I wish I'd come to Castle Coombe...

[ULP]

Driving on the A1 through Elkersley can be a bit of an odd feeling. The limit is 50mph and there are a few cameras to occupy the mind. With the cruise control set, it's not unusual to have a truck overtake you, doing barely 1mph more.

"I hate it when the trucks are on your outside, you can't trust them" Marie said

"Nah, these guys are professionals and Kings of the Road" I replied, but I knew what she meant - it can be quite unnerving.

This thought was mulching in my mind when the unmistakable vision of 38-tonnes of Articulated Wagon to my right starts moving into the left hand lane, bringing my concentration levels to 'stratosphere and beyond'. There is that moment when the thought 'he can't really be unaware the reason why he is in the outside lane is to overtake me' suddenly turns into 'you ferkin shyster, were you born with sh!t between your ears?' along with a healthy punch on the horn and standing on the middle pedal.

No good, he hasn't seen me and there's no hard shoulder, so in an instinctive manner one heads for the verge and the sensation of hitting the 8" kerb recesses rainwater drain, perpendicular to ones line of travel, tells you one thing, and one thing only - you're shafted.

Naturally he failed to stop, and the Eddie Stobbart wagon behind him was clearly driven by Ray Charles.

Marie is shaken up and I can only think we have had a lucky brush with the Grim Reaper - had we rolled or been in a bridge-hole then the outcome wouldn't be only a scrap-worthy steering rack, two shafted alloys and two new tyres and who know what else besides.

A quick phone call to the Privilege Emergency claims line tells me that accidents don't happen unless they are between 08:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday or 09:00 and 13:00 on Saturdays. Not only that, but when I call them Saturday Morning they take great pride in telling me my car is going to an accident repair centre that is nearest to my parents address (how we got there, more of later). When I point out this is 230 miles from home, they advise me it would cost £2K for Green Flag to recover to Bedfordshire (cobblers I suspect) and, if I want my car reparing at an Audi Authorised repairers then I'd have to find them for myself...

Somewhat forlorn and irate, I tell the 'Supervisor' at Privilege that the service is horse-droppings and do some ringing around. The thought of having my car taken to a repairer near Mum and Dad's isn't fun, especially as they can only do me a courtesy car from Wednesday.

"So what do I do until then as I need to be in work on Monday"

"Well Sir, we will get you a hire car and then you can pick the courtesy car up on Wednesday"

"So, I drive home this weekend and do a 460 mile round trip on Wednesday"

"Yes sir"

"...and repeat this when my car is fixed?"

"Yes sir"

"I'll call you back"

So is there a Hero in this sea of villiany? Oh yes; Audi Assist.

When Privilege informed me accidents don't happen after 20:00, I called Audi Assist from the grass verge on the A1. The lovely Jo told me not to worry and they would have somebody out shortly. She apologised that I couldn't have a Hire Car though as this was an accident, not a break down. Garry picks us up and takes me onto Mum and Dads (at this point I am foolishly thinking Privilege will sort us a journey back home).

When it transpires on Saturday morning that Privilege work on a zero-spend insurance policy, I contact Audi Assist in desperation - I again speak to Jo and she tells me not to worry, and books me another journey on Sunday on the back of a second recovery truck from the North East to Bedfordshire with the chatty Steve at the wheel. Even better, she has us taken home and then arranges for a third recovery vehicle to take the car to Hitchin Audi last night!

So, I have said goodbye to my car which was off to a yard overnight and will be delivered to Hitchin Audi tooday. I will sort a hire car (the threat so far is of a Matiz...) assuming they have the paperwork (Europecar Bedford close at 12:00 on Saturday and didn't have my details on the system from Privilege so couldn't book me a car). Then I have to get Privilege to sort things out with Hitchin Audi...

Lessons learned? Don't have an accident when you're not supposed to, always get recovered to home if possible and don't trust Trucks. Oh, and don't drive on Friday 13th...

I wish the Truck Driver a slow, drawn-out and painful death...

Looks OK...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/13Oct2006008.jpg

...ooh, I haven't turned the wheel so that can't be right.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/13Oct2006009.jpg

Hmmmm, that should be straight:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/13Oct2006007.jpg

It isn't supposed to do that...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/christodd1/13Oct2006015.jpg

[ben]

Gutted. I guess you haven't had the priviledge...

I hope the fixes are sorted more efficiently.

Ben

[ianjohnsonws14]

Did you get the Lorries number?

[tdiman]

the track arm will set you back £500 at least, similar thing happend with a pothole to me, still waiting for Tameside's insurers to agree it was not responsibly repaired earlier on, together with £115 for a tyre, your rack shoud be okay though, claim on your insurance but be expected to contribute over and above your excess as you will have 2 new tyres unless you can prove the 2 damaged were almost new. Good luck & I feel for you sounded very nasty!
PS change insurer soon

[ULP]

Sadly I was too busy trying not to roll the car to get the wagons number!

Hitchin Audi have looked at the job and decided I need:

Track Rod End
Lower Ball Joint
2x new tyres
1x Alloy (the rear one is OK and they can source the 6-spoke alloys wheich I thought had been discounted)
4-wheel tracking

No steering rack required (phew)

Including labour, the whole lot is a shade under £850.

On this basis, and the fact Hitchin Audi can do the work by Thursday (Privilege would have sent their assessor round in 7 days; perhaps...) I have decided to pay for it myself. This way I don't take a hit on the insurance and keep the 'strikes' on my Protected NCD for something bigger, the next time Stevie Wonder takes to the road in a HGV. Loose the battles but win the war.

I have a £150 excess to pay anyway, and I needed to replace one of the front tyres and refurb the front left alloy, so over a few years it won't cost me much.

Also, it means I can leave Privilege in November and never ever go back to them again where as other companies might not accept my protected NCD forcing may to stay with Privilege for a few years...

I have never really understood why people don't pay insurance, but I sure as hell get it now :(

[monkeyfinger]

Sounds nasty - I was with Privelege for a number of years but never had cause to use their services so I can't comment (at least the premiums were good)

I would comment that unless you habitually make claims, I don't understand why you wouldn't claim for £850 (less your excess) in this instance - surely that's part of the point of insurance? If you have protected ncd, can't you make 3 claims in 2 years or something like that without impact? Otherwise, all your premiums over the years have just been paid to satisfy a legal requirement and bump up the insurers profits, and you have received no benefit at all for your thousands spent.

Still, as long as the car is as good as new at the end of it...

[cahl]

Ray Charles driving around after 20:00, miles from your home. Sounds like Friday the 13th alright :(
I wish the Truck Driver a slow, drawn-out and painful death...
Yeah! Next time you see him, just force him of the road ^^

[ben]

I would comment that unless you habitually make claims, I don't understand why you wouldn't claim for £850 (less your excess) in this instance - surely that's part of the point of insurance?

There is a logic to ULPs reasoning here. It was certainly true when I had to claim on my insurance after that cheeky badger damaged the front of my A2 two years ago. By having a full claim on my insurance record - renewal premiums on my insurance over 3 years (which is the typical amount of time you have to declare it) are all adding up - particularly given that I have 3 cars to insure. I calculated that I'd have to have a claim that cost me more than £850 to make it worth my while to even bother claiming. Alternatively I could just get rid of all the cars!

B

[ULP]

Cheers for the comments chaps.

It's a shame as I'm the person that most often supports HGV drivers amongst my group of friends - I think they have a job I couldn't do and are generally highly professional. I let truckers out in front of me on roundabouts and dual carriageways as I know going through 300 gears to change speed by 5mph can be a pain.

I calculated that I'd have to have a claim that cost me more than £850 to make it worth my while to even bother claiming. Alternatively I could just get rid of all the cars!

Exactly. Some quick maths tells me that next year I would pay £250 extra, and if I left Privilege (which I will) then I'd loose the protected element to my insurance for 12 months. The next year would probably cost me £150 and then £50 for the 3rd year. Add the similar rise to Marie's policy (on which I am a named driver) of about £300 over the three years plus my £150 excess and this claim would cost me £900 whilst also leaving me stuck with Privilege or loosing my NCD protection next year.

My only claim so far has been a smashed winsdcreen (no effect on my premiums or policy) so I'm not a habitual claimer, but sod's law tells you I'd have another one in the next 12 months. At least my insurance is up for renewal in early Nov...

[Darren C]

Chris,

Having received your call shortly after the incident and being relieved to hear that both you and Marie were okay, I was obviously concerned for the state of your A2.

Fortunately, the damage appears limited, (although not to your wallet), and the price quoted by Hitchin Audi seems fairly reasonable to me. As I said on the night, both you and Marie are more important than any car, but do take heart from the fact that the A2 stood up to the heavy impact with little damage and protected you both in the process.

As for ‘Privilege’; they sound like a bunch of cowboys to me. I bet they were quite happy to collect your premium though!! You are entitled to expect a decent service for your money and this total lack of customer support or interest means that I will definitely be giving them a wide berth. (This kind of support only adds to the insult of being attacked by ‘moron’. Wonder if it was the same idiot that tried to park on top of Di’s car??).:mad:

This time next week the car will be as good as new, you and Marie are both ok, (although probably very wary of Mr Psychotic truck driver), and I for one am pleased, as this could have been a really nasty incident and one hell of a lot worse.

Kind Regards,

Darren

[ULP]

Cheers Darren

Thanks for being a friendly voice at the end of the phone for me on Friday, I really appreciate it ;) just a shame it wasn't a case of finding a couple of tyres for me...

So far Hitchin Audi have been great, and I can't tell you how little I think of Privilege - a bit of investigation shows that because it was my fault ('cos I couldn't give them the details of the truck) they would spend £0 on me if at all possible, hence the lack of a low loader home and the Shatiz; had it been the truckers insurance company paying, they would have got me a comparable car straight away, low-loader to anywhere I want etc. etc.

Funny, I thought I was paying fully comp not 'cattle class' :(

Perhaps all insurers are the same, but I have no desire to give Privilege another penny...

[wooly A2]

Chris really sorry to hear about your troubles .......
Hopefully you will have more Joy with Privilege than i did with NIG
and Hopefully you will get everthing you are owed in the end
the main thing is im
Glad you are all AOK !!!!

[humps]

Cheers for the comments chaps.
but sod's law tells you I'd have another one in the next 12 months. At least my insurance is up for renewal in early Nov...

I have every sympathy for you and am only glad it was only the car that was hurt. But believe me, what I quoted you there can happen and it is from an insurer! My car was hit by a teenager, totally his fault, I reported to my insurer! Now that is a mistake!! The repair was claimed completely on the other guy's insurance but my renewal quote at the end of the year had increased. The reason I was given when ringing Admiral was that drivers who were involved in accidents (at fault or not) are likely to be involved in another one in the next 18 months - statistically! Admiral is actually quite a decent insurer and they were not wrong.... 8 months later, I was at fault for hitting another driver at low speed. But his tow bar pieced through my front bumper and the repair was 2500 and it had to be claimed...

So, ULP, best of luck!

[Skipton01]

Chris, I'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune.

However, you can draw a little comfort from the fact that you are here to tell the tale - things could have been so very different.

I trust that the ULP-mobile will be back in service very soon and that you will not be out of pocket over it.

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

Out of pocket I most certainly am :(

It was £850, but they have put it all back together and the car won't track properly so they reckon the upright is slightly bent. Next stop another £225 and they feel confident that will do it although they can't see a visual bend in the upright which gives me great concern. If this lot doesn't work then I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get Privilege involved as this could be serious money.

I'm hoping it isn't a ripple in the aluminium locating point for the strut otherwise I guess that means the whole lot is ker-nackered with this being a structural point and I might as well start looking for a replacement car.

If this is the case, I don't know if the GAP insurance pays out if it goes down as my fault. I then have the choice of spending what I get (£8K?) on another A2 that is probably older (the loan is a personal one rather than on the car) or deciding to drive around in an unloved £500 L-reg Chavalier and taking 3rd party insurance only.

I can't tell you how low I feel at the moment. You might just see a grown man cry at this rate...

[Darren C]

Chris,

Fingers and toes crossed for you that the £225 is the fix that is needed to restore ULP to her former glory!!

Can't help but feel that you are getting the rough end of the stick all round - you deserve a bit of good fortune, so lets hope the next call you receive is good news.

Hope 'psychotic moron truck driver' gets their comeuppance for the stress, heartache and financial strain that they have put on you both.

Best of luck mate!!

Regards,

Darren

[richardaudi0]

Just got back from hols and catching up on forum. Really sorry to hear of your disaster and echo all the comments from others. The great thing is you're both not hurt, though. Talk to you soon. Best wishes. Richard

[ULP]

YYYYIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE E

Got my little ULP back today and all is well.

In the end he needed the new upright and that sorted the tracking.

Marie was out in the smart today and rang me asking if I'd had the car back as she had just seen it on the road - it must have been on a test drive to make sure was all OK but my heart started fluttering!

Just over £950 in the end and Privilege were ok with me paying, forwarding the invoice on for to them and then reimbursing me £800 (£150 Excess).

Incredibly, the new alloy was £220 + VAT :o but the tyres only about £100 all-in for the two (Pirelli P6000's) so I might get the front right done by Hitchin Audi when the service comes (17/11).

I can't tell you how chuffed I am to have ULP back and he drives perfectly. I had an A4 Avant 2.0TDI (170 I think) S-Line loaned to me and I can't tell you how glad I was to give this car back - it doesn't even get close to ULP (although it was a tad quicker) and the ride is simply horrendous. I never ever want to get rid of my little baby and at the moment I am like a dog with two...ahem...middle legs.

Being positive, my front alloy already had a little scrape in it and I needed to replace both front tyres (now only one) so this has saved me £150-ish overall (in other words, my excess)

I really have to thank Hitchin Audi for the perfect attention I have received - Matt in service always kept in touch and assisted me when and wherever possible (putting me in the A4 when it became available, for example). At all times I have felt a valued customer even though I rang them about five times a day... :p

Likewise, Audi Assistance are worth their weight in gold. I can't even begin to say how they worked-away the stress of this and at all times you felt they were happy to help rather than obliged.

When the time comes to replace the smart, it will be hard work for anyone to convince us not to get another A2 SE or an A3 SE Sportback

[Darren C]

Chris,

I am as pleased to hear the news as you probably were!!:D

Congratulations mate - all's well that ends well; as they say!!

I will 'PM' you just as soon as I get chance!!

Enjoy 'ULP' over the weekend and over the coming weeks!!

Just remember - "What goes around, comes around" - sure Mr Moron Truck Driver will get their just rewards!!;)

Kind regards,

Darren