I concur. He could have just left a note at best under the winshield wiper. Stating basically that people are watching and I have to go. Or just driven off as that is all too common as well.

I've seen the old drive-off move too many times in my school lot (mind you, this is a school that "values honesty and responsibility"). I saw one girl back out her honda pilot straight into the fender of a Civic...bent it up, damaged the wheel/tire, probably bent some suspension components, broke the headlight and blinker. The girl gets out and looks at it, then gets back in her car and drives away. I left her license plate number under the victim's windshield wiper along with my phone number. The guy called me two days later (along with an investigating police officer) and told me she caused almost $6000 in damage...he was very grateful.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I've had that happen to me in high school. Somebody hit the driver's side panel and left my turn signal hanging out. I didn't even notice it until I got home.

Hitting someone and then dashing is bad karma.

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

JE Balles- The grill is still in garage Thankfully
also he was in his late 50's to early 60's about 5'6" maybe 145. He was scared enough when he had to looked up to my 5'11" and 285.

Mowoc- Had a chat with their ins co today, It was nice for about a minute until they told me they authorize a intermediate sized vehicle(ford fuzion) I was firm and used the word Luxury automobile that was hit. Was upgraded two levels will have to see what they have on lot mon.

Gregmn- my thoughts exactly. I looked up classic vehicle values so I have some leverage there. That was the other thing i brought up to insurance. Southern car no rust new trans,radiator, rebuilt entire front end, tires brakes rotors and bearings all way around. I have over 5K in reciiept between me and Previous owner. All within last 2 years.

Iwill try to remember to bring camera to work tommorow night to get pics up
Thanks to all for support.

__________________
86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Letting insurance deal with insurance ... I never do that If I'm the victim. I represent myself and go to their insurance and don't let my insurance be involved, and don't even share my insurance information with the other party so they don't know who insures me. These companies deal with each other... trade favours... and always try to better their own positions and minimize their outlay. It's a game that gets out of your control if you hand over the case to your insurance to make a claim on your behalf.

__________________
Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

Car got towed to shop today finally, spoke to the estimator and it does not look good. The program they use for insurance claims loads an 80% value of car. Then as they start to input the work it uses that value( 80% of 100%) as a threshhold If the work goes over it is a total loss. I was firm in talking to him that i had reciepts totaling over 5500 in the past 2 years(3350 in the past 9 months) and would not accept a low retail as a starting point. Loading the picks now will have posted in a few.

On a second note I had to deal with his ins when i went to get rental today, Something tells me that this is going to be a long battle. I checked in at the counter and gave then the claim # he tells me what they will authorise and there is noway in hell that i was going to cram myself into that thing. Called them and got pure attitude from the girl on the other end of phone, "we only have to get you a replacement car NOT what you were driving" So asked for supervisor. He asked same question what is wrong? I DONT FIT in the car........ My head is against the roof. Well what kind of car were you in? 300sdl. He did a web seardh and changed his tune quickly "wow that is a big one isnt it" Wound up with a crew cab F150. Better than the misitubishi something.

__________________
86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

When I got into this mess, I had my insurance company repair my car and sue his insurance (I am not even sure he had insurance).

In any event the car needed to be in pretty good shape (which mine was). The adjusted kind of hemmed and hawed but ultimately gave me what I wanted. I think the key was to be there when the adjuster goes over the car.

I was nice but firm. No way no how were you totaling my car. Fix it. I kind of made out like a bandit as the side he hit had a few cosmetic imperfections and they had to paint the entire side of the car.


Who is his insurance company? mine was state farm, and they actually were pretty good. On the plus side, I finally did get my deductible back after about 1 year.

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

I'd figure out what I could fix it for then cut a deal with him and then his carrier if I couldn't reach agreement with him. Absolutely no reason not to discuss with the other party. Some people prefer to keep certain accidents off their record and can afford to write a check to cover damages. $1500 damage - $500 deductible isn't much reason to get the insurance involved if you are at fault. Gather data while giving as little of your own information as possible. I've settled several bumps this way.

Edit: You're past the above now. Be nice to the adjuster. Take the position that you're only trying to be made whole AND that you expect them to "deal in good faith". No reason to be nasty unless they are. From the adjuster's stand point, liability claims are the expensive ones. They like to get minor sheet metal bends handled so they can move on - but don't want to over pay. Over ride any settlement formulas that you don't agree with by using logic. I've seen carriers settle so that they didn't have to go to court. Attorneys suck down fees quickly.

__________________
85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

There is no "SUING" going on. It's called subrogation. Where one insurance carrier tried to collect from the other, (at fault) carrier for damages.

__________________
#dieselFLEET
---------------
'97 E300
'99 E300

How much was the 300SDL valued at?

I was trying to obtain values for my 86 and came across a range from 4000-11000

Mine has 310k, about right in with the age, and I think it has all the options except heated seats.

11K is probably collector condition and 4K as a daily driver condition, but how hard can it be to pull take it from a daily driver to a collector?

__________________
1986 300SDL 313K

Chuck07- I have no idea what the program they use is based on. I looked at nada guide and it shows 5500-11000. 11000 is a trailer queen hardly driven. 5500 would be a daily driver

__________________
86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Correct. That is what should have happened.

Unfortunately I left out the little tidbit about the kid not having insurance. I guess they did sue the family to get paid.

In any event it was a bit easier to deal with my insurance company.

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Tell them it is worth 11k and don't budge.

Remember, like was stated earlier they don't want to go to court if they can avoid it. Even if the car bill is 6k to fix it is still cheaper than an attorney.

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Well here we go. Talked to state farm today. Your car is worth 2000 dollars. Was nice for about a minute. Sent an e mail with NADA value along with all work I have done.

Asked if I need to get legal rep to get full replacement value for my car? Told me not to get upset. Told him to call back when he has a realistic offer.
Will let you Know

__________________
86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Wow that is about half of the lowest bb value I have seen.

Makes me ashamed to have state farm insurance.

But at least you are holding out for a decent price.

__________________
1986 300SDL 313K