General Mk1 Panda 4x4 Value

[pandamonius_maximus]

Hi guys,

Need some help as I think poor little Qing Qing might be written off by a silly lady who left her handbrake off on her New Mini convertable.

Its crumpled wing and A-panel, ripped back the drivers side front wheel bending the lower suspension arm and steering rack and I fear also the strut is bent as there is virtually no movement in suspension...scratched down the side and god knows what else bent underneath. I am very confident that the assessor will write it off so I will need to give them a value.

Now the problem!! I have'nt seen a working mk1 4x4 for sale ever! so how can I prove its worth anything? I can go down the mk2 4x4 route but to them its probably just an older cheaper one. I have an email from DVLA somewhere that backs up how rare they are - aprox 50 in UK (about 5 years ago). Any ideas?

One very sad panda owner. All this on top of moving house has almost pushed me over the edge. Especially after all the late nights and hard work I put into the car over the last 3 years including an exremely painful clutch replacement earlier this year.

Si

PS driveshaft clicks on full lock

 

[Panda Van]

Ooooh noooooo Si, sorry to hear that I havent got a clue on value, Fiat Motor Club do written valuation for use with insuring cars, it may be worth a joining fee to get that, otherwise it'll just go on book value which will be minimal.
When baz got crashed in to last year the insurance company said they could either write it off and give me the money for the value of the car and give it a cat D write off against it or they could give me the money to do the repairs myself which is what I went for and then the car didnt have the catagory D write off against it either.
If you need any more info PM me, hope it all works out.

 

[rele]

Sorry to hear bad news

 

[aquamarine]

Really sorry to hear about the car, such bad luck. Value I would put at £2,000 - maybe you could use Camel as a guide? Hope the damage isn't as bad as you fear. If you do get to keep the car, I'm sure lots of us would be only too happy to help with parts (I may be able to get you some from Italy when we go on hols) or even time if nearby enough. All the best, David

 

[firstcar-Y10]

so sorry to hear that Si, one of the classic motors on here too More long nights ahead then? Always dread something like this, I know full well that Grumbleweed's worth nowt in the real world so I just hope an insurance company never gets near him. Good luck.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Absoloutly gutted Simon

I'd be tempted to try and use mk2 4x4 prices, but advise that this is a mk1 and harder to find by far!

How are you claiming? Directly through other partys insurance? That'd be the best way I'd advise and leave your insurance out of it as its an open close case at to who was at fault.

Regarding keeping the car, do not let assessor take it away if you can, and advise them that you will be keeping it and they will not be claim salvage (or salvage costs against you) on it (assuming your planning on keeping her).

Jon.

 

[Giacosa]

Crap news Si, I was hoping to meet Qing Qing. Not what you need after years of work

 

[purple haze]

Pants mate...gutted for you....really lost for words. You got to keep the car though.

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Thank you for all the advice and kind words. Its had me quite stressed, as if moving house was not enough!!

Jon, regarding salvage; surely they cannot charge me for the salvage costs if they take the car away? I will tell them I am not going to scrap it though just in case. I don't think its scrap worthy to be honest but for a garage to do it is a different matter.

I'll see about getting a valuation at Fiat Motor Club too. Difficult to argue value otherwise I think.

I am claiming off the other insurance company but I think they said they will talk with my insurance company. I have checked my no claims is not affected so in theory I should not be in trouble next renewal.

Will keep y'all posted though, fingers crossed the garage will just fix the car and I wont need to do anything further.

Thanks again,

Si

 

[pandamaniac]

Si.
I have just read your posts and am saddened after all the effort put in to keeping our old cars on the road that we are the losers every time.
It isn''t fair that we are penalised for someone elses cock up.
Maybe the only way in future is like my next door neighbour with a Triumph TR4A that had a total rebuild and that is an agreed valuation with your insurance.
Keep on trucking and get it fixed.
All the best Dave

 

[Palio]

My Mk2 Sisley has an agreed value of £2000 so as already suggested this could be a starting point.

What value are you trying to prove? Do you have good photos from all angles including interior/engine bay - pre accident? If so, can probably sort something out via the Fiat Motor Club official valuer. PM me or Panda Van if you need more info & we'll try to help.

Hope this helps a bit.

Gavin.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Jon, regarding salvage; surely they cannot charge me for the salvage costs if they take the car away? I will tell them I am not going to scrap it though just in case. I don't think its scrap worthy to be honest but for a garage to do it is a different matter.

When you tell them your keeping the car the majority of insurance companies will deduct what they deem they'd be able to get for it as salvage when they sell it to a scrappy. So say theyd expect to get £200 and they agreed to pay out £1000, you'd only get £800. This they cannot legally do if your a 3rd party claimant like yourself but they often try it, so make sure that they don't.

 

[urchin]

be carefull if they take the car away mate find out exactly where its going as some insurance firms take the car away to get an estimate (im in nottingham and have known cars go to birmingham for a quote) they will more than likley write it off and as said above you need it to be a cat d if you want to keep it and put it back on the road argue with the assesor I did and got my dads seicento as a cat d insted of a c so no vic check do your homework print out some for sale ads for pandas off auto trader as thats where they will look to come up with a price.

 

[Pandarus]

Sorry to hear about this Si, please keep us updated with your progress

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

be carefull if they take the car away mate find out exactly where its going as some insurance firms take the car away to get an estimate (im in nottingham and have known cars go to birmingham for a quote) they will more than likley write it off and as said above you need it to be a cat d if you want to keep it and put it back on the road argue with the assesor I did and got my dads seicento as a cat d insted of a c so no vic check do your homework print out some for sale ads for pandas off auto trader as thats where they will look to come up with a price.

Well an update, car is being collected wednesday to be assessed. Not going too far though so won't be amazingly difficult to get back. I tried to get a mobile assessor but they didnt have one :bang:

Unfortunately this means they may well write it off and then I will have to get it back at cost. Very annoying, but I'll put up with it as long as they keep it to cat d write off.

I have signed up to Fiat Motor Club now too so I can get the valuation done and I have an advert for a mk2 4x4 for sale as proof of value. Also going to include the email from the DVLA for number of remaining mk1 4x4's available in the UK. They won't find a mk1 4x4 on the road in its condition I am sure, so would be near impossible to replace!

Fingers crossed all will go smoothly, but being without a car is very annoying Wont get a hire car till I know the situation for the repairs.

Oh the joys

 

[VmanC]

Hi Si,

Only saw this today, really bad news . We can ill afford to lose any Mk1's let alone a 4x4. I hope things work out well and you are able to save her.

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Yeah, I am quite worried about it. I have horrible images in my head of the assessors deaming the car un-roadworthy and forcing it to be scrapped. OMG I cannot wait for this to be over, I am actually scared. I have to keep telling myself that the damage isn't that bad. I know I can fix it, I just didn't want to lose out financially. Argh!! I am never parking my car anywhere remotely hilly again lol

Si

 

[lewey]

Just seen this. What ridiculously bad luck. Feel bad for you. Keep us posted. Do Pandas seem to attract bad luck or what?

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

assessors deaming the car un-roadworthy and forcing it to be scrapped.

They cant do that remember. If I managed to get a CAT 'A' Panda with a chopped off roof back you should be fine

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

They cant do that remember. If I managed to get a CAT 'A' Panda with a chopped off roof back you should be fine

Thats true. Well find out soon enough anyway. Car collected tomorrow morning Fingers crossed!

Si