Alak

iTrader: (9)

You know how pissed I would be if that happend to me? I'd demand compensation. A new RX-8 to drive while they fixed mine. If it was a write-off, I'd certainly sue or come to a deal where an RX-8 was in your future. You have a beauty B-Rob. Make them pay.

If it was at sunridge mazda, they deserve to be shot against a wall. I have my own personal reasons for that statement.


As for a test drive........who test drives an oil change?

ShaunO

I've had a couple bad experiences with un-invited road tests. I've since learned to have the person booking the vehicle check the odometer and then write the mileage on the work order. They should also make it very clear on the work order that there is to be NO ROAD TEST.

Terrh

iTrader: (7)

I don't think that they can write your car off it it's the other parties fault, can they?

like, if someone hits my car, does (minor) damage, THEIR insurance company can't tell me that they're taking my car and giving me some paltry sum, can they?

the damage doesn't look that severe at all, really... I'm sure the dealership will fix you up nicely

Cheers!

In Ontario your insurance company still pays to have your car fixed even it someone else hits you. If they feel that the cost to fix the car is more than the value (which is zero for all FCs unless u got it apraised) You will only be compensated dick.

B-ROB

My insurance will do nothing in this situation. This situation is between her insurance and the dealership.

If you sue someone...it's nice if you win, but you still have to try and collect (this part is left up to you)...I would rather have them fix my car or get me into another vehicle rather than fight it out in the courts. I'm still a student, I don't have the time nor the money to spend bickering in court.


On a brighter note...the girl's insurance company called me today...they said that they are going to cover everything it takes (to get it fixed or write it off) this means a rental car until I find a new one...it also means that I need to do some research and get the market value for a vehicle like mine in the case that they do decide to write it off.

B-ROB

The insurance company will try to find the cheapest way out of this. If that means writing the car off, that is what they will do.

86J

Man that really sucks. Now i'll have no one to park beside when im at U of C.

B-ROB

86J...watch out for my silver '88 FC probably gonna have that running for the start of school...hehe

85rotarypower

Judging by the damage in the pics and the value of an FC, the cars a write off. To get those parts fixed would be at least $1500 alone, then theres the possibility of the frame being bent, and in that case, it is DEFINATELY a write off. My sis's 98 Mustang was written off and it didn't even look as bad as that.

Correction, took another look at the pics, and the cost to fix the body alone would be more than $2000. I'm no expert, but I've seen how much these things can cost. To fix the banged in rear quarter panel on my 82 would have been $1000, and thats just buying a new tail light, repairing the panel, and painting.

WHO

Sorry to hear about your story. This whole no-fault system we have going on is not all positive at all. We're bascally getting raped by insurance companies and crooks driving without insurance and can't say **** about it. I can also totally realte to the 'have 2 claims, and your premiums will be 10 times as much for the next 5 to 6 years' thing. Now I basically will never claim again if I crash. I learnt that you have to have insurance because of the law, but it's better to pay damages to the other party even if it's a few thousand dollars because you'll end up paying more in added premiums if you claim it anyways.

But, back to the original topic, I can't see a dealership not take their responsability on this matter. They're hidind behind the law but what about moral responsability here. Anyways it looks like it's gonna work out for you after all but if the insurance writtes it off you're back to square one and hopefully the dealership will apply moral responsability. The car was in their care and there was no justification for a test-drive.

I don't know about what you guys are saying about value of cars, when I insured mine the insurance clerk simly asked me how much I paid for it and insured it for that value... I guess different insurance companies have different policies, better shop around and ask questions before going for the cheapest rates.

~Aj~

Damn, that sucks. I also wonder if they took it out for the tire, becuase otherwise they was just joy-riding, and hopefully they were reprimanded or fired. It would be nice to know what dealer it was, although I can guess seeing where in Calgary you live, but I understand if you dont want to until the matter is over. Do you work at the Shawnessy Canadian Tire, becuase I always see a red FC parked near there. Hopefully they dont write it off, it looked like a clean car.

B-ROB

AJ: After seeing how things can spiral out of hand on this forum sometimes (RX7 Specialties issue or non-issue???) I am chosing to leave the dealership anonymous for now. Up until this time they have been great to both me and my car.

Nope...don't work at CT...I work at the airport...makes for a real long commute

B-ROB

WHO: The reason that I need to shop for prices is that when a car is written off, we are given market value for it. This means that even though I could't have bought the car real cheap, I would still be paid what it is worth if I were to put it up for sale at the current market rate. In most cases this is less than the purchase price of the car...but depending on the condition, sometimes there is money to be made off of well maintained old cars.

Blizare

I just checked out canadatrader.ca (as you prolly have already :P)

rx7 search

and I'd say you should get 3K if written off. Thats very shitty to hear about your situation but hey, things could have been worse. You could be in ontario :P

Cheers!

Then the insruance company adjuster calls up their contacts in teh auto industry and they find a shady used car dealership that has one for sale for 1000 bucks and says, there you go... 1000 bucks neglecting the fact that the POS 1000 dollar car is rusty, doesn't start, or damaged. They go by what's the cheapest car in the market to replace yours.

That is what happeend when my 02 accord special edition got written off. It had 40,000 kms on it, dealer mainatined. When they went to go price they found one, same trim level for 14,000 bucks with 94,000 kms same color. They said here's 14,000 bucks. I said I looked up autotrader and found another one, same trim level and same color at markham honda with 44,000 kms and it was going for 19,000 dollars. NOPE! sorry you get 14,000 bucks. It went to arbitration, The arbitrator squeezed the insurance company for 16,000 and I had to pay the abitration fees.

Good luck.

Blizare

Meh. Thats rough.

#1 reason why insurance companies chap my asses and the asses of other fellow canadians.

B-ROB

Just got the quote for repair from the adjuster...$7000...look like she will be written off

rx7racerca

iTrader: (1)

That sucks man. Start documenting both the condition your car was in prior, and shop around for similar cars to get an idea of price. Insurance adjusters will only offer what they call average market value - which is apparently no longer assessed by looking at your car, but they work from a database of car ads and auction sale prices for cars of the same model and vintage. All of which means that, with an older model like yours, they'll be using the average selling price, and the average FC that age is probably a POS that sells for $1200 - so they'll offer you $1200, and tell you that's what your's was worth - they're using a mathematically derived formula after all.

I got screwed over by this a couple years ago when the wife's 626 Touring got pulverized by an idiot SUV driver blabing on his phone. It was in exceptional condition but 17yrs old. They presented us with an apraisal that said it was worth 1300 based on average selling prices - although I actually looked at 626's in that price range, most of them couldn't have passed a basic safety inspection and barely ran. Even at 3x their price a decent comparable car couldn't be had. We eventually got them up to 1900, and they treated it like they were doing us a big favour - still had to pay double that to find a car with lower equipment, and less reliable.

What was the mileage on yours? Mine's a 91 with the sport package, GLX trim, and has about 105k kms, and I wouldn't sell for less than $5500-6000. If your's is
remotely close, I'll put in a bargainfinder ad that you can use for reference

85rotarypower

I just looked at Autotrader in Ontario, and around here, prices on FC's can range from a measly $1000 to over $9000, depending on year, trim level, condition, and mods. Its tough to say what you'll get for the car.

B-ROB

RX7Racer: That would be awesome...a chance to get back at insurance companies (I was actually thinking of doing that with my other RX)...hehe

I have already started to look...here are my findings:

(1) The dealership actually sold a car exactly like mine but a year older for $5600
(2) There is an add for another RX (in calgary) that looks exactly like mine but with nicer rims, selling for $6500
(3) My friend is selling his RX in BC, asking $5500 (base model, not GXL)

They are going to have a hard time trying to lowball me...I like to use the line "So find me an RX exactly like mine for the price that you are offering me and I'll gladly buy it..."

They know they could never do this with a lowball offer...

86J

ill put my identical RX in the paper for 7000 if you want?

Alak

iTrader: (9)

I saw the car in person today. Sad to say it brought a tear to my eye. If I were you, I'd get a lawyer. I talked to members of the Miata Club (very experienced in such matters) and they gave me that suggestion. They also suggested that if worse came to worse, with the help of a lawyer, demand a brand new car. The dealer will try to satisfy you with as little cost as possible to themselves. You must punish them for such a sacraligous act.

Best of Luck.

now

iTrader: (1)

I am sure even with "a signed repair order " if taken to court even in Ontario
the dealership would have to pay for damages if "reasonable care" was not taken.
matt

Aviator 902S

[/i]

That may be the fine print, but the good news (for car owners anyway) is that judges of small claims cases don't have much sympathy for dealers and quite often over-rule such CYA tactics. The stolen-from-the-lot scenario is one thing, but when the dealer or an employee wrecks a customers car? Ethics trumps fine print, or at least it should. Fortunately, many judges agree and act accordingly.

Of course, when such cases rule in favour of the dealership there's always the likelihood of a bunch of cars parked on the lot coming down with a severe case of vandalism. Not to be the bearer of bad news or anything...

Aviator 902S

[QUOTE=01Racing]

Not to try and sound like a smart *** but, how many time do you think a customer has damaged one of our cars and just looked at us and said "oh well" sue me! Im not kidding, thats why we dont have loaner cars for service customers anymore, and when we provide a rental car the customer deals direct with the rental company, all we cover is the cost of the car!

It's too bad so many people have zero sense of responsibility and accordingly, your current policy is certainly justified. I'd do the same.

Like I said you have no idea how poorly customers treat dealers with dishonesty etc.

Actually I do. Many otherwise honest people will try to rip off dealers because of the sleazy rep the industry has. "My trade-in is making grinding noises? Dump sawdust into the tranny! that'll quiet 'er down 'till the deal's done! Besides, the dealer's probably taking me for a ride on the cost of the new car anyway." (Never mind that this dealer may be one of the more ethical ones). This bad rep is well-deserved in many cases, and honest dealers should be more pissed off at the shady ones than anybody else because it drags them down too.

I have only ever had (knock on wood) 2 incidents with customers cars in the 10 years we have been here, and repaired them at our cost both times.

Sounds like you run a decent operation. I think the main reason many dealers don't sue customers who wreck their cars is because of the cost to collect and the bad blood it creates--- which is bad for business.