They say my van is totalled

[Robw_z]

In the picture above you can barely notice a deep scratch along the side.

I replaced the bumper after the accident, thinking that if I didn't it'd push it over the top and they'd total it. The estimate is $2,900. $2,400 if I supply the tail light and the sheet metal, which I have on my parts van.

I'm awaiting the offer for totaling it, not happy about it though. The van is in great condition other than the damage, and just had the transmission and head gaskets replaced.

What are the disadvantages of a salvage title?

-Rob

[GWTWTLW]

I cant see the pics but if they are totaling it for $2900 in damage, you should be fighting the value they are appraising the van at. There are some good threads about insurance values and how to deal with them. What worked for me was the independant Appraisal clause. Good luck!
_________________
89 Syncro Westy - GW 2.5, now with a double knob job
@gwtwtlw

[Robw_z]

OK sorry about the photo size apparently photo bucket isn't the same anymore, I'll try and figure it out.

EDIT: pics fixed

The van is a 1990 base model with a 4sp and 150K miles.

[randywebb]

What are the disadvantages of a salvage title?

- hard to sell, for one

(And, yes, all cars will be sold some day. No matter how much you love it now, you will someday be 95 and not able to drive it.)


Tell them you want everything in writing - refuse to talk via phone - and that you are building a record for your attorney and for the state insurance commission.
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1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[DAIZEE]

I'm sorry that doesn't look like something that I'd call totalled. Perhaps I'm not seeing something. Was the frame, engine, etc.... damaged. I'm just a gal but I can't see anything that can't be fixed so I don't understand totalled and salvage.
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[turbotransporter]

[Williamtaylor33]

Thats crazy man. They should fix that.
Insurance companys suck.
I was riding in my uncle's aircooled vanagon westy in central mexico a few years back and we got rear-ended. The damage was similar to yours. Even on that side.
Well of course the man had no insurance. But we happened to have a friend in Dolores Hidalgo, the town where the wreck happend. And he took us to a good body shop that was local while the man that hit us followed us across town. The man who hit us handed over 200 pesos to the the owner of the shop and within a day we had our van back good as new. The paint still looks good..
Take the money and run dude.
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89 Bostig powered syncro westy

[nathan@el]

I was hit in the exact same place except on the passenger side of the van a few months ago, and my damage was SIGNIFICANTLY worse than that. I also had to fight the insurance company, but in the end I got my van fixed. I would definitely fight that...no way that is totaled. Avoid the salvage title!
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1980 Vanagon L Westy (176,200)
1992 Subaru Legacy L (175,500)

[ZimZam]

I cannot believe that they can total a vehicle for that amount of damage. That's outrageous. X2 on they suck (monkey phallus).
_________________
'85 Cabriolet (Margo)
'87 Westy (Heidi)
'75 Porsche 911S Targa

"Nobody trusts anyone, or why did they put tilt on a pinball machine.”
- Steve McQueen
"It's just metal, when rusted and dented , anything you will do will be better. Stop being afraid. What they (VW) did many year ago is not better then what you will do now." -Ben

[thummmper]

why are you bothering with comp and collision anyway?
this is the third edge of the "full coverage" sword. this is a cosmetic fix that the sawzall and glue gun will fix. why mess up the title with all that?
now you get to deal with them.........yech. the less insurance companies know, the better.
I don't play the conformity games these "companies devise to control us and thier incomes.
you have already replaced the bumper. thet means your head is on right about fixing it. what do you need a company for when you have the best insurance available...yourself. [full coverage]

todd

[perrib]

Adjusters fiqure all new parts and then it is a total. Get a few estimates from body shops that fix not replace and then go back to the insurance co.

[boulderdrop]

That's f'd up man. I've been worrying about insurance lately and feeling like I might be throwing money away with Full Comp/Collision on a 25 y/o van that they'll want to total asap. Now that I've got about 14k into it with the Bostig, Wheels and suspension upgrades, I feel like there's no way they would give me what the van is "worth".

Are other people bailing on full-coverage and just doing min state law stuff? I've been thinking about getting an antique/collector's policy with an independent valuation.

[aguabonita]

I just had some body work and paint done to our van. 1,300 smackers for fixing a dent about that size, fixing up the seam rust throughout the front end and one side of the van, and doing a nice paint job on that same half of the van. I didn't go through insurance as I knew it would be a bust. I was thinking of just letting it go for a bit but instead I decided to get the dent fixed so that I wouldn't get a whole bunch of rust issues.

My advice is to check around your area. Use Yelp!, talk to buddies, and get a feel for the services provided in your area.

kev
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'87 Westfalia, GW 2.2, and some other goodies
'90 Volvo 245

[wenholzm]

This is an interesting thread since I am just carrying liability on my van. I would like to have collison, but if they are going to total it for $2,900, why pay the premiums for the extra insurance? To me it is not worth it.

[perrib]

They always try to pay as little for the van and then they sell it to the salvage yard for as much as possible. The ins. cos tried to get oin the salvage bussiness for a while but I believe the gov. stopped them. You need to document what that year Vanogons are selling for.

[vannygun]

I was hit by a full size ford van going about 25 while I was at a stop sign. It destroyed my fiberglass bumper and put a small dent next to the left taillight and a small dent in the same area on the corner(also broke taillight). The quotes I got from multiple locations were in the $2400 range. They totalled it and paid me $3500 and I bought it back for $800. I used the money to pay off bills and the van ran until last week when the head seal started gushing on both sides. I was bummed for a couple weeks until I realized I only paid $2500 for it four years ago and made a profit . I can live with it and its non pedigree title, it is still the same van and I know it inside and out. I consider it my hobby and have never considered it an investment because that is going to always be a losing battle( cars in general).
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definition-Vanagon, "a ideal breeding ground for gremlins"
2000 jeep Cherokee sport (DD)
1990 vanagon gl 2.2 subaru(sold)
2006 jeep commander

[wbx]

[aguabonita]

WBX

I went to Mark's Barn in Sand City. It is over towards the Sanctuary Rock Climbing Gym. I am not going to say they did a perfect job but, quite honestly, I wasn't looking for one. They did a real nice job fixing the seam rust and painting what I told them to paint, were friendly, and even fixed some things that weren't part of the original estimate. I will probably go back to get the other part of the van painted/fixed up once we round up enough quid.

Back to the OP. There is a part of me that thinks these vans are an investment. Are they appreciating? Depreciating? I don't know. What I do know is that I don't want my behemoth to rust out on me so I had my ding fixed up as soon as I could. I guess what you might want to consider is what your long term plan for the van is.

Kevin
_________________
'87 Westfalia, GW 2.2, and some other goodies
'90 Volvo 245

[wbx]

[Robw_z]

For the record I was not driving the van when this happened, I loaned it to a friend and he was reared while driving it. My policy with lending my van is if you break it while you have it, you gotta fix it so my friend went after the guy whom hit him's insurance.

My plans with this van are to have a nice van, and I want to put a pop top on it someday and a new paint job. If I do this to a van with a salvage title and it gets hit again someday, I won't be able to total it and buy a new van of similar value. I've already put A LOT of work into it, it is very clean, very rust free, and in excellent mechanical condition.

My main reason for opening this thread was to get some support in fighting this and make sure I'm not the only one who thinks it a bit ridiculous for them to total the van with that damage. What leverage do I have against an insurance companies offer? "You better offer me more or else!" Or else what? It's hard to come up with sales prices for base models, which often actually have more options than the next model up, just cheaper upholstery.

On the body shop estimate, the price for a Vanagon tail light is $180, and the price for the sheet metal was $320. This is for USED parts.

-Rob