Rhythmic thumping with acceleration...
 

I was driving Thursday evening and noticed a thumping that got faster as I speed up - noticed it again Friday morning, so I took it to my mechanic. Turns out I have a broken driveshaft - previously unseen damage from behind rear-ended about 3 weeks ago. I am keeping my fingers crossed that insurance will include it in damages from the accident.

My mechanic feels that if he writes an estimate for the repairs with *new* parts, the insurance co. will declare it a total loss because it will be a very expensive repair. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though.

Any advice?

If, and that's a BIG if, your insurance will accept the damage was part of the accident, get an estimate, with new and used parts. A used part will need to be balanced, so there is extra $ involved.
If they total it due to too high of a repair cost, well, my insurance company anyway, will pay you a percentage of what they consider it to be worth, and cover you for liability only, or the full price, and they pick it up, and maybe fix, and sell to a third world country.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

If they declare it a total loss, what does that mean for the future insurability or the car? Since the buy-back cost would be very low, I would like to buy it back then have the repairs done and continue driving it - but that might change if they will no longer insure the car.
Any thoughts?

I would probably just forget the insurance company and fix it myself.

MY insurance company paid me, I think 85% of their totaled price, and insured for liability only thereafter.

Did you end up with a "salvage" title?

That would be nice, but.... I'm not a mechanic and would not know where to start. I have a good mechanic who I trust, but I just want to make this work in the best manner possible.

I am with GEICO - how do they stack up in these situations?

I'd rather not end up with simply liability coverage - does anyone have experience in something like this?

How much cash are we talking about to replace a driveshaft?

No, not any change in the title.

Sounds like a pretty good deal. I'm not really sure why I bother to carry comprehensive insurance on mine. Based on the book value, we are all pretty much "self insured" anyway.

With labor, my mechanic said $1400-2000 for a new replacement; about $600 less for used. They've already paid me $1200 for the paint/body damage, but told me to let them know if we found more damage beyond the cosmetic ones. And here it is... busted driveshaft. Put the two together and it could potentialy be $3200 for repairs to a 1991 350SD. Do you really think they'd consider it a total loss at that pricepoint?

Your options are limited, and right now you can't drive it.
Try GEICO, (I have no experience with them) see what they say, but, I imagine they will total, as any accident major enough to break the drive shaft...
You would have to check around for costs.

If it was me, I would probably install a used driveshaft and get whatever I could from the insurance company. You certainly can't replace the car for the cost of the repair and it's pretty much worthless with a broken driveshaft. I don't see how you have much choice.

Anyway, I would assume the book value is significantly more than $3200, and the insurance company has already spent the $1200 (so they won't get that back even if they total the car at this point).

besides- if you got rear-ended, your insurance company wont be picking up the tab, anyways- unless the other party did not have Insurance.

but, I'd say that a used driveshaft + balance should be well under a grand. I got seven feet of 2 pice driveshaft totally rebuilt, new tube and 1 of 4 yokes new for $430 last summer. not a benz, but still. try calling a few driveshaft specialists.

Are there any members in the Las Vegas, Nv. area that could help
BLEVINSAX ?
I don`t know how many 91 350SD there are in the wrecking yards, but
what other drive lines would fit this car?

Find a used one, replace the center support and bearing, maybe the flex
disc`s. not that hard to remove and replace. the price the mech. quoted
seems high. but don`t know what other damages there are not seeing
what is there.

If I were closer I would zoom over.

Charlie