Thread: My battered Defender: Update

Ace, I think it is all how it is written off. If it is just an insurance write off due to cost of repairs, it can be reregistered or kept registered. Any structual repairs (chassis) will require an engineers cetificate. If it is a total write off (unrepairable) I believe it is put on a register and can not be reregistered easily.
Hope all goes well James, just hope the chassis is not bent.

Sounds like you're going to make a profit here James. Get a new firewall ( get it galvanized ) and get a quote from a Landy mech to replace it. Then get your panal beater to find a 2nd hand wing and door, then paint.

None of this is rocket science and you could do it yourself, if you have the time that is.

I very much doubt the ARB bullbar would be strong enough to damage the chassis. You would have to run one of the rails into a tree to achieve that.

Good luck.

Bruce.

In Western Australia there are two kinds of write off:

1) Economic or Repairable Write Off - which is exactly what it sounds like

2) Statutory Write Off - which is sufficiently damamged to be listed as not repairable and suitable only for parts

Mine is catagory 1. The Asseessor said it is absolutley repairable it is just that it is not in the economic interest of the company to pay for it. He is required by law to report all write offs both 1) and 2) and they are deregistered. Cat 1) cars are then submitted for pit inspection.

Most insurance companies will do an economic writeoff if the cost of repairs is half or more of the estimated value of the car!

Yea, it isnt hard to do, if you just wanted to go buy doors for it, your looking at a few grand new with all the bells and wistles,
I think most insurance mobs see that the cost with a landy isnt in the labour like most cars, it is in the extream prices of parts, from where your at, I would be looking at buying a Galv shaz, take it as an op to upgrade,

Originally posted by YRVGreen
(snip)
I think most insurance mobs see that the cost with a landy isnt in the labour like most cars, it is in the extream prices of parts, (snip),

I doubt they look at anything except the dollar numbers - doesn't matter two hoots to them how the numbers got there, parts or labour.

In my case with 2nd hand parts the price was reasonable. They said I am lucky to have a white Defender (I reckon I'd be lucky if I wasn't talking to them in the first place). Needed a new door assembly which was exxy and the quote for the 2nd hand firewall was $1200.

It was labour that did me in and the $800 quote to remove and refit engine.

Here is the sums they did.

Insured for $14
Wreck value $4.5
diff = $9.5

Quote to repair $10 assuming no chassis damage. Included new bonnet not necessary, repair roof, not necessary - but they would not listen - it was the risk of chassis damage that made their mind up coz once theyve committed to begin repair they are in the long haul

They went HONK! Not worth it. Good night.

I assume your 110 was insured for market value, not agreed value?

Ron