I was driving my series 1 106 a few nights back and in order to avoid a f@@£ing idiot driving at me in the middle of the road, while using a mobile phone, I swerved straight into a pot-hole!! Such was the force of the 'bang' I damaged my alloy wheel, punctured the tyre and had to pull the plastic wheel arch liner from out of the inner wing!! Now when driving the car it pulls to one side, there is a 'clonking' noise when going over bumps, car is very unstable, especially in the bends and suspension seems very 'soft'. Any ideas how much/what damage I have caused?? Took it to an 'expert' who said, mmm take it to Peugeot see what they can find. Hardly what I wanted to hear, so any ideas???
Cheers
m chapman
Suspension
Moderator: RichardW
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Dave Burns
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: 14 May 2001, 05:30
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
- x 2
Hope you have taken a picture of the pot hole and are going to claim for the repairs from the local authority.
Not wise to drive it any further until the damage has been put right, not familiar with the model so can't offer any other advice.
Good luck
Dave
Edited by - Dave Burns on 13 Oct 2002 23:20:14
Not wise to drive it any further until the damage has been put right, not familiar with the model so can't offer any other advice.
Good luck
Dave
Edited by - Dave Burns on 13 Oct 2002 23:20:14
To try a claim to the local authority you would need as much evidence and details as possible. As stated you need photos of the pothole plus details of its exact location. You would need to evaluate exactly the damage to the car and enclose two or three quotes to repair the damage. Write to the Roads department or whatever they are called in your area, and copy to their Insurance section if they have one, possibly within the Finance department. If they advertise a number to report road defects, use it and indicate in your letter you have done this.
Figure out if the road is under the responsiblitly of the local authority - in Scotland most are, but "trunk" roads are under the Scottish Executive, and most of them seem to be subcontracted to big private companies, eg Bear
Don't hold your breath either. I tried it once - a traffic cone blew across the road and dented the front wing of my 106. The claim gets passed to their insurers and after several months and several letters back and forth to the insurance company I got nowhere.
Their line was the cones were set out following the correct procedures, and they were the correct type and weight of cones. In effect it was an "act of God". My case suffered as I did not have any photos of the scene.
Your case is different as they cannot argue this about a hole - ways in which they might try to get out of it are if there were any warning notices or cones telling you to keep away from the area, or possibly if it was actually off the main part of the road - ie a hole in the verge.
Regards
Michael
Figure out if the road is under the responsiblitly of the local authority - in Scotland most are, but "trunk" roads are under the Scottish Executive, and most of them seem to be subcontracted to big private companies, eg Bear
Don't hold your breath either. I tried it once - a traffic cone blew across the road and dented the front wing of my 106. The claim gets passed to their insurers and after several months and several letters back and forth to the insurance company I got nowhere.
Their line was the cones were set out following the correct procedures, and they were the correct type and weight of cones. In effect it was an "act of God". My case suffered as I did not have any photos of the scene.
Your case is different as they cannot argue this about a hole - ways in which they might try to get out of it are if there were any warning notices or cones telling you to keep away from the area, or possibly if it was actually off the main part of the road - ie a hole in the verge.
Regards
Michael
PS another option for you is to claim on your own insurance - this was in effect an accident. Your insurance company could then pursue the council for you.
You have to weigh up how much your excess is against how much the repairs are going to cost and possibly losing your no-claims bonus.
Regarding the damage to the car could be loads of things - damaged suspension arm (about £80 each before fitting) possible bent steering - (new rack costs a bit) etc...need it checked out - Peugeot garage will be expensive - try another independent who does accident damage.
Michael
You have to weigh up how much your excess is against how much the repairs are going to cost and possibly losing your no-claims bonus.
Regarding the damage to the car could be loads of things - damaged suspension arm (about £80 each before fitting) possible bent steering - (new rack costs a bit) etc...need it checked out - Peugeot garage will be expensive - try another independent who does accident damage.
Michael
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Dave Burns
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: 14 May 2001, 05:30
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
- x 2
I once made a claim against my local authority for a damaged tyre and wheel, they tried it on saying that the hole was the responsibility of the water authority, because they had caused it by digging at that point.
The water authority then said it was the council's responsibility because the work was done so long ago that there had been ample time for them to reinstate the road surface, whatever that meant.
Fortunately they were decent about it in the end and ended up paying half each.
When you pay for a road fund licence it is resonable to assume that the road will be adequately maintained so as not to cause damage to licenced vehicles using it, its not your fault its someone elses and they should be made to pick up the bill for the damage caused.
Take down the dimension's of the hole and take a shot of the width of the carriageway showing the holes position, find out if you can how long its been like that, if its been there a good while then the authority may have been neglegant.
Move fast before the Buggers fill it in.
Good luck
Dave
The water authority then said it was the council's responsibility because the work was done so long ago that there had been ample time for them to reinstate the road surface, whatever that meant.
Fortunately they were decent about it in the end and ended up paying half each.
When you pay for a road fund licence it is resonable to assume that the road will be adequately maintained so as not to cause damage to licenced vehicles using it, its not your fault its someone elses and they should be made to pick up the bill for the damage caused.
Take down the dimension's of the hole and take a shot of the width of the carriageway showing the holes position, find out if you can how long its been like that, if its been there a good while then the authority may have been neglegant.
Move fast before the Buggers fill it in.
Good luck
Dave
Lodged a complaint with the local council, now waiting for them to get back to me..........
Anyway, after taking my car to a second garage, who also found nothing wrong with it, "the heavier steering is due to the alloy wheels you have fitted", even though the steering wasnt heavy before the accident!!!! Its as if these people don't want your money...
Decided to examine the car myself, front two shocks were knackered, leaking oil, could not travel up and down freely, one was even bent slightly. So I replaced these and the springs and also checked thoroughly for any other visable signs of damage which there was none.
The car now handles better, doesn't roll as much, and copes with poor surfaces, i.e British roads, much better, but the steering is still very heavy. When I turn the steeering wheel full lock it literally 'races' back the other way but doesn't return to straight ahead its as if it is sticking somewhere, if that makes sense??
Any ideas as to what it could be??
Cheers
m chapman
Anyway, after taking my car to a second garage, who also found nothing wrong with it, "the heavier steering is due to the alloy wheels you have fitted", even though the steering wasnt heavy before the accident!!!! Its as if these people don't want your money...
Decided to examine the car myself, front two shocks were knackered, leaking oil, could not travel up and down freely, one was even bent slightly. So I replaced these and the springs and also checked thoroughly for any other visable signs of damage which there was none.
The car now handles better, doesn't roll as much, and copes with poor surfaces, i.e British roads, much better, but the steering is still very heavy. When I turn the steeering wheel full lock it literally 'races' back the other way but doesn't return to straight ahead its as if it is sticking somewhere, if that makes sense??
Any ideas as to what it could be??
Cheers
m chapman