Flood damage and Saga

6pm Cowboy · 24-11-2009, 15:58

All these Cumbrian floods reminded me of the Oxfordshire floods a couple of years ago.

SWMBO was driving our rather old but still good Toyota Previa people carrier through a small cotswold village when round a sharp corner she came across flood water where it had never appeared before, and plowed straight into it.

The vehicle was pushed back out and eventually restarted so she could drive it the twenty odd miles home but it was making a strange and quite loud ticking / clicking noise ( know nowt about engines )

I phoned Saga to ask if we could get out relative to tow it to his garage ( he said she shouldn't have driven it ) to see what the damage was and was told no, they had to get there own assessor out ( from about 30 miles away )

Assessor duely turned up took photos of the speedo, reg plate, existing small dent on side panel, and a picture under the hood. ( without seeming to notice that there was no engine there ) He made no attempt to start or even look at the engine.

Shortly afterwards we heard from Saga that they considered the vehicle a write off and made us an offer.

Now as it happens it was a pretty good offer, considerably more than I would have expected..... But nobody actually knew for sure that there was anything significant wrong with it.

Didn't know whether to be happy or angry but definately pussled.

Johns_Cross_Motorhomes · 24-11-2009, 16:55

Take the money

Peter

6pm Cowboy · 24-11-2009, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johns_Cross_Motorhomes

Take the money

Peter

Oh I did, i did.

peter marshall · 24-11-2009, 23:20

It reminds me of an old candid camera shot from years ago, where they rolled a car minus engine into a garage, put petrol in then complained to the garage that the petrol was duff as the car would not start, much to the puzzlement of the mechanic who lifted the bonnet. Pete

6pm Cowboy · 25-11-2009, 07:18

Ah yes, i remember it well. ( Maurice Chavelier ? )

I really dont think he noticed the engine wasn't there. He was on autopilot. U saw the pictures he took and all he had under the bonnet was the screen washer tank. Maybe that was a crucial bit of evidence.

hilldweller · 25-11-2009, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6pm Cowboy

. But nobody actually knew for sure that there was anything significant wrong with it.

But *they* knew that on average such a vehicle of that age would result in a claim of £XXX and it's worth only £YYY so their sensible option is to write it off. Over thousands of claims it averages out in their favour.

They way of the world today.

I had a check up because of high pressure in my eyes ( now cured ) but the doc said, "you are over 60 so we'll put you on statins". "No you won't". "But statistically you might have a stoke". "Thank you' I'll take my chances, I'm more likely to get run over, I think".

Geo · 25-11-2009, 10:43

Most engines that suffer water ingress require a full rebuild to guarantee a favourable out come and that would have been a major expense
But as Brian suggest a couple of Statins may have cured it you never know

6pm Cowboy · 25-11-2009, 10:48

There you go Brian.

Go back to your GP and tell him you have changed your mind. ( hands up those who said 'they would change it if they had a mind like his )

Market as the latest fuel additive.