[200q20v] 91 200 20v Pancake

[Mike O'Donnell]

I've got to add my $0.02.  My 86' 4kq suffered significant rear-end damaged
a few years back.  My insurance company determined repairs would run $5,500
and declared the vehicle a total loss despite it's exceptional condition and
87K miles.  Their first "offer" was $3,200 which I violently disagreed with
and subsequently began my campaign to establish the vehicles correct value.
I faxed my claims representative copies of local advertisements and
references documenting the vehicles condition, repair history, and existence
of a Seattle micro-market substantiating premium rates for 4kq's.

I eventually settled the claim at $6,500, bought the car back from the
insurance company for $800 and sold it to the guy at the local Audi bodyshop
for $1,000.  The car was perfectly restored and is still on the road.  The
unnamed very large insurance company was involved in litigation the
following year for deliberately suppressing the value of totaled vehicles.

Fight the power.

Mike O.


----- Original Message -----
From: Brandon Hull <brandon at cardinalpartners.com>
To: 'Keith Maddock' <Keith.Maddock at trw.com>; <200q20v at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 6:14 AM
Subject: RE: [200q20v] 91 200 20v Pancake


> I agree with all of Ingo's comments, which I read before seeing your post.
> Now that I understand that this was a totally benign no fault accident, I
> would only add:
>
> Change your attitude immediately about what they will and will not let you
> do.  I would instantly prepare a full spec sheet with prices of what it
> would cost to replicate your car, not "can I maybe find one for $8K" but
at
> full market retail whatever that may be. If you get _any_ pushback at all,
> hire a lawyer.  You _will_ be bullied by the insurance co. if you let
them,
> but this is a "property and casualty" claim, not an auto accident.  You
> deserve your property or a full equivelant, returned to you.
>
> I would not remove the headlights or ECU, but rather add the full
retail-as
> delivered-plus tax cost to your spec sheet.
>
> Good luck, keep us posted, Fight!
>
> Brandon
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Keith Maddock [mailto:Keith.Maddock at trw.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 10:29 AM
> > To: WARATAP at aol.com; 200q20v at audifans.com; shawneolsen at juno.com
> > Subject: [200q20v] 91 200 20v Pancake
> >
> >
> > Greetings Audi Friends and Audi Listers:
> >
> > While out of the country on business, I have received word
> > that my 91 200 Tq20v has been badly damaged.  It was parked
> > in a friend's carport when the carport was struck by a poorly
> > driven U-Haul van.  The carport collapsed and crushed the
> > roof  ("creased" in the exact words of my friend), damaged
> > all four fenders, hood, trunk, and busted out the rear window.
> >
> > The insurance company is in the process of determining wether
> > or not to total out the car or not, so in the meantime I have
> > a few questions I hope you all might be able to help me out on...
> >
> > 1)   Can anyone suggest a top-rate body shop?  The car is
> > located in Ann Arbor, MI at the moment, I live in Livonia,
> > MI.. so anywhere in the West Detroit area would be appropriate.
> >
> > 2)  They claim the car is worth roughly 8000 bucks.  This
> > seems low,  I'm sure they always value them low so they don't
> > have to pay out so much.  Does anyone have any experience
> > with fighting the insurance company's valuation?
> >
> > 3) Does anyone know what salvage value of these cars
> > typically is?  All mechanical hardware should be perfectly
> > fine, including a new set of Euro-Headlights, 3B motor /
> > trans, Hoppen Stage I ECU, H&R Springs, Koni Sport Shocks, SS
> > Brake lines, new Hydraulic pump, new fuel pump, new TBV,, new
> > Bomb, new Brake Pads, etc etc etc.  I've heard rumors that
> > the engines go for 2-3k, so will the insurance company charge
> > me that much or more to buy it back from them?
> >
> > 4)  If anyone has had a car been "totaled" on them before, do
> > you know they let me swap back the original headlights, swap
> > ECU's etc etc before they take possession of the car?  I
> > would think I have the right to sell the non-stock items (NOT
> > included in their valuation) as long as I replace them with
> > stock ones  If this ends up being the case, of the above
> > listed items, is anyone possibly interested in any exchanges?
> >  The ECU and the headlights are the key components that
> > spring to mind there...
> >
> > 5) Does anyone have a really nice anthracite or black 200 for
> > sale for about 8000 bucks?  Haha don't think so , but I have
> > to ask.. I'll probably have to pay more than 8000 for
> > something as nice as mine was.
> >
> > If anyone has any BTDT on this type of stuff, I'd really
> > appreciate your input.  This is very upsetting to me,
> > compounded by the fact that I'm having to deal with this from
> > 5000 miles away.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Keith Maddock
> >
> > **********************************************
> > Keith Maddock, TRW Automotive
> > Controls Engineering, Traction Control
> > Livonia, MI
> > (734) 266 - 3971
> > **In Arvidsjaur Sweden from 12/4-12/18 Office Phone # 46 960 57 862 **
> > keith.maddock at trw.com
> >
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> >
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