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Oh I need a hand hold and a posse with pitch forks

28 replies

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 13:28

Some scrotey bastards have stolen the catalytic converter and the Lamda sensor off my 16 year old car

And I can't afford the £700 to get it fixed

And I don't want to buy a new car (can't really afford it without some giant hire purchase loan)

We manage without it most days but we need it to go on holiday in 8 weeks time Sad

Hiring a car is genuinely scary - last time we hired one we actually returned it that day as there was a compulsory £1000 excess - and we were too nervous to drive the bloody thing (even though I've been driving 30 years!)

The garage said it's happened to all the roads in our area over the last 3 days and one of the mechanics confronted the 3 blokes doing it but the had barbed wire weapons round metal poles - the police turned up within 5 minutes and couldn't catch them

I'm so ANGRY 😡 Angry - so totally FURIOUS as my shitty old car being targeted

OP posts:
IncompleteSenten · 29/03/2022 13:30

Is 700 your insurance excess? That's high!

Jongy · 29/03/2022 13:32

I would be more anxious at driving a 16 year old car on a holiday and it breaking down than having a maintained hire car to drive!

Thefts like this are despicable though, what about your insurance?

BoodleBug51 · 29/03/2022 13:32

We had a Mercedes sprinter van for work, OP, and the bloody cat got stolen around 7 times over a 2 year period. In the end, we got so fed up with it that we just put a standard exhaust on until the MOT was due.

Can you claim on your insurance for it?

BillMasheen · 29/03/2022 13:36

You can get a third party hire car insurance that pays the silly excess for you.

I had one when I hired a car on holiday and a stone chipped the paint. I was gobsmacked when they paid up promptly and without a fuss . I’d been convinced it was a bit of a racket and I’d never get paid out. I was really impressed tbh. Really good cover and great service.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 13:37

I didn't even think about the insurance !

I think our excess is £250

Will check

OP posts:
liquidrevolution · 29/03/2022 13:42

if you bought through go compare they cover the excess too.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 14:04

Last years Laurie was clearly prepared for shit as I have comp insurance and a hire car available

But I can't find what my excess is

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 14:04

I've submitted a claim now online

OP posts:
IncompleteSenten · 29/03/2022 14:48

Brilliant.
Whatever it is I'm sure it's far less than 700!

LndnGrl · 29/03/2022 14:54

Your insurance will go up at renewal now.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 14:55

I've apparently got protected Ncd

I've not claimed on my insurance in 32 years Grin

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 14:56

It just renewed last month so if it does it won't for another 11 months thankfully

OP posts:
ssd · 29/03/2022 14:57

Thats shite im sorry @LaurieFairyCake

MrsFatArse · 29/03/2022 14:57

No it might not go up, my car was written off, partial. Fault and mine went down!

LouisaLovesMice · 29/03/2022 14:57

Hooray for MN!
Although I'm a bit irked since I only read this thread because I wanted to join the pitchfork posse. Is the posse still required? Grin

Swisscheeseleaves · 29/03/2022 14:57

You might find the car gets written off if the cost to repair is high. But you might be able to keep the car and use the payout to repair it yourself.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2022 14:59

I would still like a posse - I want to hunt these three blokes down and twat 'em

OP posts:
Oldh · 29/03/2022 15:01

Yay for insurance! Well done.

LowlandLucky · 29/03/2022 15:33

Jongy Even 16 year old cars can be maintained !

LadyOfTheCanyon · 29/03/2022 15:41

I haven't got a pitchfork but I do have an evil looking garden rake with a handle that's made for twatting. Grin

magicstar1 · 29/03/2022 15:45

@Jongy

I would be more anxious at driving a 16 year old car on a holiday and it breaking down than having a maintained hire car to drive!

Thefts like this are despicable though, what about your insurance?

We've just changed out 23 year old car...it was easy to maintain and never let us down. The older ones are easier to fix these days. We replaced it as we wanted a larger car, but the "new" one is 16 years old lol.
Janek · 29/03/2022 15:46

Glad you've got this sorted, I don't have a pitchfork, but I do know that next time you hire a car you want independent collision damage waiver insurance. We have had an annual policy from reducemyexcess several times, but you can just have it for the few days of the hire period too.

HelloSpringIveMissedYou · 29/03/2022 15:52

Grrrr for the thieving scrotes but yay for insurance 🥳

Katsura · 29/03/2022 15:56

@Jongy

I would be more anxious at driving a 16 year old car on a holiday and it breaking down than having a maintained hire car to drive!

Thefts like this are despicable though, what about your insurance?

LOL! We don't have a car that's less than 15 years old in this family. No problems going on holiday in them. If they break down - that's what companies like the AA are for.
SummerInSun · 29/03/2022 16:13

Happened to me - when my car was parked on a very upmarket street in a posh area of London even though it was over then years old and surrounded by much more expensive cars. Infuriating!!! But the insurance paid out so we only had to cover the excess. Hope yours does too.