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Well, I called my insurance company about when they were going to pay off Ford for my Explorer, and they told me it wasn't considered totaled anymore. They want the body shop to do a tear down to see how much damage is done to the frame,etc... I was just getting used to the idea of getting a new car and now we are back to square one. It has already been a week! Plus, he couldn't reassure me that it would ever drive the same. He said most cars are never the same after major work like that. Sorry, just venting. I do have a question for all of you, after a major accident where there is a lot of damage, do cars usually make a full recovery?
Posts: 145 | From: Royal Oak, MI | Registered: Nov 2003
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To answer your question, all I can say is.....IT DEPENDS.........which isn't much of an answer.
The body shop doing the work and how co-operative the insurance company is DOES makes a difference. It didn't look like the body was damaged that badly so in all likelihood, they can do the body work without a lot of trouble and that is what you will see everyday. As far as the frame damage goes, if they can get everything straight and get the rear axle aligned properly, then chances are it will be fine. If I were you, I would visit the body shop and ask the manager to explain everything that they intend to do. This will give you a better understanding of the work they think they will have to do. And.......don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions and voice your thoughts on anything you don't agree with.
-------------------- Dave S Black 2000 Camaro SS Posts: 502 | From: Fort Mill, South Carolina....Charlotte | Registered: Aug 2003
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How frustrating. From what I remember in the pictures, it looked like a good body shop would be able to get it close to "pre-loss" condition. But it might end up costing so much that they might want to total it.
What I'm curious about is why you're having to deal with your insurance company? I thought the other driver was at fault, in which case, they'd be the ones to make the call whether or not to total it. Plus, it's easier to be tough with them since it was their driver's negligence.
One other thing to consider: diminished value. When my '98 Camaro got rear-ended, the other company's agent told me that if I sold it within 7 years, I might be due some diminished value. They were wrong (at least for Oregon): diminished value is calculated as the difference between value before the accident and immediately after the repairs are completed. After I traded my car in, I hired an appraiser and went after Farmers for my diminished value. Because I waited so long, they were a true pain to deal with and I eventually had to hire an attorney. But after 6 months of legal process and only 15 minutes of arbitration, I had my diminished value.
Posts: 1143 | From: Portland, OR | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
Michigans no fault insurance laws. That is why it is so important to know what your policy sez in writing and know it. They can say what you want or what the insurance company wants, it is that simple.
quote:Originally posted by OBSSD: What I'm curious about is why you're having to deal with your insurance company? I thought the other driver was at fault, in which case, they'd be the ones to make the call whether or not to total it. Plus, it's easier to be tough with them since it was their driver's negligence.
One other thing to consider: diminished value. When my '98 Camaro got rear-ended, the other company's agent told me that if I sold it within 7 years, I might be due some diminished value. They were wrong (at least for Oregon): diminished value is calculated as the difference between value before the accident and immediately after the repairs are completed. After I traded my car in, I hired an appraiser and went after Farmers for my diminished value. Because I waited so long, they were a true pain to deal with and I eventually had to hire an attorney. But after 6 months of legal process and only 15 minutes of arbitration, I had my diminished value.
It was the other persons fault, but I was told I had to deal with my insurance company. I am going to allow them to do the tear down and see what they come up with. As much as I would like to have that car back, I don't want something that is going to be hard to get rid of later, or something that was repaired with low quality used parts and breaks later. I think it will be hard to go after my INS company for a repair a year from now if something were to break that was caused by this accident. I was just getting over the fact that I lost my truck and was making plans to get a new Avalanche.
[ 24. March 2004, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: MY02SSLE ]
Posts: 145 | From: Royal Oak, MI | Registered: Nov 2003
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Well that truck did not look that bad to me at all. Nothing I could not fix in my garage. Well look at it this way, you may get many more liles out of the Explorer. Posts: 5682 | From: Dearborn,Mi. | Registered: Feb 2002
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Any way you can talk to the dealer about trading in the explorer on the Avalanche.
Posts: 3091 | From: Canton Mi. | Registered: Oct 2002
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quote:Originally posted by 35TH ED/ed: Any way you can talk to the dealer about trading in the explorer on the Avalanche.
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Take cash settlement on the repairs. Sell the salvage to the repair shop that was going to fix it. (they'll fix at their cost and sell it later for a profit). Take the cash and buy something else. Voila!
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Wife & Best Friend Mary - copilot. Posts: 5558 | From: Windsor, Ontario. Canada | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Hawkeye: Here's a thought.,,,
Take cash settlement on the repairs. Sell the salvage to the repair shop that was going to fix it. (they'll fix at their cost and sell it later for a profit). Take the cash and buy something else. Voila!
A friend did that. The repair shop he had it at bought him out and several years later he got a call from the person who bought it saying it was the best vehicle he had ever owned .
Posts: 3091 | From: Canton Mi. | Registered: Oct 2002
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They picked the shop. It has been almost 2 weeks and they still have not given me an answer on whether or not it is totaled. Posts: 145 | From: Royal Oak, MI | Registered: Nov 2003
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Our Honda was hit hard twice, first hit was in the back 6K worth of damage (fixed) second was a major hit in the front. With almost 8K worth of damage it fell short of the total price by 300 bucks.. Guess what they oked the repair. The car has been back to the shop 4 times since November of 03 and still does not drive right.
The Body shop has replaced all tires on the car, it still drifts, hit a bump and the car will jump into the other lane..
My next step is to proceed with legal actions against the body shop.
Posts: 160 | From: Toms River, NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Bandit: Our Honda was hit hard twice, first hit was in the back 6K worth of damage (fixed) second was a major hit in the front. With almost 8K worth of damage it fell short of the total price by 300 bucks.. Guess what they oked the repair. The car has been back to the shop 4 times since November of 03 and still does not drive right.
The Body shop has replaced all tires on the car, it still drifts, hit a bump and the car will jump into the other lane..
My next step is to proceed with legal actions against the body shop.
Sounds like it is dog tracking. I'll bent the frame is bent......probably the front sub-frame.
You could have this verified by taking it to another body shop and get them to put it on their frame straightening machine.
I once had to have this done on a car I bought. Turns out the kid who owned it hit a curb the night before I picked it up. I was lucky though as the fix was quite cheap....some washers under the rear sub franme for the differntial.
Posts: 383 | From: Oakville, Ontario Canada | Registered: Jan 2003
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