Forced to Get a New Car

I can't believe I'm writing this post and I am so sad that I have to. My car was sadly written off. 

I finished my fourth consecutive night shift on Christmas Eve, only to be greeted by my car making loud noises, vibrating and releasing exhaust fumes. I started and stopped it multiple times, getting out of the vehicle to walk around, looking for any damage but I couldn't see any. I was so embarrassed to be making so much noise but no one else seemed to be looking, despite the car sounding like a teenage boy had put an amplifier on the exhaust. 

I was parked in a gated, NHS car park, whilst working overnight, so decided to drive it out of the car park and pull into the side of the road outside because my RAC breakdown cover wouldn't be able to get to me inside the car park anyway, let alone work on the car itself. As I was driving out, the engine warning light came up. Of course, I called the RAC the second I pulled up. 

I had to wait an agonising 2 hours for the breakdown mechanic to arrive, only to be very quickly and apologetically be told that my catalytic converter had been cut off and that there was substantial damage alongside this. Of course, I completely broke down and the mechanic was so nice to offer me a lift home, but stating I would have to return for the police and insurance, therefore I decided to just stay. Not only was I emotional because I'd just finished night shifts, I'd been told my car was likely to be written off. All this happening, just a few days after my grandma's funeral and it was the last thing I had left of hers and one of the most important things she ever gave me. I felt like it was my connection to her and then for it all to be gone, just days after she was...hurt. It really hurt. 

After calming down a little, I called the police, who gave me a crime reference number as for all intents and purposes, that's what it was. I then called the hospital security to find out it was the only car park on the campus without CCTV. Then I had to call the insurance to arrange to be towed and for mechanics to be arranged to determine whether or not it would be fixed. 

Of course, Christmas and the bank holidays delayed things but as time progressed, I became more and more optimistic that they were going to fix it. I kept calling for updates and the garage said it could be fixed and I was on the waitlist for a courtesy car in the meantime. I kept getting pushed and pushed, and then when I rang up for a fourth time, the insurance told me they weren't going to pay for the damages. Apparently the criminals had cut the pipes, as well as the floor and other damage which was "over double what the car was worth", so around £3000 to fix. 

I was told I couldn't buy the car back myself, which ultimately I wouldn't want to do, but I did want to see it one last time and say goodbye. The car ended up getting valued at £1215, but with that I lost a brand new refilled tank of fuel as well (which had also been syphoned off) costing £85, plus as it was written off, I couldn't get a courtesy car, nor claim for the taxis, buses and cancelled shifts I've had to use to get to work in the meantime. To top it off, as the criminal hadn't been found, I also lost my no claims bonus of 6 years, which was almost 7 years in February and had to pay the £100 excess deduction too. 

It basically ended a shitty year, in the most shittiest way and I couldn't be more devastated.