Poor PaTuDi

The B4V (affectionately named PaTuDI) was rear ended by a Ford Transit van on the freeway last night in commute traffic. Totally his fault, he was distracted by road rage with an idiot in the next lane and slammed into me, accelerating from 3-4 car lengths back to who knows how fast. If I had to guess based on damage and my level of soreness this morning, I'd say 30 mph.

So now the fun begins of estimates and comps to decide if she's fixable or not, and to decide about buying her back (engine's great, just ask Matt!), etc.

Ouch..sorry to hear of another one rear ended like that. Friend just north of where I live was in the mountains behind a car on the highway that was stopped sight seeing and he got plowed into as well.

Steve

Yikes.... just so I’m understanding this properly, the dude was raging at someone else, so he rammed you?

Glad to hear you’re somewhat ok, but that’ll be totaled in the eyes of the insurance company.

-Todd

Hope she can be fixed!

Dude was road raging at someone in the next lane, didn't realize traffic had started moving again, the other guy took off and he (I'm guessing) didn't want him to get away so hit the gas. His buddy with him prob yelled about the stopped traffic but it was too late. Guessing he was doing about 30mph to my 0. All I could think was "Here it comes".

Visible damage is bumper, each rear quarter panel, and the wagon lid. I'm crossing my fingers that with comps from 5.500-7,850 it'll end up being fixable.

My upper back and shoulders and wrists are pretty sore, but that's it.

Did you seek medical treatment? Whiplash comes to mind. It'll be totaled, they won't base it on comps, they'll go by book value. You can fight to get the most you can, buyback probably be around $500 or so. If it didn't screw up the axle and suspension and if the lights work, take the money and motor on with it,just won't be as useful... I am the other guy received a ticket, as insurance company will want police report and witness statements. Even when I had witness when lady made left in front of me and she admitted fault to her insurance company, her company was giving me and my company a hard time.....

Oh yeah, some duct tape and zip ties you'll be good as new.... I'm surprised the hatch glass didn't shatter....

Hubby drove it home without issues. Amazing, the thing is a freakin' tank! Only thing he heard was something rubbing (thought it was the muffler, but it had a mufflerectomy when we bought it). The lights all work, not so much as a crack in the glass.

I texted my chiropractor/massage therapist asap and saw her the next day. Aside from being "out" and some pretty good knots in the muscles, no injuries. Follow-up this Friday. Definitely sore, but that's it. Only time I'm nauseous is when I look at my car.

NADA high retail book value for the car is $5,500. Five for sale on CraigsList, one here, median price is $6,500. We just had the body tidied up, any cancer removed, new windshield, and a full repaint 18 months ago, new clutch 2 years back, just did the TB and one wheel bearing, not a rip or tear or wear spot anywhere on the upholstery, carpet's always had floor mats over.

As they say, forewarned is forearmed, so I'm getting prepared to go against the other guys' insurance. Will try to get it to our body shop for an estimate this week, and push to use them since they're trustable.

Stay tuned!

Find a new trunk lid and bumper, or one in a scrapyard. Should be very repairable

First hurdle cleared -- the body shop hubby used for work in the trucking industry is in the insurance's network for commercial paint/body so the adjustor had no problems with me wanting to use them for my car.

Now we cross our fingers that the estimate is under the cutoff % for totalling and the value isn't low-balled.

If you're determined to keep the car have the body shop work with the adjuster to get the payout as high as possible without totaling the car, and pay the difference between the claim and the repairs. That way you'll get a reasonable amount of money towards the repairs and no salvage title.

Good suggestion. Hubby knows the owner, main supervisor, and has dealt with the admin for a number of years, so I'm cautiously optimistic about the numbers working.

Well, my optimism is sinking fast. I got into the back of the wagon via the p/s door last night to remove stuff before it goes to the body shop today for an eval. The ill-fitting wagon floor liner (hubby got at a wrecker) was raised up from what I assumed to be the wagon door being shifted in & up. When I lifted it & looked under, I realized the entire floor of the wagon is buckled upward a good 3".

I am no longer optimistic, instead heartbroken that she's not going to survive. This is the first car I ever learned about, researched, narrowed down to this specific model & year, shopped for, found, and negotiated all on my own. Hubby answered questions as a big rig diesel mechanic if he could, but that was it. Getting her was my project from start to pink. We've had her 2 months shy of 10 years. The first couple years were tumultuous, putting right the things that were misrepresented as done, learning about the 1Z, and fixing the things that wear out after a few hundred thousand miles. Once those were done, she was a solid & reliable car for many years. A ground issue and the IP wearing out gave us fits for awhile there, then she was great again. The name PaTuDI is a take-off on hubby's nickname for me: Sweet Patootie. Just never thought she'd end her life like this.

Thanks for letting me go on and get emotional about an inanimate object. Car folks get it.

Can't it be straightened? I understand how you feel. I feel the same about mine.

As far as we can tell, the frame isn't damaged. The labor is what's going to be the killer. That buckle in the floor is going to be nasty, since the spare tire compartment is right there. Even if they can find good quarterpanels/door/bumper, the labor to cut the old out & weld in the new and paint them all to match would probably fly past the % of repair to value that will total her.

Lisa, where in Belgium are you? We have friends in Kortrijk, Waregem, and Wevelgem.

MarsBar said:

Hubby drove it home without issues. Amazing, the thing is a freakin' tank! Only thing he heard was something rubbing (thought it was the muffler, but it had a mufflerectomy when we bought it). The lights all work, not so much as a crack in the glass.

I texted my chiropractor/massage therapist asap and saw her the next day. Aside from being "out" and some pretty good knots in the muscles, no injuries. Follow-up this Friday. Definitely sore, but that's it. Only time I'm nauseous is when I look at my car.

NADA high retail book value for the car is $5,500. Five for sale on CraigsList, one here, median price is $6,500. We just had the body tidied up, any cancer removed, new windshield, and a full repaint 18 months ago, new clutch 2 years back, just did the TB and one wheel bearing, not a rip or tear or wear spot anywhere on the upholstery, carpet's always had floor mats over.

As they say, forewarned is forearmed, so I'm getting prepared to go against the other guys' insurance. Will try to get it to our body shop for an estimate this week, and push to use them since they're trustable.

Stay tuned!

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30 mph is a big hit. You don't know if you are hurt yet, the initial soreness has to go away. My daughter was hit like that, some time went by and symptoms started to show up. Lack of range of motion, chronic pain, etc... DO NOT ACCEPT ANY SETTLEMENT THAT INCLUDES MEDICAL. Ask a lawyer.

I'm totally guessing at speed. How fast can a van accelerate over about 3 car lengths? I definitely won't be accepting any first offer, they'll lowball the car I'm sure.

You can always do it piece by piece as you have the cash? I have been doing a total restoration of mine. Was going to take a year. Now in year 3. But she will ride again! I'm in Gent, about 45 mins from Kortrijk

Hubby talked to the body shop guy this morning: he stopped estimating when the parts hit $5k. We knew it was going to happen, doesn't make it any easier to hear. So when the insurance contacts me with an offer, the negotiation will start. Buying it back is a no-brainer, so hopefully they'll end up low-balling the salvage value and take my evidence as to the fair market value.

Insurance is keeping the medical open until my chiro decides nothing's going to crop up.

the insurance is going to offer book value...the adjuster has lots of cases and just wants this one done...his boss is on his ass all the time about open cases...it costs them time and money the longer it takes...

legally you don't have to accept their offer. basically you will have to sue the driver/company that hit you. If you can document that the vehicle is worth more than book value (ebay "sold" prices, CL listings, etc) and have documents for all the high dollar repairs and paint job...that supports your claims...

you can't sue the insurance...just the person at fault...the insurance covers their liability to you...you will have to sit on the car for a while until it makes it's way to court for a chance at true market value compensation...but you will need to present your case to the judge and show that these cars are selling for more than book value...ebay sold search can be your friend...

now if what you/ebay/CL feel it's worth is not "that much" more than the book value offer...the adjuster may meet you part or all the way rather than have this case be tied up for a long time and to save on their legal fees and such...companies often settle lawsuits because it costs more to prevail than just paying someone off...

tell the adjuster to keep his money...you want him to find you another B4V...

California is a "fair market value" state for total loss settlement on a vehicle; sales tax and DMV fees must also be included in a settlement. Nada lists high retail value as $5,500 with zero adjustment for mileage. Kelly Blue Book lumps TDI's w/gassers for value which is a complete joke. At the time of the accident, there were 4 B4V's on CL in the entire country, none in Canada, ranging from $5-7400. Haven't gone into the eBay Sold search function yet.

Liberty Mutual is acting like I'm trying to get something over on them. First offer was $2,700, next was up to $3,800. Their "inspector" looked at pictures of my dusty car and said paint was faded & oxidizing. He said no access to engine and tranny, and proceeded to give them each a rating anyway. Also rated the sheetmetal that was completely gone through and de-rusted/de-cancered 18 months ago, without anything but pictures. And get this! He said there are cracks on the dashboard trim pieces. What trim pieces? Any of you have trim pieces on your dashboard?

Used out of state vehicles for comps, one with a bad tranny and the other with unverifiable condition, when there was one listed in Calif. Aside from rebuilt upgraded sportier front suspension, it's the closest in mileage and condition to PaTuDI. They don't want to use it because it's overpriced. Maybe it is, but that's irrelevant for comps. Average it with the one for sale in San Diego and I'll be happy.

They've violated so many rules in California that I filed a complaint with the Dept of Ins yesterday, at the urging of the Dept.

Stay tuned to as the stomach turns!

You thought this was going to be easy......?

Trim pieces could be the cluster bezel, speaker grills, defrost vents, etc.

-Todd

None of those a cracked. Only cracks are the notrious speaker grills in the bottom of the front doors, the ones that are right in the direct path of feet when getting out of the car.

What a bunch of yutzes Liberty Mutual is!

tell them "keep your money and just give me another B4V in same condition...p.s., good luck finding one"...

The adjuster is just going by their standard process...it's not personal...

They probably don't care that the B4V is an extremely rare and unique vehicle...what other vehicle offers that level of MPG/cargo space/towing capability? none.

Anything else that come close in MPGs is a puny gasser with no power, thus can't tow...anything else that can tow will get crappy mileage...not many wagons have fold flat seats for efficient cargo capacity, not many American/jap cars handle like german/eruo stuff, find all that with a stick shift to boot...

there really is no relevant, comparable alternative...unless you wanna import a 1990's grey market merc/audi/Volvo/bmw diesel wagon from euro-land...

MarsBar said:

None of those a cracked. Only cracks are the notrious speaker grills in the bottom of the front doors, the ones that are right in the direct path of feet when getting out of the car.

What a bunch of yutzes Liberty Mutual is!

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I would just go through the adjuster's report and tear it down piece by piece. Each of his points can be countered, and if you need to, use photographs to make your case.

There are no rules with this, if you have to call him a liar or show that he's horribly nonobservant then do so. The longer you dig in your heals and resist their insults the more likely you will get what you want.

Also, there are people out there that do independent appraisals, some of them in the TDI community. There's no reason why you can't bring that in to the process.

If this were my situation I would photograph everything on the car that has been replaced or renewed, inside, under, literally everything.

I'd even have photos and documentation of the repaint that you had done.

The adjuster is not an auto specialist, I doubt they know much about cars either, they are negotiators in a process where the insurance company benefits by their negotiating skills because the company gets to keep more of the money they charge in premiums.

Steve

well what do YOU think your car was worth just before you got hit? Honestly worth, considering condition and what a comparable B4V would cost you. If you were going to sell your B4V, what is your BOTTOM dollar you would accept? You already told us they offered 2700, then $3800...that was probably low, then high trade in/private party...or something like that...there are multiple pricing guides out there...I've seen these cars recently sell on ebay and CL for less than 2700 and also more than 3800...

That's pretty important to know up front...if your number and their number are in the ball park you might can work him up to it if you got all your "comps" documented and all your claimed maint/repairs/upgrades/etc documented....he has an interest in wrapping this up fast...

If your way off and you are confident of YOUR number...then you will likely need to seriously consider suing the other driver (not the ins co)...and be prepared to present your documents and make your case before the judge and show why your number is the right one...

what was the "keep the car" offer? always an option...if your mechanically handy...

I think it's going to be very interesting what the Ins rep for Calif says when they read the emails and inspection report. Hopefully, that'll happen soon. Being told to file the complaint online to get it addressed faster says that Liberty's in Calif's crosshairs.

Filed my complaint with Calif Dept of Ins (DoI) last Wed, uploaded the e-mails on Thurs, they sent out letters to myself and Liberty Mutual (LM) on Friday. Wow! Since when does any state gov't office work that fast?! There have been 2 email communications from LM since and I cc'd the DoI rep on both my replies. My letter said he was asking LM to "re-examine" the handling of my claim. Got mine Monday, they probably got theirs yesterday or today.

Hoping that now the DoI is involved LM will figure the settlement offer the way they should have to begin with and we can put this whole mess to bed.

And to think all I want is for LM to average the 2 comp vehicle prices to get FMV, add in the taxes/fees, etc., and write me a check.