Tom Geiger Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) After a salesperson telling you how good the product is that you are interested in buying, they also want you to buy an extended warranty. That's like betting that the new product you choose to buy is going to break down. I think that the stores should have a casino license as that is "flat out" gambling to me. Yup, overall manufacturers have cut back on the factory warranty to save cost and that opens the opportunity for the store to sell you an extended warranty. When we renovated my NJ house for my daughters to live in, we gutted the kitchen and put in a complete appliance package from a major manufacturer. A month past the factory warranty expiring, the compressor in the refrigerator failed. The estimate to replace it was about the cost of buying a new one. And the response was, "Ooops! You should've bought the extended warranty!" Well, my daughter is hell on wheels and refuses to accept BS. She managed to call the office of the president of the company and got an assistant to speak to her. She basically told them it was bull for the major part of the appliance to fail in a year, and she wanted it fixed. They sent out a factory rep who did so at no charge. And they gave her a new one year warranty on the repaired fridge. Since then, in year four, their dishwasher is leaking from the front door seal when operating, and the stove turns on when it wants to. Great American quality from a major brand! Never mind that the ancient refrigerator that was in my inlaws house when they bought it in 1960 is still working! Edited March 20, 2015 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Kevin, you really didn't save any money by just carrying liability insurance as now you can't get the damage repaired. I have a 12+ year vehicle that I depend on and carry full insurance. Last year the vehicle was hit and I got it repaired as I don't want to be driving around in a "wreck." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Kevin, you really didn't save any money by just carrying liability insurance as now you can't get the damage repaired. I have a 12+ year vehicle that I depend on and carry full insurance. Last year the vehicle was hit and I got it repaired as I don't want to be driving around in a "wreck." Under normal circumstances this may be true, but saving money is not the issue, not having the money to spend, is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Kevin, you really didn't save any money by just carrying liability insurance as now you can't get the damage repaired. I have a 12+ year vehicle that I depend on and carry full insurance. Last year the vehicle was hit and I got it repaired as I don't want to be driving around in a "wreck." Under normal circumstances this may be true, but saving money is not the issue, not having the money to spend, is. Depending on the age of the vehicle and the extent of the damage, it becomes a losing proposition to carry full-coverage on an old vehicle anyway. The threshold for "economic total loss" becomes lower each year, and often a relatively light hit will "total" a perfectly usable vehicle. I've had to fight tooth and claw with insurance companies several times over the years to allow repairs on well-maintained, clean older vehicles the owners couldn't possibly replace for the money offered by the insurance companies to "replace" a "totalled" (and still almost drivable) vehicle with "one of equal value". Twice I lost, but was able to buy the "total loss" car back from the insurance company for almost nothing, repair it, and get it back to the owner for basic transportation that was a known quantity mechanically... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Depending on the age of the vehicle and the extent of the damage, it becomes a losing proposition to carry full-coverage on an old vehicle anyway. The threshold for "economic total loss" becomes lower each year, and often a relatively light hit will "total" a perfectly usable vehicle. I've had to fight tooth and claw with insurance companies several times over the years to allow repairs on well-maintained, clean older vehicles the owners couldn't possibly replace for the money offered by the insurance companies to "replace" a "totalled" (and still almost drivable) vehicle with "one of equal value". Twice I lost, but was able to buy the "total loss" car back from the insurance company for almost nothing, repair it, and get it back to the owner for basic transportation that was a known quantity mechanically... Insurance companies have found a new profit center... sale of damaged cars. When my wife got hit in our 32,000 mile 2000 Jaguar S Type, the body shop claim guy warned me that the insurance company would total out my car, demand to take it and turn it around at a profit. Sure enough, the repair estimate came to $5000. They totaled the car for $3500 and told me 'take it or leave it', even though I had documentation of buying the absolutely perfect car for $10,000 three months earlier. They wouldn't give me money to repair the car, only to "replace" it. This was at a time I didn't have the resources, brain space and time to sue them, so I had to walk away, keeping the damaged car. Their deal was that they had no allegiance to me since I was not their customer. If they had repaired my car, they would've lost the $3500 they offered me, never mind the $5000 they really owed me. If they could "take" the car for $3500 and then turn it around at auction for $5000, they would have turned this whole episode into a profitable event for their company. American business at it's finest! Edited March 20, 2015 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 That's exactly why they're in business, for a PROFIT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Had two bozos in a beater "tuner" CRX pass me in a construction zone that is limited to one lane each direction and no passing......and in a curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) Insurance companies have found a new profit center... sale of damaged cars. When my wife got hit in our 32,000 mile 2000 Jaguar S Type, the body shop claim guy warned me that the insurance company would total out my car, demand to take it and turn it around at a profit. Sure enough, the repair estimate came to $5000. They totaled the car for $3500 and told me 'take it or leave it', even though I had documentation of buying the absolutely perfect car for $10,000 three months earlier. They wouldn't give me money to repair the car, only to "replace" it. This was at a time I didn't have the resources, brain space and time to sue them, so I had to walk away, keeping the damaged car. Their deal was that they had no allegiance to me since I was not their customer. If they had repaired my car, they would've lost the $3500 they offered me, never mind the $5000 they really owed me. If they could "take" the car for $3500 and then turn it around at auction for $5000, they would have turned this whole episode into a profitable event for their company. American business at it's finest! I don't know what your state's insurance laws allow, or if things have changed here since 2005 when I was last in the biz, but I've many times successfully negotiated with insurance companies to pay the client the maximum for repairs (just under the "total" threshold for the particular vehicle), and let the client / owner of the vehicle make up the difference. One shop I ran put together a low-interest financing package to help people who didn't have the ready cash to jump the gap. Timing is critical on deals like these, because once the car is declared a "total loss", it can be very difficult (if not impossible) to go backwards. "Stated value" insurance can also be useful if you have a particularly nice example of an older vehicle. In many cases, if you shop, you can get no annual mileage cap, and it's surprisingly affordable, as the actuarial tables show this type of client has far fewer "accidents" than the norm. Edited March 21, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Their deal was that they had no allegiance to me since I was not their customer. How can that be? They are YOUR insurance company! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 How can that be? They are YOUR insurance company! No, they were the insurance company of the lady who hit our car. Big name company, slimy enough that the estimator they sent us to, told us how they'd try to screw us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 No, they were the insurance company of the lady who hit our car. Big name company, slimy enough that the estimator they sent us to, told us how they'd try to screw us. Should have gone through your own insurance company, particularly if the name of the other guy's company begins with "A"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 How can that be? They are YOUR insurance company! I did not see that in your posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) No, they were the insurance company of the lady who hit our car. Big name company, slimy enough that the estimator they sent us to, told us how they'd try to screw us. I'm really at a loss to understand how the other company could just refuse to pay the claim if you refused to let them total the car. I've never had this happen in my state...SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY...and if you elect to retain the vehicle and accept the maximum amount the other company will pay for repairs, even if you have to kick in the rest, it's your right to do so. In about 2003, one of Allstate's insured hit my '89 T-bird that was a creampuff I'd bought from an airline captain. He bought it new, cared for it, all-highway-miles blablabla and at 130,000 miles was virtually a new car. I paid well over book because the car was so nice. When it was hit (still drivable, safely, by the way) Allstate wanted to total it. I negotiated the 99.9% payment they'd go before totality, and used the bucks to buy first-quality parts. Did the repairs myself, and returned the car to pre-loss condition. Edited March 21, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullPowerGarage Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 The really annoying 'peeeeeeep' noise inside my head due hearing damage, are there fellow peoples who are suffering like I do? I abandoned the earphones wich is the cause of my eardamage. I told my mom "make them dissapear, burn them if you feel like" My addiction to music made me put it loudly causing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I have some hearing loss due to firearms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Should have gone through your own insurance company, particularly if the name of the other guy's company begins with "A"... I didn't have collision on my car so my insurance company wouldn't get involved. Neither my wife or I have ever had an at fault accident so it was a decent gamble. We still haven't, and I didn't expect an at fault company to play such games, literally telling me to take them to court. It was at a tough time in my life, so I didn't have the brain space and resources to do so. If that happened today, it would be another story. Edited March 22, 2015 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 FULLPOWERGARAGE, so you have tinnitus also? Welcome to the club. While not a good thing at all, there's nothing you can do about it except do your best to ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I have some hearing loss due to firearms. X2 G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 The first full day of spring... and I awoke to snow falling. MORE?! Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BubbaJoe Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 The really annoying 'peeeeeeep' noise inside my head due hearing damage, are there fellow peoples who are suffering like I do? I abandoned the earphones wich is the cause of my eardamage. I told my mom "make them dissapear, burn them if you feel like" My addiction to music made me put it loudly causing this. 40% hearing loss in one ear and almost 60% in the other.... tinnitus..you do get use to it...its worse in the morning when there is little to no background noise of life in general to drown it out...had to have an eardrum removed.. my left ear...long story...protect what you have left ,,when its gone its gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullPowerGarage Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I can ignore it, atleast I try and we are going to the doctor next week, I want to protect what's left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I have some hearing loss from a too close lightning strike...can relate to to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkypeanutbutter Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 That's why I've avoided earbuds. I went for a big pair of 70s monitor headphones from Goodwill and converted them to stereo. I don't crank my music up too loud with them. My mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister were all born with hearing loss and have to use hearing aids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullPowerGarage Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I've been stupid allways wanting it loud.. I can ignore it right now but I'm afraid it won't be long, the outside world is loud. Wish I could turn back time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbox55 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Tinnitus, I can relate to that. My Dad has it from working in the sheetmetal industry, lots of installations in local factories. I have it, too. Not as bad, but like Joe says, it's worse when there isn't any background noise. Mine is from working in a noisey auto repair shop, between the compressor running and the air tools, plus being around open exhaust hot rods and dirt cars all my life, I should count myself lucky I can hear at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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