There are two points of attack if you really want to keep the car. You have to lower the estimated cost of the repair and raise the estimated value of the car. Resign yourself to a repair by a lower cost body shop using used parts or aftermarket items. After all the parts on your car were used. The dealer, I'm sure used all new MBNA items. I had a similar case with an '82 300D. The insurance company used their estimators cost of repair to total the car. I luckily had an estimate based on used and aftermarket parts that was significantly lower. I also pushed the Insurance company on their value estimate. They admitted that they would take the average of three valuations as an alternative to their valuation. I collected that and arrived at a valuation above the repair estimate that I had. It took some arguing, and it went up the line from the person who made the original decision, but I got the money.
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
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