Someone hit my GTI

[nubedriver]

I didn’t see that picture to be honest, I read that it had a mounting tab that had been repaired, but I didn’t realise the lens seems to have a hole in it! It’s hard to tell if it’s the lighting or is actually lens damage?! You’d have to ask the seller, presumably though the actual body of the light is cracked where the badly executed repair is, they said the broken tab had been repaired, but it looks like a little more than that, you can actually buy tab repair kits from VW but if it’s cracked the housing as well those won’t repair the damage beyond the tab, the seller looks like they have a cardboard packaging box in one of the photos, which suggests to me that they replaced the headlight and are selling the damaged one, that makes me think the damage is worse than they are saying it is, now I look more at the pictures, I probably wouldn’t buy that light unless the seller sent some better pictures of the extent of the tab damage, that’s the only set of second hand 8.5 headlights i can find online, you’d have to make the call as to wether the light is in good enough condition by getting more info, you may well be stuck with having to buy new, which would then be quite costly I think, an insurance claim may be the best option providing you’re comprehensively insured.

Yep, I am fully insured comprehensively. My voluntary excess is £500 and compulsory is £500. Meaning £1000 deducted straight away from any claim. New headlight would cost £1.2/1.5K, body work couple hundred max. Should be maximum £2K repair. Then you have to factor in possible premium increase extra. Just contemplating a few things before going ahead

[Watts]

Yep, I am fully insured comprehensively. My voluntary excess is £500 and compulsory is £500. Meaning £1000 deducted straight away from any claim. New headlight would cost £1.2/1.5K, body work couple hundred max. Should be maximum £2K repair. Then you have to factor in possible premium increase extra. Just contemplating a few things before going ahead

If I were you I'd avoid an insurance claim in those circs. Assuming the light still works, I'd get the paint sorted first then hunt around for a salvage headlight. Cars are written off all the time, one will come along soon enough.

Also to bear in mind, if you claim this time, what about if you have another in the next few months? Insurance will really screw you over. Happened to me, only two bumps I've ever had were in the same car about 6 months apart.

[Adam T7]

That’s a fairly heavy excess, skews the maths of a claim a bit if you can get a decent 2nd hand light unit.

[Carlosfandango]

Looking again at those pictures I’ve decided that the lens of the light is not damaged, confirm with the seller that the tab is the only damage/repair and that it’s solid, if it is I’d buy it, that tab will be hidden anyway, as long as it’s strong and water tight and in the correct place (which it looks to be) you’re good to go, you could always have someone improve the tab repair if necessary, but like I said, it will be hidden, at 300 odd pounds and considering your excess, get it bought! Get the bumper sorted at chips away or such like and I’d expect you’d be all in for under £600, plus you could sell your cracked light for a few quid too.

[nubedriver]

Looking again at those pictures I’ve decided that the lens of the light is not damaged, confirm with the seller that the tab is the only damage/repair and that it’s solid, if it is I’d buy it, that tab will be hidden anyway, as long as it’s strong and water tight and in the correct place (which it looks to be) you’re good to go, you could always have someone improve the tab repair if necessary, but like I said, it will be hidden, at 300 odd pounds and considering your excess, get it bought! Get the bumper sorted at chips away or such like and I’d expect you’d be all in for under £600, plus you could sell your cracked light for a few quid too.

Just scheduled a repair for the marks at chip away. They quoted me £260. As this is a business lease, I’ve now leaning towards handing the car back in at the end of its term with the damage to the headlight. Likely it will cost less than insurance. Not sure lease company would be happy an non original part

[Carlosfandango]

Looking again at those pictures I’ve decided that the lens of the light is not damaged, confirm with the seller that the tab is the only damage/repair and that it’s solid, if it is I’d buy it, that tab will be hidden anyway, as long as it’s strong and water tight and in the correct place (which it looks to be) you’re good to go, you could always have someone improve the tab repair if necessary, but like I said, it will be hidden, at 300 odd pounds and considering your excess, get it bought! Get the bumper sorted at chips away or such like and I’d expect you’d be all in for under £600, plus you could sell your cracked light for a few quid too.

Just scheduled a repair for the marks at chip away. They quoted me £260. As this is a business lease, I’ve now leaning towards handing the car back in at the end of its term with the damage to the headlight. Likely it will cost less than insurance. Not sure lease company would be happy an non original part

If the light hasn’t got any holes in it and it’s just the stress cracks, and given that it’s a business lease, that might be a good call!. I don’t know how it would or wouldn’t react with the polycarbonate lens, you could test on a discreet area, but I’m wondering if windscreen stone chip repair solution would as good as hide those cracks, as it is so thin that it can trace its way into windscreen cracks which then essentially disappear, could be worth a punt before you hand it back, provided that it doesn’t react.

[DrivenToDistraction]

Just scheduled a repair for the marks at chip away. They quoted me £260. As this is a business lease, I’ve now leaning towards handing the car back in at the end of its term with the damage to the headlight. Likely it will cost less than insurance. Not sure lease company would be happy an non original part

I pretty sure they wouldn't. Aren't you contractually obliged to inform them that a (non-trivial) accident has happened as a condition of the lease agreement? They may well stipulate how the repair is performed, even if you hold the insurance. I have to admit that I have never leased a car, but assumed that is how it works. How long till the end of the lease? If a few months away then your 'Plan B' might be worth considering, but I think they would still expect to be informed at the time the damage happened.

If you own the car, the usual debate about whether to put the repair through your insurance or not (depending on the repair cost, etc) is totally up to you, but that does not appear to be the case here.

[fredgroves]

If you lease a vehicle then you are just liable for damage to it. When you return it they inspect it and charge you for any apparent damage. I've never seen them insist on being told about dents or scratches...

Can be quite expensive if they charge you but on the other hand it's done by a collection agent who is taking your car straight to auction so often not paying much attention...

[nubedriver]

If you lease a vehicle then you are just liable for damage to it. When you return it they inspect it and charge you for any apparent damage. I've never seen them insist on being told about dents or scratches...

Can be quite expensive if they charge you but on the other hand it's done by a collection agent who is taking your car straight to auction so often not paying much attention...

Yep, just going to get the bumper sorted and hope for the best for the headlight. Might take a look at the end of the term and see if there's anything I can do before I hand it in. Not worth a claim and instant deductible £1000. 

[SRGTD]

If you lease a vehicle then you are just liable for damage to it. When you return it they inspect it and charge you for any apparent damage. I've never seen them insist on being told about dents or scratches...

Can be quite expensive if they charge you but on the other hand it's done by a collection agent who is taking your car straight to auction so often not paying much attention...

Yep, just going to get the bumper sorted and hope for the best for the headlight. Might take a look at the end of the term and see if there's anything I can do before I hand it in. Not worth a claim and instant deductible £1000.

Arval’s 2024 end of lease damage checklist and associated charges are at the link below; this is essentially the BVRLA industry standard guidelines that I dare say most (all?) vehicle leasing companies would use. Lamps and lenses are covered on page 5, and for holes and cracks to the lens, replacement of the lamp unit is a requirement with the associated charge being the OEM price of a new headlamp unit.

So it would certainly be worth finding a good used replacement before the end of your lease term, otherwise you’re likely to be faced with paying the cost of a brand new headlamp replacement at whatever VW’s list price is at the time. That’s assuming the collection agent spots the damage when they collect the car.

https://www.arval.co.uk/sites/default/files/229/2024/09/Car%20damage%20charge%20matrix%20May%202024.pdf