I have no luck with cars.
We chose this one so it wouldn't be tempting to steal, being an L reg, automatic, uncool car. For gods sake, it only has a tape deck! Apparently not.
It's not just the fact that they broke in, destroyed the steering column and physically broke (by twisting) the steering wheel. It's the nastiness of it: kicking and twisting the passenger rear door, snapping off the back windscreen wiper. I left nothing in there for you to take, so you thought you'd just batter the car instead? The police estimate the damage at £450 to £500. That's more than the car's worth, so it's probably a write off. I can't face telling my parents yet, or the thought of my 71 year old, disabled Dad insisting on scrambling around a scrappie to try and find the parts to fix it ourselves and make it useable again, or hurting himself trying to fit them. I don't want him to have to do that, he's too old for this crap, and I don't want to be the reason that he feels he should have to.
The police came, and, as expected, could do nothing. They were sympathetic, but there were no useable fingerprints.
I was good and held it together while the police where here: cheerful, upbeat, accepting that there was nothing more they could do. But now they've gone, I've fallen apart a bit. I've had a cry about it, and now I'm sitting here, still bursting into tears, with red, sore eyes, feeling sick, and with a thumping head.
I don't get it. I try to be a good person, be nice to others, be helpful and try and make other people happy. Yet I still get shat upon. And they're probably out there, getting drunk and having a laugh, while I try and figure out if I can do without a car, how horrendous my premiums would be if I tried claiming, how much this is all going to cost me, at a time when I'm not exactly rolling in money. Me and my family will suffer because of some little shits.
It's hard to not take something like this personally, especially when this is the 4th time in just over 2 years.
Have you tried speaking to the council about the problem? Once every six months just to you would suggest they're not doing a good job of protecting your neighbourhood...
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it's nothing to do with the council: the garage is a private one, under my building. It's up to my factor to secure it, and although there's now a legal mandate from all owners to air brick where there's currently mesh, put closers on the fire doors, and get key passes fitted to the lifts...it's a while away from happening yet.
ReplyDeleteOh that's awful. I feel so sorry for you. Factors being crap again it seems :(
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I'm so sorry. Very inadequate I know, and I wish there was something more I was able to do. However, you have much sympathy, and as many cyber hugs as you would like. xxx
ReplyDeleteI really can't believe why someone would do this. Wish I could do something to help. Big hugs x
ReplyDeleteBastards!Don't know what else to say. Sending you lots of virtual hugs xxx
ReplyDeleteOh, no! It it one of the most gumption-robbing experiences in modern life, isn't it? My favouritest car ever, my old Renault 19 RTi, was broken into, had the inside needlessly and excruciatingly mashed up - they even stole my favourite hat! It had no material worth, but was irreplaceable.
ReplyDeleteIf there is no damage to the steering column (esp. the splines and the electrics) and the door doesn't need replacing, you could get the wheel changed for about £20. And a scrap wheel would cost at most another £20 from an online breaker's. No need to go scrambling around a breaker's yard yourself!
If the door needs doing, it becomes trickier - and if the control column needs doing, I'm afraid it's bad luck. If you have a protected no-claims bonus, then claim and put the money towards a newer car. Early 80's motors are often broken into because they're perceived as easier targets, what with universally colour-coded wiring etc. and at-best-rudimentary physical security.
Look on the bright side, though - at least you now have a really good excuse to buy a motorcycle!
Take care.