totaled 1983 300D
 

So had an issue with my garage door that caused some hood and windscreen damage failed safety stops and screw drive spells disaster for Benz hood stops, hinges, cowl, hood and glass. :mad::mad::mad:

The INS Co's preferred body shop overestimated the repair costs because they said they did not want the work and over estimated everything. To many over estimations to list. I'm going to a know Benz friendly independant shop tomorrow weather permitting for a follow up estimate complements of another form member.

So based on the limits of my stated value policy the ins co is considering the car a total loss based on the policy value and not fair market value of $5050. They've demanded the title so they can have MD flag the title as salvage even though the damage is far less than 75% of fair market value.

A form member here has offered to sell me all the parts I need to fix her back up so I'm fighting that salvage status but may loose.

If I loose do I keep the car with the salvage title and fix it knowing that my resale options will be severely limited or part her out. I was planning on passing the car on in a year or two as I'm due for a relocation about then. This is a nice clean rust free southern car just abt everything is new. 211k chassis abt 190k+/- on swap in engine and 15-20k on trans.

Tips, suggestions and offers for assistance appreciated.

Can't you just cancel the claim, not take any of their money, and fix the car yourself?

I'd get a 2nd estimate and let the ins co know that their body shop purposely wrote a false estimate to total the car.

I'd be real tempted to fix the car out of pocket and call it a day.

The Car Fax is God crowd would run screaming from a reconstructed title, a real car person would have a look at what the actual damage was and decide from there. Car lots generally don't want to deal with recon titles as they don't have the time to deal with research.

In any event, document the damage / repairs to counter any future complaints.

Such are the perils of underinsuring.

At this point that might be the best route.

We have old cars. It doesn't take much more than a door ding to total one as far as insurance companies are concerned. You either save your money and just carry liability, or you do an agreed value policy. I'm currently going with the former.

No options making a claim on homeowners or to the responsible party causing the garage door malfunction (unless that was you)

How did you come up with $5050 for a market value? That seems high. I just checked CL for Mercedes diesels for sale around me and the only one asking $5000 is someone with unrealistic expectations trying to sell a vegged 300SD in Sacramento. Most are in the two to four thousand range, except for the real beaters.

BTW, someone in Grass Valley, CA is selling a wagon for $1600, but it's been vegged. Someone else in Grass Valley has a (apparently) non-vegged '81 wagon in what looks like good shape for three grand.

Market value is irrelevant if it exceeds stated value. Coverage is for actual cash value or stated value, whichever is less.

I don't see how they can force you to surrender the title if you want to fix it.

Well becasue the state says they can. I'm not sure I buy that and I'm going to be speaking with my agent today and trying to get the car to another BS for an extimate. At this point either way I think I'm going to fix the car.

What's the stated value of your policy? Can you make the repairs for this amount? I don't see a salvage title being the same impact on an '80's model car vs a newer vehicle. These old MB's are fully depreciated. If you fix the car properly, a salvage title shouldn't hurt the resale that much?

In Maryland, can a vehicle with a salvage title be operated?

Yes. It can be insured even with collision but I don't want that stigma on the title becasue of a mucked up hood and busted windshield becasue selling it will be tough.

I would think you might have a case with the company that makes the GD operator. There is no way it should be able to develop enough force to damage a car.

The hood was apparently fully up and the garage door pulled it back on to the windshield.

I had it happen to my wife's E300, thankfully we caught it before it went too far. Had to replace the hood hinges though.