This is how it ends...

[Snoopy]

A sad loss.
Glad everyone is ok. I feel sorry for the guy you hit as i know how that feels.
If the a-pillar is bent then the shells probably distorted so it maybe a write off. But they may just reshell it depending on the value and cost.

[am1w]

Radek: I can imagine what you are going through. Many moons ago, my three day old Alfa sports car was written off from a side-on collision by an uninsured illegally imported Mercedes which hit me at 50 mph as the driver had jumped a red traffic light. I had to be cut out of a smouldering car by the fire crew. It was horrible.
I really feel for you.

[AlanD]

Just as long as everyone is OK, at the end of the day these things happen, EVERYONE on here as their moments when they "press on" otherwise we wouldn't have GTI, unlucky mate

I will buy a diesel car and run it for a year if the insurance company try and repair that, I think its a safe bet on a write off.

Hope it all gets sorted soon

[Radek]

Thank you all.

Yes, I'm really sorry for the other guy, but of course I couldn't say anything that could be read as admitting fault... Sad, but that's the way it is. I hope his insurance company sorts it out for him...

A part of me wants the car to be repaired. I planned to keep it a couple of years and there's so many places we haven't yet been to...  But I know even if they were to repair it I wouldn't be 100% sure it's safe anymore.

[am1w]

But I know even if they were to repair it I wouldn't be 100% sure it's safe anymore.

You are right. It will never be the same. Better for it to be written-off IMO.
Look, VW repairers can't even fix a rear bumper so what chance is there for a huge repair with re-jigging? No chance IMO.
Hope it gets written-off for your sake and sanity.

[herbie911]

Most important both parties walked
I agreed with everyone here. Looking at the damage, I rather not having it back. You will never trust or love it as much!

[Doddy1976]

Nasty - but these things do happen, again at least all walked away from it. I had a lucky escape and certainly came out of it better than it looks like you may.

In January my wife hit black ice in Argyll skidding into a bridge resulting in my Qasqai ending up on the roof in the middle of the road. My Mum and our 18 month old son were also in the back. Fortunately it was coming out of a village and someone heard the bang and managed to stop the traffic before we were in another accident. The ice was on a bend on the camber and the next car would have had no chance avoiding us (thank f@#ck for car seats, robust Nissan's and quiet Argyll roads!). We all walked away with no treatment required, often think what could have happened especially as there was a big drop the other side of the bridge where cars had ended up before.

The car was a write off but the good news is that it was a company car with almost 2 years of the lease to go so no insurance issues and I then opted out of the scheme - now I have a GTI! 

[The Danno]

Golf R  ... all the fun without the understeer 

Sorry bout the loss mate.

R32UK... not so sure about that. The R will occasionally understeer, especially when you go too fast into a wet corner. Its best suited to getting power on on the way out of one. I can attest to that. It feels just like front wheel drive if you don't get to learn it's character properly!!!

[jdjd]

If your in doubt about it being a write off just make sure that it is.... I dont know if you had the car recovered yourself or insurance but A few well placed hammer blows to the Front Pillar will make sure it is. I wouldn't want it repairing and giving back to me.

 Glad your ok anyway.

[R32UK]

Golf R  ... all the fun without the understeer 

Sorry bout the loss mate.

R32UK... not so sure about that. The R will occasionally understeer, especially when you go too fast into a wet corner. Its best suited to getting power on on the way out of one. I can attest to that. It feels just like front wheel drive if you don't get to learn it's character properly!!!

The important point being learning its character. Very early on I had a couple of brown pants moments in the R.. once you learn how to drive it, every corner, no matter how challenging is a joy!!