Today i was going to lunch and i was involved in a accident with a cop. To summerize the current situation, there is no question that the officer was at fault, she adimited it immeditaly. I have not too severe damage to my driver's side quarter panel and door. It can be repaired pretty easily, its mostly just sheet metal damage.

Anyway, what im wondering is if any of you guys have been in a situation like this? The city is going to pay for my repairs. But, im worried that the city's insurance will try to total my car. Can they do that? When i was talking with my insurance guy, he said it was a possibilty because of its low street value.

My plan was to call around to the best body shops and have them give me the highest quote, thinking that the more money they say it will cost the better. (if i had any left over i could spend it on other things), but now im no so sure that's a good idea. You guys have always have good advice when it comes to these insurance claim things.

What's a kid with a low blue book value car to do?

-Shawn

PS, i only have liabilty on my car.

 

Let them total it, take the money, salvage title the car & fix it.

 

Can you get a door and fender from a wrecker and get a quote for paint only? That should be far less than the blue book value of the car.

 

What Lisa said... have them total teh car and take the money. Then buy the car back for like 200 bucks prolly and use all the money on performance parts, or if you REALLY want to, on fixing the damage. Be careful though, depending on ur city's income they will more than likely try to give you practically nothing because of the age and low street worth on the car. You are just going to have to fight them and show them how much the car meant to you and its irreplaceable value.

Zachstylez

 

welp... if you have it salvaged it will be a bitch to sell if you ever deside to get rid of it.

also if you get the highest quote posible it will garantie (i suck at spelling i know) a salvage because if it cost more than 40%(i think) of the value of the car to fix its a slavage car...

just some thing to think about.

 

Dont you think it would be better to try and get up all my recipts for all the parts i have on the car to drive up the value? I have over 2000 dollars with worth of aftermarket parts.
The car will HAVE to be repaired. the door doesnt open a shut properly. And if they total it, the money they give me will not be enough to repair it. My only option at that point would be to go to the news stations, or file a lawsuit. I mean, its 100% the cops fault. so i shouldnt get stuck with a fucked up car just because shes an idiot.

 

What we really want to know is........was the cop hot?

Anyways.....that reminded me. I was watching an old episode of COPS last night. They had an undercover 1st gen GS model....in white. It was sweet seeing the car chase down the "bad guy".....who was driving an old Datsun B210.

I almost died when they arrested some girl, and she was ratting out her supplier. "He'll either be driving a silver 88 Rx-7, or blue B210."

That would have been too great to see the cops in an Rx7, chasing the bad guy in an Rx7.

 

Parts don't make the car worth anymore, unless your a fellow enthusiest who is looking to buy it. Blue book, insurance companies etc couldn't give a **** what you've put into your car, just what the market value some pencil pusher says its worth. And as for the salvage title thing, thats a horrible idea, if your gonna do that you might as well just find another car. Your best bet is what someone said earlier, get the parts yourself and have them pay for the paint + a little more to cover your other costs. Don't try to make money on the situation, you'll just get fucked in the end. my $.02, good luck.

 

I think 82 Transam gave good advice. Salvage title is always wierd. Don't try to make money on the deal. If you can be made whole again without extra horrible amounts of work be happy. Stand up for yourself without being rude, "I just want my car the way it was before." Insurance agents and adjusters have some latitude. Remember that if you're not a pro body person someone will have to put it together for you, including paint. This, as unfairly as it sounds, might cost you some out of pocket. That's what you've beeen saving your money for instead of loading up on insurance, which might not be of any real help to you anyway. Unless you live in a large city dont go the publicity route cuz theyre going to be after you then. In little towns little minds turn to revenge.

 

You need to ask some questions.

Everyone has been assuming the if the car's totalled, then the car will be retitled as a salvage auto. In many states, if the car is over 20 years old, a totaled car will not be issued a new title. They just pay out the total cost and you buy it back, no change to the title at all.

What you want to do is force an appraisal of your car. Get all the reciepts together and have the insurance company send someone to look at the car to push the price above the pitiful street value they but on these cars. Then the cost of repair might look better than totaling it out.

You also have the right to insist on repair, don't take what they offer if you're not happy. Just be stubborn and don't take anything that you're not happy with.

 

I wasnt really trying to make money off of it. just make sure i wasnt going to get ripped off.

Anyway, i just spoke with the officer again and its basically all good. First off, they cant total my car, because the city's insurance is paying for the damages, not mine. Second, the city wont even going to come look at it. All i have to do is take it to 3 bodyshops, get quotes, and fax them the quotes. And they cut me a check in the 3 days. Also, i can get a rental car and they will imburse me for the cost. I just dont nkow if i have that much money right now. Im still looking to figure out how that works.

PS. Louisville is the 16th largest city in the nation. POWA!

 

Looks like all will be well. Maybe it's a lesson: if you're gonna get hit, let it be by someone driving a govt vehicle!

 

yeah I think KY law is 75% of book value and its totalled. Buy it back for 10% and enjoy the remainder of the money

 

Here in CA when I got hit by an oak tree (honest, the damn branch fell out of the sky on me while I was driving!) the AAA reported my car as salvage to the DMV because the damage was over the $1600 blue book value. I don't care about the salvage title because I'll be buried in this car. They disregarded the $3700 I spent in updates and repairs the last 2 years.

Nevertheless, the $1600 I got will go to a good bodyshop for un-denting and color matched repainting.

I figure that's fair. The car will be improved, and I don't care about the title.

B

 

Two times people have hit an RX-7 of mine and the damage was was a total loss. To get a market value, the claims adjustor looked at the blue book and local newspaper ads. If the estimate had not been enough to cover repairs or if the car was not repairable I would have gathered my own evidence such as comparable higher price sales ads to substantiate a higher value. Reciepts from recent restoration work, appraisals, and photos would also help in that case. Fortunately in both cases the value was high enough to fix the car and then some. I kept the car and the insurance company cut me a check for the value of the car, minus its salvage value. The point is I RETAINED THE TITLE. In this state they did not change it to a salvage title in that situation. BTW, you are lucky the officer admitted she was at fault. Even with witnessess a cop's word is nearly always believed.