A car hit the right back side of my 1989 420sel at the rear tire AND smashed in the rear door. The transmission is not shifting properly and the car shakes when I am driving it. What do I tell the insurance person is wrong with it? I can't reimbursed unless I know what needs to be fixed. Rear axel? Transmission? etc?
Help! Thanks! Jane

You should check with your agent or your insurance co. claims dept and ask for a list of authorized repair shops. Don't settle with them over the phone until you have at least 2 or 3 estimates, including a dealership or MB authorized repair shop estimate. Check your policy to see if you have coverage for OEM replacement parts versus "OEM quality" or "OEM-like" since the insurance company would be entitled to substitute non-MB OEM parts. At the very least, you should be given the option of paying the difference for the MB OEM part.

Get everything in writing. As they say in astromomy, if it isn't written down, it didn't happen. Good luck.

What would make an ins co (USAA) give you the money to buy another car?

Cost.

If the amount the insurance company has to pay to fix the car is greater than the market value of your car before the damage, minus the salvage value, it is a write off (totalled).

Say your car is worth 6,000 before the accident, and is now worth 2500 as salvage, this is a net cost to the insurer of 3500 to pay you out. So if the repair costs are 4000, it's a write off. if the repair costs are 3000, they will fix it.

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Cheers, Neil