Save my 230e! Insurance wants to total it! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jaye Lee · #1 11-04-2005, 03:46 PM

Well, some moron without insurance swiped my car. I have a broken light and light case and some denting to the front panel and hood. It falls under my uninsured motorist coverage -and they want to total it, not repair it. their justification: they can't find a bluebook value for it (Doh!) so they want to compare its value to other 1983 4-door sedans listed in the paper! Like...like a 1983 ford escort!!!
Ok... so I'm looking for advertisements for 1983 230e's. Mine was in perfect running condition (just replaced that radiator, remember?), but at this point, anything would give me some basis for comparison. Foreign ads are ok. Any links you can give me to web ads would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks-J

TX76513 · #2 11-04-2005, 04:08 PM

Start watching E-bay and prints some closings on your make and model. Also Craiglist and Dupont Registry

420 SE · #3 11-04-2005, 04:15 PM

From Red Book in Australia (which probably doesn't help you much)
Trade in; $1600 - $2500
Private sale; $2400 - $4800
Price when new; $38,450.

Cheers

#4 11-04-2005, 09:45 PM

This is a Real PEAVE of Mine @INSURANCE @&*@**#&#&*@ Company Policiies you find out when you need em ;But IF they want to total it based on a G&*&*&*&* Damn Ford price then ask them how much the Buy Back is and repair it yourself .In future all of us need to insure our Toys for a Replacement Value or Stated value as you pay the same for your liability and or Full coverage on a twenty or older year MB as a NEW Cady or anything else out there(actually less on stated value ) .My point is if you total a 2006 Cady it will cost a Hell of a lot more than a Tail light and fender dammage on a 230E. Technically you can insure a Petrified Dog Turd for 200 Thousand Dollars or more by most insurers in any state under the STATED VALUE Clause they won't tell you about and that it is so much per Hundred Dollar Value . In closing and getting of the Pulpit here I strongly recommend that you contact yourSTATE Insurance Board and Broker for more details and also Keep all Records of your Repairs and even have an Appraisal done by a Certified Car Appraiser in the event this happens to you ....

t walgamuth · #5 11-04-2005, 11:48 PM

for what they offer you first. you need to show them what it is worth. start with your purchase price. look on the net and other places to find comparable prices... on comparable cars. build an argument. give them facts and figures that they can put in their file so they can justify giving you a reasonable price. col klink is right about buying it back. they can total it and sell you the car back for salvage value which is generally .10 on the dollar. if they say it is worth 1000 you should be able to buy it for 100. what you are hoping for is to get enough money to fix the damage. the adjuster's job is to settle for as little as possible. so he will start low... many folks will settle for less just because they dont want to fight. but if you argue and stick to your guns eventually he will offer more.

all policies state that they are obligated to fix your car or FIND YOU ONE THAT IS EQUAL TO THE ONE YOU LOST. SO you can always offer to let him do that. he wont want to but he will be impressed that you know that fact (maybe). can't hurt.

good luck. you are already on the right track by asking here for help.

tom w

land sea air · #6 11-05-2005, 02:21 AM

well im not really an expert but i do know that 230e is rare in the usa. i see plenty of ads for them in classic and sports car magazine as well as mercedes enthusiast mag. these values might actually help you in that they are generally slightly higher than what you might pay here. the prices for both are generally in euros or pounds. hope it helps some, ive learned several times how much of a pain both insurance companies and people without the same can be.

t walgamuth · #7 11-05-2005, 06:57 AM

through the years i have negotiated with insurance companies probably six times over settlements. i have always been able to come up with a reasonable amount. also, dont forget to ask for rental of a replacement car. they are obligated to pay you for this, although they will never offer it unless you ask. it is not a huge amount but it will add up and give them some incentive to settle before it adds up too long.

tom w

Jaye Lee · #8 12-08-2005, 04:13 PM

thanks for the replies. still fighting it. we had medical expenses too--thats a whole other ball of wax...

sailor15015 · #9 12-08-2005, 08:19 PM

I posted a thread over in Diesel Discussion because I was hit two days before Thanksgiving. My '85 300D was hit and totaled by an inattentive driver. I paid $2500 for the car and they valued it at $3700. I told them I wanted to keep the salvage and they said the most they could get for it at auction would be $200. So in all I got money to buy my brother's '84 300D and a parts car (my old one) with everything great but the rear end for $3500. I got lucky and they gave me a great offer right off of the bat. Good luck and don't let them work you over.

davestlouis · #10 12-08-2005, 09:27 PM

beware...in some states, specifically Missouri, per statute, if the repair exceeds 75% of ACV, actual cash value, the insuror MUST make you get a salvage title if you retain the salvage. The statute only pertains to cars up to 7 model-years old, but some large companies are applying the law to older vehicles to avoid people doing half-assed rebuilds and putting cars with clean titles back on the street. Good luck

davestlouis · #11 12-08-2005, 09:29 PM

as an aside, I am a serivce writer in a large multi-line luxury body shop and spend my days pulling my hair out trying to get proper repairs paid for by insurance companies...some are great, some are crap, and with some, it just comes down to which appraiser and adjuster you deal with within a particular company.

halman2228 · #12 12-08-2005, 09:30 PM

...should not cost you. If they don't know the "reasonable" or "fair market value" value of the car, it really is THEIR problem, NOT YOURS. You just need to arm yourself with facts as to its value. I didn't notice where you are - some states allow for "diminished value" in auto claims. Anybody here can promise you that your car now has "diminshed value" although I bet you already figured that out.

As posted earlier, gather some relevant pricing facts (I didn't notice if anybody mentioned Hemming's - include that in your research).

Unfortunately, I have relevant experience here (Risk Mgr - construction co) and I can promise you, they (insurance co. adjuster) want it done and gone. They really don't even want to deal with taking possession & title to the vehicle (saves them money).

I'm hoping your "medicals" are minor - keep us posted on how it works out.

Hold That Line! (don't cave)

Kevin

t walgamuth · #13 12-08-2005, 10:10 PM

if they dont satisfy you, you may demand that the y replace it with an equal car.

tom w

Jim Anderson · #14 12-08-2005, 10:49 PM

Ask them to apraise the damage for what the book value is (or maybe $1 less). Then you'll avoid a salvage title and keep the car.

davestlouis · #15 12-08-2005, 11:03 PM

The insurance company doesn't owe for locating and putting you in an LKQ car (like kind and quality) they owe for the ACV(actual cash value) and some loss of use (rental) during the time when you are negotiating the value and then several days after settlement offers are tendered so you can scrounge-up another car. Please understand that diminished value is a tricky thing too, historically applied only to exotics, but spreading in recent years. In my experience, the only way to prove diminished value to satisfy the insurance company is to fix the car, then sell it at a clearly-identified loss...the dealer you sell it to states he would have given you X dollars more if the car had never been damaged. The point is, it must be a real loss that you can document, not a hypothetical loss. "What-if's" don't count. Keep in mind that statutes vary locally and what applies in MO likely is different in other areas.