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Our van was involved in a small accident a few weeks ago and the insurance comapny are going to write it off as to return it to it's pre accident contition it needs a new side, the repair would cost £2800 for labour and then around £1000 for parts. They have offered us £4000 which is a fair offer but they want to deduct £750 (for salvage) and us keep the van.

The main damage was about a foot of the o/s awning rail being pulled away, we have bent this back in place and sealed it, there is a slight dent in the side which you can't see but can feel if you rub your hand over it, the toilet and battery locker hinges are scraped , the palstic weel arch has a few small cracks in it and there is a black rubber mark along the side of the van but this should polish out. It sound much worse than it looks and with the black rubber mark it won't look as if there is any thing really wrong with it.

Our concern is that if we keep the van will we be able to sell it on for £750 as it has been written off?  From a logistical point of view it would be easier to keep it while we look for another one as we won't have to find somewhere to put all of our things and we can carry on using it but we don't want to end up being stuck with it. I think it would be a bargain for someone who didn't have much money to spend as they would get a 4 berth 1998 van with all the mod cons for less than £1000 and even with the damage it still looks better than alot of the ones I have looked at!!

What do you think?

Ok these pics were taken before we bent the awning rail back and sealed it to make it water tight, the rest of the damage is still the same, if we keep hold of it we will clean the black marks off but not do any thing else.

doesnt look that bad from the pics what sort of van is it would be interested my self if you wanted to sell it if you do you could contact me mickonnights at aol.com

It looks like just a bit of cosmetic damage mainly.  I am sure someone is going to get a bargain.

brian

After you have cleaned it up, you may be able to get it removed from the register by having an engineers inspection. This will allow it to be financed and will make it more valuable.

Mike

Hi Doghouse

Looks ok to me but being a Scotsman i would phone them up and offer them £500 and see what they say as i am sure if you say no they wont get that for it if they are going to scrap it.

I wrote my car off a few years back and insurance offered me same kind of deal which i was going to accept untill i spoke to chap at yard who was hoding my car and he said if i wanted it he would sell it to me for half the price insureance company where offering it to me so how much did he get it for. I then phone the insurance company and offered them what salvage guy had asked for and the said yes so i saved myself quite a few hundred £ so give it ago they can only say no.

Gerry

My dh has had a few car accidents in his time and a couple of times he bought back the car from the insurance company and with the insurance payout he was able to do the repairs himself.  If that happened with our caravan i know that that is what he would do.  I'm not sure what goes on the record but we never had any problems selling the cars afterwards or insuring it.  Your damage really looks cosmetic so can't see it as a write off.  Have you asked the insurance company what happens when you come to resell?

Jeannie

I'd do what Gerry says & offer them less for the salvage, you'll be able to sell it or have a local body shop look at it with a view to repairing it. Some of the lorry paint shops have the kit to make up the stripes & as they're quiet workwise you might get a good price quoted for the work.

Alternatively, tell the insurance company you're not interested in the salvage, you'll be happy for them to pay you out & put the caravan through their salvage disposal department. They might be trying it on with you because disposing of the salvage will cost them money. They'll have to pay storage for it while it's being sorted out so they'l want it off the books.

BB