W124 crash on Sunset Blvd.

[JasonOne]

Well last night while it was lightly raining I drove home on Sunset Blvd. and wiped out just before Bellagio Way at the West gate to Bel-Air. I think the car caught one of those black plastic disc shaped stanchion bases that are often in the middle of the road. There wasn't a reflector pole, just the base. The front driver side wheel caught it and the car slid to the left. Then the wheel went up on one of those concrete 4X4s that are bolted down the middle of the road just before the stop light. I guess I lost road contact and so the front right wheel turned out to the right and just then the back of the car spun around to the right also. there was a slick looking puddle in the same spot. The car did a 180 degree turn and launched itself up the curb and into the grass. We came to a stop just two feet from the large concrete wall right before the gate. I turned off the car and put it in park and got out. The rear drivers side wheel folded under the car the driver's side front wheel was busted. The trunk lid has a small dent where I took out a sign post. I think the transmission may be damaged also. Otherwise it looked good underneath. Car would not start after. No power. I waited for the flat-bed and now I'm waiting to see what the insurance guy has to say. The blue book for this car isn't much, even with 115k miles and great original paint and interior and decent mechanics. I'm wondering what a rear axle costs. I have a set of alloy rims that a member on this site gave me. All I need is the transmission work. I wonder how much it will cost. I hope the insurance lets me take it to Enrique to get the work done. That is provided they let me have the car at all. All I know is I was lucky to be in the MBZ. I've been in wrecks before and this was the most controlled loss of control I've seen yet. The car was coming out of a left hand turn and also descending on slick tar. I did not touch the brakes, I simply held the wheel and kept it from over-steering too much. I guess the swerving threw the car out from behind and into the 180 but speed was only around 35mph. I cant figure it out really. It was sad to see the car in such a state.

Jason Carpenter

[Jim B.]

Jasaon, that's tough luck. It's good that no one was hurt, or other cars involved or hit.

Under your insurance policy, it's your ABSOLUTE right to select the shop of your choice to repair the car, and from what everyone says, MR.MB is the best place you can find. Even if you need to pay for a second flatbed tow, I would take it there right away.

Rent a car, if your policy provides for it (most do) in the meantime. Have Enrique put it on the lift and get a complete estimate. It's conceivable that as a 1988, they Insurance may want to total it, so if you don't want that, see what can do about repairing the car if GOOD used MB parts can be acquired. Maybe get two estimates, one with NEW parts (very good idea for suspension pieces) and a second one with used parts.

Be VERY tough and firm with your insurance company. Guy at a body shop who works with a lot of them, who try and shave down his hours for the estimate, make him go for non OEM parts, delete charges for labor "overlap" charges, etc. told me this: "It's MUCH easier to start out as a Hard A$$ and then ease up a little as the situation warrants, than to start out as a Nice Guy and try to get tougher as you go along". Struck me as good advice, in MANY other situations, also.

I would want new front suspension parts (idler arms, pittman arms, tie rods and so forth) but might be more willing to settle for used wheels, and a good rear end or axle.

The body work sounds relatively minor, but if it is enough to "total" the car, could you "eat" the expense of fixing that, to keep the repair estimate below the cost of totaling out the car? I am guessing that if the damages go over $5000 or $6000 they will want to total out the car. Pay you the TLV (total loss valuation) minus decductible.

At that point, if it were to happen, you might ask about buying back the car as salvage, along with your settlement check, then fixing it yourself. This option may be available to you, it sometimes is used.

Front end damage can be a little tricky, it takes real good parts and labor to fix it properly, you don't want the car crabbing down the street for the rest of its life.

The W124 300CE is a very excellent automobile, in fact one of the very best modern Mercedes around,
and if yours could be made acceptably good again, I would be inclined to lean towards that direction

[BENZ-LGB]

Jason, Jim's advice is correct.

A rebuild for your tranny at Enrique's should be around $1,500.00.

Best of luck. Let us know how it goes.

[JasonOne]

I guess I ought to have had it taken to Enrique's directly last night. A re-tow will cost me out of pocket it seems. Perhaps I can have the insurance foot the bill to have it taken over to Enrique tomorrow. I'll check on that in the morning. I would like to used good used parts for the rear axle and new oem parts for the front end. I do have a full set of alloy rims in excellent shape that I can use. The dent in the trunk is minor as are the scratches on the drivers side from the bushes that "cushioned" my stop just in front of a big concrete wall. I could pay later for a used trunk lid and paint it. At the same time the bonnet could get a proper re-spray. Maybe the whole car. There is prior damage to the front bumper and one indicator lamp from a 5 mile per hour bump I had recently. Perhaps I could get that taken care of as well. I would like euro lamps and a good used bumper replacement. I wonder how bad the front end is. I really would like to get it to Enrique's. And I'll never drive on old touring dunlops again.

Jason

[suginami]

If the cost to repair the car is as much as 75% of the blue book value, the insurance company is going to total it.

They will still sell the car back to you for a few hundred dollars, and you can take what the policy pays you for the car to fix it, but the title on the car will say "salvaged".

[1991 300SE Owner]

Jason - I am sorry to hear about your accident, and I am glad no one was hurt.

If you have AAA, you can get your car towed in to Enrique. I'm towing my 300SE into his place in about a week or so.

Marianne

[BENZ-LGB]

Marianne, depending on what AAA plan Jason has, it may end up costing him some money--the cost of towing is based on mileage and the plan youhave.

[1991 300SE Owner]

That much is a given. But most of the people I know here in LA that have AAA have the Plus membership, which gives you a 100 mile tow.

Even if he has tow coverage on his car insurance, if he had his car towed in from the accident scene all the way to Resda, it might have cost him some money. I don't think that coverage has unlimited miles on it. I would guess that the distance from the West Gate at Bel Air to Reseda is at least 10 miles. I think the tow coverage on your auto insurance is limited. That is why it is cheap. I was quoted $6 for 6 months, and I have 2 cars.

[BENZ-LGB]

From the Bel Air Hotel (or Hotel Bel Air) to Enrique's shop (5557 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA) There are 13.26 miles.