TheSamba.com :: View topic - a domestic van got friendly with my bumper!!

Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:37 pm

as i was waiting at a stop sign for traffic to clear,a ford full size van with a driver snug and sleeping in the drivers seat hit me doing about30mph!!it wiped out my driver side tail light,shattered the bumper,bent the piece of metal that holds the tail light.this being my completely unmolested 1990 gl(not even a ding)was considered totaled by insurance(geico).they estimated that repairs would be about $2600!!and the vehicle market value was $3300.i bought the van back for $450 and they wrote me a check for $2800.OH AND I get a wonderful salvage title!!!!!yaaaay. @!%$ing jerk in the ford.any one know where to get a fiberglass rear bumper in portland area!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :cry:

Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:23 pm

Sorry for your loss, but why in the world did you settle for such a low price? If after all your Vanagon was as spotless as you said it is (was) why didnt you fight for a decent re-imbursment??
You could have held the adjusters hand and loged onto this site and shown him or her the fair market value of your vehicle in todays market.
Heck, if you went to Go-Westys site and showed them ttheir asking prices you could have settled for more than $2800.00.
Oh...............does your neck hurt yet, how about your back........ how long have you had that tingleing sensation in your legs........... werent the fillings in your back teeth shaken loose from such an impact?? :shock:

Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:02 pm

I had the same kind of thing happen to my '89 GL last winter. The "aero bumpers" as they are sometimes called, are a hard thing to find. The back is the harder one too. The back bumper is actually 3 parts. I found that they can be had from VW for a mint. I reused the pass corner and got a center section from ebay. The ebay part was expensive and was in rough shape compared to the auction info. I ended up rebuilding it in places where the previous owner had cracked it. I could not find a driver side piece anywhere so I called a guy I found on the web. They're in Roseville, CA.
http://www.bwautodismantlers.com/
Not cheap but great to deal with. Had the part in like 2 days. BTW My insurance also totaled my van but told me that if I had it fixed and gave them pics and recipts they'd let me get comprehensive coverage again. I guess if the same thing happens again they can buy the car again.

Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:07 pm

PRICING GL Van

Low Retail Average Retail High Retail
Base Price $2,650 $3,650 $4,400
Mileage - 16,000 miles $1,325 $1,325 $1,325
TOTAL PRICE $3,975 $4,975* $5,725

PRICING GL Camper

Low Retail Average Retail High Retail
Base Price $5,175 $6,425 $7,325
Mileage - 160,000 miles N/A N/A N/A
TOTAL PRICE $5,175 $6,425* $7,325

This per NADA. Man, I would have fought for more and especially for the repairs instead of the Salvage title. They just devalued your Vanagon forever.

BTW, The medical.......I am still suffering from a rear end accident, 15 years later. Make the insurance that you have paid for all these years pay for what you deserve and need.

Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:37 pm

I got the same kind of accident some years ago...

Driving my kids to school in the morning.. on my way back, sitting at a stop light and WHAM ! ! !.. some lady ramed my '85 westy in the rear...

I opted for repair (instead of total loss)... I got a trailer hitch which help a lot, just the bumper and some body works+paint.... oh yeah... some $$ from medical bills helped to ease the pain a bit...

so... I am on the look out for a trailer hitch (a better one if possible) for my '90 vanagon even thougt I didn't plan to pull anything yet...

good luck

dan