Involved in an accident tonight - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

neumann · #31 11-21-2013, 12:45 PM

looks like it's about $3100 in repairs at a good shop on a car with a value of approx $4000? Without knowing the details of the wagon in question the $4000 is a ballpark value.

I am sure you can fix it yourself for a lot less money but paint work alone at a shop will eat up that $800 figure real easy. I had similar damage with an 82 300td and they price was over $5000 to have it properly fixed.

colincoon · #32 11-21-2013, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Take a look.

MERCEDEZ BENZ Wagon E320

Very clean automatic Mercedes Benz E320, wagon; 1995; economic; five doors; just 125.000 miles from new; CD player + flash drive insert + radio - $400,00 paid for it; new tires- a couple of month old; seven seats all made of leather; automatic windows and mirrors, tinted; sunroof; rack, tax till 2014.
It was always been kept in the garage.
We do not use it much because it is our third car and now and we are in need of space.

It's local, to you, Colin, and sounds reasonable enough to nab if it checks out and still for sale. Looks quite nice in black.

(You said you might get another car. It could take weeksd to fix your old one yourself, or even for a body shop. If time and money are at a premium, perhaps this relatively local, fairly priced one might be worth nabbing. Perhaps pick parts of your old wagon as needed.)

I gave him a buzz. I might go look at it this week. No AC (just needs freon

) so that will have to be done. But I can at least swap all my parts over.

I just need to think if I really want another one.

Benz Dr. · #33 11-21-2013, 12:58 PM

I got ass-ended last week while waiting for a guy in front of me to make his right hand turn off of the street we were driving on. I was pushed into the back of him.
Police said I was not at fault and that my '89 300SE with 185,000 miles has 5K in damages. Insurance company says it's a write off but I was able to drive it home an hour and half away from the accident scene. Impact Auto tried to tow my car away back to the city where this happened so they ( the insurance company ) could appraise the damages. Then it would go through Impact Auto and be auctioned off - I would get whatever they offered me. I was told by insurance that it has to be appraised at their location beause of liability concerns. They won't sell it back to me. Since I part out cars as part of my restoration business it's worth more to me than what they woul ever offer me because I plan on buying another car just ike it. And, because I didn't have collision insurance on the car they have no claim to it.

Even though the car is old and a bit rusty, it ran perfectly. I have new tires, all new brakes, new rad, rebuilt cylinder head, new battery and a number of other items on it because it was my work horse and I needed to be able to depend on it. I brought my car home from a nearby body shop and told them they could come and look at it here.

I asked what would happen if I had been driving one of my vintage cars and it wasn't driveable after the asccident or I was injured and unable to direct the towing company to take it to my shop. I asked if it would end up at Impact Auto to be sold and I'd never see it again?
I was told yes............

Clearly, I have the wrong insurane comany.

Mölyapina · #34 11-21-2013, 01:19 PM

BTW, Colin, if it helps, it seems that insurance companies estimate these 'Benzes as worth more than you'd expect

.

Honus · #35 11-21-2013, 01:46 PM

In Virginia, a driver who rear ends another driver is usually, but not always, at fault. Florida probably has a similar rule. FWIW.

SwampYankee · #36 11-21-2013, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colincoon

According to the police report I only have $800 in damage. I don't think insurance will total the car for that amount.

Getting ready to pull it in the garage now and see if I can't get the hood open.

Glad to hear everyone seems to be ok!

Is it common for the reporting officer to make a damage estimate? It's been 25 years since I've been involved in one (knocking frantically on my wood desk) so maybe things have changed or it's a jurisdictional thing.

Maybe there's a extent of damage threshold for a more severe ticket and he gave you a break? Careless driving vs. reckless driving or something?

Just curious.

TheDon · #37 11-21-2013, 02:37 PM

CRAAAP

colincoon · #38 11-21-2013, 03:01 PM

Got the hood up. Honestly it doesn't look that bad. Mostly cosmetic, but also in need of a new core support, radiator, condenser, and fans.

This is the only bad spot I could find:

And the rest:

TheDon · #39 11-21-2013, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honus

In Virginia, a driver who rear ends another driver is usually, but not always, at fault. Florida probably has a similar rule. FWIW.

Florida is like that. Unless you're me and your left rear tire is out of the lane supposedly the you are at fault. But I won't get into that other than no claims were made and it's all good.

TheDon · #40 11-21-2013, 03:36 PM

I will say in our area of FL we have a higher than average amount of dumb drivers from around the world as well as being a magnet for the crappiest drivers to move to the area. I've seen some drivers do stupid things at lights, such as taking a right turn across three lanes of traffic or doing a u turn from the outside left turn lane.

Glad you made it out uninjured senõr Colin

SwampYankee · #41 11-21-2013, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I will say in our area of FL we have a higher than average amount of dumb drivers from around the world as well as being a magnet for the crappiest drivers to move to the area. I've seen some drivers do stupid things at lights, such as taking a right turn across three lanes of traffic or doing a u turn from the outside left turn lane.

Coming from southern New England you should be used to stuff like that!

spdrun · #42 11-21-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

In my youth I got distracted one time at a green light and failed to take off as soon as the light changed. Fiddling with the 8 track or something. Got rear ended. The guy tried to fight his ticket unsuccessfully. In AZ you rear end somebody it's virtually always your fault.

Not taking off from a light immediately is NOT legal permission for someone to rear-end you. You have an obligation to watch ahead of you. This happened to me where some dumb teen girl was texting, driving, and paying attention to anything but my car. She didn't get a ticket, but her insurance paid me off almost immediately.

Skid Row Joe · #43 11-21-2013, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txjake

If you are planning to litigate this, you should stay off the internet......

A little late for that now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

I've done this a couple of times.

The car is certainly totaled.

*If* the hit was high enough that the bumper supports are still undamaged, the car is easily repairable.

You can pull out the inner fenders, and replace the radiator support, then all you need is new sheet metal and trim.

Yes, the sedan will give you all the parts you need.

The insurance companies will total the car, but you have the option to take the settlement check, less the salvage value of the car (which should be around $1K) and keep the car. In this case, the title will remain unbranded, but you will likely see a Carfax entry disclosing the accident.

If you can find a car that has been rear ended, or has suffered a major driveline failure, you may get lucky and pick it up for less than a grand.

Strip the damaged parts off the car, have a body shop pull the innerfenders and make sure the frame is straight, and weld in a new radiator support, and the rest is just a simple tranfer of the parts.

Easy peasy.

Too bad your so far away, I'll be picking up a 95 wagon soon with a rear end hit that would be a perfect candidate for fixing your car.

Jim

I'm not sure they'll total it, or if they do, how much they'll offer. Prices collected I'm reading here on-forum for totalled, old, high mileage MBs here, are in many cases way generous. $8K or Up? Who knows......

Quote:

Originally Posted by colincoon

I gave him a buzz. I might go look at it this week. No AC (just needs freon

) so that will have to be done. But I can at least swap all my parts over.

I just need to think if I really want another one.

So, with full insurance coverage, it'll be interesting to see if they decide to fix it, or, what they offer you for the car if they total it.

How many miles are on your wrecked car?

spdrun · #44 11-21-2013, 08:02 PM

Also, "totaling" doesn't always mean the title is "marked." In the rear-ender that I mentioned, the insurance co paid out for the good-condition book value of the car, less $250 for "scrap" value, but kept the title clear.

Their explanation is that the law doesn't require issuance of a salvage title for cars older than ten (I think) years old, so why bother?

KarTek · #45 11-21-2013, 08:15 PM

In North Carolina this would be called "failure to slow to avoid an accident". Years ago I got dinged for the same type of accident.

One thing to do for sure is to either go to court and ask for a continuance if it's available in your state or hire an attorney to do this for you. I will save you thousands in insurance fees over the next few years.