Thanks everyone for useful suggestions on what to do with my car. Unfortunately, I'm not near Roanoke (which I think is close to God's country) but am stationed in No. VA near DC (about as far from God's country as you can get).
The dealership found all pieces for the car but for the A/C manifold, which when I repaired my '81 A/C a couple years ago, the indy shop said a replacement on that was $1,000 if you can find one. I'm betting if a MB dealer can't find one for the '91, I won't either and can't imagine the price. Too bad the deer was on the left instead of the right.
I bought a '08 E320 as a replacement. MBUSA is giving money away @ 1.74% 100% financing. My initial impression is -- WOW -- what power the modern diesels have! On the downside, it just doesn't have that forged-from-a-single-chunk-of-Sindelfingen-steel feel that the old W126 had.
Oh, and just to be clear regarding the note below, I'm not "upset that I'm being ripped off" by GEICO. I'm just trying to establish FMV on a rare car, since MB only imported about 1200 of them. I found a '91 350SD that SOLD on e-bay for $7k, and it had two accidents on the records. $4.2K my eye.
Today, though, I might rethink my not griping. GEICO's quote for collision coverage for the '08 E is less than double the '91 S, but the former's FMV is 10 times the value they put on the old girl. Nahh, I don't feel ripped off, I just made a bad bargain.
MKJ
--- In diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com, Lawrence Rhodes <primobassoon@...> wrote:
>
> 1a. Re: Fair market value for an old diesel
> Posted by: "Chas" chasgould@... chasgould
> Date: Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:11 am ((PST))
>
> With all due respect, although frustrating, this is not "another example of an
> insurer trying to rip off a customer". Rather, the customer has chosen to
> insure his vehicle only for fair market value as a used car, and not for an
> agreed value or a collector car value. As a result, the insurance premiums were
> based on this lower value risk to the insurer, and the customer never
> complained when the premiums were lower.
>
> Now that he has a valid claim, he is upset that the insurer is ripping HIM
> off. If he chose to purchase "agreed value" or collector car insurance, the
> actual cash value would have been established before the contract was signed,
> and before any premiums were charged, and the insurer would have based the
> premiums on the increased risk of the higher agreed value.
>
> The ironic thing here, is that specialty car insurers who write agreed value or
> collector policies, also recognize that collectors drive very few miles and
> take exceptional care of their cars. As a result, these specialty policies are
> usually considerably cheaper than conventional fair market value policies, and
> this should be a lesson to all of us on this list.
> Having said all of that, he now needs to embark on a research mission to find
> all favorable values for his car, including NADA and Kelly Blue Book (KBB) and
> Edmonds and Auto Trader. But, he needs to look at the collector car values on
> these sites and not just the used car values. He should also track the auction
> results ofr Basrret Jackson, and all of the other investment car auction sites.
>
> He also needs to tell the company that if they can find him a similar
> condition car for 4K, he will accept that amount. Otherwise, they need to pony
> up a more fair value for a replacement ride.
>
> The insurer has programs to show several vehicles for sale at lower values and
> will produce this as evidence. I have requested the copy of this report, and
> have actually called each of the sellers and dealers and found that the values
> are often either false, very old sales, or blatent fabrications. Often the
> dealer admits that the transmission had a noise and that the car was wholesaled
> for the low price.
>
> A diligent search, and advocating on your own behalf will increase the offer
> substantially, but he won't get to the maximaum values. If he is not up to the
> task, he should hire an attorney or professional adjuster who is familiar with
> collector car values. Then he should buy proper "agreed value" insurance for
> future losses.
> Chas
>
> --- In Arcane_autos@yahoogroups.com, Lawrence Rhodes <primobassoon@> wrote:
> >
> > Below is another sad story and an insurance company trying to rip off a
> > customer. Any advice helpful. Not my car. Owners email below or I will
> > forward. Lawrence Rhodes......
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > 1a. Fair market value for an old diesel
> > > Posted by: "mahatmakanejeeves" mahatmakanejeeves@
> > >mahatmakanejeeves
> > > Date: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:17 am ((PST))
> > >
> > > Dear all:
> > >
> > > My insurance company determined my 1991 350SD is totalled following an
> > >encounter with a deer. Body damage is limited to the hood, grill, and
> >driver's
> >
> > >side headlight. Airbags are intact. All the assorted heat exchangers were
> > >damaged, which is the big cost to repair. As for the deer, well she didn't
> > >suffer after the 60 mph impact.
> > >
> > > The Virginia dealership I towed it to estimates $12K to repair. GEICO says
>
> > >its market value is $4.2K. That seems like a lowball figure to me. The NADA
> >
> > >website says an "outstanding" example is worth $11K. Mine is a two-owner car
>
> > >with 100% books and records. No deferred maintenance and no amateurs worked
> >on
> >
> > >the car. Paint & interior 100%. I verified from dealer records the PO had
> >the
> >
> > >"excessive oil consumption" repair on the 350 motor and confirmed it with a
> > >compression test at purchase 11 years ago. Mileage at time of accident was
> > >201K. I think it easily falls in the outstanding category.
> > >
> > > Anyway, to get to the point, can folks give me pointers on how to better
> > >establish FMV on a rare car with an insurance company? When I get to missing
> >my
> >
> > >SD, I have to remind myself it's an inanimate object.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > MKJ
> >
>
> These are from the Arcane car list
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Messages in this topic (3)
> __________________________________________________________
> 1b. Re: Fair market value for an old diesel
> Posted by: "Roger Vise" Europutt@...
> Date: Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:06 am ((PST))
>
>
> My wife had a wreck in a simalar set of standards.
> As I under stand it. The only way to get what a car like yours valued at true
> replacement cost .
> It must have had an agreed upon value policy before it was involved in the
> crash.
> Other wise it is just an old MBZ with over 200,000 miles.
> We live in a country that still rates cars on a 100,000 mile depration
> secdule. Once past that number no matter how old the car is it is valued at
> half the top book rate and goes down from that for other considerations.
> We got $1500 for a car that cost more than $6000 to come close to replacement.
> The car had less that 110,000 on it. It was a `95 Caprice LTZ . Like a loaded
> SS with a bench seat. The SS would have paid over $5000 for the same year.
> Roger
> LLCa
>
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