Anyone want to guess what this would cost to repair?

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    This is an academic exercise with a punch-line. I am not taking bids.

    You can see what happened to the left rear corner. I was taking the picture to show off my clear and red tape skils on the shattered tail light, so you don't see the mild crease between the top of the rear wheel-wheel and the corner. You also can't see whatever is going on underneath....but just spit ball it.

    Background. My wife was between dropping off my daughter at piano lessons and taking my son to band practice. She was sitting at an intersection where the road she was on meets a highway (country divided highway, not limited access) at about a 75 degree angle. A teen-aged girl decided that the stop sign was for other people, despite the fact that one of those other people was stopped in a large, easily seen, white minivan in front of her. She, in her older Trailblazer, ran into the van, causing my wife to strike her head on the side window (she was leaned forward, looking left for an opportunity to enter the highway) and sustaining a mild concussion.

    So, for this little fender bender- what do you think it would cost to repair?

    Van.jpg
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    Year of van would help , but I say $4200

    2012.

    That's what happens when you wave around your "I'm a lawyer" badge...


    Funny thing is, I never did. I find that unless going all ESQ on people is absolutely necessary, it gets in the way. People start getting nervous and nothing gets done without going to their manager's manager. Therefore, I let my wife handle most of the contact with them. If I would have gotten the sense that a screwing was on the horizon, I would have jumped in, but that was not necessary.
     

    T.Lex

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Mar 30, 2011
    25,859
    113
    For fixing the bumper, rear door, and probably quarter panel, I'd say the $5k is probably conservative.

    For fixing the lifetime of, "One time, at band camp..." stories from your kids.... priceless.

    ;)
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    Here's the punch line- The estimate was $8,800. Indiana being a 70% ACV state, the van was totaled.

    Anticipating this, I went though Cars.com, Autotrader.com and Autotempest.com and came up with 26 comparable vans within 150 miles. I came up with what a price I thought was fair for the actual cash value for the equipment (everything) and the miles (high) and prepared to go to war. Then Geico went and offered me pretty much exactly what I had determined was the ACV. No war.

    We will be picking up our new used 2018 Pacifica tomorrow. This thing has equipment that I barely knew existed...but is pretty cool. All this stuff to keep you from having an accident...but nothing to keep teen-aged drivers from running into you from behind.
     

    Expat

    Pdub
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Feb 27, 2010
    108,752
    113
    Michiana
    Glad there isn't a battle on liability or value. Those are never good.Some carriers seem to think you are 20-30% at fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They know that collection expense will be more than you are losing by accepting their low ball offer.
     

    CHCRandy

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Feb 16, 2013
    3,699
    113
    Hendricks County
    I have been nothing but impressed with Geico since my switch from my lifetime insurer Allstate. We had a car stolen recently and they offered me more after $500 deductible than we paid for the car and then included the sales tax we paid on car. I was expecting a haggle....but all in all, for an insurance company....first claim ever, it was painless.
     

    femurphy77

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Mar 5, 2009
    20,268
    113
    S.E. of disorder
    I was going to call it a total guesstimating the year but I see you already spilled the beans. Oh and as far as "large white easily seen" that only applies when the driver of the offending vehicle is "driving".
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    Totaled.

    Lift-gate, rear bumper, tail lamp assembly, and left-rear quarter for sure. Can't tell if the rear hatch opening is now out of square, or still within the adjustment range for the hatch. Can't tell if the quarter panel was pushed forward to interfere with the door slider mechanism. No idea if anything structural was impacted behind that bumper. It doesn't take much for these unibody cars to need a ton of repair work to be "right" again.

    I'd be in the $4-6K range easily.
     
    Top Bottom