So... my e30 got t-boned last week.

[2002maniac]

I recently went through almost the exact same thing (rear-ended). Write up a spreadsheet detailing the cost of the modifications (whether you have receipts or not) and estimated labor cost for installation. Give a copy to the guy that comes to look at the car and tell him how much money it will take to make you whole. Don't give in and definately threaten to sue them in small claims court if you have not reached a settlement within a month. My mod list was over $6500 without labor and I ended up with $5k for my 318is and got to keep the car. Good luck!

[Dave]

dibs on the MHW tails

[Brew]

I recently went through almost the exact same thing (rear-ended). Write up a spreadsheet detailing the cost of the modifications (whether you have receipts or not) and estimated labor cost for installation. Give a copy to the guy that comes to look at the car and tell him how much money it will take to make you whole. Don't give in and definately threaten to sue them in small claims court if you have not reached a settlement within a month. My mod list was over $6500 without labor and I ended up with $5k for my 318is and got to keep the car. Good luck!

Just did this. Not including any maintenance, wheels, tires, or factory replacement parts, which is easily another $2k in the last 2 years, I'm at $13,624 without labor. Labor would be at least 100 hours @ $80/hour, or $8000.

Heard the message from the adjuster when I got home tonight.
He's calling it a total loss and offering $2100.

I have a feeling I'm going to be on the phone a lot this week.

[dude8383]

Just did this. Not including any maintenance, wheels, tires, or factory replacement parts, which is easily another $2k in the last 2 years, I'm at $13,624 without labor. Labor would be at least 100 hours @ $80/hour, or $8000.

Heard the message from the adjuster when I got home tonight.
He's calling it a total loss and offering $2100.

I have a feeling I'm going to be on the phone a lot this week.

heh, if thats what it takes to get proper value!

thats bullshit...i hope you can recoup most of the money spent.

[wastedincome]

Hang in there Brew you've gone through too much to make your car what its is.... BTW I just realized that we're at "OG" status, after all these years, LMFAO

[2002maniac]

do you know an attorney? You'd be surprised what a letterhead can get you...

[Rockinlittle325i]

GET A LAWYER!!!! NOW, no I mean as your reading this
I was rear ended by a yukon, the force of the impact sent the motor through the radiator,
I had a $1400 leather job (by me), rebuilt motor, and a few other goodies
the douche that quoted me actually laughed at me for "putting $1400 in a 20 year old car"
yes I wanted to kill him
he tried to get me to sign off for 1482, and after a long fight I got 2300ish, I bought the car for 2850

Good luck with the fight, and remember you will have pain a suffering money to play with down the road

[xLibelle]

reading this stuff brings back sick feelings

[Huff]

I was just rear-ended last week.. Some uni-body damage and a sprained wrist. I'm curious how it's going to unfold myself.

[scabzzzz]

My car got fucked up too a couple weeks ago. Euro bumpers fuckt.

Sorry to hear Brew.

You know what to do. And yes, someone that said a letterheard gets you a long way, IT REALLY DOES. Any time I ever have something serious to do, I have a friends dad who has a law firm write me up an official letter stating whatever and shit always goes so much smoother. Dont let them screw you out of what is yours. Tell them to keep in mind, you dont wanna make money off of them, you just want your car to be fixed back to the condition it was in before that jackoff hit you!

[Brew]

Update.

Hopefully you guys can learn from this and GET YOUR CARS APPRAISED.
The insurance company added $900 to the value of the car after I gave them a stack of receipts totalling over $11k. They said most of the modifications were "personal preference" and would not add value to the car. They also a deducted a total of about $600 from the value due to missing airbag (replaced with Momo wheel), missing ebrake handle trim, and missing back seat (roll bar).

I talked it over with some friends of the family who are insurance lawyers and with a friend who owns an insurance agency in MA and all thought that I would be wasting my time trying to get more money out of them. Progressive uses Audatex market search which found 36 other 1991 318is' for sale or sold recently and based my car's value on that, and there is really no way for me to prove what a car as modified as mine is worth.

So, they ended up totaling the car, I got a check for $2700 and the car is now in the shop being repaired and painted. Estimate on that is $5800.

So get your cars appraised people and trust no one (especially black Subaru WRX's in Belmont!)

[mach schnell]

Wow. Very sad.

But at least the car is repairable.

HOWEVER, do yourself a favor and be VERY sure that they repair the rocker properly. Otherwise it'll rot out very quickly.

Good luck.

[2002maniac]

No way dude! How could you have settled for that? I think you definately could have done better in court. I'm glad you got something though. Good luck getting it back to normal.

[Brew]

No way dude! How could you have settled for that? I think you definately could have done better in court. I'm glad you got something though. Good luck getting it back to normal.

Maybe the laws are different in your state. Believe me, I tried the best I could and consulted with quite a few people. It totally sucks, but that's life and hopefully others can learn from it.

On a positive note, the car is going to look 10x better than it ever did when I get it back.