.
3. He replaces the car with a like for like car, same age, spec, mileage etc.

When I told him that I was legally entitled to be put back in the position I was in prior to the accident he informed me that I was "misinformed and talking rubbish".

This car is mechanically sorted, here's a list I've kept of all the work done to the car in the last 2 years:

Rear Spheres
Accumulator Sphere
Centre Section & Rear Silencer on Exhaust
Front Discs & Pads
Track Rod End & Track Rod
4 Michelin Tyres
Crank Shaft Pulley
Aux Belt Tensioner
Aux Belt
Injector Washers & Spacers
Replacement Glow Plugs
Replacement Glow Plug Box
Replacement Igniton Switch
Fuel Filters x 4
Air Filters x 4
Oil Filters x 4
Wishbones x 2
Rear Engine Mount Rubber
Rear Window Regulator
Track Rod End (Other Side)
8 Replacement Spheres
Timing Belt
Water Pump
Timing Belt Tensioners
Intercooler
Both front Wheel Bearings
Both Bottom Ball Joints

The car has wanted for nothing and has sailed through both of it's last MOT's without so much as an advisory.

Am I being reasonable in valuing the car at £1000?

It's an impossible car to replace really... Until the last day or two there's been no Xantia HDi Exclusives available on Autotrader or eBay.

David.

[bxzx16v]

I don't think what your asking is unreasonable , it does sound like a nice example . The first year I insured my Zx16v with Adrian flux on an agreed value policy they would only value it at £1000 , after the first year I went to Lancaster who were far more willing to put a higher agreed value on it without any aggro , it's now insured for £1800 should the worst happen , where I'd get a replacement i wouldn't even like to think about it .

Mark

[rory_perrett]

On the being put back in the position you were before the accident, you are both sort of right. You cannot demand to have your car repaired if it is uneconomical to do so, ie if your car can be replaced with an equivalent vehicle for £1000 you cannot demand they spend £2000 repairing yours. However, neither can they expect you to be disadvantaged. That said you are much nearer with your £1000 than he is with £550. As you say 117k miles is low for a 12 year old car of any sort. I bought my Xantia HDi Exclusive 4 years ago with 116k miles (now 272k miles) for £1100 and would pay similar money for one in the same condition with 117k miles regardless of age. There was a low mileage (54k miles I think) T plate one on autotrader 3 or 4 weeks back up at around £1500. I have seen a few with reasonable miles around the £800 - £900 mark so £1000 might be a tad on the top side but not by much assuming it is a hatch not an estate. Even if they come to their senses and stump up £850 + cash and you keep the car, as you say you are going to struggle to find another. It will be easier to find an SX and swap over the leather etc. Good luck. What you are going through is my worst nightmare because if same thing happened to me they would just look at the mileage and offer scrap value rather than see a well maintained car that will do another 272k miles.

[rory_perrett]

Having said that there is one on autotrader for £550 in High Wycombe although it doesn't give the mileage. Bit far from you though, probably cost you £200 on the train to go and have a look at it.

[Diabolical]

When my XM was vandalised and written off I expected £3000 at the time Insurance would only agree to £2300.

So I found every For Sale advert for XM around £3000 mark (was a lot around then) cut out and sent photocopy to insurance with details of where they where advertised.

I got me 3 Grande

[addo]

Were the future Mrs Hallworth to attack your hostile assessor on a return visit, it would quite reasonably be put down to PTSD.

It might dissuade them from adding to the aggravation for which they are already liable (as insurers of the at-fault driver)...