[s-cars] Re Another S-Car Totalled

[a2000sportster at aol.com]

 It is indeed very sad, sorry to hear about your loss!
 
In regard to how to deal with the insurance company!
I was involved in an accident with my 91 200 Avant, there were very few comparables in the local area which is all they seemed to be able to be compared to! In Oregon once they make an offer on a totalled car, they simply say take it over leave it. And stop coverage of any towing, storage, rental cars. So unless you have another car they really have you by the shorter hairs. Luckily I did have another car to drive, and the car was driven to my driveway and parked, so I charged them my own storage fees before the period before they made their offer. They kept on asking me to take the car to insurance tow yards, and repair storage areas so they could control the car, I always politely told them they were more than welcome to come to the "storage area" and look at the car.
The adjuster's job is to pay as little as possible for your loss, and it will be yours to provide as many comparables as possible. In my case they found tons of 91s, but no 200s, let alone 200 avants, and they refused to acknowledge the difference. Things like Kelly Blue Book, Extra wheels w/snows, how new the tires are, all that stuff goes a long way with them! I called the dealer and asked for pricing of cars like mine and one of the sales guys at Sunset in Beaverton, Oregon was really helpful, but once I asked them for any type of documention, it stopped like a brick on my foot! 
 
One really interesting thing was the insurance adjuster refused to ever use email with me. I therefore took notes during our converastions, once they realised I was repeating things back to them, and asking for their acknoledgement a lot of the bull..it stopped!
 
As Tom Green mentioned get in touch with your agent, and ask for the contact information of the manager of the adjusters, any managment of your insurance company, virtually anybody you think will help, go as far Up the food chain as you can. I went as far as to get in touch with a Vice President! Eventually it will work out! Your biggest asset will be patience!
 
Once you get done with the value of the car as your replacement cost, then reverse everything on the total buy back amount with the multiple repair estimates from shops rather than their adjuster estimates, which they already have. Sounds crazy but it works like a champ! Pretend your dealing with used cars sales people!
 
There has to be somewhere like a storage yard that people keep boats, or somewhere the car can be stored until you figure out how to either sell the whole thing or where you can part it yourself, maybe a local wrench? I rebuilt mine, by buying the replacement parts myself from folks right here on Audifans, and took it to a repair shop after I told them what I ws doing, but it had a salvage title. Frankly, if it's as nice as you say, if it's reapired properly, it shouldn't be that big of an issue! The major reasons cars get totaled is the cost of the parts "new" from Audi is so high they can't afford it. But we all know that parts can be had for a bunch less slightly used!
 
Jack Walker
 
 
 
 
On Oct 17, 2006, at 4:58 PM, Brian Powell wrote:

>
> It is with a very heavy heart, and crushed emotions that I report my
> '97 S6 (FMIC, RS2ed, euro-spec suspension, 993tt brake setup, etc.)
> was in an accident and will likely be totaled today.
>
> I was driving North on highway 1 when an a-hole turning left pulled
> out in front of me. I swerved right and hit the rear of the work truck
> that pulled out. From the front, driver headlight back to the wheel
> well was ripped apart. The engine (and even the FMIC!) were untouched.
> Airbags deployed. Sadly, the insurance will probably total it.
>
> I am absolutely devastated. The car had 80k miles on it, and was
> pristine. I have meticulously worked on it for 5 years now, and it
> still hasn't hit me fully it is gone. Everyone is fine, but I know
> that it is going to be an arduous battle with insurance to get proper
> value. I have a lot of receipts for parts, but it won't go easy.
>
> Any suggestions, tips, and data for dealing with insurance is welcome.
>
> The next thing to worry about is what to do with the car. I refuse to
> have them total it and then send it off to a junkyard. The flip side
> of that is that I do not have a garage/driveway to store a car. There
> is nowhere I can put the car. I can't let all of that goodness
> (switchblade remote, etc.) go to waste, but I don't have any idea
> where to put it for now...
>
> Sadly, a rare 97 is gone and the 97s are more rare today.
>
> Cheers,
> Brian
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