[Shotimes] insurance question

[D Potter]

Al,

     Although I say you'll need to add paint and labor (few red SHO's in my
area), this can still be repaired for less than the payoff. However, by
fixing it with the payoff, you would would have to go through the trouble of
buying the car back from the title holder, and getting the title changed
from salvaged to rebuilt. And that remains in your title history. What needs
to happen in this case is the insurance company needs to be convinced that
the value of the car is more than they declare.

First, find a repair shop that will not gouge you on the repair costs. You
don't want to utilize shops that like to charge and additional 30% on the
already overpriced oem parts just because they pick them up. Maybe you'd
like to pick up the parts yourself and deliver to the repair shop. Determine
your best repair price and compare to the best payoff you can get from the
insurer. There will be some footwork involved here and moving around of the
car. You will most likely find that dealers will charge well above the
insurer's estimate, and non-dealers below. Find a reputable shop that will
repair below the insurer's estimate. Better yet, find a reputable shop that
will repair below the payoff, and they should allow you to have the car
repaired.

If not, take as much money as they are willing to give you and declare that
you are going to repair the car yourself (see next paragraph). They will
want record of the repairs after they have been completed to ensure they
have been performed. I have brought in nothing more than pictures to my
insurer and they accepted them without question. They will keep any images,
so get doubles if you want to keep a set. Take images of each part: 1) As is
damaged, on the car 2) the area after the part has been removed and 3) of
the replacement part installed and finished.

I went through this situation myself back in 96 and had no problems. My wife
wrecked her Contour, and the mileage on the car really hurt the value, so
they wanted to total it because the estimate was well above the market
value. I wanted to keep the car because it was in excellent condition. After
all the price-negotiating, the repair estimate was still well above the
payoff amount. I requested they pay me an amount $50 less than the payoff
and let me keep the car for repair. I repaired most of the car myself
(replacing bent suspension components, condensor, radiator and oil pan with
new oem parts, picking up a wheel from a junk-yard, installing hood, bumper
and fender after having new parts painted by dealer) and ended up finishing
the job with about $400 left over. We've still got the car, now at 240,000
miles, and it still looks new and drives great. Might've been smushed by now
had anyone else owned it. I can't let them total a car with mostly aesthetic
damage, especially if I am going to lose on the deal.



----- Original Message -----
From: <alfitz@alfitz.com>
To: "_SHOTIMES II" <shotimes@autox.team.net>; <V6SHOGirl@aol.com>
Sent: Friday, December 06, 2002 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] insurance question


> I looked at the pictures of your SHO and it is what's called, in the
> business, "an easy fix".
>
> Header panel $140
> Right headlight $45
> Condenser $75 (If it is not leaking, then don't replace it.)
> Right fender $35
> Left Fender $35 (if it needs it)
> Frame shop will run about $200
> The hood is the only EXPENSIVE part broken.
>
>
> Al Fitzgerald
> alfitz@alfitz.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <V6SHOGirl@aol.com>
> To: <Shotimes@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 9:00 PM
> Subject: [Shotimes] insurance question
>
>
> > i got into an accident a couple days ago and the estimate i recieved
from
> my
> > insurance company was that my cars repairs exceeded the value of the
car.
> The
> > damages were to the headlights, the hood, and the  Condenser (i thought
it
> > was the radiator cause i'm stupid), and maybe more.  I've had different
> > people tell me different things. i know there was one person on this
list
> who
> > helped me with an insurance questiong a long long time ago.  I just want
> to
> > know what's going to happen now?  My brother thinks that the insurance
> > company is  going to send me a check for the value of the car.  My
mothers
> > boyfriend says that the insurance company isnt going to do anything. I
> still
> > have $5000+ left on my loan, what's going to happen with that? Can i get
a
> > second opinion  from a body shop and try and fight it out with the
> insurance
> > company? Sorry for the 20 million questions but i have NO idea waht's
> going
> > on right now. Thanks in advance for any answers or suggestions :)
> >
> > Nancy
> > 1994 Red ATX named Satan
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