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Thread: Rear ended with Engine damage

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    Rear ended with Engine damage

    Hi all,

    About a month ago I was heavily rear ended in my Polo and while in getting the panel repair work done the engine catastrophically failed.

    I have put it to the insurer that this was a result of the accident or possibly mistreatment by the repairers staff.

    My Polo is at a dealership now and requires a full engine replacement.

    My argument to the insurer is that prior to the accident the car was in good working condition and had been regularly serviced with the last service 3 months prior.

    The insurer is stating that a rear end accident cannot damage the motor and is rejecting the claim as it is mechanical failure.

    A little further info...
    I had the last service invoice in the owners manual in the glovebox of the car in which the mechanic had noted possible worn timing chain and the assessor has seen this. When I got the car serviced the mechanic had noted the rattle on startup after the service but said to me that could have been due to low oil pressure as the oil had just been changed (during the service) and that if it did it again to have a look at it but only to be really concerned if the rattle was sustained for over 30 seconds and occurred regularly. The rattle only happens very infrequently on the car (once a month and only for a couple of seconds) so I had not bothered with it too much and had spoken with a VW mechanic who had said it happens sometimes but not to be concerned unless it started happening more frequently.

    The accident was a heavy shunt which lifted the rear of the car and pushed me 3+ metres forward and did damage the exhaust along with the lower real panel work etc.

    After the accident I drove the car for almost a week prior to the car being booked in for repairs, but I noticed a strong fumey smell in the cabin after the car was driven for a while. When this continued I called the repairer and arranged to drop the car off early as I didn't want to do any more damage. The insurance assessor is stating that this is because I was tail ended and it has pushed the fuel up the overflow pipe which is what I am smelling, but I was smelling this a week after the accident and it became more noticeable the longer I drove.

    VW have done a diagnosis on the car and state it is not the timing chain but there is so much damage they cannot tell what happened, there is a cracked piston, crushed sparkplugs etc, the workshop manager has stated he has never seen anything like it but VW are going to assist with the cost of the parts for the motor.

    After all this I am still up for a hefty sum which I think should be covered under insurance.

    Has anyone got any thoughts on this?

    thanks

    Michael
    Sword Dude

    2011 77 TSI Polo manual Flash Red with Sport Pack
    2014 (MY15) 125 TDI Superb Outdoor 4x4

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Melbourne, VIC
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    Yikes. I'm wondering if you had a borderline twincharger issue with rings/piston and the shunt caused the piston to crack and then break.

    It sounds like a case for VW to provide a free rebuild/replacement to me.
    Resident grumpy old fart
    VW - Metallic Paint, Radial Tyres, Laminated Windscreen, Electric Windows, VW Alloy Wheels, Variable Geometry Exhaust Driven Supercharger, Direct Unit Fuel Injection, Adiabatic Ignition, MacPherson Struts front, Torsion Beam rear, Coil Springs, Hydraulic Dampers, Front Anti-Roll Bar, Disc Brakes, Bosch ECU, ABS

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    Brisbane, Qld
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    200
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    Hi Kaanage,

    this is not a twin charger issue as it is a 77TSI.
    Sword Dude

    2011 77 TSI Polo manual Flash Red with Sport Pack
    2014 (MY15) 125 TDI Superb Outdoor 4x4

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Penrith, NSW
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    Are you going your own insurance? Or the other persons?

    ive seen instances at work where a rear end impact can jolt the motor/gearbox that fiercely that the block cracks at the mounts.
    2004 VW Bora 4motion | 3.2 Swapped - R32 Trimmings | BBS CH | Forever fixing this bitch

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    Brisbane, Qld
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    Quote Originally Posted by beale187 View Post
    Are you going your own insurance? Or the other persons?

    ive seen instances at work where a rear end impact can jolt the motor/gearbox that fiercely that the block cracks at the mounts.
    I have to go my own insurer as the dingaling who hit me is not insured. Why they don't make at least 3rd party property compulsory I don't know.
    Sword Dude

    2011 77 TSI Polo manual Flash Red with Sport Pack
    2014 (MY15) 125 TDI Superb Outdoor 4x4

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Penrith, NSW
    Posts
    734
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    mmm... You a have few options depending on your policy I guess. I think the biggest question is what do you want done with the car? You want it repaired? or you want it written off?

    Does your insurer have lifetime guarantee on repairs? or a prefer repairer option?

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