Wife totalled the baby, 2001 Jetta TDI

Well, first off, this is my first post here, but I've hung around for a few years and have learned a lot from everyone here.
Very fortunately, my wife is fine, not hurt at all.
Big Bummer, though - just spent $1300 having TB replaced, a few sensors, brake switch, etc., and then I really hit the big one and found out her low power was due to a sticky actuator to the turbo. Loosened that up by working it around a little, as per some info in a few threads in this forum, and NICE! -- the power was back, along with some turbo whistling that we hadn't realized was missing.
Two days later, on MLK day, she has someone jump in front of her as she's approaching stopped traffic, and was unable to stop in time. Rear ended the other car, and pushed the whole nose of the Jetta back.
The hood buckled, nothing left of the lights/grille, and yet the fenders are perfect and unbent. Looks like the engine may have moved rearward, too. Funny thing was, only the passenger airbag went off, not the driver's side.
And the other car, an 04 Accord, just drove away with a loosened rear bumper.
I'm venting here, but here goes -- the insurance company says it's totalled, and only offered us $10,400. Not too good for a 2001 GLS TDI with 113,000 miles and monsoon, sunroof, alloys, cd changer, etc. Especially poor considering that it is a company with a stellar reputation, USAA, for which we pay above average in the maketplace.
I tried following some advice given here, providing documentation of the vehicle's value to my insurance company -- even sent pdf files of the pages from NADA, KBB, and Edmunds. And they hold their line that their offer is "market" value.
Any advice? I'm done whining for now, thanks for letting me vent. -Lou

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

I have USAA insurance also...

What did you pay for the car?

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Bought it new for about $22k, in Nov of 2000. Boggled by this since my insurance carrier is supposedly one of the best and "fairest". Not happy with this, and have a few other issues making me consider Geiko, etc. as alternatives.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

It does have a lot of miles for such a short amount of time. Close to 30K/yr. Most insurance companies asuuming folks drive 12/yr to 15K/yr. Unless you pay higher premiums due to the increased miles.

Think of it this way... would you buy a used 01 Jetta GLS TDI with 113,000 miles for $10,400? With that many miles, I wouldn't. For that price it better have under 80,000 miles.

What value are KBB etc. placing on it?

What branch of the service are you in?

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Is it an 01 or 02? Your subject says 02, but your post says 01.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

My 99.5 was mint condition until the engine fell out. Granted I did not have the sunroof and the monsoon, but it had 112Kmiles, My insurance company gave me $9,200. I showed him all the jetta tdi's meeting our specs sold on-line, and he just yawned. "The blue book says, . . . " They don't like the miles. In short he told me that they look at the equivalent gasser value. Done. sorry

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Agree, it's been driven a lot - that's the reason to buy this type of car. Had plans to keep it another 80k miles, at least. KBB shows a value of $11,915 for this car, as equipped, taking the 112,500 miles on the odometer into consideration. Edmunds shows $12,700. These are retail, not private sale numbers. Ex-USAFR, but not a veteran - it's another story on its own.

My bad, but I don't know how to correct the title of the post - it is indeed a 2001.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Agree, it's been driven a lot - that's the reason to buy this type of car. Had plans to keep it another 80k miles, at least. KBB shows a value of $11,915 for this car, as equipped, taking the 112,500 miles on the odometer into consideration. Edmunds shows $12,700. These are retail, not private sale numbers. Ex-USAFR, but not a veteran - it's another story on its own.

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Ah ha! Another reserve component guy. I'm a part-time Guardsman.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Not sure what you mean by "the engine fell out". Same type of crash damage as ours, I suspect. When did yours happen? Seems weird, 1.5 years newer car, same mileage, only worth $1k more?

Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Oh! did I say I had Geico? I was part of 3%. But I still have them for my 2000 jetta tdi. That 3 grand loss was hard to take.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Ah ha! Another reserve component guy. I'm a part-time Guardsman.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your patriotism and for serving our country.

Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Oh! did I say I had Geico? I was part of 3%. But I still have them for my 2000 jetta tdi. That 3 grand loss was hard to take.

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"Part of 3%"?

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

So are you saying you spent $12,200 for your 2000 Jetta? Seems high, but maybe not, I'm in that high mileage vehicle mindset. The thing that's starting to tick me off is that my wife is hinting that she doesn't want another VW.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

I'm really slow. My wife drove over a speed bump and bottomed out. The motor mount bolts were sheared and then at the next bump in the road it broke the oil pan. The good news was the the stealership yanked the CD and other parts and gave them to me. NOw I have to promise her that the engine is not going to fall out. She in turn promised not to drive it with her Panzer tank corps driver's lisence. One more reason to buy a lift kit and the steel plate.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Point out to your wife that she is okay... she may not have waled away if she were in a Honda or the likes.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

They should call the lift kit and steel plate the "wife package"!

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

She's pretty appreciative of having walked away, but the impact must have been below 20mph - the Honda she hit only got its rear bumper knocked loose (not off). Kind of weird, though - if it weren't for such good crumpling, the guy in the Honda (as well as my wife) would probably have been hurt pretty badly.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Yes I'm a vet. 'Nam days, but never saw action while in the Navy even though I was a member of a radeo doomsday squadron. So guess I/we should not complain. Currently I am a school teacher. The accident happened last September. We suffered two months greaving a gas hog 32mpg. I finally found our jetta with low-mileage 64kmiles. The TB was just changed and other minors services done. Alloys, monsoon and sunroof. Now the roadie has 94kmiles. Someday I will leave home to see the world. The wife things is the hardest. With every bump that she takes I smile and tell her the engine is still there. And I still love you.

Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Especially poor considering that it is a company with a stellar reputation, USAA, for which we pay above average in the maketplace.

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Don't get me started on what I think of USAA. I spent three months in the hospital and two years in outpatient rehab recovering from a USAA insured driver. It was a single car accident, and I was the only passenger. The driver walked away while I got a ride in a medivac helicopter. USAA was legally liable for my medical expenses, but they tried to weasle their way out of paying anything.

To make a very long story short, we had to hire a lawer, and basically all he did was make a phone call and quote some law to them and they paid up. I don't understand how insurance companies get away with breaking the law.

Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

It really doesn't matter who the insurer is. Virtually all insurance companies try to dodge paying claims. But they're quick to ask for rate increases.

I was a pedestrian crossing an intersection with the proper light when I was struck by a full size pick-up truck. Not seriously injured, but had about $350.00 in medical bills. The driver's insurance company tried to claim that my injuries were covered by workers' compemensation because I was walking to my office when the incident occurred. They refused to pay unless the workers' comp carrier denied the claim. Threatened to sue them for unfair claims practices and now they agree that I'm covered by the driver's no-fault. But still have yet to see any $$$$ for my medical bills.

Remember, they are out to make money, and the less claims paid the more profit they make.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Piece of work from the insurance co called me back today, they upped the offer by about $500 - big whoop.

Still puzzled by wife indicating some reluctance to get another Jetta.

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Piece of work from the insurance co called me back today, they upped the offer by about $500 - big whoop.

Still puzzled by wife indicating some reluctance to get another Jetta.

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Ask her what is wrong with Jetta's. Check out a passat perhaps?

How many vehicles do you have?

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

We have three vehicles: one Co. truck, 2004 Silverado 2500 extended cab shortbed 6.0 gas, which I drive only for work, with 35k miles; one 2002 Chevy Avalanche 5.3 gas with 68k miles, (mine before the co. truck, wife hates to drive it, but it makes me feel better to have her and the kids encased in the big iron) which we use for family trips when I drive; and the totalled 2001 Jetta TDI.

I think she's thinking about the money we've spent on maintenance and repairs on the Jetta over 4 years and 112k miles, vs what we spent over 5 years and 240k miles with our previous economy car, a used 89 Accord we bought for $6,900. It had just shy of 300k when we sold it, for 500 bucks, and only sold it because she was frustrated when the water pump let loose and didn't want to spend the money to fix it (or the head gasket). In a way, I have to agree - the Accord was super economical as far as any repairs/maintenance. Did replace the clutch twice, though - but the second time it still had 50% friction material left. Needless to say, I'm hearing "Accord" from her.

But I love the diesel. I'm so conflicted!

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

We have three vehicles: one Co. truck, 2004 Silverado 2500 extended cab shortbed 6.0 gas, which I drive only for work, with 35k miles; one 2002 Chevy Avalanche 5.3 gas with 68k miles, (mine before the co. truck, wife hates to drive it, but it makes me feel better to have her and the kids encased in the big iron) which we use for family trips when I drive; and the totalled 2001 Jetta TDI.

I think she's thinking about the money we've spent on maintenance and repairs on the Jetta over 4 years and 112k miles, vs what we spent over 5 years and 240k miles with our previous economy car, a used 89 Accord we bought for $6,900. It had just shy of 300k when we sold it, for 500 bucks, and only sold it because she was frustrated when the water pump let loose and didn't want to spend the money to fix it (or the head gasket). In a way, I have to agree - the Accord was super economical as far as any repairs/maintenance. Did replace the clutch twice, though - but the second time it still had 50% friction material left. Needless to say, I'm hearing "Accord" from her.

But I love the diesel. I'm so conflicted!

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Honda doesn't make cars like the used to, same thing with toyota.

price goes up, quality goes down. at least, this is what i've heard. quality meaning ability to reach high mileage

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

Maybe we should look for a clean low mileage 89 Accord, Japan built, located in Phoenix or Tucson! I also have heard that Japanese vehicles have lost much of their quality advantage.

Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

I'm venting here, but here goes -- the insurance company says it's totalled, and only offered us $10,400.

Not too good for a 2001 GLS TDI with 113,000 miles and monsoon, sunroof, alloys, cd changer, etc.

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I'm glad that your wife is okay.

The price seems pretty fair to me. I bought my 2000 Golf GLS TDI for $8500 with 70k miles on it. Similar features to yours, except no sunroof (but it did include a second set of wheels with snow tires on them, a roof rack, and some other extras). At the time (a year ago) this was blue book. $2000 extra when you have over 50% more miles seems pretty good.

The hard part is finding one for sale that is in similar condition for a similar price. I had to go to Virginia to get my car (Golfs for under $10k are hard to find, most people just don't want to sell them).

alex

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

When you find a steal, it's great, but when the insurance payout requires you to find a steal, it kind of sucks. I'll keep looking, and keep hoping my wife will reconsider another Jetta TDI, or maybe a Passat (but with the bigger car the TDI power will seem really poor).

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

When you find a steal, it's great, but when the insurance payout requires you to find a steal, it kind of sucks. I'll keep looking, and keep hoping my wife will reconsider another Jetta TDI, or maybe a Passat (but with the bigger car the TDI power will seem really poor).

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so chip it.
It's not like you put the 4cyl TDI engine into a dump truck lol

Re: Wife totalled the baby, 2002 Jetta TDI

We have three vehicles: one Co. truck, 2004 Silverado 2500 extended cab shortbed 6.0 gas, which I drive only for work, with 35k miles; one 2002 Chevy Avalanche 5.3 gas with 68k miles, (mine before the co. truck, wife hates to drive it, but it makes me feel better to have her and the kids encased in the big iron) which we use for family trips when I drive; and the totalled 2001 Jetta TDI.

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Don't let the size of a truck trick you into a false sense of security. Bigger does not equal safer. I know a guy that was paralyzed when his "built Ford tough" F250 company truck rolled over. The US rollover saftey standard is a joke. The roof doesn't even have to withstand the weight of the truck, so when it rolled over it sqashed like a tin can. What's worse is that it would have only cost Ford $3 per truck to add additional support to the roof structure. Ford dicided it would cost them less money in the long run to settle in court with people paralyzed, injured or killed than to make a safer truck.