New Body mods are finished...

Post by **Briano1234** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:10 pm

Here is a before shot so you can see the fine detail..

Here are the afters:

Post by **kuklaki** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:24 am

This has not been a good day

I am so sorry to see this, pooor Cabby. Are you okay? Sore? What the heck happened???

My daughter backed into someone today. She is ok, and the truck just has a broken taillight. The Honda Accord, on the other hand needs a new trunklid.

Post by **Calimus** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:34 am

Oh sh|t. Brian, I'm really sorry to see this. Please let us know that your alright.

I'm not enough of a body guy to tell if this is repairable or not. I know it would take a lot of cutting even if it is repairable. Just say the word and Cristine and I will put the feelers out for a replacement shell or whole car. I'll certainly offer my time, garage, tools or whatever to help you get a cab back under you if she's not fixable or written of by your insurance.

Certainly has been a bad day. BTW, you have a PM.

Post by **Briano1234** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:07 am

Calimus wrote:Oh sh|t. Brian, I'm really sorry to see this. Please let us know that your alright.

I'm not enough of a body guy to tell if this is repairable or not. I know it would take a lot of cutting even if it is repairable. Just say the word and Cristine and I will put the feelers out for a replacement shell or whole car. I'll certainly offer my time, garage, tools or whatever to help you get a cab back under you if she's not fixable or written of by your insurance.

Certainly has been a bad day. BTW, you have a PM.

William, and Christine, yall are so nice. But I was approaching a stop light on States bridge, and it was turning yellow. I stopped in plenty of time, but the lady behind me in the Jeep Liberty didn't. She got out of the car and said "Oh, I thought you were going to run the light?" DOH......
So I figured that she was going to run it. I was just in her way.

The Cops came and gave her two tickets. Failure to yield, and Driving to close (tail gating)...

It knocked me so hard that my cap flew off my head in to the back seat and knocked the heater control sliders off...

I drove the car home and it tracked fine, so the alignment was still good, as I could only go about 50 (speed limits) I don't know if there is any serious stuff at higher speeds.

So I have to call Progressive, and I am going to have them take a look, and they may try to total the car, but as with the last time they hit my Diesel Bunny, it was who hit who?

I figure that I will take it to at least 3 body shops, then print out all the ebay cabby's that are for sale for 4, 6, 8 and 10K.... then let them come back with an offer...me I want it fixed.

I have all the tools to do the repair, but it isn't right that I have to do it. If I take them up on the offer, then the title gets Salvage on it, and that ain't right.

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:51 pm

That is bad Brian,

I'm really sorry to see that.

I know just the body man to fix the car, problem is I don't think your insurance will cover the transport to a foreign country.

I realize that accident rules are diferent up here, so I don't think my expierence from last spring (when my MK II Golf got hit) will be of any value here.

Glad to see you are OK.

If you need anything I will certainly look around here for you.

My fingers are crossed that the car can be repaired (properly).

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:20 am

damn man! thats a shame, but at least your ok. i think they might total it, but you can buy it back from them for a little bit of nothing then you'll have all the parts you'll need for your next cab.

lowredcabrio · Post by **lowredcabrio** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:59 pm

She looked so good!

im sorry to hear about that Brian. You're all god i presume? Best of luck with the insurance companies and such...

you deserve it.

Post by **Briano1234** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:44 pm

Well the adjuster came out, and he was a little taken back by my stubborness, and affection for my cabby....

He said that he quickly looked up the book value and said 1600....

I said that figure is a little low because the book value is anywhere from 3000 to 4000 so I stretched the truth a wee bit. 3200 was the most i found.

He said were you planning to keep it, I said I wouldn't have spent the time and effort over the last 2 years if i weren't.

I wouldn't of taken the time and the effort to replace the following for a short term investment. and I started to list all the shit i fixed.

Oh and I almost forgot to include the boot.

Well I have to talk to my manager.... and we will have to decide on a course of action. I said....Fix it.

I then told him that she hit me i was stopped. She got the ticket and who hit whom....

He said well we haven't talked to our policy holder yet,,,to assess the liability...I said you can assess anything you want, She hit me.

I then told him of the time my other rabbit got hit. book value was 500, well 2700 dollars worth of repairs later, my car was good as new.

He said what? I said yep....StateFarm paid to have my car repaired because thier client hit me.

I said I don't car what you do... I will file it under uninsured with my company, and get it fixed and they can bill you. Either way, you are going to fix this car.

He then said well the quarter can be pounded out, I said no it has to be replaced.

well the trunk..I said it took me two months of going to wrecking yards every day to find a pre-86 trunk lid that had no dings in it.

He then said well no run of the mill shop will be able to repair this quickly, anddddddddd.....

Oh by the way I will need a rental, because I am down to 1 car, and I work nights and it is a major imposition for me to take off early to ensure that my children all get to school or college on time....

ooooohhhhh well we haven't been in touch with our policyholder yet, her home phone was disconnected..and I left amessage on her cell, if that was her cell.....

And untill then we can't do a thing....monitarily...

I told him Bobby, i can smell bullshit 20 miles away upwind.....

I spose I also need to call my lawyer.

And my agent....

so the saga begins.

Post by **Calimus** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:41 pm

Christ sakes this isn't getting any better is it?

Ok, dunno if I'd get a personal lawyer involved at this point or not, but hats a personal call. Definitly call your Insurance company and let them know that the adjuster isn't wanting to play ball and says they can't do anything till the talk to their client. That is a huge pile of steaming Bullsh|t and I'm glad to see you wern't up for the all you can eat buffet.

What the hell do they need to talk to their client about. To see if she actually hit you??

Earth to adjuster person, here's the damn police report stating that your client (see the name right here) smacked my f'ing nice car. Also see here, wouldn't that just happen to be the her insurance account number? A number that belongs to the company you work for? Oh and lets not forget the vehicle description, jeep liberty, is that not the SUV, that you insure for this lady, with that name under that account number?

(answers should all be in the form of Yes Sir, anything less should earn him a smack or at least a releasing of the hounds when it's time for him to leave)

Brian, I'm really sorry you now have some salt in the wounds. As always, please let us know if there is anything we can do for ya.

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:30 am

Hang in there Brian,

Insurance companies always want the "cheap" way out.

I'm supprised that you havn't talked to your Insurance company yet (up here both companies get into the act) You have the proof that you are the injured party. So keep your demands and don't back down.

The part of your story that scares me is that they can't contact their client because her phone has been disconnected. Sounds like she doesn't want to face the music.

The thing is, she paid for them to insure her, she hit you, now they have to settle your claim against her.

SAVE THE BUNNY

Post by **Briano1234** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:56 am

They use the term Fair Market Value they were bantering that around alot.

Well I spose that that is good and proper, but the end result is that because it is the middle of winter and vert prices are lower typically, there is the sunshine factor.

I also stated that it was du to go to paint, so that i could start showing the car. I am not a idiot.

Also if you take all the average prices and for cars that are there they are running from 6995 for an automatic to 1995. So that is a lot of room to wiggle.

then there is the pain of the whiplash...

I have talked to my carrier, she said well yep you can file it on uninsured motorist, and it will be out of pocket 250, but they too couldn't say it wouldn't be totaled.

I also told the adjuster that I know that you are working for Progressive, and that you are charged with trying to keep corporate losses at a minimum.

So I will not be tied to what you are offering. Your fair market value is biased, and low.

This car was bought because I had all the records of repairs prior to the purchase.

Now with that being said. I still have to get a couple of estimates, and visit my doctor.

It is all about the money.

Post by **kuklaki** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:03 am

Brian,

I was able to get $3600 for my totalled 89. Of course they took out a little on the buyback, but there is no way yours should be so low! My old one was not as nice as yours, either.

Gather all receipts for work completed in the past 6 months-that means parts you purchased, even oil!! I even had them throw in the cost of the alignment I had had completed.

You've already covered this, but def. get comperable sales from thesamba.com, E-Bay (dont forget to search ended auctions) and of course, Vortex.

If you squawk enough, you'll get them to budge, even if you have to threaten suit. They are a business that thrives on paying out as little as possible, especially after the billions spent with hurricane flood payouts.

Dont forget to get proper care for any injuries as well. Make sure you are a 110% before signing off on an agreement, and dont forget any missed time from work as well, co-payments out of your pockets, etc.

So sorry for ya!

Post by **Briano1234** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:47 pm

They are hedging at 4100 I found a complete rear clip and door for 575, I have a shop that does all the ricer mods, and they do good work cheep so i am going to see what they will take to put the clip together and then paint to match.

I did do research for all 93-90 cabby's and they run from 6999 to 500 so I added them all up and divided by the same so the fair market value is @ 4800.... then the sunshine factor as in well if I sold it in the spring or summer I could get 500 more...cause as we all know verts are depressed during winter sales....

Like i told the guy... I poured all the mods and monies into it because it was a long term investment for me. I had my last rabbit for 20 years, why because I liked it. I only sold it because I had a stroke and couldn't shift it correctly for 3 years and I didn't want it to sit in my yard.

So the saga continues.

Post by **Calimus** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:29 pm

Well at least things are looking a little better. Not much, but a little. Keep us posted Brian.

Oh yea, and you have to add in the Sunshine factor, it owuldn't be fair if ya didn't.

Post by **Briano1234** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:27 pm

Well I have a estimate for 2000 to reassemble the bunny with paint, and including the rust around the windshield, and a new piece of glass. I provide the parts, and the parts shoud be about 575 rear clip, door, tail gate and all.....YEEEEEEEEhawwwwww.

So it may be that the bunny lives....

If not...... I buy another.