marine1342

Hey CL, I'm new to this particular forum. Lots of good information here, did a quick search on things.

Unfortunately I have come here with some hard news. My brother (younger) managed to not pay attention while driving and rear ended someone. In my lexus....
Bit of information on this; the car is a 1994 Ls400 with 113,000 miles. Body is straight rides great, had minor hiccups (steering shimmy from lack of fluid, and the acceleration problem, both easy fixes) but ran like a beauty, best maintenance free vehicle I've ever dealt with.
He was leaving his school parking lot rear ended a Chrysler SUV going maybe 5 at most 10 mph. They had a hitch and with his last minute breaking he ended up driving the nose of the car underneath the Chrysler. The hood is pushed downwards into the radiator (hood is toast). The bumper is broken through and crushed (bumper done) left headlight is smashed (headlights done) and the radiator was punctured and pushed back on the left hand side (as you sit in the car, radiator done).

My parents had the car towed to a shop recommended to them by Geico (our insurance...). They took apart the front today to asses the damage and have the insurance adjuster make a verdict.

The part I'm having trouble with is that from my understanding on accidents and insurance, is that the mechanic gives you an estimate and the insurance company looks at it, adjusts it and then tells you "Ok we'll fix it" or "Sorry its a total loss, here's $100"

From talking to the insurance adjuster (who conveniently is stationed in the office of that body shop) he told me the mechanics would take the front end apart he would asses the damage and tell me if it was fixable or if it would be labeled as a total loss. He then said, judging by how old the car is more than likely it will be a total loss, which in that case we'll figure out the pricing for it and pay that to you.

He's supposed to give me a call tomorrow morning with all the information...

What bothers me was his attitude and the simple fact that you pay an insurance company so much money and then when you have an accident sure they pay to fix your car but in the cheapest way possible if not screw you over with the 'total loss' payment.

What are my options? Its a great car. I love the design, the reliability, the comfort, the luxury. I really don't want to lose this car, and if I have to I don't want it to be part of the 'its just another car that's been brought in' and end up getting low balled. I assume that everyone on this forum knows how dependable these cars are and how long they can last.
I'm sorry I don't have pictures, haven't had time to take my camera there to post them.

Much obliged for any and all help

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

sorry to hear about the accident, as long as your brother's fine all is well. people are more expensive and harder to repair...

now about the car, number one thing to know is to NEVER TAKE THEIR FIRST OFFER!

if they total the car, which given the amount of damage you've indicated is rather likely, especially if the core support was damaged, they will make you an offer based upon KBB, NADA, and ACTUAL selling prices of similar vehicles in your area. they have to give you enough (roughly) to buy the same year/make/model in similar condition. WHATEVER they give you, say it's not quite enough, and they'll come back with a second, higher offer. may need to do this a couple times.

if they do decide to fix it remember, you have the right (at least here in california) to have the insurance company fix it to your standard, at ANY body shop you wish to use. so, you could take the check (and make sure the prices on the estimate are CORRECT) and go to the shop across the street if their work is better/cheaper/faster/etc...

good luck!

marine1342

He's fine, luckily it was only at low speeds. He was shook up about it at the time (which is good, nothing like a bit of fright to make you learn things) but its a learning experience.

Here in Illinois (the s is silent btw), same rule applies as Cali. The policy holder can choose the place to get the car repaired and how (parts, oem etc).
Only downside is I personally haven't had enough time to look into pricing of parts. But hopefully they decide to fix it, then I'll look into shops.
Right now just gotta brace for the worse and how to fight it, them giving me a total loss.

Any specific sites that are recommended to look up pricing/selling LS400? I'll be trolling the sale section for my zip code online and NADA. Give me a better idea of things, but looking right now around $6500 to $7000.

Thanks. And I'll get some pictures and post it as soon as I can.

marine1342

Anyone else have any tips for dealing with insurance and their adjusters?

7schulz

Take it to a Lexus dealer and get it fixed, if they want to total it, do your home work and have the information from all the cars in a 3 state area with prices and mileage and tell them what you think it is worth so you can be made whole again. (that is what Ins is for) If nothing else find one with maintenance records and similar milage at a dealer and have the ins company buy it and make you whole again. Or take the money and do your own dealing

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

99% of dealerships outsource work so i dont see the benefit to taking it to them other than its almost a guaranteed total since they'll give you list price on parts.

Toyota_F1

iTrader: (1)

I was an insurance agent for GEICO for 7 years, and in all likelihood, the car is going to get totaled. Simple fact is that it's a numbers game. If the cost to repair the damage exceeds the value of the vehicle on the open market in the area then it's going to get totaled. And since vehicles (except in the rarest of occasions) get less valuable as time goes on, and the cost of work goes up due to the effect of inflation, it's very hard to escape that.

Most vehicles over 10 years old just aren't worth insuring with full coverage. Unless you have a lien against the vehicle you're better off pocketing the money you'd normally pay towards comprehensive and collision and sticking it in the bank, because it will wind up adding up to more than the cost of the car in the event it was totaled over the cost of a year.

Now, the adjusters are usually stationed at body shops, just makes it easier, there's nothing funny going on - you can take the car anywhere. Get a strong idea of the value of the vehicle between both the NADA website and the Kelley Blue Book website http://www.kbb.com.

If you do have the work done at a GEICO preferred shop they will guarantee the work for the life of the vehicle, so there is an upside to it. Just keep an even head and pay attention to the details and you'll be fine - they aren't out to get you, just to put you back in the same condition financially that you were in prior to the accident. Good luck with everything!

WALL OF TEXT GO!

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

With the amount of damage you described, there is no way he was going only 10 mph.

Speaking from years of auto body repair and experience, your car will be totaled. It's not the parts that will send it over, it's the amount of labor on the body work, paint blending (multiple panels on a Lexus, especially if its two-tone), and cost of that material that will send it over.

An insurance company will total it, you can offer to buy it back on the cheap, then take it to an independent shop that may be willing do the entire job for cheaper on a cash basis. This happens atypical, especially if you are confident on the history of the car and this was the only bad thing that happened.

marine1342

Well couldn't get any pictures, they took the car apart before I could get back.
Little bit of clarification on things, the guy that was in the shop was not the Geico price adjuster he was just the shop manager who reported to the Geico guy.
Took it all apart, looked at everything, and just like avalon42 said, the cost to repaint everything back to 'normal' was enough to put it over. So needless to say the car is being labeled as a total loss.
Cost to fix it was quoted at $5,300 and the amount that the car is worth is $5,700.
So that leaves me now with two new options:
-Take the $5.700 minus the 1k deductible as compensation for the car
-Take 5,700 minus the 1k deductible minus $600 salvage title and we keep the car

I called the junkyard and they offered $200 dollars for the car.

I'm going to appeal the amount, looked around and an LS with similar mileage, 93/94 they're going for about 6,500 average.

Toyota F1 (or anyone that might know Geico) What is the formality for this process? Do I have to submit new information (pricing of simliar LS400 from dealerships etc.)? Can I have a new price adjuster review my case? The current one that I have has been pretty rude towards the whole thing. I really just would like to know what options I have on this. Is there some sort of rule for this?

Sorry for all the questions all at once, and once again thanks

avalon42

iTrader: (1)

Whenever there is a dispute in the valuation of the vehicle, most insurance companies have a clause where it gets settled in arbitration through a third-party mediator/appraiser. Don't waste your time. I dragged out a long dispute with Mercury Insurance for 6 months, paid for my own independent appraiser (who did a kick-*** job), only to get shafted by the so-called "neutral" third-party. The idiot bent over backwards for the Mercury appraiser, whose research amounted to a handful of AutoTraders and Pennysaver ads. In the end, I got a higher valuation for my vehicle, which only ended up paying for the fees for my own independent appraiser. Even my appraiser was pissed, but said there was no way around it. It was done.

Coax as much extra as you can without getting to this step. Tell him to go half on the deductible amount (which he won't) or offer the car back salvage for at least $100 since the tow yard is offering only $200.

If they reject, take the cash amount, buy 4 donuts, sell as much parts off the car as you can before they come to tow it away. Be sure to have the check cashed before you start to part it out. Literally, you can sell everything off the car except the front driver seat, steering wheel, struts, and at least 4 wheels. Or buy it for parts, then do that, then do this:

Another thing to look into is how much a metal salvager will offer you for the vehicle. The price is usually not too bad when you mention there is a car around 4200 lbs.

If my girl ever bites the big one, these are the steps I plan to take. Good luck and hunting.

marine1342

Bah! Talked to the adjuster, the pricing that they gave me (5700) was already done by a third party. So he jumped to the final conclusion before anything else. I'll still try and fight it but its probably done by now.
On the take the cash and strip the car down part:
The car is at the mechanics place (collision center of America, for what its worth). So you're saying that I should take the cash as compensation for the car and give them the title. Then before the tow truck comes just start pulling pieces off? Wouldn't it be better to have the car at my place and do all this, for storage and time etc.
And the most important question: Is this legal to do?

amcdonal86

Doesn't sound legal to me...

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

call the insurance agency and demand they take your local market conditions into account

marine1342

Well its all done and over with. Thank you guys so much for your input and help.
Looked at their report and their reviews, pretty accurate, but they did raise it a bit more to 6k (minus the 1k deductible) gives me 5k to play around with easily. Add another 3k and I'm up to 8k.
Time to start searching........