318is totaled - insurance won't acknowledge added value of modifications

[Ziggens96]

As per the title, my 118,000 mile 318is has been totaled and (the other party's) insurance company won't offer a fair price for the car. I have been trying to explain that the numerous upgrades to the car make it more desirable to a potential buyer, but to no avail...they are taking the position that the opposite is true (modifications decrease the value to the average buyer). The "average car buyer" isn't looking at 20 year old BMWs in the first place, making their argument irrelevant. They also do not acknowledge that there is a "niche" enthusiast market for these cars, one in which upgrades such as those added to my car add significant resale value. Please share your thoughts on this matter.

as an E30 enthusiast (you are a member on this forum), would you pay more for a 318is with these items than a stock one?

-15" Euroweaves shod with BFG G-Force Sports
-European ellipsoids with Osram Silverstar H1 bulbs
-European grilles
-European rear license plate filler
-European bumper trim all around, new rear center panel replaced simultaneously
-MHW smoked front turn signals
-H&R OE Sport springs, Bilstein Sport shocks
-Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts
-Treehouse Racing control arm bushings
-Enhanced Automotive Technology (MarkD) 93 octane chip
-Signature Motoring intake kit w/ heat shield
-UUC Evo3 short shift kit
-UUC clutch stop
-Momo Montecarlo steering wheel, hub extender
-UUC RK3 shift knob
-UUC slotted brake rotors, Hawk HPS pads
-UUC stainless steel brake lines w/ ATE racing fluid
-factory security system w/ keyless entry
-factory-optioned 4.10 LSD
-Nakamichi CD-400 head unit
-MB Quart front component speakers, tweeters mounted in factory pods
-JL 500/1 mono amp, Alpine 2-channel amp, Kicker 10" L7

Assume you are buying this car: which of these items add the most value to the car? Thanks for your time.


EDIT: My own insurance company has nothing to do with this, as the other party's insurance company has accepted liability. I am keeping the totaled car so I can keep my parts.
Don't shit on this thread, I'm going to attempt to show it to the insurance prick! (I'm going to delete this section if I show it to insurance.)

[KenC]

Get a lawyer.

[Cabriolet]

sounds like about a $5k car. what did they offer you?

[Streichholzschächtelchen]

nakamichi. Keepin' it classy.

[Ziggens96]

sounds like about a $5k car. what did they offer you?

Thanks for the reply. They offered $3160 (-$450 salvage cost, because I am keeping the car - so $2700ish).

[Eecen]

-118k miles
-15" Euroweaves shod with BFG G-Force Sports
-European ellipsoids with Osram Silverstar H1 bulbs
-European grilles
-European rear license plate filler
-European bumper trim all around
-Bilstein Sport shocks
-Treehouse Racing control arm bushings
-Enhanced Automotive Technology (MarkD) 93 octane chip
-Signature Motoring intake kit w/ heat shield
-UUC Evo3 short shift kit
-UUC clutch stop
-Momo Montecarlo steering wheel, hub extender
-UUC RK3 shift knob
-UUC slotted brake rotors, Hawk HPS pads
-UUC stainless steel brake lines

Those are all fairly pricey, on top of a good shell. What did the car look like before being written off?

[ZM Blue Devil]

you should hire an appraiser, thats who is on their side.

[mark_i]

dude, insurance only ever works if you have in writing from the insurer that states an agreed value in the case of a write off. the mods and what you think they are worth doesn't come into it, that why I dont do insurance, just third party, fire and theft.

[Eric]

It sounds like nice parts you have, unfortunately modding a car never gives you a return :(


The insurance game is to get the lowest dollar possible on a payout. It's a world where the bartering system still works, unfortunately they usually win without a fight. These guys do it all day long and get good at it, while you might have to deal with them once or twice in your life.

Now is your chance to counter with a higher offer, but don't come unprepared. Hire an independent adjuster to appraise your car, find the selling price of other cars in the same condition, and possibly have some magazine articles about 318is's. Bimmer magazine's used car guide might be helpful as well.

[M5W]

Untrue for the mods not paying off. When my M5 got written off, I had receipts for everything I had done in the past year or 2, they allow to you go back some. For any work you had done fax in your receipts showing the value of the car was not that of an average e30, and also search autotrader for any 318is in the states and show them the going value. I did this with my M5 and the payout went from 7500 to 16,000 (I had receipts for over $17,000 in one year thou ). You have to clarify what was maintance. They don't pay out for performance mods, but they will pay out on maintance. You have to show that the items you bought (suspension, bodywork, brakes, etc) were for maintance reasons, and they should play ball with those items. The MarkD chip wont get you anything, or most of the non stock stuff inside. You have to display your performance mods as "maintance".

[FredK]

Find for sale ads of similar mint condition cars.

[Ziggens96]

Those are all fairly pricey, on top of a good shell. What did the car look like before being written off?

it is Fielding's old car, so it has some hail damage to the body. Not noticeable from 10ft away. Other than that it's in amazing shape. Interior is absolutely mint.

dude, insurance only ever works if you have in writing from the insurer that states an agreed value in the case of a write off. the mods and what you think they are worth doesn't come into it, that why I dont do insurance, just third party, fire and theft.

I am not dealing with my own insurance company here. The other party's insurance company took liability, therefore that is whom I am dealing with and what you have said does not apply.

[CleanAzzE30z]

Get used to it, Bro Di Maggio. In everyones eyes, we drive obsolete piles o' shit. They laugh at us for even modifying these cars.


Mariano

[e30slidewayz]

I had a somewhat similiar experience... I was visiting home in Spartanburg, SC one weekend and ended up breaking a rocker arm. I left my car to get worked on by my cuz who works at BMW because I had to be back at school the next day. So I drove my land rover back home to Charleston. My cuz finished my car up mid-week and the plan was to meet my mother half way in Columbia the following weekend. I get a call when we're both approximately 5 mins outside of Colmbia; she was cut off and rear ended a fucking minivan from Kentucky. Bastards lied about the whole incident once the cop came. A few weeks and a failed insurance battle later... my insurance is having to cover the damages. They wanted to total it... but I produced paperwork and receipts on for every part on the car. They then agreed to cover the repair costs. I had a friend of the family do it on the cheap, pocketed the rest. So, if you have paperwork for everything installed and have proof of what it costs... you may have something to work with. All in all... it's still a shitty situation. Sorry dude.

[2002maniac]

I had the same problem when my black 318is got rear-ended. I ended up printing off a bunch of FS ads for low mileage cars on Autotrader. I also provided a spreadsheet of modifications. The initial offer was $1200 or something and I ended up getting $5k and I kept the car to part out.

Good luck and don't budge!