99% Sure my wagon is about to get totaled.. Assistance please
06-11-2014, 11:59 PM
#1
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Location: Peninsula, Bay Area
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Car Info: WRB Wagon
99% Sure my wagon is about to get totaled.. Assistance please
Howdy all, some of you know recently I was in an accident and my wagon took some gnarly rear end damage.. Basically got pit maneuvered at 80-90 mph on 280 by a madman.. managed to countersteer like life(and my cars) depended on it and saved the car from totally losing control and going into the center divide/dirt.. fishtailed like crazy and finally an e brake/360 stop.. Left some pretty sweet skid marks on the freeway 
Anyway the ****er flipped and took out two other people(SL 550 and a 2012 fozzy) 300 feet up right before Magdalena exit on 280N, otherwise I took no damage and eventually with the help of CHP got my car to the side of the freeway and after a couple tries started up(stoked as hell) and eventually drove it home(the only car that drove away) called AAA and next day and took it to their recommendation shop a few days later and thought all was well
Bummer is now(the week it's supposed to be done on) I get a call from Akins auto in palo alto that its got more damage, $9k of it.. And they're gonna wait for the approval, or total loss call I'm assuming.. And I'll be pretty annoyed.. SO
I honestly want to take it back even if it is deemed totaled and just use whatever check they write me toward the repairs and live with the salvage title.. I'll plan to keep the car for as long as possible obviously, it still drove home great the night of the accident and orher than the damage to the rear bumper/hatch door is essentially fine
Do I go to a different shop to get another estimate? Will all my receipts(like 4-5k worth somewhat recently) help trying to prove my case that the car is in great shape otherwise? that even know my car is a 115k 05 wrx wagon on kbb it's worth alot more with all the work ive done/finally somewhat completed after a lengthy bunch of maintenance? and was about to get retuned for ewg/E85 to top it all off..
Any other options, experiences, recommendations(auto body shops..) you might have or be able to contribute I'd appreciate a ton 
sorry for the lengthy background just wanted to include all the details lol.. Thanks guys 
will add pics soon
Anyway the ****er flipped and took out two other people(SL 550 and a 2012 fozzy) 300 feet up right before Magdalena exit on 280N, otherwise I took no damage and eventually with the help of CHP got my car to the side of the freeway and after a couple tries started up(stoked as hell) and eventually drove it home(the only car that drove away) called AAA and next day and took it to their recommendation shop a few days later and thought all was well
Bummer is now(the week it's supposed to be done on) I get a call from Akins auto in palo alto that its got more damage, $9k of it.. And they're gonna wait for the approval, or total loss call I'm assuming.. And I'll be pretty annoyed.. SO
I honestly want to take it back even if it is deemed totaled and just use whatever check they write me toward the repairs and live with the salvage title.. I'll plan to keep the car for as long as possible obviously, it still drove home great the night of the accident and orher than the damage to the rear bumper/hatch door is essentially fine
Do I go to a different shop to get another estimate? Will all my receipts(like 4-5k worth somewhat recently) help trying to prove my case that the car is in great shape otherwise? that even know my car is a 115k 05 wrx wagon on kbb it's worth alot more with all the work ive done/finally somewhat completed after a lengthy bunch of maintenance? and was about to get retuned for ewg/E85 to top it all off..
Any other options, experiences, recommendations(auto body shops..) you might have or be able to contribute I'd appreciate a ton sorry for the lengthy background just wanted to include all the details lol.. Thanks guys will add pics soon
Last edited by RAWeiss; 06-12-2014 at 12:31 AM.
06-12-2014, 01:08 AM
#2
I have no experience dealing with body shops or insurance companies.
That being said, I'm really sorry that you go involved in this cluster****. I'm sure folks will have some useful advice. Best of luck getting things sorted. I hope you can get it all fixed, and keep the car.
Pics of the damage?
That being said, I'm really sorry that you go involved in this cluster****. I'm sure folks will have some useful advice. Best of luck getting things sorted. I hope you can get it all fixed, and keep the car.
Pics of the damage?
06-12-2014, 06:23 AM
#4
Old School
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Howdy all, some of you know recently I was in an accident and my wagon took some gnarly rear end damage.. Basically got pit maneuvered at 80-90 mph on 280 by a madman.. managed to countersteer like life(and my cars) depended on it and saved the car from totally losing control and going into the center divide/dirt.. fishtailed like crazy and finally an e brake/360 stop.. Left some pretty sweet skid marks on the freeway
Anyway the ****er flipped and took out two other people(SL 550 and a 2012 fozzy) 300 feet up right before Magdalena exit on 280N, otherwise I took no damage and eventually with the help of CHP got my car to the side of the freeway and after a couple tries started up(stoked as hell) and eventually drove it home(the only car that drove away) called AAA and next day and took it to their recommendation shop a few days later and thought all was well
Bummer is now(the week it's supposed to be done on) I get a call from Akins auto in palo alto that its got more damage, $9k of it.. And they're gonna wait for the approval, or total loss call I'm assuming.. And I'll be pretty annoyed.. SO
I honestly want to take it back even if it is deemed totaled and just use whatever check they write me toward the repairs and live with the salvage title.. I'll plan to keep the car for as long as possible obviously, it still drove home great the night of the accident and orher than the damage to the rear bumper/hatch door is essentially fine
Do I go to a different shop to get another estimate? Will all my receipts(like 4-5k worth somewhat recently) help trying to prove my case that the car is in great shape otherwise? that even know my car is a 115k 05 wrx wagon on kbb it's worth alot more with all the work ive done/finally somewhat completed after a lengthy bunch of maintenance? and was about to get retuned for ewg/E85 to top it all off.. Any other options, experiences, recommendations(auto body shops..) you might have or be able to contribute I'd appreciate a ton sorry for the lengthy background just wanted to include all the details lol.. Thanks guys will add pics soon
Anyway the ****er flipped and took out two other people(SL 550 and a 2012 fozzy) 300 feet up right before Magdalena exit on 280N, otherwise I took no damage and eventually with the help of CHP got my car to the side of the freeway and after a couple tries started up(stoked as hell) and eventually drove it home(the only car that drove away) called AAA and next day and took it to their recommendation shop a few days later and thought all was well
Bummer is now(the week it's supposed to be done on) I get a call from Akins auto in palo alto that its got more damage, $9k of it.. And they're gonna wait for the approval, or total loss call I'm assuming.. And I'll be pretty annoyed.. SO
I honestly want to take it back even if it is deemed totaled and just use whatever check they write me toward the repairs and live with the salvage title.. I'll plan to keep the car for as long as possible obviously, it still drove home great the night of the accident and orher than the damage to the rear bumper/hatch door is essentially fine
Do I go to a different shop to get another estimate? Will all my receipts(like 4-5k worth somewhat recently) help trying to prove my case that the car is in great shape otherwise? that even know my car is a 115k 05 wrx wagon on kbb it's worth alot more with all the work ive done/finally somewhat completed after a lengthy bunch of maintenance? and was about to get retuned for ewg/E85 to top it all off..
Any other options, experiences, recommendations(auto body shops..) you might have or be able to contribute I'd appreciate a ton sorry for the lengthy background just wanted to include all the details lol.. Thanks guys will add pics soon
06-12-2014, 08:15 AM
#5
If in doubt, FLAT OUT
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Wow that sucks man. Glad you are OK.
It really depends on the damage. Damage to the chassis can be really expensive to repair, thus the high number most likely, and/or is pretty much impossible to make perfect again. If it is bad enough, I'd look for another car, and with a $9K price tag, I'd say they're telling you it probably shouldn't be fixed. Ask the shop their opinion on repairing.
Your receipts are KEY. I had all the receipts for the work on my civic si hatch when I got rear ended and they gave me 100% of those items back
It really depends on the damage. Damage to the chassis can be really expensive to repair, thus the high number most likely, and/or is pretty much impossible to make perfect again. If it is bad enough, I'd look for another car, and with a $9K price tag, I'd say they're telling you it probably shouldn't be fixed. Ask the shop their opinion on repairing.
Your receipts are KEY. I had all the receipts for the work on my civic si hatch when I got rear ended and they gave me 100% of those items back
06-12-2014, 11:39 AM
#7
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Thanks for the info/condolences guys I appreciate it
Fortunately I do have all the recipes from anything I did at RBMS/GST as well as my 105k ish and jdm 2.0 motor from Texas motors.. Basically at least $5k I've added up so far so hopefully that pans out well for me, and thanks Hide shot him a pm
Fortunately I do have all the recipes from anything I did at RBMS/GST as well as my 105k ish and jdm 2.0 motor from Texas motors.. Basically at least $5k I've added up so far so hopefully that pans out well for me, and thanks Hide shot him a pm
06-12-2014, 12:23 PM
#8
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Sorry to hear about this, and glad you're okay. I won't ever use the recommended body shops that Ins. co's recommend. You need to do more research and checking around. You are not obligated by your ins. co. to use their recommendations.
BodyShop_Questions_Pocket_Sized
BodyShop_Questions_Pocket_Sized
06-12-2014, 12:26 PM
#9
Check out cooks collision. They are a pretty big company I wonder how much they will charge... My parents took their cars there when they had slight damage from idiots on the road so they only replaced bumpers/parking sensors but give em a call...
Edit: its called cooks collision
Edit: its called cooks collision
Last edited by oshrizak; 06-12-2014 at 01:02 PM.
06-12-2014, 03:59 PM
#12
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FORTUNATELY I just talked to the shop/AAA and the shop manager said he was granted $11k+ for the repairs and the status was approved SO(fingers crossed..) hopefully I wont have to end up worrying about anything after all..
hopefully ill report back with pics of it all fixed up
06-12-2014, 04:20 PM
#14
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) but yeah apparently the rear pillar/side panels took some additional damage and that drove the price up obv, fortunately no real frame damage though according to the shop
06-12-2014, 05:00 PM
#15
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Is claim under your insurance (insured)or the other driver's insurance (claimant)? I'm a little unclear for the story. If you are the claimant, life is a lot easier. Basically it's the other driver's insurance's job to make sure you are happy and shield their client from liability. They don't want you suing their client for damages. The other good news is that you can bring your own insurance company into the mix and try to get them to pick up the slack.
If you are the insured, things get more difficult.
I can tell you almost 100% that your insurance does not care about your aftermarket receipts. Your insurance premiums are based on the value of the car... without any aftermarket stuff on it. The more valuable the car, the higher the premiums . You weren't paying those premiums, so you aren't entitled to the higher coverage levels. This is why I always recommend really customized cars get "agreed value" insurance policies...
If you are the insured, things get more difficult.
I can tell you almost 100% that your insurance does not care about your aftermarket receipts. Your insurance premiums are based on the value of the car... without any aftermarket stuff on it. The more valuable the car, the higher the premiums . You weren't paying those premiums, so you aren't entitled to the higher coverage levels. This is why I always recommend really customized cars get "agreed value" insurance policies...