5. Take the money; but buy it back from the ins co. before it goes to the knackers, then fix it yourself with bumper, bonnet, headlight and wing from the knackers.

 

Option 5 would work for me

 

... so the repair costs were estimated at NZD$16,000 ( new panels - bonnet, bumper, grill, one mudguard). The car is insured for 12,000

The car has been written off and I will get a cheque for $11,250
This is minus my $250 excess, and $500 to buy the 'wreck' back. Suits me ... the stereo is worth about $3000.
Two auto dismantlers estimated the wreck value of my manual XJR at $500 !

I have asked the panelbeater to give me a price to repair it with secondhand panels and a full respray - if less that $11,000 then that will be the plan.
This Jag is not going to the wreckers yet!

 

Do they ever truly understand the value of a running 5-speed manual XJR, RHD, even though it is a converted manual? I read from the Mercedes forum an interesting thread where a W124 enthusiast spent three years successfully turning a stock W124 300CE into an AMG Twin-Turbo, and, even as a replica, the finished product is going to fetch $$$$$$!

There are only 103 manual XJR6 made in RHD, and who knows how many are still running. Wonder how much an original one is worth in 2020, when celebrating the model's 25th anniversary.

 

I finally got my car back yesterday, 3.5 months after my crash.
I have left the leaper off the bonnet/hood, and with the bumper repairs I asked the panelbeater to leave off the headlight washers which I didn't like and which didn't work.
The front looks much cleaner as a result.
It drives well, and I am getting used to it again after 3 months in the Daimler 6 . Quite different cars...
I'll take some photos when the rain stops.

 

Congrats Al, and good call on the leaper and washers. Car looks even lower and wider without them.

 

Repa

XJR repaired, new bonnet, repaired bumper, new headlight clusters both sides, drivers door fixed, leaper and headlight washers deleted

 

Looks great.

Graham

 

That's a truly gorgeous Jag!!!