Well, at the ripe age of 30, I had my first accident

[MAGS1]

Unfortunately state law dictates one can't buyback a totaled car unless it's 9 years old or just hail damage. So that forces my hand. I already have a parts list together and I have experience repairing worse (excluding the need to fabricate or do body work) so it's a bummer for me.

Yeah IL law sucks in that regard

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[bnightstar]

It's a little over $6k for springs, struts, shocks, control arms, rims/tires, and all associated hardware. Ball joints, knuckles, tie rod ends, half shafts, hubs, etc. Like I said the exhaust wasn't my call. I argued it wasn't necessary. The body damage is limited to the bumper rockers and rocker panel molding. A screw for the front bumper splitter pierced right through but I'm almost positive that happened after the fact because that wasn't there when I first looked it over..

This is basically all suspension parts you sure all of that is broken ? As I said when I hit mine obviously a lot less impact but I didn't have any suspension parts to replace. A friend of mine bought a car from an auction with a rear impact and he only replaced a wheel hub, a rear toe-link and painted door and body panels that were broken. Was not that expensive repair and he got lucky with the car. So I really thing that the best thing to do is ether asses the damage yourself or take the check and look for a new ride.

 

[Dfeeds]

This is basically all suspension parts you sure all of that is broken ? As I said when I hit mine obviously a lot less impact but I didn't have any suspension parts to replace. A friend of mine bought a car from an auction with a rear impact and he only replaced a wheel hub, a rear toe-link and painted door and body panels that were broken. Was not that expensive repair and he got lucky with the car. So I really thing that the best thing to do is ether asses the damage yourself or take the check and look for a new ride.

I was there when they did the appraisal. The suspension is shot control arms are literally cracked in two. Anything that's not busted is tweaked. But it really looked like the suspension took the brunt of it. Even the half shafts looked okay. I have tie rods on there because one is leaking at the boot. Although the body shop wanted to replace the whole rack and said you can't just replace the tie rods. I've never tried on an s550, but I fail to see why you can't just swap out the tie rods. Stuff like that is why their estimate is ridiculously high.

It's not cheap but, after spending hours (literally) looking it over, I'm confident it'll be good to go after all the work. That's why it's a bit upsetting to total out the car. But, as @ay1820 said, that could be exactly why they're going to total it. It'll make a decent amount in salvage. Engine is good, diff is good, trans is good, driveshaft, most body panels... basically all the good bits.

 

[K4fxd]

Unfortunately state law dictates one can't buyback a totaled car unless it's 9 years old or just hail damage.

WTF???

Who gets to buy it?

 

[Dfeeds]

WTF???

Who gets to buy it?

I was trying to figure that out myself. The thought of someone intentionally totaling my car to fix it up and use or sell it for a good profit, sparks some particularly nasty feelings. All I can find is that cars are usually auctioned off and that's how you buy them back, so maybe it's torn apart and sold for parts?

 

[K4fxd]

The thought of someone intentionally totaling my car to fix it up and use or sell it for a good profit, sparks some particularly nasty feelings.

I can see how this could be abused. Unintended consequences and all that.

 

[bnightstar]

WTF???

Who gets to buy it?

We in the crappy European countries where it doesn't matter if it's totalled in the States. We buy such cars out of actions we repair them cheap because hello labor in poor country much cheaper than States and then sell them as new to unsuspected owners who may or may not enjoy there new sports car. This car is a great candidate for such as scheme depending if you have a spare EPAS or not but even if you don't fixing one here is like 400$ so who cares. I'm guessing that with this damage there is still a solid 15 000$ in the car if it's actioned so someone is trying to get that money surely is not like 29 000$ but you are due for them anyway may as well get the car and return 15 000$.

 

[ay1820]

I was trying to figure that out myself. The thought of someone intentionally totaling my car to fix it up and use or sell it for a good profit, sparks some particularly nasty feelings. All I can find is that cars are usually auctioned off and that's how you buy them back, so maybe it's torn apart and sold for parts?

I am no expert, but I doubt that this is a case of collusion between your insurance company and the body shop. Your insurance company will take title to the car and then sell it auction, and your body shop will have to compete with every other bidder.

I knew someone who ran a body shop (many, many, many years ago) who would buy cars at auction and then repair them for sale. Other salvage business will buy them to part out. It is hard to say who would end up with this, but I suspect that this car is a good candidate for the former.

 

[Dfeeds]

I am no expert, but I doubt that this is a case of collusion between your insurance company and the body shop. Your insurance company will take title to the car and then sell it auction, and your body shop will have to compete with every other bidder.

I knew someone who ran a body shop (many, many, many years ago) who would buy cars at auction and then repair them for sale. Other salvage business will buy them to part out. It is hard to say who would end up with this, but I suspect that this car is a good candidate for the former.

That's where I get confused. That auction process is where the original owner can buy it back or get dibs if requested. If it's illegal to buyback a totaled car, wouldn't it also be illegal to auction it off for someone else to buy in the same manner? That's rhetorical, I'm aware you wouldn't have that answer. The lack of information is frustrating. The more I can understand the process the better I can negotiate but I guess that's why this information is hard to come by.

 

[MAGS1]

That's where I get confused. That auction process is where the original owner can buy it back or get dibs if requested. If it's illegal to buyback a totaled car, wouldn't it also be illegal to auction it off for someone else to buy in the same manner? That's rhetorical, I'm aware you wouldn't have that answer. The lack of information is frustrating. The more I can understand the process the better I can negotiate but I guess that's why this information is hard to come by.

There might be specific auctions where only places like Copart can buy the car then part it out. I have no idea, just spitballing an idea. Not to mention the insurance company has your info already so they’d know if you were trying to bid and would reject it. I was trying to find the exact law so I can read exactly what it says but I can’t find it on the interwebs

 

[RagmopInKona]

Their way of trying to reduce theft and chop shop work, from what I read. I'd have a better chance tacking on a labor fee and convincing my insurance to let me do the repairs lol.

It is more so, because of the history of bought back vehicles, being fixed as cheaply as it can be, and that causing a bigger liability (read injury pay outs). So To keep half @$$ed repaired vehicle off the roads and off questionable dealers lots. They head to the yard to help the insurance industry availabilty of used repair parts inventory.

 

[Dfeeds]

There might be specific auctions where only places like Copart can buy the car then part it out. I have no idea, just spitballing an idea. Not to mention the insurance company has your info already so they’d know if you were trying to bid and would reject it. I was trying to find the exact law so I can read exactly what it says but I can’t find it on the interwebs

What I meant was that the auction is typically how you would buy your car back, or make an offer before the auction. So my confusion was, if it's illegal (in IL) to buy your car back, wouldn't that also make it illegal for an insurance company to auction it off for anything but straight salvage?

It is more so, because of the history of bought back vehicles, being fixed as cheaply as it can be, and that causing a bigger liability (read injury pay outs). So To keep half @$$ed repaired vehicle off the roads and off questionable dealers lots. They head to the yard to help the insurance industry availabilty of used repair parts inventory.

That makes sense. Although I can't help but think it's the insurance company's own fault. They push people to go to their preferred shops who are under pressure to get repairs done at a certain price point and also time limit. That's the recipe to get botched work, but what do I know.

 

[ikernestickers]

Glad you’re safe! I’m also surprised there is so little damage after such a severe accident. Is the insurance company ready to pay for all the damages?
I’ve been in an accident only once, and it ended up much worse for the car. The entire front part was basically destroyed, and there was nothing to restore. Thankfully, lawyers from https://puschnguyen.com/houston-car-accident-lawyer/ helped me make my insurance company and the insurance of the person who caused the accident reimburse the costs of the new car. I wouldn’t manage to get that much without a lawyer because both insurance companies were really stingy.

 

[Dfeeds]

This process has been a nightmare.

A little over a week ago, a new adjuster contacted me and declared my vehicle a total loss. She informed me that the car was accrueing storage fees and needed to be released to their salvage yard immediately. I politely declinded to release anything without cash value. State law says I'm to be given the determined value and a breakdown within 7 days.

Back to silence. I called yesterday and left a VM. She returns my call with a KBB value if $28k. For f**k sake, you can't even find a used ecoboost for that price. I asked for the valuation report and she, and I wish I was joking, tells me "it's just the KBB value, you can run it yourself." Then she demanded I release the car. I refused and emailed her my window sticker as well as 6 comps of matching mustangs. She then emails me a statement with the $28k listing and a threat that any storage fees accumulated after 12/2 will be deducted from the settlement.

So I had to send a lovely email referencing state law. One being that the insured is not responsible for excessive storage fees if the delay is not caused by them, and the other being that an insurer can only cease paying storage with reasonable notice. 48 hours is not considered reasonable notice. In any case, it states they can cease paying storage. It does NOT state that they can charge me for storage.

My uncle is a retired insurance agent for the same company. He's been in my corner (he feels guilty because he set me up with them) but even he can't believe what's happening.

If anyone is considering Encompass (owned by Allstate) don't do it.

 

[ice445]

This process has been a nightmare.

A little over a week ago, a new adjuster contacted me and declared my vehicle a total loss. She informed me that the car was accrueing storage fees and needed to be released to their salvage yard immediately. I politely declinded to release anything without cash value. State law says I'm to be given the determined value and a breakdown within 7 days.

Back to silence. I called yesterday and left a VM. She returns my call with a KBB value if $28k. For f**k sake, you can't even find a used ecoboost for that price. I asked for the valuation report and she, and I wish I was joking, tells me "it's just the KBB value, you can run it yourself." Then she demanded I release the car. I refused and emailed her my window sticker as well as 6 comps of matching mustangs. She then emails me a statement with the $28k listing and a threat that any storage fees accumulated after 12/2 will be deducted from the settlement.

So I had to send a lovely email referencing state law. One being that the insured is not responsible for excessive storage fees if the delay is not caused by them, and the other being that an insurer can only cease paying storage with reasonable notice. 48 hours is not considered reasonable notice. In any case, it states they can cease paying storage. It does NOT state that they can charge me for storage.

My uncle is a retired insurance agent for the same company. He's been in my corner (he feels guilty because he set me up with them) but even he can't believe what's happening.

If anyone is considering Encompass (owned by Allstate) don't do it.

What a bunch of crooks. This situation was already suspicious, now it's pretty clear that your insurance company is trying to make an absolute killing off you. The threat of storage fees is just to get you to accept that low ass offer, so they can turn around and make like 15k on parts.

True scumbag behavior.

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