MY 2006 CDI JUST GOT TOTALLED
 

Hi guys, my wife was rear ended in my 2006 E320 CDI and the insurance adjuster is stating that it will be a total loss.

That said, it has 223,000 miles, I bought it last year, it was a one owner car and was meticulously maintained exclusively by the Mercedes Dealership, it is not in mint condition but just a step below.... Premium wheels, panoramic sunroof, Harman Kardan premium sound system

Hoping that you guys can tell me the approximate total loss value????

Thanks

This is the part where "it depends" You will need to look at your policy and determine how they price vehicle for total loss. I looked at total loss w/o diminished value and its $8900 at my one source.

There are two types of "total loss". The most common is " Beyond economical ( retail ) repair to pre-crash levels " . The other is " too rusted, too mangled to repair even if parts / labor were free."

Many on this list have bought their "total " back for sub 10 % of settlement, made at home / partly subbed out repairs and continued to drive. You will likely end up with a salvage title then after repairs it will need to be inspected to assure it was done properly ( safe ) . At that point you will be issued a reconstructed title.

You would be surprised to see what little damage will total an older car. With an at home repair, you can use some artistic license by using parts from a older/ newer car as sometimes trim is changed but the parts will bolt on and look just fine.

Thanks for the replies, guys...

As I was told by the adjuster, though the rear end hit didn't look massive, Mercedes Benz 211 chassis have collapsible areas in the uni-body designed to minimize passenger impact.

It's truly amazing as my wife and daughter both said that they didn't feel much of the impact, yet the now Toyota Corolla was totaled. When I arrived on the scene, the Toyota's hood was vertical and even the engine shifted towards the Toyota's windshield.

My CDI had damage to the rear bumper and though the trunk was completely missed, everything under the trunk had shifted forward about an inch, maybe an inch and a half, and once I opened the trunk it would not align properly with the lock mechanism. I had to flex the trunk lid in with a lot of force to get it to close and latch, and when it is closed it looks normal.

My CDI has a panoramic roof, Harman Kardan premium sound and premium wheels.

I was wondering if I should purchase it back and fix it myself since I was a mechanic for close to 20 years and have owned probably around 30 plus Mercedes in my life, and I've done body work and painted a few but never played with a uni-body fix.

I really adore that car but am willing to replace it with another E320 CDI, maybe with less miles.

I was thinking a total loss value of about $9,000.00..... if it works out that way, I've already located another one owner CDI with 122,000 miles on it, but the guy is asking $10,900.00 for it..... If he'll take maybe $9.500.00 then I'll buy it!.... It's not black like mine, nor does it have the camel interior that I love, but at 122,000 miles I may settle for a silver exterior and black interior.

Thank you so much for your replies, I will update this post as more information come in!

Unfortunately the crumple zones are one use only. And the sheet metal in that part of the body is contiguous from the rear corners all the way up to the drivers door hinge. I am quite sure your rear suspension mounting points have moved from their original locations. Even though the car looks good it will be difficult to fix, and it will be near impossible to get your rear alignment to be correct.

We had that happen to our CR-V (2004 with the right-side hinged door and the full size spare). Similar circumstances. It didn't look too bad until the body shop got into it and realized that the whole internal support structure for the rear wheels had deformed. The rear tires were visibly deflected inwards once you got down and studied it.

Consider an empty coke can laid on its side. The top and bottom of the can are like the wheels. They are parallel to each other. Now put some pressure on the center of the can and the sides will deflect out of parallel. No matter how hard you try you will never get the can sides parallel again.

Hopefully the insurance will give you a decent settlement. We were pleasantly surprised by how much we got for the CR-V. You can either buy out and part out the car yourself on eBay, or let the insurance company have it, and then LKQ will take over. They will not send it to the crusher intact. LKQ is what saved my 98 when I got hit in the right doors (and then the body shop messed up and trashed my hood by crashing my car again in their lot). They used LKQ doors and a hood, and got the car back together instead of totaling it.

All cars past the mid 85's or so have crush zones, this isn't anything new.

If this car was sub 5 years old it would ,without question, get repaired. Age and miles are what push this car into total territory. Take it to a good body shop and have them take a look.

Did the adjuster look at the actual car?

Glad you wife and daughter came out without getting hurt.

UPDATE: The insurance company is trying to low ball me with an adjusted value of $6.791.00...... I escalated with the adjuster's manager because he used 2006 E-350s as comparable cars because he could only find ONE 2006 CDI to compare it to, and that CDI comped out at close to $9,000.00.

I'm not sure if it's a low ball attempt or just ignorance on the adjuster's part, but after speaking with his manager and explaining that a gas E350 could never be compared to a E320 CDI, I think he got the point.

Also, I made it clear that the reason that they are having such a hard time finding CDIs in my area is because they are SO RARE, thus more valuable than an E350.

I also made it clear that in this day an age most people would sue them for injuries, especially from being rear-ended resulting in the totaling of both vehicles.... We are honest people and he needs to respect that!

Your thoughts????

ps, I found someone selling a 2004 CDI, though I have never heard or seen a 2004 CDI available in North America..... is that possible?.... As I was under the impression that they were only available model years 2005 - 2006.

Thank you all for your replies

What options does your car have ?

Panoramic sunroof is only on 5%
HK sound is on 56%

Find available ( found ) options on a 322 car sample here: CDI shopping spreadsheet

Ask your insurance agent for advice on getting fair value from the insurance company of the person who hit you.

The amount you paid for the car is relevant to its value today. You bought the car only a year ago, and it appears to have been a sale that reflected a value current at the time. It was not a forced sale, and you apparently bought from a stranger as opposed to a close relative or friend who may have been willing to sell for less than its value.

Also, are you dealing with your own insurance company or the company that insures the other driver? If it is the other driver's company tell them that they have an obligation to fix your loss, especially considering that the damage is minor and does not affect the safety or drivability of the car. The amount of your loss cannot be determined by looking at the value of other cars where the damage is relatively minor.

Tell them you want them to fix the car or give you an amount that can be applied to fixing it with you paying the balance. You don't want to fool with giving them the car with a buy-back or with the junk title mess from totaling the car.

Hassle them a little with reasonable arguments from your perspective. If you get extreme, they will tell you to just sue. No body wins from a law suit that involves property values, especially when the property at issue is an older car with lots of miles. On the other hand, they may pay extra if they think a law suit is a possibility.

Take their money and go buy this car: https://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/d/2005-mercedes-e320-cdi-sedan/6314442240.html

Panoramic 5%
Ski bag 8%
Pass through trunk 13%
Dynamic Bi-xion headlights w/washers 17%
HK sound 56%
CD changer 83%
Tire pressure monitor 2%

It has some very rare options, but not Sat. Nav. (46%)

115,000 miles, one owner

I got rear-ended in Delaware on 8/21. 2005 CDI with 302,000, good condition. Totalled. The party at fault has Progressive, and I have Metlife. Progressive low balled me with $6000 for my car, and $1900 to buy it back. They only used gassers as comps, and wouldn't budge when I argued that diesel commands higher value, all things being equal.


I then went through Metlife, they came back with $6600, and $700 to buy my car back. That's what I'm going with...and letting Metlife hunt down their money from Progressive.


Though I was rear-ended, all my damage was grill/hood/radiator since I was pushed into car in front. Parts on order to repair.


Progressive was very difficult to work with, and Metlife was difficult to get a hold of. As a result, I now learned of two insurance companies that will not get my future business.


My first insurance claim in 35 years of driving.


Thanks to Shertex for pointing me to a very good condition 05 CDI which I snatched up.


My sig doesn't reflect it yet, but I'm now up to 3 identical CDIs

I you buy it back my CDI needs a main computer. Parts on the car are worth the re-purchase price.

Update: the adjuster acted very belligerently initially, then I asked for his manager's contact info and spoke with him. He understood my position and ordered his adjuster to have Mitchell do an old expanded comparable valuation only using CDIs and low and behold, the adjuster called me this morning and said that I was correct and stated that he really didn't know much about Mercedes and was shocked himself to find that the diesels validated so much higher. At the end of it all they gave me $9,715.00 which I gladly excepted..... now I have the challenge of finding a replacement....... what are you guys opinions about a 2008 R320 CDI?..... not gorgeous like an E320 CDI but my wife asked me what I think about them and quite honestly I've never even noticed them before..... thank all of you for your replies, advice and guidance and concerns as they made s huge difference..... thank you so much 😊

You should snag that one in NC that GregMN recommended.

Be sure to do a carfax and/or autocheck on it though.

Make sure the oil cooler seals have been replaced.
Make sure the transmission has been replaced or rebuilt.
Make sure that the flapper motors for the EGR system have been at least serviced or replaced. The intake pipe to the turbo leaks oil onto them causing them to fail.
Check the turbo intake pipe for oil leakage at the turbo.

Other than that, I really like the concept of the R.

Only for a mileage history, past that it is about useless.

Nothing beats an actual inspection by a experienced mechanic. Body repairs only show up if insurance pays. Pay out of pocket to avoid a DUI or spouse finding out you were in the red light district and it won't show up. It also won't show things like the owner ran the car out of oil due to a punctured oil pan or poor maintenance.

My 97 SL320 was tagged with " moderate rear damage " long before I bought it. It consisted of a bumper cover replacement. The bumper sub structure was undamaged and there was a shallow dent in the spare tire well that I more or less pushed out by hand. It looks like someone backed into their lawn mower. I'd hardly call this " moderate rear damage " but the Car Fax is all holy crowd would run screaming that the seller was offering a "totaled " car.

I also don't like that Car Fax is extorting $ from used car dealers. Their advertising says that if a car dealer isn't offering their service for free, they are hiding something. What they are doing is unethical.

I really adore the CDI that gregMN located but it's almost a six hour drive.... I'm still considering it, nevertheless but was hoping to find a CDI a bit closer to Atlanta..... Think I'll pass on the R-Class CDI..... I just prefer the sedan, it seems more classy..... I miss my CDI already!

Hey guys, I use Car Gurus, Used cars.com..... any real good used car search engines that you might recommend?

AutoTempest

The car I recommended is a one owner, low miles, rare options car.
It looks like it has had damage to the front passenger side. Ask the "one owner" about that. The P/S head light looks to have been replaced.
I would fly across the country for the car I want for the price I would pay. I don't look at the trip as part of the car expense, but as a vacation with a great souvenir.

Yes, if the miles check out it's worth it. People seem to be nuts for those 05-06 CDIs. They're not very DIY friendly, and I'm scared of that funky brake system that they have, but I would still buy one anyways if I could find one with that number of miles at that price and in a light color.

Another question...... as I look at replacements....... WHY do people try to pawn-ff Bluetecs as CDIs????...... I've seen multiple ads saying they were 2007 or 2008 CDIs when they were clearly bluetecs...... To gregMN, I'm hesitant to drive almost 6 hours because even though my insurance company will instantly insure the vehicle if I purchase it, I still can't drive it back because I would have no way to register it in another state..... I have been looking at the cost of auto transport trucking companies, as that may be an option

Perhaps things vary from state to state...but that shouldn't be necessary. You can either get transport tags from GA or simply put a valid plate on the car and have the bill of sale with you.

Did you have a good body shop look at the car? An adjuster is looking at numbers, the body shop will be looking at how to repair. Don't throw away a repairable car. From your description of the damage, the car will end up on a rebuilders lot , get fixed and be on the road again if you let it go.



You need to go to an automotive notary in the purchasing state, they will document that you are purchasing the car and issue an in transit cardboard plate. Be sure to have your auto insurance company provide you with proof of insurance as you will have to show that to the selling state. ( this will either be that you have insurance on other cars or that the car you are buying is insured. )

Buying out of state is a common operation and no big deal.



If you go with low cost providers, expect damage. Having door to door service can get to be $$$. If you are able to have the car delivered to and picked up at a shipping depot / auto auction / just off their regular route that would save $$$.

'07 diesels were still called "CDI" iirc

For the car in NC, I would definitely want to know why the left headlight and foglight are new while the right ones are faded. Were the left ones replaced as a result of a front-end collision?? Do the research and make an informed decision.

Options and mileage are great though.

2007 and 2008 were the 642 engine without ad blue or urea and retained the CDI designation. A bit confusing.

People frequently buy cars and drive them home without plates. That is likely any time there is purchase from an individual. I always fill the title in completely to get my name off it, remove my plates, write a receipt and keep a copy of both the title and receipt. The car is sold as is, where is and the new owner assumes all responsibility.

A signed title and bill of sale should do the trick as far as dealing with police. Most states charge sales tax in the home state when it's registered and not the originating state. A ticket for no tag wouldn't be considered a moving violation or go on your driving record (in TN).

The couple of times I've shipped a car, the shipper gave me all of the reasons why it had to be more money. I've learned that they are frequently willing to take less. Something like "the car is only worth so much to me and $x for shipping is all I can pay. If that's not enough, I won't buy the car."

The car needs to move under its own power.

As far as the state is concerned, you still own the car and could be held liable for damages / tickets the car gets. Car hits a building , gets abandoned, you are still responsible. Leaving a title open is a huge risk.

To avoid this, go to an automotive notary, have them notarize your signature then provide you and the seller with a paper stating " Person A has sold car X to person B". This gives you proof that the car was sold. This kind of thing also works for in state sales when both parties can't be at the notary at the same time.

Not really, in my state failure to properly display a plate is an offense and not having a plate is an even higher cost offense.

While the actual fine for failure to properly display plate is low, by the time you add all the fees it is 4X. I bought a small flat trailer, got the title transferred and got a plate. I neglected to attach the plate to the trailer once I got back from the notary. Got stopped, said oops here is the plate, still got a ticket for over $ 100.


Yes, this is because it will ride on many different trucks and they are usually not owned by the same company. Only the high end shippers do door to door on company owned trucks.

Good thing you passed on the R. Before getting my CDI, I thought about the R class as well. I passed because they are 4Matic, and get poor fuel mileage for a Diesel. I also read some horror stories about them, and one becoming yard art because of the repairs being more than the car's worth.

IDK, but buy it back from the insurance company. Time to yank the motor and build something lightweight and FAST :D

X2! I like to make it a habit of buying back my wrecks (If that sounds like I make it a habit of wrecking cars, I don't :D). I have always made money on selling the parts, or fixing the car for much less than estimated. Even if you don't repair it, as rare as a CDI is, having a parts car is worth every penny the insurance company will charge to buy it back.

In the past couple of years, 2 with bad motors have been on Craigslist. Both were snapped up with in a few days. One or two running cars have languished for a few years and remain unsold last I looked.

Yeah there's something about those R class. Probably the low point of the Chrysler infection into the Daimler engineering department.

If the OP or anyone else ends up settling on a 2007-2011 E, R, or ML, these are the OM642 with the leaking oil cooler seal/swirl flap motor/PCV leakage problem. Not the end of the world if you are able to pay attention to detail and have decent mechanical skills. It will cost less than $1000 and a long weekend to fix all these issues. I have done this to our 2008 ML and it now has about 145k on it and my kids are driving it up at Clemson. Hasn't leaked a drop in a year and was still totally full of oil when I just did the next oil change (10 k later) before the kids headed back to school. Before the repair I was having to top up the oil on a regular basis.

Just saying, don't be afraid of the 2007+ models just because they have the "evil OM642" engine. It's a great engine except for two crappy $5 seals included with the original engine.

The 2005-2006 E class are not perfect either with the SBC brakes and the OM648 Black Death.

Agreed on both counts. I have had the pleasure of replacing the seals on my friend's '07 E320, and have dealt with a pretty severe case of black death on my first CDI. I survived both, and am still somewhat sane. Actually, both jobs were kind of fun. As it turns out, I will be purchasing the aforementioned '07 E320 Bluetec with 80,000 original miles on it. Less than a month after doing the oil cooler job, the car was involved in a collision. I will be buying it for the salvage price and plan to repair it. I think I can fix it and get it back on the road for less than five grand including the salvage cost. That is not bad for a well equipped W211 with 80,000 miles on it, including the oil cooler seal replacement! ($3,000 job at the dealer).

How difficult would it be to put the om648 into a w211 wagon?

Could you folks please elaborate on this "Black Death"? I'm assuming it has something to do with carbon from the EGR system clogging stuff up?

Search Black Death, and you will see my thread.

The search feature on this site is so ineffective, I just looked at your posted threads list instead. I found several threads about issues with your 2 CDIs (including the "B.D." thread). Are you still of the opinion that these are good cars to own? They sure do seem to have a lot of stuff that can go wrong. Very complex, lots of stuff that will age and wear out eventually. Not to bad mouth them, I do want one, but I'm scared of them. My W124s are getting too old. I just don't know what to do.

The only reason I got the one with BD, is because I got it cheap. I was confident that I could repair it, and still come out ahead (had about five grand in it after shipping and repairs). My niece has the car now, and loves it. I have not seen any other CDI's (5 that I have looked at) with BD. I had all five send photos of the top of the engine with the cover off. I also have not heard of many with SBC problems. The most natural progression from a 124 is a 210. They are wonderful cars as well. If you can afford to skip the 210 and go straight to the 211, you won't be sorry......Rich

Depends on the state, michigan does not have notarys. No inspections or emissions. But ohio requires either the title transfer to be done at the DMV or be notorized.

That's what I plan to do, but I'm gonna buy myself a certain 5spd 300TD first.

@SL 320:

TN only requires that the title be completed with the new owner. The seller would not leave plates on the car and the new owner would have to move the car. A trailer isn't required to move it. Insurance is required. Insurance is automatically extended to any new car if you currently have some in force. The period used to be 30 days but it has been shortened perhaps to 7 days.

You need not transfer the title to your name until you buy plates. This effectively means nothing needed for parts cars. You don't even get stuck paying sales tax when buying from an individual. (TN rules).

Sure, the state's data would not reflect the sale however the copy of the bill of sale (sold as is where is) and copy of the completed title with the new owner's name works to transfer ownership to the new person. "I sold" means that I no longer own a piece of property. One generally is not responsible for damage done by someone else's property even when it used to be yours.

Consider I used to own a pistol. I do not own it now. I haven't owned it for a while. The new owner was carrying it in his truck. The gun went off and someone got hit. What does that have to do with me? I was home sleeping. The transfer takes place at the time of sale. The copy of the bill of sale is proof of the sale. The fact that the state's database doesn't reflect the sale is immaterial. You can get sued and have to defend but anyone can sue for anything and you'll have to defend. A notary only attests that the person whose signature was witnessed showed ID documenting that they were who they say they are. There is no proof anywhere that the ID wasn't fake only that the notary believes that the person is who they say they are.

Well, I attempted to purchase the CDI that gregMN located, the seller didn't contact me back until today though I initially contacted him last Thursday...... he took a deposit and expects to conclude the purchase on Friday

This is the one I was debating on getting before I got mine. I am not a fan of tan interior so couldn't pull the trigger.

2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class For Sale in Irving near Dallas, Fort Worth, Euless, Grand Prairie & Grapevine TX - WDBUF26J16A869672

1 owner, dealer maintained it's entire life in South Texas. Even that MB dealership has excellent reviews.