TheSamba.com :: View topic - Our van has been declared a total loss... buy back or not?

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:08 pm

Our 83.5 Westy was rear ended by an unisured driver last week and has been declared a total loss by our insurance company... I agree with this assessment and we have no intention of trying to rebuild it. We are still waiting for the report and the settlement offer and I (not my husband) am thinking about trying to buy it back from the insurance company after we settle.

GoWesty installed one of their engines 14K miles ago, as well as one of their transmissions (replaced bell housing as well), so I'm thinking it would probably be worth it to part out. My husband was able to drive home from the accident just fine, though coolant is now dripping fom the front (he was pushed into another vehicle, so front AND rear end damage). Anyway, if I went the route of parting it out , how would folks suggest 'disposing' of the frame? Are there companies out there that would tow it away (the shell) for scrap metal value, or can I count on having to pay someone to take it away? I don't necessarily want to strip it clean, but I certainly would like to be able to recoup some of what we put into the van (way too much) and I think the engine\transmission are valuable... not mention the GoWesty 15" wheel package, also with 14K miles on it.

I know that I have to reread the thread on settling claims with the insurance company, but I just want to know that I will be able to get rid of the shell without have to pay lots of money to do so.

For those of you in the Seattle area, keep your eyes on the classified section in next coming weeks!

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:20 pm

When I used to live in Ohio back in the early 90's.
I gave the guy down the street a stripped Maxima body I had, I just wanted it gone.
He had a tow truck and did towing on the side.
I told him he could have it if he brought my tires back, he needed the tires on to tow it.
I think he got like $70.00 for scrap, and he even brought my tires back.
I don't know about scraping a car in your area, but you could call around.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:21 pm

If you have the ability to part it out, I would definitely do so. The remaining scrap metal is worth enough to somebody to haul away for free. It shouldn't cost you anything. If you don't want to part it out yourself, it is most likely still worth way more to sell it somebody whole than can part it out than it is going to cost you to buy it from the insurance company. The engine itself is worth way more than the buyback amount from insurance.

Sorry for your loss!!! I hope you don't get screwed by insurance. There's a lot of that going on right now. Don't feel like you have to accept what they offer you without a fight. There's a couple of good active threads on that right now.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:23 pm

I would part it out if you have somplace to do it. Put an ad on Craigslist and you'll find plenty of takers in the Seattle area. I had several people offer to buy my whole van. Here's what was left after I parted mine out.

My salvage buy back was about $700 and I think I made $3000 on parting it out.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:29 pm

Holy Cr*p!

Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:31 pm

Ouch. One of the things the insurance company won't attach much value to is the engine... so unless they tell you the salvage price is on the moon I'd definitely part it out - by my reckoning if that engine didn't get banged up, selling it alone should more than pay for the salvage.

I'll tell you my recent experience in case it's helpful. I recently had a 91 volvo hit when the car was unoccupied - insurance said I could have $2200 or $2000 and the car. It was still driveable so that was a no-brainer for me... I kept the car. Get a price from them and go from there - should be free to find out. Make sure and let them know about any recent repairs, improvements, upgrades - they'll screw you on the value of them for sure, but they'll give you something if you let them know about it.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:09 pm

Usually the price to buy it is the salvage price ~ around $200 usually. What they should do is give you the value of the total loss, LESS $200 (which is what they'd get by sending it to a junkyard).

Then you sell of the pieces you want.

Most junkyards will pay for your car, even if there's not much there. I see cars all the time that are DESTROYED ~ virtually nothing salvagable, in the yards here in SoCal.

Hey Oxygen ~ pulled a set of IPD sway bars AND set of strut braces off a 240 that wasn't crashed... can you believe what some people will let go?

Best,

Lanval

Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:17 pm

I'd part it out as well. I feel for your loss. I hope all can be gotten from the insurance company. The Unisured person is not going to like Life, good :twisted:

The parts ( Glass, Fuel tank, Fuel Pump, cabinets, seats....) you see, you might get enough just in parts to get a "new" Westy.

Now that would make anyones day!

I wish the best of luck to you.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:36 pm

I would be looking for another rust free bus for cheap that needs some stuff and swap it over.

Then part out what is left.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:04 pm

BUY IT BACK!

You may be able to get it fixed for much less depending on the body shop. I have hired body guys to do side jobs on the weekends. Then you just finish the job by taking it to a paint place.

With all that fresh mechanical hardware in the van, why kill it?????

Parting out *IS* more work than you may think. Plus it still is a Westy. It has a good value just the way it is too.

Do not give up on it, if you like it.

Just don't let the insurance company keep it.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:18 pm

I can't imagine that the van can be fixed, at least for a decent price. It has some pretty major rear and front end damage. Really, I think that my husband (in the van) was hit at full speed or pretty close too it... not a highway accident.

Actually, given the damage I wouldn't even want the van even if it 'could' be repaired.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:28 pm

We luv pictures :lol:

Can you post some?

Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:46 pm

Lanval wrote: Usually the price to buy it is the salvage price ~ around $200 usually. What they should do is give you the value of the total loss, LESS $200 (which is what they'd get by sending it to a junkyard).

Then you sell of the pieces you want.

Most junkyards will pay for your car, even if there's not much there. I see cars all the time that are DESTROYED ~ virtually nothing salvagable, in the yards here in SoCal.

Hey Oxygen ~ pulled a set of IPD sway bars AND set of strut braces off a 240 that wasn't crashed... can you believe what some people will let go?

Best,

Lanval

Oh I believe it. My 940 gle had a dented trunk and that's it. My in-laws were having car trouble so I gave the car to them - my brother in-law pulled the trunk out and it's good as new. He basically got a free car that should run for another decade as the motor is in great shape and I'd recently replaced the timing belt. Cost me a couple hundred bucks to be nice but I just couldn't bear to see that thing go to the junkyard - it was a pretty nice car. I couldn't believe a dented trunk was a death sentence.

Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:22 pm

Scrap is going for $230 a gross ton in in western Michigan. Witch is something like 2240lb. bough a suby for 250 with a bad trans took the motor and some other bits off and then off to the scrap yard got $260 for it not bad for a week end of work..

sea

Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:53 pm

Sounds like my accident 4 weeks ago. Guy hit me going 35 and knocked me into the nissan 4*4 in front of me. I drove home. Ins totaled me. 3900 pay off- I bought it back for 800. It s now almost finished, I get it back from the body shop monday- for 2560.00. But the shop used the body panels from my burned up 90 Carat. New parts would have cost 4600.
I would buat it back and part it out if yournot comfortable with rebuilding it. The engine and trans have to be worth more than the salvage cost.
Good Luck.
Paul

Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:15 pm

lets see some pics of the damage....amybe one of us will take the whole thing off your hands

Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:37 pm

I'm going to take some photos and post them to appease you folks, though AFTER we reach a settlement with the insurance company. I also have one more question.

The insurance company came back with with an offer of close to $5K, which was higher than I expected, which essentially doesn't cover any of the $ we've put into it (excluding purchase price) since purchasing it a few years ago. The salvage price was about $200, which surprised me (in a good way). So, I do plan on buying it back, but based on the comps that we found around here, we would like to ask for a couple thousand more from the insurance company. Even that doesn't even come close to matching what we've sunk into it, but you all know about putting in more money than it is worth. Anyway, if we did that, do we risk having them jack up the buy back price? BTW, they included comps from the East Coast and even regular old Vanagons! None of the comps had a 2.1 liter engine in it.

I'm going to send them the comps that I have found over the past couple of days, a few being local, a couple being West Coast, and one being East Coast... all at or above what they offered and only one with at 2.1 Liter engine. I'll also send them the documentation on our upgraded engine. Has anyone countered with the insurance company and had them jack up the buyback price?

Should I even bother documenting the '86 seats, the new sunroof, the power mirrors (that don't work), or will they offer me penny on the dollar for those and then up the salvage price? Essentially, I don't want to point out all our goodies, if it is not going to get us a better settlement and a worse buyback price.

Thanks.

I know that many of you will be disappointed with me (please don't flame me), but we are going to replace it with a Eurovan MV (hopefully Weekender pagkage). My husband hates the van and that it took up WAY too much of my time, so a Eurovan is our compromise. Anyone know anything about the Mazda Bongo vans (out of Japan I believe)? Ever seen one here? I would be interested in one of those as well, but I'm guessing that they are a pain and expensive to import, just like the other vehicle not made for the US market.

Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:10 pm

The buy back price is based on the settlement figure. If they give you more it will cost you more to buy it back.
Last year I had a settlement for 6900 for a burned up 90 Carat. The salvage buy back was 800.
ANY documentation you have MAY help. The ins cos usually place a timeline for granting value to any upgrade.
Every ins co does it different. Mercury was great to deal with. If I was a violent man I'd do harm to some people who work for Progressive.
Disclaimer. My experience only. Your mileage may vary. I wish you the best of outcomes.
Check this forum for eurovan issues. I am not sure that is an upgrade. There are a lot of folks here who use their vanagons daily and have no major issues. My 90 Carat was issue free for 5 years. My replacement 88 wolfsburg Has likewise not been in the shop for mechanical reasons.
Paul

Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:05 am

I wouldn't accept their first offer, period. Definitely give them some comparables. I don't know what your state laws are but there might be an independant appraisal clause like we have in Oregon. You should take adavantage of that if you have the option. You'll have to pay for the appraiser but it shouldn't be more than a couple hundred bucks and could add a lot to your settlement.

Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:04 am

Well, thanks for all your advice. We settled with the insurance company... for less tha I hoped, given how much we sunk into it over the past few years, but I knew we would recover much less than half of what we spent.

That said, we are hoping to sell the whole van for parts. See the ad I posted titled 'Vanagon Westfalia for Parts - Many new!' in the parts section.

We are enjoying our new 1999 Eurovan Weekender, and I will be sad to not be visiting this forum much longer, though my husband will be happy to have me back. I only wish there was a Eurovan forum with as much information and in as good a format as this one.