Help! Insurance wants to total my 87 Westy

Margalo13 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:54 am Post subject:

Here is my current position:

Progressive called back and said they'd give me $8,582.40 (he reduced the salvage value).

I'm paying about $800 to fix the sliding door which needed fixing anyway. The garage is paying $620 which closes the gap between the insurance settlement and the rest of repair estimate.

I trust the body shop and think they'll do good work. I know there are no guarantees. I have owned this vehicle for 15 years and know exactly what' been done to it--that's worth something. It's not so much about an emotional attachment to this particular vehicle, though there isn't another kind like it for road trips and camping! I'd happily replace it if I thought I could for $11,000 without too much hassle and confidence in its reliability.

This doesn't seem likely. So I'm getting this one fixed.

I might have been able to get more, but I did confer with a couple of independent appraisers and they weren't too encouraging--maybe, but you're pretty close was their opinion (w/out seeing it).

Another factor, to be honest, is that I'm ready to move on. The insurance company takes that to the bank, I know. But we've come a long way from the original offer of $4,134.66.

And who knows, maybe the old man will surprise me and send a check. I think I mentioned that I wrote him a letter yesterday inviting him to do so.

So I may be swimming in a sea of sharks, but I'm also working within my immediate community (the garage and the body shop) and while they are business people they're also about long term relationships. I think they're going to do what they can for me. A hopeless optimist who is occasionally disappointed.

Margalo13 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

P.S. I haven't accepted the settlement offer, but am likely to by the end of the day. I don't think I made that clear in the last post.

mightyart · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:30 am Post subject:

If you have no reservations about the settlement then do as you feel best, I know you just want to be done with it, but really it's just begining.
Now if you've never had a wreaked car repired you're in for a real treat.
Be very flexible on the time frame they give you for repairs, be ready to wait a few more weeks then you are told it will take.
Also have some cash in reserve to pay for anything they find after they start working on it.
If you trust that the garage will make up the differance get it in writing.
I will say that I think you Texas Westy is worth more then they are giving you I'd say it would be worth at least $16,000.
I'm from Ohio, and always thought If I needed to sell one of my Texas Cars I would drive it up north and get top dollar for it.
Everytime I drove my 75 280z back there I always got compliments and offers.
The lack of rust goes a long way with buyers like me and most of the people on the Samba.
Please keep posting about your adventure as it unfolds.
belive it or not you are educating alot of people with this post, and it will be in the seach as long as the Samba is here.
Much more people lurk then post and you could help more people then you will ever know.
Good Luck!!

PDXWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:36 am Post subject:

I'm sorry to say I think you're really making a mistake by accepting only $8500 from them. It's not enough to get you fully repaired or back to the way you were with another nice van. What's the hurry to settle?

funagon · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:47 am Post subject:

Sounds like you're close to finalizing the decision. None of us on this forum knows how bad the damage is, what kind of work the body shop does, etc. etc. so we can't tell you definitively that your choice is "right" or "wrong." At the end of the day you are the one who has to be satisfied with your decision. Then get it taken care of and move on with your life.

I will repeat what others have said: it would be a shame if you discover (post-insurance settlement) that your van's frame is bent, wheels don't track straight, or that other components are messed up from the wreck. Hopefully the damage isn't that bad. Hopefully the shop has done a good evaluation and is being straight with you about it. If you accept the money from progressive you'll probably sign something that says it is a final settlement absolving them of all responsibility.

No one on this forum wants to scare you out of accepting a good settlement. Those of us who have been writing here view your predicament as an abstract situation, to which we respond with all of the bad things that we know can happen in such situations. Probably makes it sound scary. But if you're dealing with people (garage and body shop) who are honest--or at least doing their job properly--then maybe it's an easy decision to go ahead with the offer. Take your time to decide. Then once you've decided don't look back and fret about it. Enjoy your life as much as you can.
_________________
1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

I say it's time to settle and move on.

For those of you who would claim I'm sympathetic to the insurance point of view, that's not the case. I think you've gotten as far as you can. You have to work within the system and there is truth in the Golden Rule.

"He who has the gold, makes the rules"

Your vehicle has a certain value in YOUR market area. It may be worth more in another part of the country but that has nothing to do with your situation.

You may have lost some more money in the whole thing but that is life.

Settle this ASAP, put it all behind you and go out and make it a good day!

You have done a good job here!
_________________
1991- Seven passenger with 3.3 SVX ; 1987 - Seven Passenger with 2.5 Subaru

PDXWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject:

xlr8r - "You may have lost some more money in the whole thing but that is life. "

Why do you say that? Would you be happy with that settlement if it happened to you? Why should she settle for losing money when she had no fault what so ever?

I don't see why you think she should accept $8500 if repairs will cost $10k. All avenues aren't exhausted in my opinion. You can look at values in other parts of the country if there are no available vehicles in your area. I even got the insurance to pay $1000 for shipping me a van from Colorado to Portland because I couldn't find one here. When you are talking about "classic" cars, the same rules don't apply.

Time is on your side. The Ins. Co's just want to settle. The longer you wait the more they want to settle.

I am only speaking from my experience from going through the same exact scenario recently. There's no reason to just say "oh well" "I don't mind getting ripped off"

Margalo - If you don't feel you could replace it for $11k, then why are you so willing to accept their offer?

.

mightyart · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject:

Now whos offering bad advice?
"He who has the gold makes the rules", is one reason our country is so fucked now.
You just sound like a corporate shill now.
If that was true court cases would be determined by your bank balance not on right or wrong.
Conform now you, you can never win, the insurance company is always right, they have more money then you, be glad they are giving you anything. Rolling Eyes

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject:

Some of you guys don't live in the real world!
_________________
1991- Seven passenger with 3.3 SVX ; 1987 - Seven Passenger with 2.5 Subaru

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:

BTW - 1948 is the last year for a true classic.
_________________
1991- Seven passenger with 3.3 SVX ; 1987 - Seven Passenger with 2.5 Subaru

Pascaa · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject:

PDXWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:00 pm Post subject:

The real world? I just went through this in the "real world" and I managed to get the fair value for my rig, $16.5k plus $1000 shipping cost plus $1800 for personal belongings and racks and such - and I wasn't as well documented as she is having owned it 15 years. You just can't go down to the corner lot and find a good clean Westy like she had.

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject:

mightyart · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject:

I guess if you consider the real world to be the one of "rollover and take it you can't win anyways even if you're right".
Then you are correct, some of us guys don't live there.

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:05 pm Post subject:

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject:

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject:

mightyart · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject:

It's based on liability which as you should know is who is right or wrong.
There would be no nogotiation if someone wasn't at fault.
I never said it was a court case, but it could become one.

xlr8r · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:

Of course someone is at fault. Of course she has expense associated with it.

I'm saying now it's her time that is valuable. Every day that goes by has a cost associated with it.

My advice is still the same.

1) you don't need a lawyer.

2) it's time to settle.
_________________
1991- Seven passenger with 3.3 SVX ; 1987 - Seven Passenger with 2.5 Subaru


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Help! Insurance wants to total my 87 Westy
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