great421

iTrader: (1)

All -

My bird got t-boned by a teenage girl on a cell phone and Progressive has decided that the $3500 estimated cost to fix the bird is too high.

They estimated that my car is only worth $3000, but the junk yard will give them $1000 for it, so they want me to roll over and take $2000 AND (as a bonus) get a Salvaged title for my baby - To that I say no thank you!

Can anyone suggest a person / hot rod dealership / professional to accurately assess the true value of my car pre-accident?

Thanks in advance,

MIKE

jthunderz28

If you have receipts of all of your mods you may have a shot at disputing it. If not then you are probably screwed.

great421

iTrader: (1)

Progressive has already stated that any / all high performance modifications actually REDUCE the overall value of the vehicle, so (given their fundamental attitude) I'm NOT putting a file folder of reciepts in front of them - I know that would be a mute point. I want a true hot rod professional, NOT a progressive rep, to assess my car's real value.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

You might check into a collector car insurance & see if they have someone or can recommend someone to appraise the car.

I had Progressive for years, and they were good to me at first.......the longer I was with them the less I liked them. In my opinion, they don't treat they're long-term customers very well.

NC01TA

Sorry to hear about the accident. Appraisals probably won't help with insurance 'after the fact' and a '96 Firebird just has little value unless in 'collector condition'. The mods mean ZIP to the insurance company. Sorry to be a 'downer' but I think you are going to get hurt on this one.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

if you have the car in your posession.. STRIP IT NOW... let the wrecker take a bare bones shell... fuckem... take the 2k and buy one with a f'd up motor and do a swap.. with a little work on your end and the insurance check you may very well end up with a nicer ride than you had before.. been there done that...

great421

iTrader: (1)

I might just end up doing that - the car is in my driveway, but I'm not willing to just give up.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

Seriously bud... dont fight them.. ive been through exactly what youre going through... the WILL total it... and you wont get **** off it once they take it... once its on that trailer it belongs to them... you may be able to buy it back but its only good for parts and will most likely have a junk title... strip it....

great421

iTrader: (1)

I've already spoken to two different insurance companies, who have told me, over the phone, that my vehicle is worth between $11K and $15k (My list of documented mods is 4 pages long!) - once I get three documented values, I'll take that info (but NOT my car!) to Progressive.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

Certified appraisal changes the game big time.. if you can prove your car it worth that then you have a chance... put up a fight as long as you have some good punches to throw.... i wish you luck man, it would kill me to lose my bird like that...

BURN'EM

iTrader: (11)

You need to find another car likes your and show them the price to replace it. My wife got 18300 for her car last year because the only Pewter metallic ws6 vert was in NV with a tad more miles and M6 for 17900.
Your car was fine before she hit you, so you want it replaced or fixed.

Davey G

iTrader: (1)

dont give up.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

Update? Did they pay you or fix it?

great421

iTrader: (1)

Still fighting...

Raleigh TA

iTrader: (13)

Still watching...
My '98 was rear-ended/totaled in July 2009. Damage looked kind of minimal to be, frame shop estimated $8-900 and then sheet metal and paint work. Insurance company gave me ~$5K and let me keep her. She had 225,000 miles on her.

She still runs and the new owner is planning to get her back to her old glory. He had her motor running better the first week he owned her. I took what I got for her and had my 99 painted, etc.

vette0009

They are Low-Balling you

Tell'em you'll see them in Arbitration lol

Tell their adjuster that,

Watch His Tune Change lol

great421

iTrader: (1)

ALL -

An update;

Progressive TRIED to declare my Firebird a total loss, due to a $3500 repair estimate vs. an estimated total value of $3000 , but I would not let them.

The events finally played out with me providing them with info on two cars that were indeed just like my vehicle (one was also a 96 M6 with a STS kit!) from eBay - the two sold for $8500 and $8200, but they said my car was still too different due to the 180K miles on the vehicle; so I put MY car on eBay with a 5 page detailed list of all the mods done to it - and it sold for $8100! I then informed the winner - a guy in TX - of the accident and he no longer wanted the car.

So, I gave that info to both Progressive Insurance AND the North Carolina Department of Insurance (ncdoi.com) and then, after only 4.5 short months , Progressive actually wanted to fix my car - it's going to the shop of MY choice tonight!

See, you CAN keep your car - it just takes ALOT of persistance!

gocartone

iTrader: (4)

Good deal! If it was your insurance company mods don't mean **** unless you told them about it before hand, but because it's someone else's insurance they have to pay you for all that stuff. I can't believe they only offered you that much when the bitch t-boned you, I would ask for a big pain and suffering if they are pulling that ****. Unless your this is your insurance you are talking about (which it kind of seems like), but I would hope that it's hers if she t-boned you while on her phone.

243hunter

iTrader: (3)

sounded like there was only a 500 dollar spread from them totalling it. When I wrecked my bike, insurance wanted to total it. Told the guy I didnt want it totalled and he said he had to go off what the shop gave him...told him I dont think that list is complete and i would get another one updated for him...talked to the shop and they said they would drop their overall price just enough that insurance wouldnt total it and so then they could still get the work. told the insurance company they just "happened" to make a mistake and heres the updated list. needless to say...i got to keep my bike and still got it fixed.

great421

iTrader: (1)

Actually, here in NC, if the estimated cost to repair > 75% of the estimated total value of the vehicle, then they can declare the car a "total loss"; and initially they told me my 'Bird was actually worth $500 LESS than the cost to repair the damage. However, they were mistaken.

So, after I informed the NCDOI of my plight with Progressive, also that my car "sold" for $8100 on eBay, then they managed to get Progressive to see the error of their ways!