Calling all motorheads! Help me! - what would you price for this car?

tommy21

Hey all I've asked something similar before but wanted to get a better idea: I was in a car accident (not my fault) where the car was written off. Its now at the valuation stage and someone will be calling me with an offer in the coming days. I want to have a concrete figure in my head to counter/argue with. The car is (or was ) a 1999 Fiat Punto in excellent condition(though doesn't look so now!), with NCT running until middle of 2011, only 54,000 on the clock, and 3 months tax left (all I've noted already to them).

They have already tried to fob me off by claiming the mileage is suspiciously low for a car of that age so I had to sent them all sorts of proof, and then in my recent conversation I was asked what I thought it should be valued and I told them it was their job to value it, that I had a figure in my head but I would not be revealing it until they had come back to me, I then pointed out the good qualities of the car once more.

I went into a dealer (where the car was originally purchased more than decade ago), they said a replacement of similar specs would be 1700. Now I think I'm right in thinking this is far from what I'd get in the current market and probably inflated as dealers tend to? I've looked on car buyer's guide online and gotten prices anywhere from 1200-1500 and I'll probably base my figure in there.

What do you think? What do I do if they offer a pathetic amount (e.g. €400)?

Many thanks:o

rowanh

Maybe you could make a deal with the dealer that if they give you a letter saying they would value the car at 1700 then you will buy another car from them.

tommy21

rowanh wrote: »

Maybe you could make a deal with the dealer that if they give you a letter saying they would value the car at 1700 then you will buy another car from them.

Hmmm I don't know, it was more of an off the record quote.

mickdw

It is an unfortunate situation when you have a car in unusually good condition for its age/type as they will generally only pay the average market value for that car. Just fight with them but at the end of the day, your car was worth very little regardless of condition.

tommy21

mickdw wrote: »

It is an unfortunate situation when you have a car in unusually good condition for its age/type as they will generally only pay the average market value for that car. Just fight with them but at the end of the day, your car was worth very little regardless of condition.

Yeah Mick I know, unfortunately that's the way it will go I assume. What kind of figure would you keep in mind?

colm_mcm

Puntos can be picked up for buttons these days, especially 11 year old ones.

smash

tommy21 wrote: »

What do you think? What do I do if they offer a pathetic amount (e.g. €400)?

I'd take it, because it's really only worth about 200! it's an 11year old crashed punto after all...

PauloMN

tommy21 wrote: »

They have already tried to fob me off by claiming the mileage is suspiciously low for a car of that age so I had to sent them all sorts of proof, and then in my recent conversation I was asked what I thought it should be valued and I told them it was their job to value it, that I had a figure in my head but I would not be revealing it until they had come back to me, I then pointed out the good qualities of the car once more.

Cheeky bastards, doubting the miles. As regards value to you, tell them it's priceless to you, then wait for the valuation from them. When you get it, regardless of what it is, write back looking for more. They'll always offer a low value initially in the hope it will be accepted.

colm_mcm

steve06 wrote: »

I'd take it, because it's really only worth about 200! it's an 11year old crashed punto after all...

The value would be based on an un-crashed Punto though

tommy21

colm_mcm wrote: »

Puntos can be picked up for buttons these days, especially 11 year old ones.

Really? What are you basing this on? As I said I've had a look around and the prices above appear to be the going rate.

TestTransmission

The going rate isnt what people have them advertised for ,the missus sold her 98 punto last year for 600 euro.

smash

colm_mcm wrote: »

The value would be based on an un-crashed Punto though

It's still not worth a lot. 1700 quote from a dealer is off the wall...

Insurers don't care what a dealer says, It's not like the VRO OMSP - it's the opposite, they basically get a trade price and subtract from there.

you could always try "it's worth €1,500 according to the scrappage scheme"

tommy21

steve06 wrote: »

It's still not worth a lot. 1700 quote from a dealer is off the wall...

Insurers don't care what a dealer says, It's not like the VRO OMSP - it's the opposite, they basically get a trade price and subtract from there.

you could always try "it's worth €1,500 according to the scrappage scheme"

What is VRO OMSP? haha I like that last one, I think I'll use it!

LookBehindYou

Or you could ask them to get you a punto of same spec instead of the money.

znv6i3h7kqf9ys

Wouldn't pay more than 900 for a minter

colm_mcm

It's probably an old model Punto too.

tommy21

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's probably an old model Punto too.

Ah shure your right maybe If I pay them they'll scrap it for me too :rolleyes:

tommy21

Well they were on and first offered 900€. I countered this by asking where they got that figure from. They quoted the going rate from several different dealers up and down the country, and long-story short, I offered to send in my own research as I disagreed with the figure. They have now upped that figure to €1050. I asked did this include any deductions and they said a deduction of €60, the car's scrapage value in their opinion, which I should then get back (so 2 cheques) from the scrapyard unless I contest it but that means I then have to get someone else to take the blasted thing - he sounded a bit suprised I was asking re deductions (thanks to my knowledagble Uncle) but seemed hard to pin down on the issue. I said obviously I'd have to check with their scrapyard to ensure they would value it at this but the scenario seems to be that they send me on the first cheque and the second later on, as long as I don't contest it.

Scrapage at 60€ is fair I think, it would be rare to get a €100 for even a high-spec wrecked car. As for the €1050? I guess to contest it is only going to cost me more solicitor's money, can't think of how else to move forward bar accepting. What do you all think?:o

jaffa20

Bite their hand off and run. It's a good valuation.