Somebody crashed into the front of my 94 E500 this morning while we were sitting at a red light. Nobody got hurt, but the crashing car was a Toyota Sequoia urban assault vehicle and its bumper was higher than mine and ended up a foot or two into the hood. I can't open the hood at the moment and can't totally assess the damage, but I know the grill, lights, bumper, hood, at least one fender, radiator, fans, and probably the steering pump are trashed. My fear is the insurance people will offer me the KBB $6-7k range and total the car out and I won't be able to fix it for that.

I'm wondering if anybody out here has been in a similar situation with an older MB and had any luck bucking the KBB and Edmunds, et al valuation scales with a rarity/collectibility argument and how they went about demonstrating a higher value.

One professional/collector of 500Es has offered to talk to the adjusters, but I'm hopeful that I can find someone who has actually fought this fight and find out how it went.

Thanks,
Mark

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I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k