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Topic: Towbar damage from minor collission?

Tim and Cary

31/8/2014 at 5:34pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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On Friday Cary was driving our Kia Sorento when she was involved in a minor accident. She was turning left from a minor road into another minor road at slow speed when she had to stop to give way to an approaching car. The motorist following Cary, in a Honda CRV, failed to stop and crashed into the back of her. The nearside bumper of the Honda was badly dented but our car only suffered a couple of small indentations on the bumper. Our towbar had done the damage to the Honda's wing and saved our car's rear end from significant obvious damage.

I am, however concerned as to whether our towbar or the car floor has been damaged by this accident. It was a very low speed collision. I reported the accident to our insurers, LV, who suggested that we get the towbar and car checked I'm just wondering who would be best to do this. LV's recommended repairer offered to make a home visit to assess the damage but I'm not sure if they will be the best people to check the towbar/floor especially at home without being able to clearly see underside of the car/towbar. The damage to our bumper is so superficial that it would not be worth taking the car to the recommended repairer who is situated 8 miles away. The bumper damage would only need a bit of filler and a touch up - a mobile "dentman" type operation could sort it out.

I'd be grateful for any comments regarding the possible damage to the towbar/car floor and how to best get it checked out.

Tim

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Tim and Cary

sharky 2728

31/8/2014 at 5:50pm
Location: Brum Brum
Outfit: Avondale 480 frontera 2.2 DTI

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I had this happen to me a few years ago to look at the car there was hardly any damage. Took it to be checked told it was OK to tow the caravan home but when I booked it in for repair I was told I was lucky that I got home as the towbar was bent as well as the mounting bolts and they were brand new (1 month old) Me personally would insist on a new towbar as you don't know what damage it has done!

RonPlatt

31/8/2014 at 5:57pm
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It should be possible to check this yourself. Look at the towbar mounts, if nothing is bent then its ok. If it was only a low speed shunt then the stress on the towbar would have been no more than say, hitting a pothole at 60mph while towing.

On modern cars the 'bumper' is the bit underneath, not the plastic outer that smashes to pieces at the slightest touch. To cover yourself & save unnecessary expense I would let your insurer come & check it.

Worth pointing out though that even informing your insurer of an accident without claiming is likely to increase your premium at renewal time so you may have to shop around for cheaper insurance when time to renew.

millermicm

31/8/2014 at 6:43pm
Location: west country
Outfit: None Entered

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I would take it to our local and trusted independent car & commercial repairers. They do mot's and will ensure it's safe to mot standards.

If it ain't broke don't fix it but get it checked.

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Steve

Bob61

31/8/2014 at 6:58pm
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Mobile tow bar fitters come to your house to fit tow bars and need to see and know what they are doing so I would have thought your LV recommended fitter offering to come to your house would be ideal.

Grampian91

31/8/2014 at 7:47pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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Get the chassis bolts checked and replace the ball at the very least.

DaveS1

31/8/2014 at 8:18pm
Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
Outfit: Ace Supreme Twinstar Disco 3

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Why muck about ? You are insured so let the Insurers deal with it.
That's why you pay your premium to take the hassle off you.
Daves1

freeatlast

31/8/2014 at 11:24pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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We had the same a few years ago. It was a low speed accident and looked like very little damage, however, on inspection there was far more damage than appeared, and it had to have the boot floor replaced, though the towbar and chassis part was undamaged.

I would take it in and have it carefully checked. It sounds like the other driver's fault and as such they will lose their no claims not you. I would get a home visit, these people know what they are doing.

Phil Ness

01/9/2014 at 1:07am
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If you have a garage you know and trust get them to check out your car. I am insured with LV and had to make a claim, their "approved repair centre" left a lot to be desired. I thought it would be easier to deal with them rather than my own choice and it was a huge mistake. That said LV were fantastic in dealing with my concerns, sending an independent assessor out at my convenience and instantly approving my preferred choice of repair garage to rectify the problems.
If you are worried about a rise in premium, I had a new bumper, headlight, foglight, wing, windscreen washer reservoir, respray and a second opinion condemning the work done and having it redone to a satisfactory standard and the renewal cost me £10 more.
Choose a garage convenient to you and get it checked. LV are very good at customer service. I have insured through them for a few years now, even putting my details into comparison sites they still throw back prices the same as my renewal quotes.

jasie

01/9/2014 at 11:19am
Location: Bath
Outfit: Bailey Palermo & Kampa Brean

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a visual check might show a simple bend or displacement....but many towbars are mounted with the frame of the car, so you wont know if anything is damaged or bent without a full removal.

we had an incident with the volvo a couple of years back...i took it to the nearest dealer and he told me this. basically they said its at your own risk.

they ended up replacing it, and it had indeed just slightly bend the bolts, but we could see no other damage. but my FIL is a ship welder, and he told me the only way to properly assess it would be to xray it. A bit extreme for me!

in the end the insurance replaced it without any quibble. Just replace it...you have no idea what stress has been caused...it may be only slight, but could increase over time.

glittering-prize

02/9/2014 at 12:14am
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Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 31/8/2014
We had the same a few years ago. It was a low speed accident and looked like very little damage, however, on inspection there was far more damage than appeared, and it had to have the boot floor replaced, though the towbar and chassis part was undamaged.

I would take it in and have it carefully checked. It sounds like the other driver's fault and as such they will lose their no claims not you. I would get a home visit, these people know what they are doing.

Its no claim not no blame.If you claim you lose no matter who is to blame,unless you have protected no claims,even then your premium will go up.Might be adviseable if the other party is willing to settle for cash and dont involve insurance

Tim and Cary

02/9/2014 at 8:12pm
Location: Criccieth Gwynedd
Outfit: Buccaneer Commodore

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Thanks everyone for your input I'm going to have the car, especially the towbar, checked by the guy from Motor Bodies, Widnes who are LV's nearest approved repairers. I may, also, get a quote from a more local body shop known to me.

LV have confirmed that the other party has admitted liability so no excess or costs for me, at least not until renwal, but that's a year away.

Tim

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Tim and Cary

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