Please Need Help Proving to Insurance that my e30 is not wrecked at $2300 damage

[baaaaaaa]

So my e30 got backed into last week and damage was estimated at $2300 damage. I have a 1991 325i with 117k that is in seriously mint condition original condition. Everything clean as a whistle. I need some examples of cars thats are for sale or sold to prove to insurance the value of my bimmer!!

[chadthestampede]

Stock with 117k? I'd say you're going to have a hard time proving it's not totaled.

[whodwho]

Just went thru this last year, a 91 with 135k and side swiped and about $2600 damage and they tried to total it out at low 2k. You need to just keep on them, tell them when all is said and done(repaired or replaced) you need a car sitting in your driveway in at least the condition as to what was sitting there before it got hit.

Make sure they go over all the options the car came with, and if you have receipts for any recent repairs.

Tell them book value is fine for a reference but the street drives the price and you can't buy a car out of the book.

I went to auto trader and put in a search of 85-91 any distance and at the bottom it will show lowest - highest and average and the average should be at least what they go off of since yours is newer and less miles then the average, I told the agent to do the same.

Currently showing - not many to choose from but shows what is available for you to try and replace what you have...

Range of prices within this search:
Highest Price: $3,995
Lowest Price: $1,695
Average Price: $2,821

If it comes down to it tell them to find you a replacement that is equivalent. And don't be shy about getting your insurance involved(they should already know) to help.

[KenC]

Get another estimate.

Usually they total it if damage>50% of the value.

$4600 is going to be the upper range of your car.

Really the only thing to do is scour CL in your area for examples.

[reelizmpro]

Pics of damage? $2300 sounds like a lot of money for just getting backed into.

[fronton]

I got the exact same settlement for my 89 iX with 106k on it. It was "totaled" at that amount. I was pissed but ended up getting it all perfectly repaired for $1,000 and spending the rest on other parts. Make sure they don't total it out and just pay you $100 less than total value would be. You need to keep it and repair it for the much money unless there is engine damage.

[whterice]

I had got hail damage last summer on my 90 325i 163k and total damage from hail was just over 2800$. They wanted to write my car off so I went and got it appraised. When going in to meet with my adjuster I gave them my appraisal sheet for my car which was appraised at just over 10k. They decided to fix it instead of paying me out :)

[Ninety Two]

What part of the car was hit? Because I was able to get the cost of repair down on mine significantly (from $4,600 to $3,400) by finding the parts myself for much less than the shop wanted to buy them. It saved my car from being totaled and everything looks just as it should.

[BlackSpeed66]

Usually they total it if damage>50% of the value.

Um. Not exactly true. Each state has its own total loss & titling guidelines that insurance companies have to follow. It's a pain in the ass since they're not all the same. I worked in the salvage department for an insurance company for three years. Now I write estimates. Looks like the OP is from Chicagoland.... I don't know what Illinois has in place for salvage guidelines. Best bet is to get AutoTrader & CL comps from cars in your immediate area of the exact same year/make/model. The higher values are for cars in showroom condition which will be difficult to prove in your case (or any of our cases). If they total it and you decide to keep it, they will subtract the salvage value from the settlement which will (fortunately) be minimal. Best of luck!

[baaaaaaa]

I'll try and work it out with insurance and get things strait. I am not too worried about it because it was my friend and she said she would make it perfect regaurdless of insurance. Thanks for the help.

[E30is90]

The same thing happened to me last year. Some dumbass broad cut across two lanes from the right, slamming on her brakes to make a U-turn at the emergency vehicle separator on a 65 mile per hour parkway (giant posted No U-turns signs). Had no idea she was attempting to come to a complete stop in the left lane of a 3-lane parkway to make a U-turn. She stopped completely, I didn't. I called the police, she admitted to attempting to make a U-turn.

A week later her insurance company came by to appraise my 1990 325is. They valued it at $2,100 and said that the cost of repair would exceed the car's value. I showed them receipts/bills of recent repairs and additions of some $3,500. They added an extra $200. Fuckers.

Then they said that they were not done examining the liability of their insured driver. A week later they came back with an offer of 50% liability for half of the appraisal value. They sent me a check for $1,150. I said I will see you in small claims court. Went down to my local small claims court filed the paperwork, got a court date.

Got three estimates from certified autobody shops. Printed up before and after pics of my car. Made copies of all receipts of work and new parts added/replaced on the car. Added the cost of the work I had done to the TMV of the car and waited for my court date. Presented my materials, expressed that the car was considered a classic, showed the three estimates to repair.

Insurance lawyer tried to argue that his client wasn't attempting to make a U-turn. I showed accident report, photos of the scene and an account of what had happened. The arbitrator would not allow any statements that the defendant had told me at the time of accident do to hearsay and wouldn't even accept the accident report indication of the illegal U-turn, since the cop wasn't a witness. But, my explanation sure seemed more plausible than her account.

10-days later I get a decision in the mail awarding me $4,350 for complete repair. A week later a check from the broad's insurance company arrives. Did most of the repairs myself for $3,600 including an autobody painting, driving today with a smile on my face.

GO TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. Fuck the insurance company's appraisal. You'll get the whole repair paid for, if you can prove the car is worth more than the repair cost and it wasn't your fault (as long as it's less than $5,000).

Good luck,
Adam

[Evan12]

The same thing happened to me last year. Some dumbass broad cut across two lanes from the right, slamming on her brakes to make a U-turn at the emergency vehicle separator on a 65 mile per hour parkway (giant posted No U-turns signs). Had no idea she was attempting to come to a complete stop in the left lane of a 3-lane parkway to make a U-turn. She stopped completely, I didn't. I called the police, she admitted to attempting to make a U-turn.

A week later her insurance company came by to appraise my 1990 325is. They valued it at $2,100 and said that the cost of repair would exceed the car's value. I showed them receipts/bills of recent repairs and additions of some $3,500. They added an extra $200. Fuckers.

Then they said that they were not done examining the liability of their insured driver. A week later they came back with an offer of 50% liability for half of the appraisal value. They sent me a check for $1,150. I said I will see you in small claims court. Went down to my local small claims court filed the paperwork, got a court date.

Got three estimates from certified autobody shops. Printed up before and after pics of my car. Made copies of all receipts of work and new parts added/replaced on the car. Added the cost of the work I had done to the TMV of the car and waited for my court date. Presented my materials, expressed that the car was considered a classic, showed the three estimates to repair.

Insurance lawyer tried to argue that his client wasn't attempting to make a U-turn. I showed accident report, photos of the scene and an account of what had happened. The arbitrator would not allow any statements that the defendant had told me at the time of accident do to hearsay and wouldn't even accept the accident report indication of the illegal U-turn, since the cop wasn't a witness. But, my explanation sure seemed more plausible than her account.

10-days later I get a decision in the mail awarding me $4,350 for complete repair. A week later a check from the broad's insurance company arrives. Did most of the repairs myself for $3,600 including an autobody painting, driving today with a smile on my face.

GO TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. Fuck the insurance company's appraisal. You'll get the whole repair paid for, if you can prove the car is worth more than the repair cost and it wasn't your fault (as long as it's less than $5,000).

Good luck,
Adam

Fuck yea dude. +1 they just don't want to pay out. I say get appraisal and stuff. If they still deny it, stick it to them.

[mightywhitey]

They are gonna bone you.

[Thedude00]

They go off of kelly blue book. Thats where they got that number. Your car on KB says is worth 2100

[whodwho]

They go off of kelly blue book. Thats where they got that number. Your car on KB says is worth 2100

That's what they will try for, it's a game and not a fun one.

In the end they need to put a repaired or replaced car sitting in your driveway in the same or better condition that is the whole purpose. As long as you don't agree to settle and definitely don't cash any checks until you are content it can/will go on for a while.

I didn't want to transfer all my parts to a new car and the damage was minimal to my shell, I just kept telling them "all I want is just to have my car fixed" they kept coming back with counter offers until it matched the estimate, it went on for months.

It's not like we are talking thousands of dollars here, were only talking a few hundred dollars they will fix it if you are persistent.