View Full Version : GTE stolen last night - couple of Q's pls
Dear all
I had a knock at the door last night, my lovely H reg GTE low miler had been found close to home with door lock punched and ignigion wiring hanging down. I think imobiliser saved it.
They nicked two at the scene and took car for finger printing, it's still in storage so I don't know extent of damage.
My main worry is that the ignigtion barrel is shagged and possible wiring damage. It's already cost me ?150 in recovery costs/storage (no the police don't pay it's for your insurance). I can claim on insurance with ?150 excess (protected no claims) but worried after insurers take it to their chosen repair facility the cost for repair/recov/storage may rise above value of car.
Can anyone urgently advise me rough price for ig barrel replacement (new/old) and can I get one easy, and what may happen if costs exceed insured value - will it just get written off and scrapped or will I have option to take back and repair with a mates help?
I don't really want to lose it to insurer as it'll last me years yet and it's my daily car.
Any guidance from your experience/knowledge really appreciated.
Cheers
meritlover
03-04-08, 03:16 PM
pay the ?150 out of your pocket and hunt for a set of locks 2nd hand. it will cost you less hassle and money in the long run. even if you just got a barrel and used 2 keys, youl get one for about ?5 and there will be plenty around
Simply don't involve the insurance.
Just sort it out youself, the cost of the repairs will be minimal. But it only takes a minimal amount to declare it written off in the eyes of the insurers.
craig green
03-04-08, 04:01 PM
DO NOT EVEN TELL YOUR INSURER. FFS!
Thats unlucky dude but you might aswell fork out for the repairs for yourself, if you claim the cost of yoiur next premium will rocket, do not tell your insurance company as they will consider you to have had a car stolen & thus load your next policy despite not claiming. My policy is inflated due to a Cav GSi I had stolen a few years ago that got found & I didnt claim. Bar stewards!
That's the thoughts I'm having - I just checked with insurance they will give me option if repair is not economic (ie write off, they value at ?900 by the way which suprised me) or I can collect vehicle and repair at my own cost which they would pay also as long as payd excess. All in all they sound quite flexible. Only problem is their repair centre is Chippenham and I'm Bristol area so it will cost to get home unless I tow as no trailer!
I need to see car for myself at police yard and see what real damage.
Whats the damage mate? If its not too bad I too would recommend repairing it yourself and leave the insurance out of it.
craig green
03-04-08, 05:14 PM
You are obliged to use whichever repairer you wish when insurance are paying. Its your call.
Contact your insurance and cancel your claim ASAP. Is a Nova really worth losing x amount of no claims for? Er no.
If you do involve the insurance I can garantee your car WILL get written off by the insurers if either a) the repairs exceed the present market value of the vehicle or b) the vehicle has been repaired by insurers whilst owned by prevoius owners or c) parts needed from GM to repair it are NLS.
If there are any parts needed that ARE NOT avaliable brand new from GM any more the car is a sure fire write off, as by law insurance repairers have to use brand new parts of a genuine authenticity.
So, ill recap, your GTE is a sure fire write off if you make a claim, therefore your no claims (if not protected) is out the window for a few pounds damage.
DO NOT make a claim, contact your insurers and cancel your claim. Take it on the chin and repair it yourself. Therefore youll save your NCB's and your car will stay HPi clear providing its not got an iffy past.
Mike.
Its a nova, which has a market value of about ?50(being truthfully honest), so it will definently get written off as most parts are NLS, and what you can still buy are very expensive.
Its not worth it for a broken ignition barrel and door lock, much cheaper to repair yourself :)
took car for finger printing, it's still in storage
It's already cost me ?150 in recovery costs/storage (no the police don't pay it's for your insurance).
When mine got nicked and the police took it away for forensics I made them pay.
They took the car away without asking me first and then it was in storage at a compound for some time incurring cost until I was allowed to pick it up.
If the police asked me IF they could take it for forensics I would probably have said no and recovered the car to my home (from just round the corner) myself.
If asked I wouldn't let them put messy black dust all over it knowing that the chimps who nicked it probably wouldn't get caught anyway (they didn't).
novacabrio
03-04-08, 06:59 PM
I think I may have a ignition barrell here if you need it
i to have a spare column with ignition barrel and key sitting in me garage, let me know if you want it
Its a nova, which has a market value of about ?50(being truthfully honest), so it will definently get written off as most parts are NLS, and what you can still buy are very expensive.
Perhaps not, I read his comment to say the car is valued at ?900
they value at ?900
Still, as said its certainly not worth claiming for. Does insurance cover recovery/storage costs anyway?
Ah, sorry, didn't read that.
Must be agreed value then.
Thanks to all for advice. I got access to it this evening as police had finished dusting it. Nodamage other than steering area really.
Door lock is not too bad, it had been screwdrivered whilst in previous owners hands and looked no worse to me just entrance splayed out- couldn't check it worked as police have keys still!
Inside cowling was ripped off, could be fixed maybe or search for a replacement.
Steering lock trashed and ig barrel sheered off, wires dangling all over and most cut.
Here is photo:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/03042008550-1.jpg (http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/?action=view¤t=03042008550-1.jpg)
If I took you guys up on your kind offers of parts what do you think a garage may charge for fitting - only seeing as my knowledge of this and electrics is so small.
If you guys are right the insurance route may be a dead one, I'm only considering as they said I would have the option to recover myself if it was beyond economic repair rather then write off. I guess if I could get it done cheap they would still state I should have official parts?
Yes their valuation did supprise me. By the way Burgo how much would you sell your column/barrel for email me if you like.
I'm also going to attack police on recovery costs for forensics as I wasn't really given an option - I think they assume you're insurance will cover (which they said they will).
i wouldnt pay a garage to change a column. its literally 5 bolts. as for the wiring i have a complete spare loom so can cut off whatever is missing aswell. if your not confident about doing it yourself then find someone who is in your region who is willing to help you with it
Thank you Burgo, appreciated.
Just realised you're in Somerset. Where abouts?
I'm not far off M5 Juct 20. I have chatted on here before with you RJack but probably so long ago you wouldn't remember - so yes in your area.
What do you reckon on the photo, is the column damaged or just the ig barrel, sorry for ignorance I guess you may not be able to tell from the photo.
looks like they have just snapped the steering lock off , is you barrel still in the car somewhere , could always refit into a new housing if it is
jimbob-mcgrew
04-04-08, 12:27 AM
thas tight man, feel for ya, thieving basts.
looks like they have just snapped the steering lock off , is you barrel still in the car somewhere , could always refit into a new housing if it is
Barrel was in car and looks damaged here is photo, it's not great but you can hopefully see where it's ripped open and the metal has sheared. I only was allowed a quick look but going by photo I looks like there is a casing around the column which the ig barrel it attached, it's seems like casing is broken open. Burgo do you have parts available for me to fix this? I can get help on wiring hopefully.http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/03042008551-1.jpg (http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/?action=view¤t=03042008551-1.jpg)
Barrel was in car and looks damaged here is photo, it's not great but you can hopefully see where it's ripped open and the metal has sheared.http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/03042008551-1.jpg (http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/john_oconnor00/?action=view¤t=03042008551-1.jpg)
ahh thats even better. that means you or whoever you get to do it can put you barrel into the new column so you can retain your original key
So you reckon that barrel can still be used? I looks pretty badly damaged, but then I really don't know that much and didn't get time to have a good look.
by the barrel i mean the bit the key actually goes into and not the case/steering lock which is the bit thats broke
Burgo - ah gotcha. Have you got case/steering lock I can releive you of? I'll pay of course.
Burgo - ah gotcha. Have you got case/steering lock I can releive you of? I'll pay of course.
There on eBay, about ?20 posted brand new if all else fails.
Evening
Still yet to get car back but hopefully I can get on weekend.
I was thinking about towing it home as it's only about 7 miles away and save paying a breakdown company, I do have breakdown cover but don't suppose theft damage will qualify a call out (will check though).
I was worried about steering lock coming on whilst being towed. Is this a real danger or is there a way I could check it was all ok.
Other problem is I may not be able to start engine with wires ripped out so guess no power in brakes could also be a danger - sorry for dumb questions.
Doing ok on parts though - complete steering column thanks burgo and hopefully blue_peg_16v has right colour cowling to replace my molested one.
Still gutted by the theft, hopefully getting car back running will put a smile back on my face... :cry:
Being as your car has been in storage for so long, the cost of storage alone will eqaute to the resale value of the vehicle, therefore if you make a claim your car will get written off.
However, if you dont claim, youll have to pay for the storage costs.
if the whole ignition barrel,s been snapped off, theres a very very very slim chance it can lock on, if the ignition barrel is still there, pop your key in and take the lock off, should be ok then :thumb:
Or take a lump hammer and remove the remians of the barrel.
5lb'er will snap a steering lock in an instant :thumb:
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