TheSamba.com :: View topic - sitting at a redlight minding my own business

Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:40 pm

and next thing i know.......

ram 1500 pickup didn't even hit the brakes. i can't believe how well the beetle held up. bumper apron and decklid for sure. had to take out the back piece of tin, pulley was scraping on it.

what should i be looking for in damage on a reaer collision like this. i would like to have it put back together but i don't want it half assed. engine 'seems' fine. drove it 20 mintes home no issues. louder, but may have just been due to the decklid open and tin missing. fenders seem fine.

i know the insurance company is going to try to screw me. they asked if i had collectors insurance. i don't. has every day tags for daily driving, but i have been stressing that it is show quality and has been entered in shows. as recent as a month. got all the ads on here i could find at 10K and higher for similiar and pics at shows to show quality before the accident.

any pointers?

thanks

Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:43 pm

Get your own quote from a shop that knows how VWs are put together (tough to find) for comparison. They will know what to look for.

Check tranny mounts, shift coupling, look for creases in the quarter panels, check the clearance at the valve covers.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:44 pm

Aww Shyte, what a gorgeous bug..I feel for ya bro. Few years a granny totaled my Highly modified rock crawler jeep. Whats the extent of the damage? Hope you had a good insurance policy.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 6:00 pm

If you go through the truck driver's insurance you'll probably get screwed. Go through your own if you have it. Get at least two bids from folks who know VW's and go from there. If you go through the truck driver's insurer and they try to screw you, tell them that you feel a neck and back sprain coming upon you.. :wink:

Wed Nov 19, 2008 6:04 pm

I had the same thing happen to me.

The insurance company want you to settle within 30days.Tell them to get bent and if you don't take the rental car charge them $18 a day for loss of use.

Hold out for the money and you will get a fair deal.

P.M me if any way I can help.

Rich.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 6:23 pm

Where in PA are you located? PM me, I used to live in the Philly area, I may know someone that can help, I live in Maryland now, outside Baltimore.

Brian

Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:52 pm

Man that sucks. I've been an automotive painter for 15 years and I've seen lots of insurance companies try to screw people over stuff like this. Just get quotes from the most reputable shops in your town and stick to your guns.
Hope you come out on top. :wink:

Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:39 pm

You have a right to have your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice, but you may have to fight to get that. At least he didn't argue that you jammed it into reverse and rammed him (someone rammed my truck by going into reverse while I was stationary, later denied ever being in reverse; I guess me honking and my thre epassengers were totally wrong).

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:52 pm

Make sure the generator pully didnt take a hit The generator can be pushed forward on the stand which pushes the fan shroud forward breaking the ears that mount the oil cooler. A new engine case might be needed.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 4:37 am

That sucks a fattie!
I would go ahead and hire a lawyer, start pursuing the other driver for injury and replacement costs of your car, since the insurance will want to total it. Might as well get a head start!

Thu Nov 20, 2008 4:28 pm

I have been nailed in the rear a couple of times. I found insurance companies in Mo. want to settle real fast when their client banged you from the rear. Whiplash does not always show up right away. You will recover your expense here. See what they guy's insurance company says. Do it quick, if they have not contacted you, they should have. They don't want to be out big medical expenses. Don't sign anything until you are happy.
Let us know what happens.
Dan

Thu Nov 20, 2008 9:16 pm

Please don't tell any interested party you drove home 20 minutes and no issues! That car went straight to a friends house one minute away- and scared the hell out of you...

If the RAM did not brake- she would have been going only 10 mph to not waste the entire rear of the car. expect a new right rear clip- from vents to bumper mount. If this panel is tweeked- the radius of the RR fender could bow out slightly at TDC above the tire. You would have to point this out to Maacco. The advice on generator alignment IS important- and may account for increase in noise due to poss. misalignment within shroud. Easy way to tell is whether the decklid has an "outtie" caused by said pulley. And of course, the sound of a screeching engine (akin to my high school GF's car that never had oil). Remember, in every conversation- this car is classic, irreplaceable, numbers matching and you were conceived in it.... Good luck. Nice car. Brad

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:24 pm

A. Do you have a police report? if so, things are ok. if not, your screwed
B. Don't pussyfoot around... get a lawyer, or at least consult with one. Why? Because this car is obviously worth more to you then just a vehicle made of metal. it's a piece of you. And it was damaged.
C. Like others have said, you have the right to have THE DAMAGE fixed as you see fit. The driver of the Dodge, and his/her negligence inconvenienced you.... thus, why they have to pay.
D. Be firm, and like hitest said, don't say you drove it very far... just far enough to get it to a friends house, or to a parking lot for a tow. you have to prove your car is damaged bad, and you want it fixed accordingly.
E. Go to an urgent care center and have a doctor check you out... if your ok, just charge the insurance company for the bills acquired.... and if you are not, and you do have whiplash, or a paint here and there... refer to my point B.

You have to stick it to the other insurance company. Watch what you say, even prewrite your statement out if it makes you feel better.

It may not be you want mass compensation, but you want your car back the way it was, and since the Dodge hit you(and assuming you have a police report) you have the right to get your car fixed, medical bills reimbursed if needs be by the other party's insurance company.

I've been in over 15 car accidents.... none of them my fault. And I'm only 27 :) So you learn a few things after awhile.

Also, if you are using ads on here for reference for your car's value, and you make mention of said value to the other insurance company... DO NOT disclose your login here.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:45 am

Drake- you said it Best! The last line is advice I never would have thought of... great advice! brad

Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:08 am

"I've been in over 15 car accidents.... none of them my fault. And I'm only 27 So you learn a few things after awhile."

I'm sorry - just too funny for a statistics major. :D

Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:30 am

mustard_madman wrote:
I've been in over 15 car accidents.... none of them my fault. And I'm only 27 :) So you learn a few things after awhile.

Hmmmmmm :-k

license at 16......27 - 16 = 11....... 15/11 = 1.3636364 accidents per year. Thats one every 8.7999998 months!
Hate to tell you dude but you're doing SOMETHING, no one has this high of an accident rate and are totally innocent.
My gut impulse would be to say that while you never crashed into something with you being out of control you may lack a vital knowledge of defensive driving.
The ability to see, predict and react BEFORE the crash preventing it from happening.
I've been driving for 38 years, I have had three accidents, one 100% my fault for being out of control, the other two in retrospect were most likely avoidable had I been a better driver with better defensive driving skills and less youth driven speed, and these all happened before I was in my mid 20's.
Sorry to dump on you but just think about it. The numbers are scary. How long before you are DOA and it isn't "your" fault? At accident # 16? :shock:

OK, now go ahead and react, at least you read this before hand.
Dave

Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:26 am

djkeev wrote: mustard_madman wrote:
I've been in over 15 car accidents.... none of them my fault. And I'm only 27 :) So you learn a few things after awhile.

Hmmmmmm :-k

license at 16......27 - 16 = 11....... 15/11 = 1.3636364 accidents per year. Thats one every 8.7999998 months!
Hate to tell you dude but you're doing SOMETHING, no one has this high of an accident rate and are totally innocent.
My gut impulse would be to say that while you never crashed into something with you being out of control you may lack a vital knowledge of defensive driving.
The ability to see, predict and react BEFORE the crash preventing it from happening.
I've been driving for 38 years, I have had three accidents, one 100% my fault for being out of control, the other two in retrospect were most likely avoidable had I been a better driver with better defensive driving skills and less youth driven speed, and these all happened before I was in my mid 20's.
Sorry to dump on you but just think about it. The numbers are scary. How long before you are DOA and it isn't "your" fault? At accident # 16? :shock:

OK, now go ahead and react, at least you read this before hand.
Dave

Dude, I'm not kidding.... it happened so frequently that State Farm dropped me from insuring me.... even though they never had to pay out any money...because none of them were my fault. They considered me a risk...even though no percentages were ruled against me. Though, I did have a speeding ticket, and when your an 18 year old male that's been in 4 car accidents...they didn't care who was at fault.

And as for defensive driving. I am a good driver, and have great impulses. It's a running family joke how many accidents I have been in, and none my fault, and it carried over into my marriage with a few more accidents occurring. And one accident since my daughter was born where a guy blew into traffic and didn't see me, and I didnt see him because he cut off an SUV that was heading in the opposite direction. The majority of my accidents have been with people running stop signs and rear ending. You CANNOT avoid those, good brakes or not. Unless you have some great advice how to avoid being rear ended? I at some point had a copy of every police report of every accident I have been in, again, none my fault. I'm an unlucky guy sometimes with it, and I always say I will die in a car crash. Though, I have cashed in some serious money on car accidents....and I have never had a lawyer. All my advice I stated before, is what I have done to collect form the insurance company form the party at fault. I honestly wish I would have never been in any car accidents.... each one is traumatic, and inconvenienced the innocent. Also, if it matter, every car accident I have been in happened within the city limits, so speed wasnt a factor, nor was I ever issued a ticket as well.

This thread isn't about disproving my driving credibility, it's about making sure this guy has some good advice to get his car fixed. [/list]

Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:42 am

If you have been rear ended pretty good, you will always look into your rearview upon slowing down and stopping in a car. I was sitting around a blind curve and got nailed. One second waiting, one second the change near my shifter was on my dash! I was driving a nissan maxima that survived, the guy that hit me had a 3 day old car and it was TOTALLED.

Don't give in until YOU are satisfied. When the transaction is complete, there is no going back. Be nice and you will get taken care of, be a PR**CK only when necessary. Unfortunately sometimes it is necessary. Go to the best auto body shop you can and look over it with a fine tooth upon receipt of the vehicle.

I hope you are OK physically. Sorry to see your baby bruised like that. Good luck with everything. I look forward to the post repair pics.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:50 am

Where in PA are you?

This is why I switched to Hagerty. I have an agreed value policy for $10,000 for $174 for the year on my '65. No limitations.... well the one is that you need one other car on a regular policy, so my '74 Bug is on that. But no limits as to mileage or when where I can drive. Remember its not classic insurance its an agreed value so I guess thats what changes why I don't have limits....Still makes no sense then why I need one car on a regular policy, but I'm not going to complain.

Looks like the repairs should be pretty straight forward. It still amazes me. How in the world can you not see a Classic VW Bug????? If that doesn't stand out from the other cookie cutter cars to you while your driving you need to get the hell off the road.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:46 pm

thanks everyone. and i didn't even think about that with the login either on the ads. i looked and there it was! changed that before handing it off to them!

yep it sure sucks.not doing anything but waiting for a light, my car gets trashed (truck has a couple dents/scratches on the bumper) and the insurance company wants to hassle me about how much the car is worth and getting a rental , etc. just doesn't seem riight. i sure hope some of that bad karma comes back on them!

on a positive note , hopefully some of the guys here on thesamba will be selling a few parts shortly lol. i printed out lids, aprons, all kinds of stuff. still awaiting the appraiser to even call me. i decided screw it and took it to a shop and left a message for them that its at a shop now.

been driving this fusion. nice car, but it is definatley not the same. guess i made the right decision going acvw for the daily. just not connecting with the ford.

ovalteen, i didn't know i coould go the haggertys way. i tried originally with my buggy but they wouldn't since it wasn't a 'manufatured' car. i thought you had to have the classic tags and live with the mileage restrictions. i will definately look into that. thanks.

just want it back to where it was, is that too much to ask? and maybe a 'little' better... 8)