Car Accident - Advice???
11-09-2013, 11:19 PM
#23
Well the Allstate (the insurance of the guy who hit me) claims adjuster came by today and estimates $5400 of damage... So how does that work!? Somewhere someone is trying to jip me. My insurance says $7k+ and his says $5400. At this point do I want my car to be totalled?
I'm looking at the paper and the Allstate guy says replace the bumper cover and the rear body panel, and repair the rear quarter panel. Does that sound right?
Also I think some of the parts are not OEM, which I don't know if they can help since our cars are not exactly new, much less still even operating...
I'm looking at the paper and the Allstate guy says replace the bumper cover and the rear body panel, and repair the rear quarter panel. Does that sound right?
Also I think some of the parts are not OEM, which I don't know if they can help since our cars are not exactly new, much less still even operating...
11-10-2013, 01:23 AM
#24
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^^^^^^ did you point out the frame damage to that guy? back in the day any frame damage meant automatic total to allstate, atleast the allstate people my parents dealt with when I was younger, the guy that bought the car in the pic attached from me had a ws6 that he ran up under the truck in front of him and all it really did was bust the hood and might have done something to the core support and his insurance totaled it out, hence why he was buying my old plymouth.
11-10-2013, 02:58 AM
#25
^^^^^^ did you point out the frame damage to that guy? back in the day any frame damage meant automatic total to allstate, atleast the allstate people my parents dealt with when I was younger, the guy that bought the car in the pic attached from me had a ws6 that he ran up under the truck in front of him and all it really did was bust the hood and might have done something to the core support and his insurance totaled it out, hence why he was buying my old plymouth.
Now I'm not sure if I want it to be totalled or not... I mean, I love my car, but I don't want to wind up with some half-cocked effort to fix what shouldn't be fixed. I don't want a bondo'ed, used-parts, non-OEM fix do I? (I imagine that is why the Allstate estimate was so low). My car was perfect before the accident... I'm so ticked off about all this crap!
To top it off he smiled a little bit when he said "and we are going to have a much higher than usual salvage bid too"!!
11-10-2013, 04:58 AM
#26
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My lesson I learned when I got rearended in my dd work truck a few months ago is to have the first estimate done at a bodyshop and have their insurance go over it with the bodyshop.They(us agensies)came to my house and wrote a 500.00 estimate saying my bumper needed to be replaced.I pointed out over the phone the other damages and they said bring it to a bodyshop and they would go over the estimate that the bodyshop makes.The bodyshop and estimater come up with a 2400.00 estimate(suplimate)but at this point I dont want to paint just half my truck and the other half be obviously not fresh painted.
At this point I want to take the 2400.00 check and have the whole truck repainted somewhere else that will do the whole truck but us agencies are telling me that I have to use that suplimate check at that bodyshop.
I thought I get the check and had the option to do whatever I wanted with that check.
My conclusion is insurance companies are shady and I have to get legal help now.
At this point I want to take the 2400.00 check and have the whole truck repainted somewhere else that will do the whole truck but us agencies are telling me that I have to use that suplimate check at that bodyshop.
I thought I get the check and had the option to do whatever I wanted with that check.
My conclusion is insurance companies are shady and I have to get legal help now.
11-10-2013, 07:31 AM
#27
Just so you know, you don't have to just drop your car off and let the body shop get the parts for you at full cost. They aren't looking for a good deal, they just want the parts at the shop to install and get your car done. The list of repairs should be itemized, check out what the insurance figures a rear bumper would cost, what a rear quarter panel would cost, etc. Then you can buy parts the parts off of here from someone parting their car out, or off craigslist, or even at a pick-and-pull for WAY cheaper and supply the shop with them for them to put on. You get quality OEM parts that you have inspected yourself AND you save money. Of course, this does require a bit of a cost upfront on your end, but the savings could make it worthwhile.
11-10-2013, 01:20 PM
#29
Just so you know, you don't have to just drop your car off and let the body shop get the parts for you at full cost. They aren't looking for a good deal, they just want the parts at the shop to install and get your car done. The list of repairs should be itemized, check out what the insurance figures a rear bumper would cost, what a rear quarter panel would cost, etc. Then you can buy parts the parts off of here from someone parting their car out, or off craigslist, or even at a pick-and-pull for WAY cheaper and supply the shop with them for them to put on. You get quality OEM parts that you have inspected yourself AND you save money. Of course, this does require a bit of a cost upfront on your end, but the savings could make it worthwhile.
11-10-2013, 01:31 PM
#31
Aha! That makes sense (haven't done this in a long time) why the Allstate guy is coming up with such a low number! So I should probably make sure an actual body shop gives me an estimate before I accept anything then? Or do I not get an option to "accept or decline" if its not totalled?
11-10-2013, 06:43 PM
#32
I've not been in this situation before (and sure hope I don't) but I would see about taking it to a shop that you trust to get their opinions and estimates. I've heard that there are shops that some insurance companies/adjusters team up with for repairs, sometimes to get a discount, sometimes to get it cheap because the work is cheaply done. Also find out what shop(s) they would normally use and go looking for reviews of them. If they do good work, but the insurance company gets a discounted rate, then OK.
As far as used parts, well... the car IS used after all, so IMO as long as the used part is in good shape I'd be fine with it. Actually a used OEM part is probably preferable to a new aftermarket part in many cases due to some questionable quality of these aftermarket components.
As far as used parts, well... the car IS used after all, so IMO as long as the used part is in good shape I'd be fine with it. Actually a used OEM part is probably preferable to a new aftermarket part in many cases due to some questionable quality of these aftermarket components.
11-10-2013, 08:53 PM
#33
I've not been in this situation before (and sure hope I don't) but I would see about taking it to a shop that you trust to get their opinions and estimates. I've heard that there are shops that some insurance companies/adjusters team up with for repairs, sometimes to get a discount, sometimes to get it cheap because the work is cheaply done. Also find out what shop(s) they would normally use and go looking for reviews of them. If they do good work, but the insurance company gets a discounted rate, then OK.
As far as used parts, well... the car IS used after all, so IMO as long as the used part is in good shape I'd be fine with it. Actually a used OEM part is probably preferable to a new aftermarket part in many cases due to some questionable quality of these aftermarket components.
As far as used parts, well... the car IS used after all, so IMO as long as the used part is in good shape I'd be fine with it. Actually a used OEM part is probably preferable to a new aftermarket part in many cases due to some questionable quality of these aftermarket components.
11-11-2013, 01:34 PM
#35
Ok, my insurance just called me after running comps and they said my car was worth "much more than they had originally thought" - over $12k. Thus it looks like they can fix it, assuming the frame rails aren't bent too badly. Tow truck just took it away to the shop (large local Chevy dealer). Keep you posted.
Atrus_SS, was your frame left intact?
Anyone have an experience with "Diminished Value" claims???
Atrus_SS, was your frame left intact?
Anyone have an experience with "Diminished Value" claims???
11-11-2013, 02:31 PM
#37
Ok, my insurance just called me after running comps and they said my car was worth "much more than they had originally thought" - over $12k. Thus it looks like they can fix it, assuming the frame rails aren't bent too badly. Tow truck just took it away to the shop (large local Chevy dealer). Keep you posted.
Atrus_SS, was your frame left intact?
Anyone have an experience with "Diminished Value" claims???
Atrus_SS, was your frame left intact?
Anyone have an experience with "Diminished Value" claims???
Anyway, I got the same response..."We may need to total the car as we can't find satisfactory repair parts". I explained that this was a damn near mint, nicely optioned, <70k mile SS convertible car. When the adjuster finally got off his *** to see it in person, I got a phone call where he told me "Oh, this is a really nice car! We can't afford a payout to total this thing"
Yeah, no **** sherlock, I had been telling the morons that for 2 weeks.
Anywho, no, luckily no "frame" damage. I took it to a very reputable shop (Autometric in Centerline, MI - they used to do all the repairs on GM's company vehicles until GM got too cheap for them). They threw it on the rack and assured me that it was all superficial, and that the rear suspension wasn't tweaked at all.
11-11-2013, 02:51 PM
#38
Awesome! They did the same for me. They had a helluva time finding a 'vert quarter panel from their "approved" supply houses - GM isn't stocking them new, nobody is repopping them, and their "used" vendors didn't have any. I did manage to locate one for them.
Anyway, I got the same response..."We may need to total the car as we can't find satisfactory repair parts". I explained that this was a damn near mint, nicely optioned, <70k mile SS convertible car. When the adjuster finally got off his *** to see it in person, I got a phone call where he told me "Oh, this is a really nice car! We can't afford a payout to total this thing"
Yeah, no **** sherlock, I had been telling the morons that for 2 weeks.
Anywho, no, luckily no "frame" damage. I took it to a very reputable shop (Autometric in Centerline, MI - they used to do all the repairs on GM's company vehicles until GM got too cheap for them). They threw it on the rack and assured me that it was all superficial, and that the rear suspension wasn't tweaked at all.
Anyway, I got the same response..."We may need to total the car as we can't find satisfactory repair parts". I explained that this was a damn near mint, nicely optioned, <70k mile SS convertible car. When the adjuster finally got off his *** to see it in person, I got a phone call where he told me "Oh, this is a really nice car! We can't afford a payout to total this thing"
Yeah, no **** sherlock, I had been telling the morons that for 2 weeks.
Anywho, no, luckily no "frame" damage. I took it to a very reputable shop (Autometric in Centerline, MI - they used to do all the repairs on GM's company vehicles until GM got too cheap for them). They threw it on the rack and assured me that it was all superficial, and that the rear suspension wasn't tweaked at all.
Get this, the lady from Allstate tried to enter my car as a Pontiac Trans Sport because she couldn't find "Trans Am" in her little list... "Are you sure it isn't a Trans Sport?", "Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure lady..."
Attached is a picture of a Trans Sport...
I'm just a little worried/skeptical that those frame machines can really straighten it out perfectly. I don't want it to leak or drive crooked and burn up my $200+ tires, you know!?
11-11-2013, 04:41 PM
#39
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i could be wrong but isnt the kink in the frame after the rear axle? if thats the case i doubt driving crooked is an issue. i dont think anything will be perfect, but it should be within "spec"
11-11-2013, 05:39 PM
#40
Thanks man, you made my day. 