car accident - need advice

maumau

maumau

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Last Sunday I was driving along Beyers Naude Drive and slowed down thinking a car was going to turn across my path. A breakdown truck slammed into the back of my 2014 Golf 7. It only has 40 000km on the clock. The truck was transporting a machine which the driver told me weighs 2.5 tons.

Insurance accessed the car and estimates damage at R70 000 excluding “hidden damage which may become apparent when the car is worked on”.

The car’s going to a panel beater in Randburg. A friend, the best VW mechanic on the planet, works next door and will examine it for me and report back. He won’t BS me.

My concern is that the integrity of the vehicle might have been compromised. I can’t see such force (see pics) being absorbed by a plastic boot and bumper. One of the deciding factors when buying the Golf is it’s 5 star safety rating and if that rating is affected I don’t want it.

What’s your advice guys:
Fix the car and keep it
Fix the car and sell it
Motivate to have insurance write it off - this if you think there might be permanent damage.

Tks

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as long as the rear axle and wheel fitting are not damaged it doesn't actually look that bad to be honest
 
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*SynergyX* said:
as long as the rear axle and wheel fitting are damaged it doesn't actually look that bad to be honest
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That's exactly what I was wondering. Will ask my friend to pay particular attention to rear axle and wheel fitting. Tks
 
I'd rather have rear impact than front impact. Looks repairable, as long as the rear axle is still operational, you can keep it.
 
A FJ Cruiser drove into the back of my humble Figo two years ago resulting in similar damage and apart from cosmetic damage to the bumper, light fittings and bootlid nothing else was mechanically wrong with it. Ford Techs and the assessor themselves assessed the car and found nothing mechanically wrong with it. Your car will be fine except for needing a wheel alignment when the car is repaired which is what I needed to do after my accident

Good Luck buddy!
 
bheinche said:
A FJ Cruiser drove into the back of my humble Figo two years ago resulting in similar damage and apart from cosmetic damage to the bumper, light fittings and bootlid nothing else was mechanically wrong with it. Ford Techs and the assessor themselves assessed the car and found nothing mechanically wrong with it. Your car will be fine except for needing a wheel alignment when the car is repaired which is what I needed to do after my accident

Good Luck buddy!
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Jeez, that is good news. Tks
 
namzsteve said:
I'd rather have rear impact than front impact. Looks repairable, as long as the rear axle is still operational, you can keep it.
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You're right :)

As the guy hit me I could feel my head pressing against the head rest and my body being forced backwards into the seat. TBH it felt protective.
 
maumau said:
Last Sunday I was driving along Beyers Naude Drive and slowed down thinking a car was going to turn across my path. A breakdown truck slammed into the back of my 2014 Golf 7. It only has 40 000km on the clock. The truck was transporting a machine which the driver told me weighs 2.5 tons.

Insurance accessed the car and estimates damage at R70 000 excluding “hidden damage which may become apparent when the car is worked on”.

The car’s going to a panel beater in Randburg. A friend, the best VW mechanic on the planet, works next door and will examine it for me and report back. He won’t BS me.

My concern is that the integrity of the vehicle might have been compromised. I can’t see such force (see pics) being absorbed by a plastic boot and bumper. One of the deciding factors when buying the Golf is it’s 5 star safety rating and if that rating is affected I don’t want it.

What’s your advice guys:
Fix the car and keep it
Fix the car and sell it
Motivate to have insurance write it off - this if you think there might be permanent damage.

Tks

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From the description I was expecting a lot more damage. Your car held up well. As the other said as long as there is no axle damage you should be fine.
 
Fix and sell. I couldn't in good conscience drive a car knowing it was in an accident - just something that will play on my mind...
 
Not much damage at all. If you happy when fixed keep if not sell.
 
Doesnt look bad, fix it, drive it and then decide.
 
but if money isnt an issue and you can afford to sell up and change ...why the hell not i say...
 
Splinter said:
You two are worry-warts :). Damage doesn't look that bad at all.
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You should've heard the metal/plastic crunching :sick: maybe that's also influencing me.


*SynergyX* said:
but if money isnt an issue and you can afford to sell up and change ...why the hell not i say...
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Aaaaah, those were the days :love: :love: Unfortunately I'm on a restricted spend for the next few months.
 
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