Date:         Wed, 27 Mar 2002 16:27:26 -0600
Reply-To:     "Filcoff, David M." <FilcoffD@MISSOURI.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Filcoff, David M." <FilcoffD@MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject:      Vanagon accident repair and insurance company dealings
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It's been a while since my last post, I've been busy with my other bus and GTI, here's the Vanagon content:

Last November my 87 Wolfsburg was wrecked, a driver failed to yield on a left turn and I hit them at apx. 35 mph.  They were driving a Caviler which I hit squarely on the right front wheel.  See pictures here:

http://www.251.org/Images/87Vanagon/Wreck/Vanagon%20Before/

I've been dealing with the other drivers insurance company since then. The other driver was ticketed, I had witnesses yet the insurance company still was difficult, big surprise.  I settled recently, after several months, for the full amount of repairs.  Fortunately they did not want to total my Vanagon, that would have been a much more difficult fight.  The settlement was for a few thousand dollars, I don't know what they valued the Vanagon at, never asked.

The repairs have begun, the frame was tweaked, but not too bad.  I'm having the body and frame work done, I'll be doing the rest, misc. trim and electrical stuff.  I'm planning on getting the smoked turn signals from Tiico, though I haven't decided if I like them yet.  The bull bar
also looks intriguing, very tempting.  I've seen the negative impact (pun intended) of brush/bull bars on modern SUVs and trucks.  The non-crushing bar generally smashes the front of the vehicle.  The Vanagon however does not crush, refer to above link, and a bull bar may protect the fragile fiberglass bumper cap.  Comments are welcome, any experience with these?

I'll keep you posted on the progress.  BTW if you want to see what the Vanagon looked like before the wreck, follow this link:

http://www.251.org/rust.html


Dave
251.org
87 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg (180k)
61 Bus (80k)
88 GTI 16v (157k)