Oops, damaged while parked 😳🙁

[The Coops]

I think they would argue that one endlessly

Good luck today DavidG58 hope you can get a satisfactory response from the garage and the van can be prepped for you to get away next month

Diminuation is the key word to use with the insurance company, the longer they do the repair the more you are prevented from using your asset ( the van) Its what credit hire companies use to justify putting someone in a vehicle of similar standing to the one damaged or being repaired, i.e you have Rolls Royce you expect a replacement Rolls or Bentley while yours is repaired not a Ford Fiesta. If the time and cost of the repair is say three months, get a hire price for an equviliant van for your use for the three months. If you have sites/ferries booked use that as leverage.

 

[jongood]

It doesnt look undrivable to me. Ok its not ideal and still needs Mot but unless there's something I'm not seeing I would tidy up the loose bits and carry on.

 

[jezport]

If repairable I would request that the dealership pays for the MOT work as a gesture of good will. Whats the worse that can happen?

 

[jongood]

I rhink you need it Mot ing so you can take it places

 

[Harrogate motorhomer]

I would be speaking to the dealer about diminution in addition to all the other matters.
Sounds like they think they can walk away from the problem which isn’t the case. They held the keys & were the custodians & bear responsibility. Who gets a loan car without providing or paying for insurance.

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[TheBig1]

you have got off lucky by the look of photos on first page. Fibreglass and plastic. Maybe a new awning. I guarantee that the garage have a local fibreglass specialist on speed dial. They should be jumping through hoops to help you get this sorted, including ordering the new light at trade price. As the gap on the garage door looks straight, I would expect no underlying body damage unless there are more photos not seen

 

[jongood]

you have got off lucky by the look of photos on first page. Fibreglass and plastic. Maybe a new awning. I guarantee that the garage have a local fibreglass specialist on speed dial. They should be jumping through hoops to help you get this sorted, including ordering the new light at trade price. As the gap on the garage door looks straight, I would expect no underlying body damage unless there are more photos not seen

Its classic trailer damage, they tend to rub along stuff not head on impact. See a lot of it in the DCs, the MH would have been rocked sidewards on the suspension and fortunately Davids is pretty movable

 

[Odd-no-more]

don’t really care who pays, as long as it’s not me

Unfortunately your insurance will go up it's a "no fault" claim it will also affect your car insurance, hopefully not by too much but any claim puts the insurance up.

 

[DavidG58]

I rhink you need it Mot ing so you can take it places

Update

Seeing it myself and with a calm approach I now think it is mostly cosmetic

I have instructed Mertrux to swap the propshaft joint only, so I can then get back to original MOT garage for retest or repeat test if it has timed out

Claim submitted to Aviva, assessor has already called, they use the firm next to Premier at Bawtry and will arrange for it to go there for assessment next week

He is confident from the photos it will repair, subject to not finding damage at awning bracket fixings through side wall. I can’t see any sign of a problem , I can get access easily to two of the bolts / plates inside the MH

Aviva have electronic confirmation from haulage firm insurers to say their fault

Delay will be the only big issue, are we happy to drive / use it unrepaired. Discussed with Bev, if we had set off for three / four week trip and did this early on, we would almost certainly carry on, based on that get new awning fitted and use it as it is

Or possibly hire PVC which we might buy next, allow us to try at other insurers expense

Is is a disappointment , but could be worse

An interesting comment came from the assessor though, if a part is needed and no longer available from Hymer (garage door for instance) they don’t necessarily write it off don’t really understand what he meant and have parked that thought in the hope it’s irrelevant

I know some of you might / would have done it differently , but I am OK with current progress, would rather it hadn’t happened but we can’t undo

 

[Phill D]

Its what you are comfortable with David thats all that really counts. i hope the repair is quick, simple and well executed for you.

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[EuroTrotters]

god your not having much luck are you?

 

[TheBig1]

The hymer plastic parts will be impossible to source but and grp repair place will copy or repair what's there. You will need to get the new light ordered asap as any white light shining through is an mot fail. To get past that, a temporary fix with 2 part epoxy should pass. The awning though ugly wont stop you using it till its either repaired or replaced.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

You can buy red or yellow, and clear reflector adhesive tape to temporarily repair rear lights for mot. Until a propper repair is made.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

You need to lay this on now. Holidays ruined. Just had it valeted and polished etc etc Van now damaged. Trusted them to look aftef your van whilst in thier hands. Your spending 4k plus with them on servicing Etc etc. Push for a big discount on your repairs..

 

[DavidG58]

Your spending 4k plus with them on servicing Etc etc. Push for a big discount on your repairs..

Rather than discount I have cancelled most of the work, they are now only doing the prop shaft coupling so we can MOT it

Then will be considering going back to our local independent workshop for the rest of the work

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[L' Hobo]

Rather than discount I have cancelled most of the work, they are now only doing the prop shaft coupling so we can MOT it

Then will be considering going back to our local independent workshop for the rest of the work

When MOT ing my PSV's, any sharp edges that could harm any other road users (including pedestrians) was an MOT failure.
Perhaps that is also worth checking on a M/H?

 

[Taran_Las]

When MOT ing my PSV's, any sharp edges that could harm any other road users (including pedestrians) was an MOT failure.
Perhaps that is also worth checking on a M/H?

Very good point.

 

[Taran_Las]

David,

Good luck with the repairs, insurance, MoT and your holidays.

You deserve a holiday after all of this.

Phil.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Rather than discount I have cancelled most of the work, they are now only doing the prop shaft coupling so we can MOT it

Then will be considering going back to our local independent workshop for the rest of the work

Sounds like a good plan.
Best of luck with the mot.

 

[mitzimad]

You may need to duct tape over any sharp edges for the mot or perhaps remove trim if it's sticking out

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[DavidG58]

Tomorrow I am taking our MH for repair assessment at

DMR Motorhome Body Repair Specialists
Plumtree Farm Industrial Estate
Plumtree Rd
Bircotes
Doncaster
DN11 8EW

These are my insurers Aviva preferred repairers and also recommended on here so win win

He has been sent photos and thinks it will need a new garage door, but based on recent jobs is confident Hymer will have one good luck with that , they have bugger all other bits I have needed

I have expressed concerns about the safety of the awning, he is very happy if we remove it before coming up and doesn’t need to have it, no idea how I could transport it once not fitted so that’s good

Also a friend wants some bits off it so he is very happy to help take it off

Subject to parts being available he would hope to start work in 6 weeks

Going to see how it looks without the awning which is the most damaged bit, will talk to DMS once inspection done and maybe Aviva to see if we can go to Rose Awnings independently and have them fit the new awning, we have had all our work done by them and they would always be our go to for any awning work

We could then have a few days away in the New Forest

 

[Lenny HB]

see if we can go to Rose Awnings independently and have them fit the new awning, we have had all our work done by them and they would always be our go to for any awning work

Hill View Awnings are also very good, in the same part of the world.

 

[L' Hobo]

Tomorrow I am taking our MH for repair assessment at

DMR Motorhome Body Repair Specialists
Plumtree Farm Industrial Estate
Plumtree Rd
Bircotes
Doncaster
DN11 8EW

These are my insurers Aviva preferred repairers and also recommended on here so win win

He has been sent photos and thinks it will need a new garage door, but based on recent jobs is confident Hymer will have one good luck with that , they have bugger all other bits I have needed

I have expressed concerns about the safety of the awning, he is very happy if we remove it before coming up and doesn’t need to have it, no idea how I could transport it once not fitted so that’s good

Also a friend wants some bits off it so he is very happy to help take it off

Subject to parts being available he would hope to start work in 6 weeks

Going to see how it looks without the awning which is the most damaged bit, will talk to DMS once inspection done and maybe Aviva to see if we can go to Rose Awnings independently and have them fit the new awning, we have had all our work done by them and they would always be our go to for any awning work

We could then have a few days away in the New Forest

Isn't an awning going to be a part of your claim, how can DMS properly assess it if it's not in situ?

 

[TheBig1]

Hill View Awnings are also very good, in the same part of the world.

John Rose used to work for hill view awnings

 

[Terry]

Isn't an awning going to be a part of your claim, how can DMS properly assess it if it's not in situ?

Owen, I think they have pics so can see it knackered. It just needs mountings and wall sides checking.
David I would leave it on and let the repair shop deal with it. That way you have only one place to deal with if anything goes wrong? Who knows with your luck You have already let the Mertrucks off the hook and paid dearly for that privilege.
Perhaps let Bev on them

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[L' Hobo]

Owen, I think they have pics so can see it knackered. It just needs mountings and wall sides checking.
David I would leave it on and let the repair shop deal with it. That way you have only one place to deal with if anything goes wrong? Who knows with your luck You have already let the Mertrucks off the hook and paid dearly for that privilege.
Perhaps let Bev on them

Like you, I too would leave it on.

In today's world, too many photographers can, and have been, manipulated!

 

[Puddleduck]

I am OK with current progress, would rather it hadn’t happened but we can’t undo

That is the best attitude I think.

There are far worse things happening and although this accident is infuriating in the world wide scheme it's a minor issue. It's happened and you are getting it sorted

I hope the insurance will pay for your time and trouble in getting it to and from the repair places.

 

[Terry]

That is the best attitude I think.

There are far worse things happening and although this accident is infuriating in the world wide scheme it's a minor issue. It's happened and you are getting it sorted

I hope the insurance will pay for your time and trouble in getting it to and from the repair places.

I would not hold my breath on that one.
I think I would want it in writing that they will not count it has an accident come renewal time It could prove expensive which could end up with loading on both MH and car insurance. That may last 5 years

 

[TheBig1]

I would not hold my breath on that one.
I think I would want it in writing that they will not count it has an accident come renewal time It could prove expensive which could end up with loading on both MH and car insurance. That may last 5 years

No question about it, regardless of fault the insurance on ALL your vehicles will go up and be penalised for the next 5 years. Even with protected full no claims bonus and the fact the other insurance company paid out in full. They still increase your premiums. The insurance companies are like casinos. the house always wins. The biggest protection racket ever devised is insurance, they always turn a very big profit

 

[DavidG58]

My previous experience based on my most recent claim, a stupid my fault bump on a roundabout driving motorhome

As I didn’t claim for my damage I didn’t have to pay any excess

Renewal, premium up by less than £50

Claim by other driver £3K

So far Comfort have been everything I could hope from an insurer, they are allowed to make profit from their risk

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