Well, I got the car back last night and drove it around for a while. The C43 AMG is an amazing car!! I had a great time. So, far its handling is perfect and tracks perfectly straight with no pulling, following only the camber of the road. Thanks for your story JimF, although I sorry to learn that you got hosed for $5,000.00 when you traded-in your 94 E320.

The auto-body shop seemed to have done a great job over the three months that they worked on my car. The entire rear suspension (not just the driver's side) is new on top of a new rear sub-frame. The driver's side rail, rear quarter panel and AMG bottom cladding are new. The cat back and AMG muffler are new. The trunk lid, base, rear bumper and bumper cover are new. The entire trunk, driver's side and roof are freshly painted black. They also threw in a new rear AMG wheel with tire, a rear seat anti-squeak kit and a new AMG engine cover.

Now that the insurance co. has released the car and made an initial diminished value payment to me without requiring a release of any sort, I'm inclined to write them a letter. The damage done to the car, even though repaired well, most certainly has and will cause premature wear to numerous aspects of the vehicle and has already significantly diminished its resale value.

Because the original negotiations witht he ins. co. were based on the first repair estimate and about 75% more damage related to the accident has since been discovered, repaired and paid for (1st ins. repair check $12,200; final ins. repair check $9,300), the ins. co.'s initial diminished value payment could not be sufficient to cover the total damage suffered.

I also learned from the mechanic (as per the senior adjuster) that the ins. co. was incredibly scared to pay any part of my diminished value claim and set precedent that would, of course, end up costing them millions of dollars. They may still be ameneble to avoiding public litigation.

Anyway, I'll let you know if chose to go forward with this claim -- any opinions are welcomed in addition to those I have already gratefully received (thanks) -- and I'm going to enjoy my car as much as possible. No races as of yet ...

Marc
99 Black on Black C43 AMG
mmclaw@optonline.net