quattro digest, Vol 1 #3797 - 11 msgs

[George Selby]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
At 01:45 PM 8/8/02, you wrote:
>Her car is a 99 Acura Tl with navigation. The
>car is considered a total loss with $17k+ in
>damage. Before the claim was filed with the
>other insurance co., her insurer offered $21k.
>She paid $33K+ for it, along with a long list of
>recent warrantee work. A new navigation system
>(1 1/2 weeks old), new brakes all around, new
>headlights and front bumper( those HID'S get
>stolen like crazy), paint work, $500+ in tune up
>work, new tires and wheels, and low miles; 30k.
>How do we recover the gap between what we paid
>and what we're going to get? Do we have to sue
>the other guy or his insurance company? He's
>totally screwed in this matter. Still hasn't
>picked his truck up from the storage yard two
>weeks later. I doubt we'll get an offer over
>22k, so how shall we treat this? Not accept the
>offer and deal on it?


I just went to kbb.com, and the retail price for your friends car (that's
the price you would expect to pay if you bought the car used from a dealer,
and including every option) is only $23,925.  This price is for a car in
perfect condition (that's what the blue book value is, basically is the
absolute most you should pay for a used car,) so all the stuff you mention
is included in the price, including the 30,000 miles.  People who pay KBB
retail expect good tires, brakes, the headlights to be in the car, and
shiny paint on an intact bumper.  Cars in the condition you claim shouldn't
need $500 in tune-ups and a bunch of warranty work.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your friend got raked over the
coals in this deal (I use this term loosely,) to the tune of about $10k.
The seller is laughing all the way to the bank. The KBB retail on a 2001 TL
(with 10k miles) is only 31K.

So, the insurance company isn't going to pay for your friends stupidity. I
would get a lawyer.  This is getting over your head.  I assume there was
some bodily injury in this accident (at least aches and pains.)  Usually
the lawyer who does the personal injury will take care of your car
settlement for nothing, getting paid out of his third of the injury settlement.

BTW, one of the options offered during the financing portion of a car
purchase is Gap insurance.  It covers your friend's current dilemma.


George Selby
83 Audi Coupe GT
gselby4x4 at earthlink.net
--