Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 08:31:12 -0400
Reply-To: Craig Rogers <rogers23@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Craig Rogers <rogers23@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Battering Ram vs Ford Escort
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I know that the laws in each state vary and the insurance company will try
to give you as little as possible. I see this as a chance for you to clean
up, since they have totaled it and it won't cost much to repair. In January
my '85 Westy Weekender with over 200K was totaled. The first offer was
about $1500 and they keep the van. I told them they were out of their
minds. This same van was totaled 2 years earlier by the same company and
they gave me around $4K, which was about what it cost to repair, but I had
to drive it 1000 miles to a place that would repair the damage for a
reasonable fee. Anyway I ended up with a van with new paint, so I figured
it was worth more this time. The next offer was $3500 and I keep the van.
I ignored it for several months. Finally the other day they called and
tried to force me to take the $3500. I had collected "for sale" prices and
eBay closings for several months for good vans and I cited several examples
of vans in the $7500 to $10000 range. They finally asked me what I would
accept. I said $6000 and the van, they sent out a check. They said they
didn't want this to stay open any longer. So the key seems to be making
them wait. If you can afford to not be paid immediately, then you will get
a much better settlement. Your van looks to be in very good shape from the
what I can see in the pictures, so if you can be stubborn, you should be
able to make money on the deal. Unfortunately, my van is history, but I
bought a Syncro so let the games begin.
Sincerely,
Craig Rogers
----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Maglott" <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 5:39 PM
Subject: Battering Ram vs Ford Escort
> I have some photos up of the damage to my vanagon:
>
> http://buncombe.main.nc.us/~emaglott/pp010/index.htm
>
> It's been about a month since this accident happened, and I still have a
> smashed in front on my vanagon. Here's what's been going on: The car and
> driver at fault were both uninsured. I talked to the agent for the other
> car who said that they were about 2 weeks past due on the insurance
payment
> when the accident occurred. He thinks that another agent actually
> contacted them and gave them the chance to pay their bill and the
insurance
> would cover this accident. They still didn't pay. Wow, that seem really
> stupid to me! My lawyer friend said that they were probably "judgement
> proof," meaning they have no assets and don't really care about legal
> responsibility.
>
> So that put me into dealing with my insurance com[pany under my uninsured
> motorist coverage. Finally took the van to a body shop that is somehow
> affiliated with the insurance co. to get an estimate/adjustment. The body
> shop manager looks it over and then gets on the phone to junkyards
looking
> for used parts to repair it. I kept hearing him say "square" looking for
> the headlight. Finally came up with an estimate of $1650, but that didn't
> include the 2 grilles, which he was still trying to find used. New ones
> would have been about $350. So now I am dealing with a real adjuster from
> the ins because they want to total the van. They determine the value
based
> on sale price of the same vehicle in a certain radius from my house. They
> say this is coming in around $1275. I say, that is probably not for a
> vanagon GL Wolfsburg Camper. She says the VIN does not show it as being
> anything but a base model vanagon. In actuality, It was a weekender that
I
> have installed the full westy stuff in. She asked how I know it was a GL
> wolfsburg other than the badges on it. Well, I am not sure. What things
> should it have to prove that?
>
> So she offers $1650 to total the vehicle and let me keep it. I will get a
> "salvage title." My understanding is that the only difference this will
> make is that it will show up on the title as being totalled at one
> time. She says it is possible to get the salvage title turned into a
> regular title by having the vehicle inspected by the DMV or something.
She
> also said something about not being able to get collision insurance on a
> vehicle that had a salvage title. Comments on this?
>
> As far as fixing the van goes, I can do much of the work myself, except
for
> the body work. I think $6-800 should cover the body work, then I would
> need a new bumper and a few other parts that I don't have. So for $1650,
I
> can get it back in shape. I am nervous about this salvage title
> thing. The other thing is that the first estimates I got were in the
> $2-2500 range, and the current estimate didn't include the 2 grilles.
>
> What can I do to pursue this further? How likely is the adjuster to deal
> with me? What can I threaten to encourage her to deal? While getting
> $2000 and no salvage title would be fine, I think I can live with $1650
and
> a regular title. I don't know if I can even get that at this point...
>
> My original post on the accident is below.
>
> Edward
>
>
> I was on my way this afternoon to have a friend weld in my passenger side
> seat swivel. Smacked into the left rear of a ford escort with my right
> front. Its driver decided to make a left turn from the right lane, while
I
> was passing them in the left lane. I laid on the horn and the brakes, and
> got that sinking feeling as the car disappeared below my windshield. Spun
> the escort a tad more than 90 degrees. Last I saw the escort, I was
headed
> right for the driver's door, so I'm glad I hit it farther back near the
> corner. Unfortunately, enough of the impact occurred above the bumper to
> dent in the front pretty good, break the right headlight and side marker
> light and knock off the lower grill. I'm not sure if the grill is broken
> or not yet. Other driver was charged with a safe movement violation, but
> is claiming they were in the left lane already when turning left. Officer
> doesn't go for that story based on the damage and how the vehicles ended
> up. I may have to testify against other driver. Oh well. I hope
> insurance will help me out... Vanagon is an 86 weekender converted to
full
> westy. Chrome bumper is all tweaked on the right side, but the big
> structure under it appears completely unscathed. I was not afraid at all
> when i realized I was going to hit the other car, because I knew I had the
> battering ram technology on my side!
>
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