Hey guys.

My insurance is going to total my SE due to a drunk driver smashing my rear. The adjuster looked at it last Thurs, I have faxed in my police report to my insurance. The car is being covered under my Uninsured motorist clause in my policy, which has a max property damage payout of $3500. The damage to my car is: panel under the rear bumper is smashed into as far as the gas tank, and my rear right side qtr panel is dented. What are your suggestions as to the amount I should accept for it? I did take the car is for estimates (3 body shops), but body shops are being @ssholes nowadays that they know how to screw you and the insurance. I told them I was paying out ofmy own pocket and the repairs range from a low of $500 all the way up to$1400 (he said without paint??WTF?!!) You can see my car in my sig, I will take pics of the damages for you folks to guesstimate later on tonite. Ohh yeah, the car is gonna be fixed ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

 

That sucks...that car was so clean

 

Is your insurer writing off the car?

I must have missed something, because if shops are quoting you $500 - $1,400, and your insurance may pay up to $3,500, how are the repairs coming out of your own pocket?

 

Manntis, Body shops know their ripoff strategies nowadays. First question they ALL ask is: IS it insurance? If it is, then they will jack up the repairs. Paying out of pocket and they will "work" with you on the cost for repairs. Since my insurance is probably going to cut me a check, it would be in my interest to say " out of pocket" to the body shops. The car is repairable, but it'll be in the insurance BEST interest to total an 1984 OLD car. But I'll resist the "salvage" title as best I can. They (Total Loss department of my ins) should be getting back to me by the end of the week.

 

If you have quarter panel damage, dont bother repairing.

Heres what you do:

Buy back the car from the insurance. About 500 to 800 bucks. Thats what I have done twice.

Buy a good body, switch over the stuff and you'll have spare parts.