About a month ago I was driving along ECROW when my car died, it was dark so i couldnt see the damage but after inspection something large like a rock had stuck the underside of my car knocking the oil pump into the crankshaft, bending my frame, breaking my exaust system @ the pretty much fracking up the whole underbody. Repairs exceed $6,000 so the insurance company is writting mine off.

What sucks is that theyre only offering us $3,000 for it. Now I cant buy anything for $3,000 and considering ive put allot of repairs into it (ill list at end) i need your help on what is a reasonable ammount to ask for. Im taking a hit regardless but I just dont want to be stuck without the money to replace my car.

Repairs since ive had it:
Body Work & Repaint
Tires
Exaust system
New Domestic (30,000KM) Engine

Cars a FULLY loaded 91 NT Auto with TSi rims with 141KM on the OD.

Can anyone give me a reasonable value so that we can hagle the insurance company for some more money...

Thanks guys. Probally my last post as a DSM owner since there repoing it tommorow...

BUMP

Sorry to hear about your situation Dan. I'm no expert on what the reasonable amount you should be asking for but it never hurts to try for more. If you ask for 4 grand, at least you know you're going to get 3 but you might get more. Hope everything works out for you. BTW: In the star there's a 92 Talon TSI 5 speed with 128Ks loaded. Have you checked it out? Or are you through with DSMs for now? Good Luck!

[ February 14, 2002: Message edited by: Fred Macapagal ]

Dan, sorry to hear about it!

See if you can find a discussion about this in the Talon Digest. A while back Todd Day (the list maintainer) was talking about how his Mom's Audi was totalled, and they gave her more than market value because it was in such good condition. His post and the entire thread might be of some interest.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

I was in a similar situation, I "produced" a bunch of receipts and got a lot more that I thought I would have.

I think im done with DSM's for now, + i dont think my parents would let me buy another one just in fear that id happen all over again. I loved that car but it just gave me too many problems... My friend is selling his 90 Mustang 5.0L 5spd for cheap so ill see if i can stir up some sympathy discount if its the right price.

Im gonna have to get something economical (aka Lame) because this went on my Insurance as a at fault Collision (F'in Insurance Bullshit) so I cant pick up anything nice. That and im not working so im flat broke

My mechanics making up a statement of the money ive pumped into it, were gonna try for $5,000 that way ill be able to get a half decent Neon, Accord or *shudder* Cavalier...

Sad state of affairs but i need basic transportation, the days of having a sweet car are done for awhile but im still gonna check back with the board. You guys are good people.

[ February 15, 2002: Message edited by: Dan Saddy ]

sorry to hear that Dan, well i totalled once my car as well it was a 1991 ford probe. Well for me it turned out to my benefit bc i was going to sell it to my cousin for $1500 a week before my accident but got into a collision due to winter storm 3 years ago. My insurance company was offering me $4500 for it. But i still complained to them that i took care of that car "like a lady" and that she was a wonderful car to me
. So they end up giving me $6700. So complain to them and also you car has a very low mileage, i hope you still have the receipt for the extra parts..show them those receipts as well and try to suck as much as money you can from them. But whatever they offer you, just say that with that amount you are insulting me...and tell them you guys need to look at my car again and make another decision and emphasize on the parts low mileage...think of yourself as a salesman and you'd be fine...good luck and get back to us with results.

Hey dan, I had met a guy who, "wrote his car off" the insurance gave him some decent money for it. He managed to buy the car back from the insurance company, for cheaper, and fix it up again. Don't ask how he was able to buy it for cheaper then what he was givin 'cause I don't know how. But ask you agent. You might want to pull off whatever you can before it is gone. (exhaust, rims) you will probally have to replace them though with something. Another option is try to get an appraiser to write you a recipt for your car DATED a few months ago. Pay hin $50, and he might do it.

Sorry to hear that Dan, I feel your pain.. I tottaled my 92 TSi AWD in the summer.. stupid officer ended makeing me at-fault (you know the stupid cops, if they see a talon rims, lowered, exaust.. guages.. .etc.. u know what they think..) I didn't have collision covererage (at the time I wasn't able to afford it..) so they paid **$0** for the car.. what pissed me off was that I only had the car for 3 months.. but whatever.. sh!t happens...

Take the best offer you can get.. and just part the car (thats what I did to make some of my money back, and I did..) thats the only thing I see.. make sure you buy the car back from the insurance..

Thats impossible for me, the damage is so extensive that it wouldnt be worth ever to attempt to fix it.

Today i went and ripped everything I could out of the car. I said goodbye and I left, i was pretty sad pulling out of the parking lot.

Both me and my dad argued with the insurancy company for over an hour, giving them repair costs and saying that it had been restored to excellent shape ect. After all that bitching theyre now offering us $4,000 but they arent going any higher. Minus my deductable leaves me $3,500 to find a decent car.

There are a few low priced 90 Accords in the paper so ill probally end up wiht one. The only other choices I have are a few low priced Escorts.
Ill keep ya posted on what i figure out...

[ February 15, 2002: Message edited by: Dan Saddy ]

Don't feel too bad about that. My father bought an '84 Buick Skyhawk (Cavalier) in B.C. while he was there on course in '86, thoroughly RustChecked it out there (they looked at him funny) and brought it back to Nova Scotia.

The car was in PERFECT shape in '93, so he spent $4000 to rebuild the engine and drivetrain (and repair some damage he incurred bouncing off some curbs...) and my brother promptly wrote off the car (he was rear-ended so hard the rear bumper ended up below the rear window).

The insurance company refused to pay him more than $1500 for the car...

Timing is everything. My 1g Talon just came up for sale in the same city as you Dan Saddy. And best of all, I'm only asking $3900. I recently swapped seats with Peter Tarac so you can ask him what shape my car is. Or better yet, contact me. The last time I G-Teched the car, I was up an additional 45 HP from stock (240HP total). Tomorrow I'm gonna visit the Ministry of Transportation and move my plates over to my newer acquired Talon.

Pete's a good guy, hes helped me out allot and i allways used to hook em up when i worked @ CT.

Mine was in excellent shape, its really a crime on how the insurance company can shaft you like that, IMO my car shoulda been worth atleast 5K. Biggest government regulated scam on earth.

You said it Dan...

My laser was scrapped in December. At first they wanted to give me $1700 for it (it's a 90). I was reluctant and the price went up to $2300, not too bad. If I would have had a replacement cost clause I would have gotten what it would have cost me to get another one. I'll do that for my next car. BTW I'm selling the rims and tires if anyone is interested.

eh dan make sure you take the tax back from them on the $4000 quote not $3500...now there is another couple of hundreds for you.
good luck