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Intercooler damage - need insurance advice


Grazer
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I've just had a good look at my intercooler after taking out the headlight for cleaning.

 

Not only is it cream crackered, but it has a dent in it - I presume from the crash I had last december. The plastic casing thing in front of it is also cracked:

 

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gcsimpson/2004_06_intercooler03_web.jpg

 

This should really have been picked up by the repairing garage, so the question is can I now get this repaired through my (old) insurance company?? Would I have to somehow prove that it happened then?

 

A new intercooler would be quite nice (and probably essential judging by how much it crumbles when you touch it), but am I kidding myself on that the insurance will pay for it?

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garage who did the work will have to pay for it, tell them you are going to make a formal complaint to the insurance company unless they solve the matter quickly

they will then have to request funds from your insurance (nothing to do with you) who will probably tell them to bugger off

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I phoned Admiral today - they called the garage and arranged for me to take it along tomorrow to assess the damage and get a quote for repair.

 

Is it reasonable to say that the damage impairs the function of the intercooler? I think they know as much about intercoolers as me, so it would be good if I could sound like I know something! Anyone give me a line?!

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Yes, you can argue that the dent in your intercooler is causing an obstruction in airflow in turn causing poor intercooler efficiency as the exhaust gases from the turbo aren't being cooled effectively which could result in high charge air temps and extremely high Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGT's) leading to running lean and the possibility of detonation which in turn can cause melted pistons and the need for a full engine rebuild :eek:

 

That cover it for ya m8?

 

Cheers,

 

Bri.

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I have a better than stock, all ali unit in stock, a direct replacement fit. I *THINK* I also have a good plastic duct which you say is also damaged.

 

Info copy pasted below:

 

Is your intercooler falling apart, the fins corroded off the tubes?

If so, its efficiency will be extremely degraded. Running more boost

than stock? Is this a good idea? NO! It's not even a good idea running

STOCK boost with an I/C like that, and when the weather struggles above

freezing it will be a VERY BAD idea! Don't want to spend over 1400

quid on a new quality front mount intercooler, only to have half of

it masked by the aperture in the front stock bumper being too small to

allow air through all the core? Even with a new aftermarket bumper that

probably fits where it touches, (from what I have seen of most Jap

products), the air will just take the easy route AROUND the expensive

FMIC, rather than through it, because no ducting provision is made. The

answer is my uprated, all aluminium stock mount intercooler. It uses all

original mountings, and the original factory sealed ducting. It uses a

state of the art core with fine pitched finning, on modern tubes with

internal turbulators. The core uses 10% more tubes than the stock unit,

too. The quality of its construction is superb, and all are fully leak

tested under pressure before despatch. Pressure drop, both internally

through the core, and aerodynamically, are less than the stock cores,

making for a very efficient unit.

 

Pics of the intercooler are now available at:

 

http://www.formula3.freeserve.co.uk/intercooler/intercooler.zip

 

or

 

http://www.formula3.freeserve.co.uk/intercooler/intercooler.html

 

They will sell for 580 pounds, there is no VAT to pay.

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Went to the garage this morning. The guy said it looked like very superficial damage and he couldn't see how that would interfere with the functioning of the intercooler - but then he also admitted he didn't know much about intercoolers! He has taken pictures to send to the insurance company - I presume they will involve an assessor?

 

Does anyone know where I stand legally? I was thinking along the lines of even if it is only superficial damage I surely have the right to get a replacement as it is damaged?

 

Here's another pic:

 

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gcsimpson/2004_06_intercooler02_small.jpg

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Originally posted by Chris Wilson

Apart from the accident damage it's totaly knackered anyway. It wanted changing desperately even before the accident.

 

 

...and therefore its likely the insurance company will say so and only pay for part of the renewal cost? they do have a point as well i spose!

 

in all honesty i'd get Chris's or a good secondhand one and pop that on.....

 

if the garage had pushed for a new one at the time of the accident it may have pushed the insurance company into writing it off? i remember someone else who had this with the front active spoiler and he only managed to get the car repaired by not having it renewed.......

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