kid wrecked the mb thread

[benhogan]

happened this morning. not my kid's fault. do you think the w124 is totalled? and look at the other guy's car

[Maximan1]

Insurance will total it, but I fixed quite similar damage on my dads W124 when he had a low speed encounter with a Hyundai Accent.

Looks like the damage is pretty much contained to the hood, fender, bumper, and headlight. Unless the airbag got deployed, I would grab some parts from a junk yard and fix it.

[jay_bob]

That’s just a flesh wound

It’ll buff out no problem.

Seriously that’s a fender, hood, bumper, and headlight. Assuming no major internal damage should be able to self repair for a few hundred dollars.

[benhogan]

what does it mean it will be totalled? how much will i get for it? do i get to keep the car? how soon will all this happen? my kid is not ubering to school and back starting today

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by benhogan

what does it mean it will be totalled? how much will i get for it? do i get to keep the car? how soon will all this happen? my kid is not ubering to school and back starting today

Total loss. Cost of repair exceeds the value of the car. Insurance buys the car from you at "market" value.

[benhogan]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Total loss. Cost of repair exceeds the value of the car. Insurance buys the car from you at "market" value.

well that sucks but I don't care. my kid is fine. that is what matters. i will take the ornamental fuzzy dice along with the plate though.

[Matt300ZXT]

Yeah, it'll likely be totaled. Now you could buy it back with a salvage title, repair it with cheap junkyard parts and apply for a rebuilt title but it'll never be worth as much. If it's something you plan on keeping forever and the rebuilt title doesn't matter to you and it's cheaper to do that than go in debt buying another car with the small amount insurance will give you, then I say get to it!

[Maximan1]

Originally Posted by Matt300ZXT

Yeah, it'll likely be totaled. Now you could buy it back with a salvage title, repair it with cheap junkyard parts and apply for a rebuilt title but it'll never be worth as much. If it's something you plan on keeping forever and the rebuilt title doesn't matter to you and it's cheaper to do that than go in debt buying another car with the small amount insurance will give you, then I say get to it!

It's not likely going to be totalled, it is 100% going to be totalled. Resale is low, parts are expensive. Nearly any collision with an older Mercedes is a total loss for the Benz, unfortunately.

[Turbo190D]

Some insurance companies will let you buy the car back, usually for a couple hundred bucks. You should do that and at least sell it to someone like me that would fix it and drive it, if you're not interested in fixing it yourself. That wouldn't be much of a problem to repair though. Honestly it looks like you could just drive it like that if you fixed the tire and got the alignment checked.

My 190D was declared totaled in the late 90s and here I am dailying it 20 years later.

[t walgamuth]

I have a headlight assembly which I'll sell reasonably.

[Junkman]

My 85SD was rear ended . The insurance company used new OE parts as an estimate of what it would cost to repair. Other guy's insurance company wrote me a check for $3,000 or slightly more and I bought the car for scrap value. You will likely have a similar offer. Try working the settlement price up a little by talking about what repairs you've done etc.

[HuskyMan]

If it was me I'd CAREFULLY shop for a quality body shop. My father was Navy Sea Bees and learned how to take wrecked vehicles and return them to like new condition when he was in the Navy.

I saw him take cars in much worse condition than your mercedes and with a little elbow grease, make it look like NEW!

Again, you have to carefully vet out the body shop but if they know what they are doing I believe your car could be returned to its former glory.....

[Maximan1]

Originally Posted by Junkman

My 85SD was rear ended . The insurance company used new OE parts as an estimate of what it would cost to repair. Other guy's insurance company wrote me a check for $3,000 or slightly more and I bought the car for scrap value. You will likely have a similar offer. Try working the settlement price up a little by talking about what repairs you've done etc.

This is why I have a folder of receipts from my build.

[97 SL320]

Originally Posted by Maximan1

This is why I have a folder of receipts from my build.

An insurance company is going to pay a claim based on actual market value not what has been spent on the car. Run the car and folder past your agent and see what they say. The only way around that is to buy a policy where you and the company agree on a predetermined value.

[vstech]

I am driving a w124 that had FAR more extensive damage, that is simple bolt on repair.
I even have a matching fender for it.
Sourcing a 95 headlight might be tricky...
The hood appears scuffed only.