Friday was not a good day - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tlynch · #31 03-06-2013, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

I recently repaired a totaled 95 E300.

Just picked up a smacked 95 E300 diesel

Whilst it's a standing joke between my brother and I that our favorite car is "Our next one.", I really enjoy this car. Since I've repaired it, I've added 7,000 miles to the odometer, and each fill up has been over 30mpg. My average on a 1,000 mile roundtrip, including 140 miles driving around Charleston, SC, was 34.5mpg.

I love driving this car, I've owned a number of W124s, and this one is one of my favorite permutations. Our 87 300TD was nice, however the updates done by the end of the line make this car a much more pleasant car to drive.

The key is to find a donor car. If this is beyond what you want to tackle, try to find someone who would attempt it. When you settle with an insurance company, it's your option to retain the car and accept the settlement, less what they think they can get for the car when they sell it. This way, the title stays in your name, and the branding doesn't happen. The buyback for my car was $1,000 for example, and my title is still clean.

The body parts (except RF fender), radiator support, and trim are all common to the W124 94-95 range, not just diesel. You'll end up buying new the radiator, fan, etc, stuff that's OM606 specific.

Good luck,

Jim

Thanks, Jim. Great job on your revival car!

I have really enjoyed this car. Good size, very comfortable, good fuel economy for the size. I just don't have the space for it while repairing, much less the space for a donor.

I guess my insurer sees good potential in the wrecked car. My buyback is close to $2000. I would throw in my spare odds and ends, too (front brake disks, a couple of fuel lines and o-rings, center link, manuals).

Tom

Walkenvol · #32 03-06-2013, 09:05 AM

Never heard of one that high on a 10+ year old car. Makes you wonder if somethings up with the insurance guy as I couldn't see that car going for any more than $1,000 at a salvage auction, probalby less.

tlynch · #33 03-06-2013, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walkenvol

Never heard of one that high on a 10+ year old car. Makes you wonder if somethings up with the insurance guy as I couldn't see that car going for any more than $1,000 at a salvage auction, probalby less.

Happily, this is the first time I have totalled a car, so I can't speak from experience. It did seem high to me, and the differential is definitely affecting my planning.

Surely an insurance adjuster wouldn't manipulate the price of the wreck to make it more likely that they would get to keep a donor car with lots of good sheet metal and a strong diesel motor. Right?

Tom

daw_two · #34 03-06-2013, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlynch

Happily, this is the first time I have totalled a car, so I can't speak from experience. It did seem high to me, and the differential is definitely affecting my planning.

Surely an insurance adjuster wouldn't manipulate the price of the wreck to make it more likely that they would get to keep a donor car with lots of good sheet metal and a strong diesel motor. Right?

Tom

I'm sure stranger things have happen in the insurance world. If I had 3 fewer projects and a trailer, I'd be on my way in 2 weeks to pick it up from you.

Shortsguy1 · #35 03-06-2013, 10:37 AM

With AAA in CA, they provided me the comparable sales data for cars in similar condition to my vehicle prior to a major accident. And they provided me the salvage sales for totaled vehicles of similar condition. Actually seeing the data for both options help alleviate my concerns that they were gaming the system. I would check with your insurance company to get the actual sales data used in pricing both the market value prior to the accident, and the salvage value afterwards. Good luck.

JimFreeh · #36 03-06-2013, 12:40 PM

Mine had a perfect front clip and driveline. Doors and such were still good.
Much stuff that had good value, yet salvage was 1,000.

Perhaps the geographic area makes a difference, or maybe they have a diesel centric buyer that puts a high value on totaled diesels.

Jim

JimFreeh · #37 03-06-2013, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlynch

I have really enjoyed this car. Good size, very comfortable, good fuel economy for the size. I just don't have the space for it while repairing, much less the space for a donor.

Tom,

I plan on replacing my E300 diesel with a 2006 or so W211 turbo diesel.
There are three in our immediate family and the W211 is as big a jump from the W124 as the W124 was from the W123.

If I didn't have three girls in college draining me, I'd probably be looking casually.

This might be a good reason for you to go to the next level of diesel nirvana.

Jim

vstech · #38 03-06-2013, 01:27 PM

I personally have fixed two cars with as much or more damage...
in addition to the metal and radiators, you are looking at motor mounts, and pulleys. shift arms, and several minor things you'll discover as you get closer to fixed.
it's easily doable, but don't think you'll be done with it in a weekend (or 3 even...)
I'll start the bidding on the car at $500

tlynch · #39 03-06-2013, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

I'll start the bidding on the car at $500

Thanks, vstech.

Insurance company is making it tough for a Mercedes lover to keep this car on the road. If I keep the wreck, it will cost me just shy of $2000. Weasels!

Regards,
Tom

Junkman · #40 03-06-2013, 02:54 PM

I bought my 84SD for ~$300 and still received almost $3,000 for it. Your car should pay you a little more and be not much more to buy it back. Then you can repair or sell as you choose.

Codifex Maximus · #41 03-06-2013, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlynch

Thanks, vstech.

Insurance company is making it tough for a Mercedes lover to keep this car on the road. If I keep the wreck, it will cost me just shy of $2000. Weasels!

Regards,
Tom

You may have to just let it go. They may, then, come down on their buyback figure.

If you're not going to do the work yourself and you don't know the extent of the damage, it's probably not a good cost proposition for you. That is, unless, you start parting it out on Ebay but that's alot of work.

tlynch · #42 03-06-2013, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codifex Maximus

You may have to just let it go. They may, then, come down on their buyback figure.

If you're not going to do the work yourself and you don't know the extent of the damage, it's probably not a good cost proposition for you. That is, unless, you start parting it out on Ebay but that's alot of work.

I think that is the wave length I am on. If I had someplace to put it while I parted it out, I'm pretty sure I would come out ahead. Car shopping is eating into my property shopping time, though.

Regards,
Tom

cmbdiesel · #43 03-07-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Btw what did you hit; a raised pickup with a hitch? Very odd damage pattern. Surprised the airbags didn't trigger either.

Looks like it got hit above the airbag sensors.

cmbdiesel · #44 03-07-2013, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlynch

Well:

The insurance company has been heard from. They consider it a total. I think what they said was they stopped adding when they got to $5600 worth of damage observed while standing next to it. I still don't have a good idea what all went on under the hood, so there could still be some unpleasant surprises. I'll try to post their list later.

I'm going to sleep on it, but so far I am leaning toward taking the money. I have enough other projects on my hands that I don't feel like I have the bandwidth for the full project cycle on the repair. I also don't have a good place for it to sit until I do have time.

If someone in central Texas is super-jazzed about fixing it up, send me a PM. Let's talk about how to get it into your hands.

I am so bummed.

Thank you to all for the helpful ideas and encouragement.

Tom

Look at the estimate and see if they wrote new OEM parts or used.
Some adjusters are lazy and will write OEM because it's easy and usually just a click on their estimating software.
In order to write used, they need to actually search for them and call to verify availability and insurance quality.

Is the car at a shop, or at your home?

cmbdiesel · #45 03-07-2013, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walkenvol

Never heard of one that high on a 10+ year old car. Makes you wonder if somethings up with the insurance guy as I couldn't see that car going for any more than $1,000 at a salvage auction, probalby less.

Bluebook is a strange thing....
When I hit a deer with my 83 SD, insurance adjuster could not believe that the car didn't total out. (300k on the clock)
Ended up getting a check for $1500 (had $300 deductible too), which was more than I paid for the car.