Wrecked my truck tonight
#23
Wow. Good to see you got to keep it though.
Laramie, when they determined the worth of your truck, do you remember what it was closest to as far as like KBB/NADA etc? Retail? Private party? Or was it way different?
Like I said a few posts back, the majority of the frame appears to be ok, just the pillar in the door/cab got pushed back.
Laramie, when they determined the worth of your truck, do you remember what it was closest to as far as like KBB/NADA etc? Retail? Private party? Or was it way different?
Like I said a few posts back, the majority of the frame appears to be ok, just the pillar in the door/cab got pushed back.
#25
first things first - glad your ok. damn snow and ice.
insurance company will negotiate to total/not total to some degree, but in general, when the repair estimate reaches 80% of NADA value (~KBB private party), then they will total it. the reason they make that decision at 80% is due to the risk of "hidden damage". once they begin paying for the repair, they're pretty much hooked for the whole job, and body shops LOVE to find an extra $1000 in hidden damage.
also - the totaled truck has some value as a wreck - perhaps 5-10%, so they factor that in.
if the total is borderline, you will have some input - which way do you want to go. some people want to save a vehicle at all costs. others don't want it back after a wreck. insurance company will negotiate a little, but not a lot.
not meaning to throw off on your truck, but for the most part - its a 95 dodge ram and will be valued as such, in spite of how nice it is. if you have any recent purchase receipts for new tires, or stereo, or engine components - you should collect those up. you might be able to negotiate higher value, or perhaps remove them..... (maybe) before they take possession.
something i had to do once. my son was in a wreck and his car was damaged pretty heavy in the rear. a couple of the real expensive shops estimated it as totaled. a couple more were borderline. a couple more were well below total. so i turned in the medium priced estimates and signed a "liability waiver" at a certain value. this meant i was responsible for any hidden damage. i felt ok with that risk and took it to the lower priced shop anyway and pocketed the difference. don't enter an agreement like that blindly, but it can be used to save a borderline total.
if you have paint/body skills, or have a buddy that does, you will have first dibs to buy the wreck back, but beware that it can get old quick, and it just drains the cash you need to buy another truck. plus - you'll have a salvage title that's not worth much. if you do buy it, don't give more than a few hundred for it.
insurance company will negotiate to total/not total to some degree, but in general, when the repair estimate reaches 80% of NADA value (~KBB private party), then they will total it. the reason they make that decision at 80% is due to the risk of "hidden damage". once they begin paying for the repair, they're pretty much hooked for the whole job, and body shops LOVE to find an extra $1000 in hidden damage.
also - the totaled truck has some value as a wreck - perhaps 5-10%, so they factor that in.
if the total is borderline, you will have some input - which way do you want to go. some people want to save a vehicle at all costs. others don't want it back after a wreck. insurance company will negotiate a little, but not a lot.
not meaning to throw off on your truck, but for the most part - its a 95 dodge ram and will be valued as such, in spite of how nice it is. if you have any recent purchase receipts for new tires, or stereo, or engine components - you should collect those up. you might be able to negotiate higher value, or perhaps remove them..... (maybe) before they take possession.
something i had to do once. my son was in a wreck and his car was damaged pretty heavy in the rear. a couple of the real expensive shops estimated it as totaled. a couple more were borderline. a couple more were well below total. so i turned in the medium priced estimates and signed a "liability waiver" at a certain value. this meant i was responsible for any hidden damage. i felt ok with that risk and took it to the lower priced shop anyway and pocketed the difference. don't enter an agreement like that blindly, but it can be used to save a borderline total.
if you have paint/body skills, or have a buddy that does, you will have first dibs to buy the wreck back, but beware that it can get old quick, and it just drains the cash you need to buy another truck. plus - you'll have a salvage title that's not worth much. if you do buy it, don't give more than a few hundred for it.
#26
Wow. Good to see you got to keep it though.
Laramie, when they determined the worth of your truck, do you remember what it was closest to as far as like KBB/NADA etc? Retail? Private party? Or was it way different?
Like I said a few posts back, the majority of the frame appears to be ok, just the pillar in the door/cab got pushed back.
Laramie, when they determined the worth of your truck, do you remember what it was closest to as far as like KBB/NADA etc? Retail? Private party? Or was it way different?
Like I said a few posts back, the majority of the frame appears to be ok, just the pillar in the door/cab got pushed back.
We got it done, but had to pull a fast one that the insurance didn't catch. We showed them a KBB for a 1997 2500 5.9 CTD loaded out that was worth at the time 18K. Truck was located down in TX, so geographic played a major role.
#27
first things first - glad your ok. damn snow and ice.
insurance company will negotiate to total/not total to some degree, but in general, when the repair estimate reaches 80% of NADA value (~KBB private party), then they will total it. the reason they make that decision at 80% is due to the risk of "hidden damage". once they begin paying for the repair, they're pretty much hooked for the whole job, and body shops LOVE to find an extra $1000 in hidden damage.
also - the totaled truck has some value as a wreck - perhaps 5-10%, so they factor that in.
if the total is borderline, you will have some input - which way do you want to go. some people want to save a vehicle at all costs. others don't want it back after a wreck. insurance company will negotiate a little, but not a lot.
not meaning to throw off on your truck, but for the most part - its a 95 dodge ram and will be valued as such, in spite of how nice it is. if you have any recent purchase receipts for new tires, or stereo, or engine components - you should collect those up. you might be able to negotiate higher value, or perhaps remove them..... (maybe) before they take possession.
something i had to do once. my son was in a wreck and his car was damaged pretty heavy in the rear. a couple of the real expensive shops estimated it as totaled. a couple more were borderline. a couple more were well below total. so i turned in the medium priced estimates and signed a "liability waiver" at a certain value. this meant i was responsible for any hidden damage. i felt ok with that risk and took it to the lower priced shop anyway and pocketed the difference. don't enter an agreement like that blindly, but it can be used to save a borderline total.
if you have paint/body skills, or have a buddy that does, you will have first dibs to buy the wreck back, but beware that it can get old quick, and it just drains the cash you need to buy another truck. plus - you'll have a salvage title that's not worth much. if you do buy it, don't give more than a few hundred for it.
insurance company will negotiate to total/not total to some degree, but in general, when the repair estimate reaches 80% of NADA value (~KBB private party), then they will total it. the reason they make that decision at 80% is due to the risk of "hidden damage". once they begin paying for the repair, they're pretty much hooked for the whole job, and body shops LOVE to find an extra $1000 in hidden damage.
also - the totaled truck has some value as a wreck - perhaps 5-10%, so they factor that in.
if the total is borderline, you will have some input - which way do you want to go. some people want to save a vehicle at all costs. others don't want it back after a wreck. insurance company will negotiate a little, but not a lot.
not meaning to throw off on your truck, but for the most part - its a 95 dodge ram and will be valued as such, in spite of how nice it is. if you have any recent purchase receipts for new tires, or stereo, or engine components - you should collect those up. you might be able to negotiate higher value, or perhaps remove them..... (maybe) before they take possession.
something i had to do once. my son was in a wreck and his car was damaged pretty heavy in the rear. a couple of the real expensive shops estimated it as totaled. a couple more were borderline. a couple more were well below total. so i turned in the medium priced estimates and signed a "liability waiver" at a certain value. this meant i was responsible for any hidden damage. i felt ok with that risk and took it to the lower priced shop anyway and pocketed the difference. don't enter an agreement like that blindly, but it can be used to save a borderline total.
if you have paint/body skills, or have a buddy that does, you will have first dibs to buy the wreck back, but beware that it can get old quick, and it just drains the cash you need to buy another truck. plus - you'll have a salvage title that's not worth much. if you do buy it, don't give more than a few hundred for it.
Private party says ~3k, while retail is 4-5k depending where you look. I planned on taking off the accesories I've put into it since I surely won't get what I paid for unless I take them off.
I'll see how much it is to buy back if it is totaled..Might be worthwhile to either part out or keep for spares..Save a lot of $$ long term.
#28
the first day i bought my sunfire, i stayed at my best fiends for the night, and his mom backed into it with a tacoma.....wrecked the bumper, part of hood, radiator....got an estimate from the highest costing shop, got the estimate....but one of my dads friends did auto body, high costing repair shop said 2 grand...that was under what it was worth at the time....brought that to the insurance, they sent me a check to bring to them....but instead i brought it to the guy who knew autobody, he charged me 700, i made out with 1300 bucks lol
#29
the first day i bought my sunfire, i stayed at my best fiends for the night, and his mom backed into it with a tacoma.....wrecked the bumper, part of hood, radiator....got an estimate from the highest costing shop, got the estimate....but one of my dads friends did auto body, high costing repair shop said 2 grand...that was under what it was worth at the time....brought that to the insurance, they sent me a check to bring to them....but instead i brought it to the guy who knew autobody, he charged me 700, i made out with 1300 bucks lol
Edit: If we do fix it, we'll likely do most or all of the work ourselves..Save some $$
Last edited by rideordie; 01-09-2010 at 04:48 PM.