Belmont stolen, recovered now?

Hi All,

Just a bit of vehicle crime feedback and some thoughts / questions if I may.

So, we get a call from the Police at 9 this morning saying our (93,

1.4) Belmont had been recovered and was in a local Ontime pound. I asked if it was drivable and she said it had been involved in a RTC. We popped round and had a look at it (couldn't touch it as SOCO were on their way) and apart from some scratches on the roof when one of the bicycles had been put (the thieves turned up on cycles) there wasn't any obvious external damage. It had been recovered from the side of the road, not pulled from a ditch or a shop window. ;-)

Later we got a call from a nice SOCO lady who went through the items they found in the car and they were all ours, including the wind up torch and the 20 quid my wife keeps in the glove compartment for emergency fuel money! Nothing taken or added.

We have also had a letter from the insurance Co informing us that the cover was now stopped. I called them and reminded them that I only notified them of the thief and that I wasn't pursuing a claim at that time. They said they would reinstate the cover (I've asked for that in writing). I have also been given their ok to check the vehicle out to see if I want to repair it myself (or my mate to check it out in the garage) therefore no claim, removing the claim strike from the record (I have NCP)) or have it written off if a repair is too complicated / expensive. Alternatively we could claim, let them write it off and then buy it back?

Apparently the ignition switch looks ok mechanically (not been forced) but the lower cowling was smashed off to get the electrical bit of the switch where they presumably hot wired it. Any idea how easy it might be to get replacement parts (breakers?) and what are the chances of damage being done to the steering column as they defeated the steering lock?

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m
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T i m gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

That's the least sensible option, by the time your excess, NCB and claim history have been balanced against the likely payout.

TBH, given the thoroughly laughable likely payout, I'd be inclined to ignore the whole mess unless the recovery/storage costs are high.

Almost certainly easy - after all, it's exactly the same as an Astra of the era, and very likely identical to other Vauxhalls.

Strong. Whether it's damage that risks causing the lock to click on randomly in the future (not fun) or will just stop it doing anything () is another question.

Reply to
Adrian

the lock will have been broken by brute force, there is every likelihood it will need a column complete (cheap from a breakers in any case.)

Remember you will have at least 150 to pay to collect it plus the repairs, and of course it is still vulnerable and they know where it is any time they fancy another drive round. If you get it back on the road then I strongly suggest you get and use a Disclok, they are expensive, heavy and awkward to use, but are impossible for the average scrote to remove with hands and a screwdriver . Since using them on my vehicles I have not had one stolen or broken into.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

That era Astra, you snap the steering lock by pulling really hard on the wheel, drill the old bolts out & have a look, but a scrap steering column's probably cheapest

Reply to
Duncan Wood

Understood. FWIW The NCB is protected and the last time it was written off (Sept 2008) we were paid out £275. That covered the inspection, MOT, replacement parts and left a drink for my mate for letting me use his garage. ;-)

£150 apparently.

Ok, not had to repair any ever on a Vauxhall so have no history on them as such. Funnily mate with garage has a later Astra in there at the moment with an ignition switch fault and is having trouble sourcing a replacement.

Damn.

I'd probably replace the assembly if I could or remove the steering lock parts and use an alternative solution. I have removed shear head bolts before so that's not an issue as such but that maybe a replacement column complete might be a tidier solution?

The thing is that whilst she's happy driving the (daughters) Ka it isn't as handy as a 4 door saloon with a big boot and we won't get one in such a known / good condition for £275?

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

Ok, encouraging. Are there any places in particular that would be particularly good for such things do you know please (M25, J25 or reasonable radius).

Yup.

I had though of that even re fitting a flashing LED and hidden immobiliser switch combo. Won't stop them getting in of course but might stop them going anywhere with it.

Good thought.

Maybe we have just been lucky as the last vehicle we had touched was the Sierra Estate probably 20 years ago when they nicked company gear out of the back.

Turns out the vehicle was found .7 miles away so they were probably just cycling around till they got lucky. /Normally/ it's parked outside the front so I would have heard it going on and probably why it went that night.

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

& whilst it doesn't affect your ptotected NCB, it still goes on your claims history.
Reply to
Duncan Wood

T i m gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

But a claim on your history will still raise the base premium.

Oops. Another claim on your history. Starting to show a pattern now... Play with the comparison engine sites, see how no/one/two claims affects the premium. I predict you'll be surprised. Having my car reversed into while parked (other person's insurer paid in full) hikes my premium more than two £60/3pt photos. With full NCB.

Quite. And it didn't even have history showing it to have been written- off before...

IIWY, I'd just hand the £150 over, get it back, fix it and get on with life on the quiet. And chain the frigging thing down from now on.

You don't know what condition the scrotes have left this one in. And, yes, you'll have a decent choice of stuff around that price point if you're not too fussy. And, since you're happy with a Belmont, you can't be very fussy...

Reply to
Adrian

Oh do you now? ;-)

Ok.

The guys at the compound said they'd give us a call once the Police had finished with it and we can probably tow it home or to my mates garage once they do and go from there.

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

Ok, noted.

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Last time I bought one after it split whilst removing the steering wheel, it cam mail order for about £30. Of course if you get it from the scrappy yourself there's less chance it's also been forced.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

Ok.

True, all be it not 'a pattern' as such. ;-)

I was erring on just doing it myself if poss (she actually likes the car etc) so probably will if I can.

Indeed, but it was damaged > repaired and wasn't of any bookable value in the first place so I'm not sure if that would make any difference would it (I know it wouldn't 'help' etc).

Seems like a plan then.

If the witness's statements were of any value and fitted a known m.o. or SOCO found anything that could pin it to anyone in particular (they have dusted the car for prints etc apparently) maybe these particular scrotes might get chained down for a while (I'm not holding my breath of course).

True, other than know there isn't any obvious external or internal damage (other than the steering lock / ignition stuff) and all our possessions (and 20 quid) are still there etc. The interior trim / upholstery is still perfect and doesn't have the straw filled hole in the drivers seat the much later one was sporting that I looked at earlier!

We aren't 'fussy' (and remember most our vehicles 'came along at a good price' rather than were chosen etc). As you spotted, we aren't 'into cars' in that way so CGAF what other people think of ours or any other vehicle, it works for us, end of . This Astra was my Dads from 2 yrs old, then my nieces and ours for the last 7 years. It's clean, tidy, reliable and everything works as it should. I'm not sure I could get that and knowing how it had been used (and not abused) for most of it's life for £275 or that I wouldn't be buying someone else's 'problems'? (and that's not me being sentimental). I'm not saying we couldn't get that again of course, just that it's nice to know. Neither would I suggest that this one wouldn't let us down out of the blue but it hasn't (not once) over the 7 years we have had it to date. Even repairing the crash damage was cheap and easy (new bolt-on wing £25, indicator £5 etc).

I also fitted new disks, pads and pins to this when it was my nieces and I did the cam belt (and a water pump) soon after we got it (for £350 with 6 months TAX) so they are other things I won't have to do again for a while because they are known.

No rattles, squeaks or clonks, no chips in the glass and the body / paintwork was hardly marked either. In fact, it was actually the best (looking and running) car we had / have! ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

Not bad then.

True.

Would the marks made by it being forced be pretty obvious (over the std wear and tear I mean)? I would be expecting a big burr one or both sides of the hole and possibly scoring around the rest of the shaft?

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

T i m gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

You think that'll stop the insurers just trying to restrict the payout to two buttons and a fluff-covered half-chewed toffee?

Scrotes. Easy-to-nick lift home that won't attract any unwanted plod attention. Except now they (and their mates) KNOW where to find that nice easy-to-nick lift home.

Considering it's a Vauxhall Belmont, I think that says quite a lot about your other choices...

Reply to
Adrian

They break the lock by getting a couple of hooligans one each side with their feet in the wheel and wrench it back and forth, so damage can be major.

you will usually find that the hole the lock goes through has been damaged and widened, in the actual column is the slot that the lock actually goes into, the edges of this will be damaged. It may be quite possible to just bolt another lock onto your column, but it will not be as strong as original when locked. It is also difficult to check for stray bits of metal that will be between the column inner and outer. Replace the lot in one go is easy and quick.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

It varies. But given the price of two new bolts it's easy to check.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

I re-use the old ones, just grind a slot in the dome and use a screwdriver.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

I think even they have limits. ;-)

True, except if we get it back it won't be quite so easy to do again ....

You are quite right and as I said they weren't choices. Ever heard the phrase 'beggars can't be choosers ..', or more accurately, we prefer to spend our money on things we don't leave on the public highway and aren't 'just transport'. ;-)

The Rover was £100 6+ years ago (inc two new tyres and 6 months TAX) and I use it all the time for all sorts of things, from running stuff to the dump to visiting our daughter in Scotland to towing various trailers and the (1981) folding caravan. It has a towbar, electric windows, electric sunroof, power steering and still does 50 mpg. If it blew up tomorrow it owes me nothing and in spite of never having any previous interest in diesels or Rovers I'd get another tomorrow (specially at that price). ;-)

The Belmont 'came along' when we were thinking of getting rid of the Sierra we had for 23 years and had cost £25 when I was made redundant from the Co. 100k miles by Wife and I and never let us down.

The Corsair and Vauxhall Victor were given to me by my Dad and my first Morris Minor van cost me £25 (just needed a gearbox before I could drive it home).

Even the MZ motorbike I was given (cos it was part burnt in a shop fire) was restored and run by me for a while, sold to a mate (who put

70,000 kms on the clock) who then gave it to our daughter who rode it to / from work for 6 months. ;-)

I'd have to say the Company Sierra Estate was the best car in the world. It was free! ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Now you mention it I think I've done the same before, especially to try it all out. They might as well unscrew it rather than smashing it off (not that they would stop to look of course). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

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