Depending on the state or the insurance company will determine the title branding. Mine got totaled and before the check would be cut the INS needed the title branded to "certificate of Salvage"

Sorry to double post I missed the explanation of salvage in the previous post.

I finally got a second valuation today. It is a bit better, not exactly where I would like. I'm not sure if I have much to argue on now since they ran all these comps against other 300TD's. They are offering $3610. With me keeping the car I would get $3055. I'm also able to cash in on a rental car for $210 or take a week of a car rental.

are they fixing the car at that, or totalling the car?
that amount for the car, without totalling it, is not a bad deal.
if that is the payoff for the car, you get a salvage title, and some cash.
we can swap out what needs to be swapped, or you can move your goodies to another decent wagon.
tough call with your blue/blue car.

I still think you can get more and pay less to keep the salvage.

Just remember, they have to make you whole. If you can't replace the car for $3500, then it's worth more.

$3055 is the amount I can get if I keep the car.
They saying on the phone that they pay what the value of the car is, not what the cost of replacement is. I have not sent in receipts for repairs yet for fear it would just drive the salvage buyback up since it was all maintenance work.

Id take that. Three grand and change aint bad, you might have a totally repaired car, over two grand to spend, and a notation on your title all said and done.

I guess I'm just a bloodsucker. :)

I know nothing.


Can't you sue for the replacement cost of your vehicle that the other driver took from you? I don't see how the cost to replace my vehicle is not its value? I am not talking about emotional value or specific parts. If the car is totaled and you say it's "worth" $1k in some damn book, but there are none for sale on the planet earth under $3k, then we have a problem.

I had a nice low mile '90 prism and it was Tboned by a dodge ram. they kept offering me low $, I kept showing them with craigslist, ebay, autotrader links exactly what it would cost to replace what was taken from me. NONE of them were as low miles either!. He kept on offering WAY low #s and I kept saying I would be happy to accept that if he could find me a replacement car for the money.

WEEKS went by and he finally gave me what I wanted but stated he would do it on one condition. that i never call him again since I was the most dificult SOB he ever had to deal with.

My plan was to sue the other driver directly for the replacement of my GD car. If his insurance wouldn't pay, he could pay the difference. We never even asked for pain suffering crap I just wanted my car back.

I thought I would give a final update. The best I could get USAA to do was $3437 with me keeping the car. It's not as much as I would like but what is? I should be able to fix it and take care of some other things on the car. Thanks for the advice everyone.

Well, Atleast you got something for your troubles, I wish you an Expedient Repair

How does SC do the salvage title? Do you have a yearly saftey inspection or anything like that?

We don't have inspections. I had to send my title to USAA and then the state is going to send me back a salvage title.