So, guess I don’t have to wash my wife’s car this weekend

[Dave Ambrose]

On 2/24/2023 at 9:52 AM, CabDriver said:

Oh, I'm absolutely waiting to hear that he'll find a way to blame my wife somehow and have his insurance company play hardball...I made a specific point of getting contact details for both of the officers on the scene and written confirmation from them that they considered him to be 100% at fault, with no blame attributable to my wife.

I had someone rear end me at a stop sign a few years back...I was waiting my turn, and a guy was texting and failed to see me, OR the stop sign, or the 4-lane highway he would've blown onto, blind, if he hadn't met the back of my little Yaris that I had at the time.

Cops estimated he was probably going 50 or so, he didn't even attempt to brake...he told his insurance company after the event that I "rolled back into him" and hit HIM.  I did a good job of it too - totaled both our cars and smashed his windshield from the inside when his iPhone flew out of his hand and hit it ? 

Being honest and honorable seems increasingly be a lost personality trait...

The insurance adjusters are going to see right through that. That kid is going to get a huge education. Maybe even starting with, "we aren't going to insure you anymore."

Important thing is that your wife is okay. 

[MeatMan]

Just seeing this post. Glad your wife didn't get hurt.

My wife and I got rear-ended by a young man this past summer and it took a month just to get the parts because they couldn't find aftermarket parts and we got factory stuff, then another couple of weeks to get it fixed. Our insurance company (Nationwide) was great. Covered most everything but we had rental coverage only for a sedan so the kid's insurance company (Liberty) made us whole in the end.

I think they would have totaled it but because the cost of used cars was super crazy then, because in the end it was over $3K repair on a 2018 Nissan Rouge with 70K on the odometer.

[Mopar2]

Sorry this happened to your and you...There is alot of dishonest people out there.You are definitely doing the right thing.Keeping tabs on everything...Now a days you have to...

[OldNYJim]

Thanks fellas!

Four weeks in, and the local police only just wrote the report on the accident, so not a thing has happened. Turns out the guy who hit us is also with Allstate…they called my wife and offered her a rental car for THREE DAYS.  Not sure what use that is - need to follow up on why only three days (my wife somehow didn’t think that was unusual ?)

Side note - the local tow company where the car sits now apparently charges $120 a day for storage…they’re going to be the real winners in this whole deal…

Anyone here have access to Kelly Blue Book pricing and cad valuations?  I’m curious as to what they’ll offer as a payout so I can start finding her something else…

[espo]

12 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Thanks fellas!

Four weeks in, and the local police only just wrote the report on the accident, so not a thing has happened. Turns out the guy who hit us is also with Allstate…they called my wife and offered her a rental car for THREE DAYS.  Not sure what use that is - need to follow up on why only three days (my wife somehow didn’t think that was unusual ?)

Side note - the local tow company where the car sits now apparently charges $120 a day for storage…they’re going to be the real winners in this whole deal…

Anyone here have access to Kelly Blue Book pricing and cad valuations?  I’m curious as to what they’ll offer as a payout so I can start finding her something else…

You can Google KBB and they offer information online. 

[ChrisBcritter]

Try Carfax as well ("What's my car worth?") - good to have a second opinion.

[OldNYJim]

Super helpful - thanks fellas!  Turns out it's worth more than I realized! 

Of course, that's not to say the insurance company will offer us what it's WORTH, but its good to have done some homework...

[espo]

5 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Super helpful - thanks fellas!  Turns out it's worth more than I realized! 

Of course, that's not to say the insurance company will offer us what it's WORTH, but its good to have done some homework...

They should pay you what it would cost to buy the same vehicle in the same condition as your car was before the accident. 

[OldNYJim]

On 3/16/2023 at 1:22 PM, espo said:

They should pay you what it would cost to buy the same vehicle in the same condition as your car was before the accident. 

And, finally, in a happy ending to this story…they actually gave us MORE than the blue book suggested, no arguments.  

Paid $2k, did $2k of maintenance the first year we had it (it had been semi-poorly maintained and had some of the bigger service items due, but the body was in great shape which is rare in this part of the country apparently), drove it for 3 years and 40,000 miles…and walked away with $6k, just under.

Now to find something as good as that little Civic was…ideally without having to commit to a car payment every month…

[OldNYJim]

Of course, my wife has been driving $30k’s worth of loaner vehicle for a couple of weeks now which makes finding something acceptable as a replacement for THAT much tougher…

Would’ve been easier if she had to take the bus everywhere for the last two weeks like we did in NY for years ??

[Ace-Garageguy]

Good hunting. I'd respectfully suggest you try to find something with a timing chain as opposed to a belt.

Well maintained chains will go 300k miles or more, while most belts need to be changed around 100k...and I've bought a couple cars that claimed the belt had been replaced, only to have it strip a few weeks later.

EDIT: And if it's an "interference" engine, a failed timing belt will absolutely positively bend at least one valve, which requires removal of the cylinder head to replace. Not cheap.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[OldNYJim]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:20 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Good hunting. I'd respectfully suggest you try to find something with a timing chain as opposed to a belt.

Well maintained chains will go 300k miles or more, while most belts need to be changed around 100k...and I've bought a couple cars that claimed the belt had been replaced, only to have it strip a few weeks later.

EDIT: And if it's an "interference" engine, a failed timing belt will absolutely positively bend at least one valve, which requires removal of the cylinder head to replace. Not cheap.

Great tip, thanks Bill!

I’ll add that to my wife’s requests of “must have a heated steering wheel” and “must have a backup camera” and “must not be an old cop car” to aid in my search for something new for her. ?. 

[peteski]

I think in USA every passenger vehicle (car, SUV) made in the last 10 years has a backup camera.  I think it is a federally mandated equipment.

[OldNYJim]

4 hours ago, peteski said:

I think in USA every passenger vehicle (car, SUV) made in the last 10 years has a backup camera.  I think it is a federally mandated equipment.

Interesting!  I haven’t owned a new enough car ever, apparently ?

[peteski]

Actually is is not as long ago as I thought (although backup cameras have been getting installed in many cars even before being mandated by law).  Looks like they were mandated since 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup_camera

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, peteski said:

I think in USA every passenger vehicle (car, SUV) made in the last 10 years has a backup camera.  I think it is a federally mandated equipment.

 

7 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

Interesting!  I haven’t owned a new enough car ever, apparently ?

The reg came into effect in May of 2018.