re. And another one gone..... (4KCSQ)

[Ben Swann]

Brendan,

If your car was in otherwise decent shape, and you have kept good records of 
expenses, you can insist with backup documentation to have insurance cover 
the car or replacement value.  If you do a good job of putting your expenses 
in a spreadsheet including your labor, I bet you can come up with some 
fairly high amount like $8000 to put a car in the condition yours is.  Now 
they won't pay you for this, but if you sound like you will be insistant to 
the point of taking this "proof" to court, then they'd likely be inclined to 
offer you some lesser, but amiable amount to you.

Even if they total the car, then you can insist they take the time to source 
you a comparable car or find one you like that is similar and get 
re-imbursed for the cost to purchase that car, including time and expenses, 
rental car, airfare, etc.  They won't do this of course, but the point 
should be taken - this accident was not your fault, and wil cost you a lot 
personally and that is the point.  You could have been driving a brand new 
Porsche Cayenne.  A lot of times you'll hit a value such as $1500 where they 
will be glad to write you a check and get you out of there hair.  Being 
persistant is what it takes - if you drop the ball, be sure they will not 
pick it up for you.  BTDT on this a few times.

Make sure you insist on buying back the car - usually a token fee if 
anything.  Then you can buy a replacement car and stick all your goodies on 
it, or take the best stuff off the replacement vehicle and stick on yours. 
It may not be worth fixing yours  since repair of anything not bolt-on can 
get expensive - bodywork and painting is a PITA, time-consuming, expensive.

I know if you are patient, you should be able to find a nice replacement and 
combine the best of both cars and keep one for parts.  You can make some 
nice lemonade from these lemons!

Ben

[Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 21:23:22 -0500
From: Brendan Walsh <audicted42 at gmail.com>
Subject: And another one gone..... (4KCSQ)
To: Q-list <quattro at audifans.com>
Message-ID:
<3a5481780601251823s1cc43e5aod4bc6687da9c4c4d at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

So i got rear ended today, need a new bumper and mounts, slight pull
on the right rear quarter, nothing major, but... the cost of which
would effectively "total" the car. Cost of parts+labor etc would be
roughly $1500, since book value on the car is only $1200 or
something... My fear here is that the insurance company(not mine
PSE&G's) is going to total the car outright if i even attempt to file
a claim. Anybody got a suggestion on what i can do here?  Other than
trying to get them to investigate the value of similar cars in the
area(not that i think that would help, lots of beaters around here.) I
like my Q, I put quite a bit of sweat equity in getting her running
tip top and I'd rather not have to start over on another car just
cause some bonehead bumped into me. Should i have to total it, is
there any hope of buying it back from the ins. company as a salvage? I
have no interest in selling it off or parting it out or anything, I'd
just like to have my car fixed and  on the road. It seems ridiculous
that it would be junked over such minimal damage. K, Done venting...
TIA
Brendan]