Extensive hail damage

[Tigger]

Hey guys!

One great thing now is that (if you are paying off the car on a loan of some sort), then you will have a brand new car and be well ahead in terms of repayments. At least a few months??
This will mean that you will owe less than the car is worth...maybe this will help you keep ahead of the dreaded first few years of depreciation...

Look forward to your updates when the new one is ordered!

[pologti18t]

Hey guys!

One great thing now is that (if you are paying off the car on a loan of some sort), then you will have a brand new car and be well ahead in terms of repayments. At least a few months??
This will mean that you will owe less than the car is worth...maybe this will help you keep ahead of the dreaded first few years of depreciation...

Look forward to your updates when the new one is ordered!

Except you are paying the loan while you have no car to drive.....

[tee_off]

I've been following this thread and I'm happy you got a good outcome and service! Will the replacement be the same model and specs?

[nicandlance]

They have to replace it with the same model and specs... but I don't know what happens if they can't find one. Depending on how keen they are to settle everything (and I think that with all the claims they possibly will be), they might even get me one with something I didn't have as an option before...

I guess it all depends on what is available. Keep you posted.... someone is supposed to call me within the next few days.

[Rufus]

Glad to hear it was a write off nicandlance. I've only got about 20 or so dents to my car so I doubt it will be a write off although I pray it is... Getting assessed this monday...

[Dubya]

Good luck has shone on me today!

After a shocking start to 2010 (first a woman backs into me after I've had my tsi one week, then the hail storm blows apart half my house and 2 of our cars, then my uncle dies of cancer and it's only March....)

CAR WRITTEN OFF, NEW ONE ON THE WAY!!!!!!! (Hopefully soon)

Thank you to everyone for your help...

Had my notes in case I needed to argue the point, but had a lovely assessor who barely even looked at the car. He hadn't even walked up to us and was saying 'this one's going to heaven'. We'll replace it new for new... think about whether you want the same colour or not.....

Best thing I've heard in weeks.....

Now, to start thinking about whether I'll go for the same colour..... black, grey, white again? I don't know....

Great news! And not just a little amazing . . .

Well done!

(Silver does not show dirt much at all, and if they charged you more for it, I've read metallic is "only" a $500 option now.)

By the way, could you not have kept the car as a loaner while the replacement is on order?

Anyway, good luck with it all.

Cheers

[nicandlance]

Thanks Dubya, Going down to AAMI today with all the paperwork for the car. Hoping to get the ball rolling as soon as possible because of the long wait I expect to be in for.
As far as I know, keeping the car was not an option. Perhaps there's just too many cars to deal with, so they're keen to get rid of them asap.

Not sure about silver.... I don't mind it but it's not a preferred colour. I did really like the white - but not sure if I will go for it again. Really wish Golfs came in a better range of colours!

[nicandlance]

Glad to hear it was a write off nicandlance. I've only got about 20 or so dents to my car so I doubt it will be a write off although I pray it is... Getting assessed this monday...

Good luck Rufus! Where are the dents? I think it makes a big difference if there are a lot on the roof. Mine had about 50-70 and they were also on the sides of the roof above the doors.

The damage was pretty bad - I can't imagine how much worse it would have been if we hadn't been out there with blankets and quilts (in a futile effort to protect the car).

It's a sickening feeling - particularly when it's easy to get passionate about your car!!!

Hopefully there are enough in yours to write it off... yours wasn't much newer than mine was it?

[roy]

my 2cents of thought..silver looks dusty after a while...

[Corey_R]

Well, whatever your thoughts about silver, judging by the Colour choices...GTI specific ? thread it is BY FAR the least popular colour - so at least you'd be a bit more unique!? lol

[elisiX]

I dont mind the silver on the GTI (with 18' wheels).

Saw a stunning red GTI the other day in the bright sunlight and its blinding - in a good way

Congrats on the write off nicandlance.

[nicandlance]

Yes I like the red on the GTI - it's a bright snappy red, but not too keen on the tsi red... it's a bit browny looking. Not sure if I like it at all.

[Corey_R]

Tornado red looks better in real life than in photos. It always turns orange in photos.

I don't mind the TSI red, cause it's not meant to be the Tornado red

[JAYDEE]

I dont mind the silver on the GTI (with 18' wheels).

Saw a stunning red GTI the other day in the bright sunlight and its blinding - in a good way

Couldn't agree more.

[Spook]

Just don't grab a hammer and start creating your own dents. The assessors can tell the difference. I recall reading this story about a person who got caught out after one of the Sydney hail storms. He had dents on the sides of his car as well as the bonnet and roof. Which would have been just fine, as long as hail travel sideways.

On a different note, if I am looking to buy a new car in Melbourne right now, I would be nervous as to whether the car I am getting is brand spanking new or repaired by the dealer. The below article from the NSW Dept of Fair Trading may give some comfort, though I'm not sure if Victoria has the same protection.

Fair Trading victory in hail damage case
31 January 2007

Fair Trading Minister, Diane Beamer, said today consumers were the winners in the final chapter of a long and protracted investigation by Fair Trading into the conduct of Purnell Motors Pty Ltd.

The Supreme Court handed down its decision confirming the disciplinary action taken by the Commissioner for Fair Trading against Purnell’s for not advising customers who had purchased new cars that the cars had been damaged by hail and repaired.

“I am thrilled that finally the 19 purchasers of the damaged vehicles will be compensated with amounts varying from $5,327 to $7,311 each, a total of $114,695,” Ms Beamer said.

In December 2004, a hailstorm struck the Arncliffe area and caused hail damage to a number of new and demonstrator Volvo and Land Rover motor vehicles at the Purnell Motors car dealership in Arncliffe.

“Purnell’s repaired the damaged vehicles and then sold a number of them but failed to tell the customers of the damage,” Ms Beamer said.

“This is in breach of the Motor Dealers Act which obliges a dealer when advertising a new motor vehicle to declare certain types of damage and to advise customers of the damage before purchase.

Investigators from Fair Trading also found the dealer had not complied with other provisions of the Motor Dealers Act and the Fair Trading Act in a number of areas.

“Purnell’s advertised a number of vehicles that had already been sold and some vehicles were advertised at a price lower than the price the consumer paid,” Ms Beamer said.

Fair Trading also found that two customers were offered an inducement of a higher trade-in price for their own vehicles if they had their cars’ log books stamped, which meant that they were being asked to provide a false vehicle history.
Fair Trading sought compensation for the consumers based on the insurance claim lodged by Purnell’s and imposed a number of conditions on the company’s future conduct.

The dealer appealed the Commissioner’s Determination to the Supreme Court but yesterday the Court handed down its decision dismissing Purnell’s application.

“This result was a win for the customers of Purnell Motors and also sends a clear warning to other dealers to comply with the legislation and not to mislead customers.”