Sorry for the Non-LBC post, but I thought you folks would be the best to
ask....
Coming home from work yesterday, I got rear-ended (in the Ranger,
fortunately, not the Midget). I'm really ticked off because the body and
interior are in great shape, and I put $5000 into the truck this year
(including a rebuilt engine, among other things), figuring it would be money
well-invested in a truck that should last me 5 more years.
The damage really doesn't look all that bad, and it's still driveable, but I
got some estimates today, and they're all around the $3200 range. Trouble
is, this truck is 10 years old and, despite the relatively low mileage and
new engine, blue book value (according to the KBB website) on this 10 year
old truck is only around $2700-$2900 in good to excellent condition.
How does this work if the insurance company totals it out? They pay me
$2700 and I give them my truck that has about twice that in new parts????
Then do I have to pay them to buy my truck back?? How much? Salvage value?
It seems to me that salvage value would be pretty high if it's got a new
engine, wouldn't it? Then do I have a salvage title and a big hassle
getting it back on the road? Has anybody been through this process before,
who can tell me what to expect (especially in New York State, because the
rules may vary, right?)?
I'm really stressing about this whole thing. To add to the stress, I'm not
getting much cooperation from the other driver (whose fault it was, by the
way), who thinks all three of my estimates are way too high. She wants me
to take the truck to her husband's friend (so I can get substandard work and
parts to save THEM money??? Not likely!) because they don't want to go
through the insurance company, and her husband says it didn't look like more
than $1000 damage. I'm not going to play that game. I figure they're
lucky I haven't gone to the doctor yet for the constant headache I've had
since this happened!
Okay, that's enough ranting -- I feel better. Anyway, does anybody know
how it works if you get totalled?
--
Nory
-'74 Midget
-'71 Midget (parts car status)
-'94 Ranger (wounded and headed for the car hospital)
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