My car is a write off

years ago (and I mean decades) they used to let you buy the car for it's scrap value, if it was old and their estimate of repairs was greater than the value.  Don't know if they still allow this.

What is the damage?  Just bodywork?  If so try and find out how much it would be get replacement panels from a scrapyard.  This plan obviously assumes it is in good shape other than bodywork damage.

I had an old van written off this year. They offered 1k, or 800 and keep the vehicle. It's not often used and I wouldn't have got a replacement in good nick with similarly low mileage so I told them I'd take the 1k and keep the van, they accepted. I spent £450 on it (wing headlight bumper) and am happy to keep it til a serious MOt failure crops up.

Dave, the deer took out wing mirror, shattered windscreen, clawed the bonnet and dented the roof

well bonnet should be easy enough to get at a scrapyard and wing mirror as well .  If the roof is only dented and the frame around the windscreen not distorted that could be knocked back out to make it less noticeable,  depends really on whether you are image conscious - people drive around with dented cars all the time.  The new windscreen will cost a bit though, no getting round that and you are prob fecked if the frame is distorted.

I'm convinced that there is a great deal of 'dodgy goings on' involving insurance assessors and the chosen repair company!

A glaring example is that of my daughter, who managed to run into the back of someone, in her three year old VW Golf.

Tough cars aren't they?

Well, not according to the insurance company, who wrote it off because the engine mounts were damaged!!!

This was a low speed collision where, no doubt she was fiddling with her phone, and the air bags didn't deploy.

Does that not look dodgy to you?

Its a shameful business all round.

If it's a diesel maybe you can use it in a scrappage scheme?

"We Buy Any Car"