Dulagarl: the Lifted H6 Forester

Well, I bought it, and I have to say that what SKT has done is truly inspired.

It’s a freaking rocket on the bitumen, and it has an enormous amount of grunt offroad.

Engine transplant thread is here:

https://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16564

Here’s a little log of bring it home, and it’s first offroad trip once home.

Jan 29th I flew to Coolangatta. Scott picked me up at the airport and we went for a drive. It didn’t take long for me to be convinced that I should buy this. Sure, it had a couple of issues, for example some worn out bushes in the front end, and a cooling issue, but I could tell that this was a VERY serious vehicle.

Brought it home via Lismore and Casino and then to Tamworth for the night. Next day was Tamworth to Narrandera. Narrandera to Melbourne on the Minday was relatively easy after all of that.

Saw some amazing country in the process. Didn’t have time for many snaps, but here are a few…

Some of the country just into NSW after casino…

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Took a detour via the outer solar system…

001solarsystem.jpg


Actually, that virtual solar system drive from siding spring observatory is a good idea. That pic was taken in Gilgandra.

While on the space bent, couldn’t resist a couple of pics with the Parkes Radio Telescope…

002dish1.jpg


003dish2.jpg


It was 38 degrees Celsius when those shots were taken, and it didn’t get cooler for hours. Unsurprisingly, the vehicle got a bit hot just south of Forbes.

004southofforbes.jpg



A bit further south past West Wyalong, and there was still water around from December. Ridiculously flat country with paddocks turned to lakes…

005southofforbes.jpg


So, when I got home, I went straight to the mechanic and got an aircon service. I also consulted about improving airflow to the radiator. I looked at pics of offroad bars on Outbacks on the Subaxtreme site, and also the bar on the latest Forester. Armed with that info I decided to cut some holes in the bulbar, and this is the result…

001grille.jpg


002front.jpg


Gotta love the grille mesh from supacheap auto!

So, I then set up the GPS on the dash with some adhesive Velcro…

003gps.jpg


and connected the ECU to the laptop to monitor engine performance and temperatures.

004ecudata.jpg


(BTW: I think I might have resolved the “cooling issues”!)

... part two to follow
 
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I hope it all goes in your favour mate. I'm in your corner with my fingers crossed for you.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Dulagarl said:
Today it's off to the assessment centre to battle with the assessors. I am already aremd with quotes, and am preparing a schedule of modifications I have made since I bought the car which would add to its value.

It's going to be a tough fight to save it from being written off, but I am up for it.
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With vehicles like ours the extent of modifications is a powerful argument for having 'agreed value' insurance.
However, I guess there comes a point where the cost of the insurance becomes prohibitive, relative to the actual replacement cost of the vehicle.
 
Barry said:
With vehicles like ours the extent of modifications is a powerful argument for having 'agreed value' insurance.
However, I guess there comes a point where the cost of the insurance becomes prohibitive, relative to the actual replacement cost of the vehicle.
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yep. I've got that and the max I could insure for was purchase value or market value (whichever higher). hence insured for purchase value. the mods since are on top of that.

anyway, a picture tells the story. Look in the top left of the pic...

totallosstwo.jpg
 
I've never seen somethin that :censored: minor cause a complete vehicle to be wrote off! From a bad hail storm here, i had probably 20 good size dents on my hood, 12 on my roof, and a 15 on my trunk & spoiler & it was not wrote off. really! do they charge for dent removal there? $1000 a dent?! From other readings, it sounds like it is common practice for them to take your vehicles from you in such ways.... :furious:

This i can understand being totaled....
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Gutted for you!!

Any option to buy it back from insurance company??
 
Not sure if it's still the same - over the years I've had 2 cars 'written off' (both old, low value, both rear ended but drivable) and in both cases we got the 'wrecks' from the insurer and took a reduced payment which we put towards getting them fixed.
 
As things stand, I have been offered an amount of payout and have agreed to buy the wreck back at a price where I can afford to fix it.

of course, none of this is in writing, and the deal is not "settled" until I accept the cash. In the meantime, I can still drive it, and it is still insured.

In the meantime, I will be looking very closely at the requirements involved in getting the vehicle taken off the repairable write off register once it is repaired.

All in all, it is theoretically not too bad. The devil is in the detail. At this tage I will be doing everything possible to get it back on the road in a state where it can be comprehensively insured.
 
Venom said:
Sucks... not holding much hope for mine.

Did this have to go into the mass assessments e.g. out at airport west?

Heres the link on vicroads for vehicles damaged in the 25 of Dec hailstorm, there's a few excemptions been made for these vehicles.
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Hom...ehicles/VehiclesDamaged25Dec2011HailStorm.htm
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yeah. It seesm the general rule is that if it will cost more than 80% of the insured value to fix it, then it will be a total loss.

I had quotes for panel beating and paintless dent repair, and took them to the assessment centre. Yep, it was the one in Airport West.

Thanks for that link mate: will read closely.

I think you made the right move buying those panels when you did: it will greatly reduce the cost of repair. e.g. a panel beater has to quote list price for a bonnet, which in my case was about $500. I can get one on ebay for between $150 and $250.

I got to "buy" my wreck for aboyut 25% of the insured value, so I suggest that you will be able to do the same. You should be able to fix yours.
 
F*%K!!!!!!!!! That really sucks now, this has just wrecked my day.
You must buy herback and fix her!!!!
Aren't the insure mods quite high with the whole new drivetrain, bars and everything ? My guess is that there would beover 10k easy worth ofmods.

If not then im coming over to get her. Swap the panels with my car....

I almost feel your pain as its my dream sf foz.

Taza
 
taza said:
F*%K!!!!!!!!! That really sucks now, this has just wrecked my day.
You must buy herback and fix her!!!!
Aren't the insure mods quite high with the whole new drivetrain, bars and everything ? My guess is that there would beover 10k easy worth ofmods.

If not then im coming over to get her. Swap the panels with my car....

I almost feel your pain as its my dream sf foz.

Taza
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Dulagarl said:
I got to "buy" my wreck for about 25% of the insured value.
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yep
 
Gidday DG & Barry

Dulagarl said:
Today it's off to the assessment centre to battle with the assessors. I am already aremd with quotes, and am preparing a schedule of modifications I have made since I bought the car which would add to its value.

It's going to be a tough fight to save it from being written off, but I am up for it.
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Very sorry to hear, mate.
I was just showing off your beaut car to my SWMBO as the example of what a well equipped expeditioning vehicle looks like ...

One argument that I have won several times is the:
"Then you buy me a replacement vehicle for that price ... ".
Your insurer is no more in the motor trade than you or I are, yet they value cars at wholesale prices (Glass's Guide, usually ... ).
Neither them nor you can buy vehicles at these prices ...

Another tactic is to buy the W/O vehicle at their price. Then buy another suitable vehicle and transfer all the good bits from W/O to the new one.

Barry said:
With vehicles like ours the extent of modifications is a powerful argument for having 'agreed value' insurance.
However, I guess there comes a point where the cost of the insurance becomes prohibitive, relative to the actual replacement cost of the vehicle.
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I have yet to find an insurer who will insure any car over ten years old for an 'agreed sum'. Although maybe Shannon's will; I don't know.

It was one of the reasons that I traded Roo1 for Roo2. At least I knew what I was doing, and was not forced into it.
 
Both my cars are insured with Shannons. They tell me the price they will insure them for and I have to agree with them. So that would be "Agreed Value".
 
That is a blow but I have faith you will get her repaired & insured.

Be prepared for some scams on the way though, eg, the Vehicle Identity Validation Certificate. $484 for Vicroads to check the VIN...30 sec!!! :huh::shake:

Dulagarl said:
yeah. It seesm the general rule is that if it will cost more than 80% of the insured value to fix it, then it will be a total loss.
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I always thought 40% was the cutoff mark, might have changed.

I got to "buy" my wreck for aboyut 25% of the insured value, so I suggest that you will be able to do the same. You should be able to fix yours.
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That will give you good room to fix her up...

Ratbag said:
Another tactic is to buy the W/O vehicle at their price. Then buy another suitable vehicle and transfer all the good bits from W/O to the new one.
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Dulagarl is heavily modified & engineer certified so thats not really practical unfortunately :(

Good luck Greg... :)
 
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