First and foremost...it's good to hear that everyone is OK!

I am in the process of putting things back together myself. It sounds like your damage may be worse than mine, I hope not. I was the front car of a four car rear-ender. The girl that caused the wreck was in a late 80's Chevy pick-up. The first car she hit was a full sized Dodge van. He got knocked into a Chevy Blazer that crashed into me. The girl in the truck and I were the only ones that didn't get hauled off on body boards.

When I got out and walked around to the right rear, I had that sickening feeling that it would be a total wreck. And it was. The first place I took it to is an authorized State Farm (my ins. co.)body shop and estimated repairs at $5700. Then the State Farm field adjuster came to my house and confirmed the body shops estimate. Shortly thereafter State Farm offered to pay me off a total of $4100 including tax. I assumed that being that I bought the car about four years ago for $4200 that there would be no problem finding a replacement. I bought the wreck back for $500, I figured I'd be able to sell the 30,000 mile engine, use the $380 polished wheels on the next car ....etc.

So after a month or more of chasing from San Mateo to Fresno to Modesto to Anaheim and all points inbetween....I realized that my car was really worth more than the $4100 that they paid me. I don't know if you can hold out on THEM finding YOU a comparable replacement or not. I DO know that they get you in a real rush to settle. It's truly in their favor. You're in a tailspin--they know it--you don't do this every day---they know this---the quicker they get YOUR signature on THEIR check the better---because the longer you wait the more time you have to settle down and think---and the more time you have to think---the more you realize that what THEY want to do, really isn't in YOUR best interest.

So anyway I found another car, but really couldn't put my heart into selling my Baby. The next best estimate was only $1000 less. I remembered one guy that was selling a car that I looked at telling me about a frame shop in Fresno. I took the car there and the estimate to straighten the frame along with saving the quarter panel was $720. That was 12 hours labor (no parts needed). The next best estimate wanted over 30 hrs. labor plus the cost of a new quarter panel plus the labor to remove the panel and install the new one. The frame guy said when he was through that any good body shop would be able to finish it off with very little work. To tell the truth I didn't believe him. I couldn't believe my eyes when I picked it up! I stopped at a shop in his same complex on the way out and got an estimate for $900 to finish it off. So that's $1620 compared to anywhere from $4700 to $5700. So what's going on between the body shops and the insurance companies?? Or are they just that dumb?

Here's some pics of the before the frame shop and after the frame shop. I'll be hitting the body shop soon I hope.





Please excuse the large picture...I've been trying over an hour to get into my FTP provider to pick a cropped pic.

Hang in there and don't let them suck you under.

Good luck, and I hope everyone stays in good health.

Ernie