It could be goodbye...

[passatpout]

So a bit more...

Deciding to be prepared, I've started looking (briefly) at potential replacements.. and started off with another Passat wagon.... almost against my better judgement. Dammit, as much as the reliability of mine was just about enough to stop me from ever touching another VW, everything else about the car is just about too good to go past - economy, size, comfort, fittings, ride, handling, performance, etc... Had to laugh though, when the remote seat release in the boot pulled out of the wall when I went to give it a go, just after I'd given the dealer hell about VW reliability...

Also heard from the insurance today that they'll replace the windscreen next week, and that based on the details of the car, it'll probably be repaired, but no details yet for when it will be assessed (RACV are yet to establish their assessment centres, but I imagine that when they do they'll pump them through and give some fairly quick answers).

At the least, it'll be up for a new bonnet, dents removed from roof, doors, quarter panels, sunroof repairs, potentially 1 new door skin (the remaining panels can be beaten out), a new plastic strip under the windscreen wipers, new wiper blades, new windscreen (being fitted next Tuesday afternoon), and a full respray (paint is damaged on the roof, plus repairs for the dents and new panels won't leave much original paintwork undamaged..).

Anyhow, I'm keeping open minded about it all now... I'll either wind up with a new car, or a repaired old one...

[WestOiler125]

So a bit more...

Deciding to be prepared, I've started looking (briefly) at potential replacements.. and started off with another Passat wagon.... almost against my better judgement. Dammit, as much as the reliability of mine was just about enough to stop me from ever touching another VW, everything else about the car is just about too good to go past - economy, size, comfort, fittings, ride, handling, performance, etc... Had to laugh though, when the remote seat release in the boot pulled out of the wall when I went to give it a go, just after I'd given the dealer hell about VW reliability...

Also heard from the insurance today that they'll replace the windscreen next week, and that based on the details of the car, it'll probably be repaired, but no details yet for when it will be assessed (RACV are yet to establish their assessment centres, but I imagine that when they do they'll pump them through and give some fairly quick answers).

At the least, it'll be up for a new bonnet, dents removed from roof, doors, quarter panels, sunroof repairs, potentially 1 new door skin (the remaining panels can be beaten out), a new plastic strip under the windscreen wipers, new wiper blades, new windscreen (being fitted next Tuesday afternoon), and a full respray (paint is damaged on the roof, plus repairs for the dents and new panels won't leave much original paintwork undamaged..).

Anyhow, I'm keeping open minded about it all now... I'll either wind up with a new car, or a repaired old one...

Hi, my Passat suffered over 100 dents in the March 2010 Perth hail storm and RACWA assessed the damage, found it was repairable due to the value of the car. My complete roof (turret) and bonnet were replaced and all other panels were repaired then the car totally resprayed. Excellent job, was in the shop for 3 weeks but came out perfect, no creaks, rattles or overspray. All new decals, side strips included.
And at the time, as only a few weeks after the last Melb hail storm, replacement cars were very few and far between!

[entice]

Bear in mind, a full respray is around $15K... all insurance companies will try and avoid paint and panel, and ratehr use paintless dent removal.

so, if you consider full respray. a panel or 2 to be replaced, and belt moulds etc etc, it wont be hard to come close to a total loss claim.

[passatpout]

Hi, my Passat suffered over 100 dents in the March 2010 Perth hail storm and RACWA assessed the damage, found it was repairable due to the value of the car. My complete roof (turret) and bonnet were replaced and all other panels were repaired then the car totally resprayed. Excellent job, was in the shop for 3 weeks but came out perfect, no creaks, rattles or overspray. All new decals, side strips included.
And at the time, as only a few weeks after the last Melb hail storm, replacement cars were very few and far between!

Cheers, well done for getting a decent fix done. As for me.. maybe not. IIRC our cars are a similar age.. in March 2010 mine had done less than 60,000km, now it's coming up to 120,000.. I had a valuation done at the 75,000km service in October 2010, they reckoned it was worth $28,000 then.. I reckon if it's valued at any more than $20K now I'll be doing well, and that might just tip the balance for me. Anyhow, nothing I can do now but wait for the claim to be assessed, and pay the excess..

Mind you, I was at a family Christmas lunch when the storm hit.. there were about 12 or 14 cars there in total, and the majority will be written off.. and there was some fairly significant damage to houses (including where we were) - lots of broken roof tiles, leaks, etc.

Can't say the idea of going out into a hailstorm to throw blankets etc over really appealed at the time, and doesn't now - easier to fix the car than recover from the knock on the head if one of those beauties sconed the noggin. Besides, how much is a blanket going to save? I wouldn't think it would be a huge amount - one of the cars at the party had pillows on the windscreen, and they were almost shredded.

[passatpout]

Assessment tomorrow evening. Have asked work today how we go about novated leases, if necessary....

[WestOiler125]

Cheers, well done for getting a decent fix done. As for me.. maybe not. IIRC our cars are a similar age.. in March 2010 mine had done less than 60,000km, now it's coming up to 120,000.. I had a valuation done at the 75,000km service in October 2010, they reckoned it was worth $28,000 then.. I reckon if it's valued at any more than $20K now I'll be doing well, and that might just tip the balance for me. Anyhow, nothing I can do now but wait for the claim to be assessed, and pay the excess..

Given my repair totalled over $23K, you may be be a total loss. Not a nice way to lose a perfectly functional car!

---------- Post added at 09:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:53 PM ----------

Can't say the idea of going out into a hailstorm to throw blankets etc over really appealed at the time, and doesn't now - easier to fix the car than recover from the knock on the head if one of those beauties sconed the noggin. Besides, how much is a blanket going to save? I wouldn't think it would be a huge amount - one of the cars at the party had pillows on the windscreen, and they were almost shredded.

Agree also, having been in the car when the hail storm hit and seeing trees being shredded in front of me, and the sound of my car being literally hammered I doubt blankets would have done nothing. Given the depth of dents on seams, the force of impact was very high. So much better to protect yourself, that's why we take out insurance.

[oxymoron]

Any update on the outcome? Hope it all worked out ok for you