The Car thread

[BKLFox]

A neighbour dinked me car whilst reversing out their drive, got details a quote from local repair and engaged with a accident management company as not to trigger a claim with my insurance, although AMC will contact and I had plans to do a courtesy call to them after the claim.
Anyway the amc take details and book in a hire car all on the same day so I’m thinking great, then I decide I don’t need the hire car so ring and tell them this which is when things turn sour.

They log my request but totally ignore it, thursday I get a call in the morning asking me where I want to do the handover of hire car, I say I don’t need plus my cars not booked in yet no one has advised on that, the car guy basically says you might as well just take the car…I didn’t.

Thing is my car isn’t booked in, they wanted me to have a car from Thursday over the Easter period so my car wasn’t going in anyway & they have been on radio silence to me for over a week because I said I didn’t need the car. 
Going to cut ties myself now due to the principal of they wanted to add enormous costs to a claim via the hire car & I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the hire car with me for 2 or 3 weeks for what the garage told me was 2 days work.
It just grips my 5hit that this seems legal surely some sort of fraud/extortion and i now see it’s this behaviour & people’s reluctance to challenge (I get people just want their cars repaired and they see it’s not on their insurance) that is driving all our premiums up as I’m sure a bill of just shy of £1k would jump to £5k+ and not just for the accident repair costs themselves, why can’t these companies just add £300-£500 to the bill for their minimal engagement costs instead of going all Fagin to reap extra money.

[Unabomber]

Need some advise if possible. I need to sort a new company car for delivery next April. I want a hybrid due to the obvious tax savings but there is none available! Really wanted a 330e but it seems BMW’s order book is closed. Can’t see any equivalents either. Anyone know any decent options? 

[Bellend Sebastian]

17 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

Need some advise if possible. I need to sort a new company car for delivery next April. I want a hybrid due to the obvious tax savings but there is none available! Really wanted a 330e but it seems BMW’s order book is closed. Can’t see any equivalents either. Anyone know any decent options? 

Skoda Enyaq (the standard one, not the coupe) has had great write ups.

 

Edit: sorry, saw you said hybrid rather than all electric. Guessing Octavia hybrid not quite sexy enough?

Edited 21 April 2022 by Bellend Sebastian

[tom27111]

33 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

Need some advise if possible. I need to sort a new company car for delivery next April. I want a hybrid due to the obvious tax savings but there is none available! Really wanted a 330e but it seems BMW’s order book is closed. Can’t see any equivalents either. Anyone know any decent options? 

Order books do close, usually temporarily. Main reason being that the manufacturer is tweaking the spec slightly. Especially at the moment as they're removing little bits to scrimp on semi conductors.

 

Will probably re-open very shortly. 

 

Have you spoken directly to BMW about it?

 

How about an Alfa Romeo Tonale? 

 

https://www.alfaromeo.co.uk/models/tonale

 

Our demo should be landing on site by the end of the quarter. Can't blame a guy for trying! 

[Unabomber]

3 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

Order books do close, usually temporarily. Main reason being that the manufacturer is tweaking the spec slightly. Especially at the moment as they're removing little bits to scrimp on semi conductors.

 

Will probably re-open very shortly. 

 

Have you spoken directly to BMW about it?

 

How about an Alfa Romeo Tonale? 

 

https://www.alfaromeo.co.uk/models/tonale

 

Our demo should be landing on site by the end of the quarter. Can't blame a guy for trying! 

Not yet need to contact them and see what’s going on. It was more to see if people knew any similar cars that I don’t know about. Cheers 

[kenny]

1 hour ago, Unabomber said:

Not yet need to contact them and see what’s going on. It was more to see if people knew any similar cars that I don’t know about. Cheers 

I have a 530e and I'm trying to get rid early. There's nothing really wrong with it but nothing all that right either.

[Unabomber]

3 minutes ago, kenny said:

I have a 530e and I'm trying to get rid early. There's nothing really wrong with it but nothing all that right either.

So are you saying don’t go for one? 

[kenny]

12 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

So are you saying don’t go for one? 

Personally I wouldn't.

 

Go full electric.

[Unabomber]

3 minutes ago, kenny said:

Personally I wouldn't.

 

Go full electric.

Can’t due to the distances I travel for meetings 

[kenny]

18 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

Can’t due to the distances I travel for meetings 

I thought that. Then I realised I was planning around something that happened 6-8 times a year and not what I do everyday. A Tesla or Kia will do 300 or so which provides a 150 mile journey assuming no charging happens in the day.

 

 We have a pool car or my wife has a car that I would use on the rare occasion that electric wouldn't work.

 

Also worth nothing, that the government is putting up the tax year on year, it's gone up 2% in the first year I had the car, so the tax saving is going down all the time from my previous diesel. Particularly as it's quite a bit more expensive than my previous XC60.

 

My final moan is that they are massive on the inside and largely pathetic on the inside. Like an anti-TARDIS.

 

[Jon the Hat]

On 16/04/2022 at 18:01, BKLFox said:

A neighbour dinked me car whilst reversing out their drive, got details a quote from local repair and engaged with a accident management company as not to trigger a claim with my insurance, although AMC will contact and I had plans to do a courtesy call to them after the claim.
Anyway the amc take details and book in a hire car all on the same day so I’m thinking great, then I decide I don’t need the hire car so ring and tell them this which is when things turn sour.

They log my request but totally ignore it, thursday I get a call in the morning asking me where I want to do the handover of hire car, I say I don’t need plus my cars not booked in yet no one has advised on that, the car guy basically says you might as well just take the car…I didn’t.

Thing is my car isn’t booked in, they wanted me to have a car from Thursday over the Easter period so my car wasn’t going in anyway & they have been on radio silence to me for over a week because I said I didn’t need the car. 
Going to cut ties myself now due to the principal of they wanted to add enormous costs to a claim via the hire car & I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the hire car with me for 2 or 3 weeks for what the garage told me was 2 days work.
It just grips my 5hit that this seems legal surely some sort of fraud/extortion and i now see it’s this behaviour & people’s reluctance to challenge (I get people just want their cars repaired and they see it’s not on their insurance) that is driving all our premiums up as I’m sure a bill of just shy of £1k would jump to £5k+ and not just for the accident repair costs themselves, why can’t these companies just add £300-£500 to the bill for their minimal engagement costs instead of going all Fagin to reap extra money.

Yes it is painful, and pushing up insurance costs.  Seems to be linked to the major hire companies.  If you speak with the other drivers insurance company they are generally very happy to accommodate your request in terms of garage and courtesy car in order to avoid these.  What annoyed me was it my own insurers which put the AMC onto me.  Took a while to get them to sod off, and glad I did the research before about #4k got added to the cost for a car which was perfectly drivable.

[weller54]

15 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Skoda Enyaq (the standard one, not the coupe) has had great write ups.

 

Edit: sorry, saw you said hybrid rather than all electric. Guessing Octavia hybrid not quite sexy enough?

I'm looking at the Skoda superb estate iV 1.4 hybrid .. they say 38 miles on full electric and an average mpg of 128? ... wonder how realistic this is?

[tom27111]

11 minutes ago, weller54 said:

I'm looking at the Skoda superb estate iV 1.4 hybrid .. they say 38 miles on full electric and an average mpg of 128? ... wonder how realistic this is?

No chance. I'm in a Jeep Renegade hybrid with work.

 

Quoted is 31 miles full electric and 145 mpg. 

 

It's 20 miles electric and my mpg is around 70.

 

If I don't charge it, my mpg is around 25.

 

I don't really see any benefit of hybrids to be honest. If full electric isn't an option, I'd much rather have an efficient diesel engine.

 

Drove to the Everton match in my own car the other night, from Northampton, £30 of diesel got me there and back comfortably. Went to Anfield a couple of months ago in the hybrid, cost me more than double that. Never again.

[weller54]

1 hour ago, tom27111 said:

No chance. I'm in a Jeep Renegade hybrid with work.

 

Quoted is 31 miles full electric and 145 mpg. 

 

It's 20 miles electric and my mpg is around 70.

 

If I don't charge it, my mpg is around 25.

 

I don't really see any benefit of hybrids to be honest. If full electric isn't an option, I'd much rather have an efficient diesel engine.

 

Drove to the Everton match in my own car the other night, from Northampton, £30 of diesel got me there and back comfortably. Went to Anfield a couple of months ago in the hybrid, cost me more than double that. Never again.

Thanks.. that's interesting.

I have a Skoda superb sportline diesel estate which gives me 50-60mpg . So, I think I'll stick with that.

[tom27111]

5 minutes ago, weller54 said:

Thanks.. that's interesting.

I have a Skoda superb sportline diesel estate which gives me 50-60mpg . So, I think I'll stick with that.

I would, definitely. 

 

If you drive under 20 miles a day, hybrids do make a bit of sense. But as soon as you go on a long journey, they're the most uneconomical vehicles on the road.

[weller54]

21 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

I would, definitely. 

 

If you drive under 20 miles a day, hybrids do make a bit of sense. But as soon as you go on a long journey, they're the most uneconomical vehicles on the road.

I'd like to go full electric but just think it's too early and the cars are too expensive right now!

Want to get to a point where the infrastructure is better and you can buy a vehicle that has a 300 mile range for under £30k.

[kenny]

3 hours ago, tom27111 said:

I would, definitely. 

 

If you drive under 20 miles a day, hybrids do make a bit of sense. But as soon as you go on a long journey, they're the most uneconomical vehicles on the road.

I average 52.5 mpg in my 530e.

 

No complaints about it on that front.

[Bellend Sebastian]

6 hours ago, weller54 said:

I'm looking at the Skoda superb estate iV 1.4 hybrid .. they say 38 miles on full electric and an average mpg of 128? ... wonder how realistic this is?

I'm sure I read somewhere they do about 30 miles on full electric in the real world.

 

My commute is only a few miles (sadly just beyond what I can practically cycle) and they've got chargers at work so I'd love one

[polarbear]

5 hours ago, tom27111 said:

I would, definitely. 

 

If you drive under 20 miles a day, hybrids do make a bit of sense. But as soon as you go on a long journey, they're the most uneconomical vehicles on the road.

Hi Tom 

 

do you do leasing deals?

[tom27111]

Just now, polarbear said:

Hi Tom 

 

do you do leasing deals?

Yes we do. What are you looking for?

[Mike Oxlong]

45 minutes ago, polarbear said:

Hi Tom 

 

do you do leasing deals?

 

44 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

Yes we do. What are you looking for?

Ski mobile ? 

[UniFox21]

Was reversed into at a junction and they've bent my lower grill back. Luckily hasn't hit the radiator, so hoping cheap to fix. More annoyed they have a lease subscription car so may have to report it. Hoping to avoid insurance as at mid 20's any no claims is needed 

[Tommy G]

On 21/04/2022 at 19:38, Unabomber said:

Need some advise if possible. I need to sort a new company car for delivery next April. I want a hybrid due to the obvious tax savings but there is none available! Really wanted a 330e but it seems BMW’s order book is closed. Can’t see any equivalents either. Anyone know any decent options? 

Ive ordered an i4 M50 - comes Nov / Dec, fully electric so the BIK is dirt cheap. Have a look. BMWs orderbook isnt closed, I have a good contact there if you need it. My brother @JonnyBoyhas a 330e he can give you a review...

[Unabomber]

22 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Ive ordered an i4 M50 - comes Nov / Dec, fully electric so the BIK is dirt cheap. Have a look. BMWs orderbook isnt closed, I have a good contact there if you need it. My brother @JonnyBoyhas a 330e he can give you a review...

Thanks for that, if you could let me know the contact that would be great. @JonnyBoy what are your thoughts? I currently have a 320d.

[Tommy G]

5 hours ago, Unabomber said:

Thanks for that, if you could let me know the contact that would be great. @JonnyBoy what are your thoughts? I currently have a 320d.

Ask for Samantha Hitchins - call the main switchbord number at Sytner Leicester, she's superb.