OT: can anyone with mitchell body estimator or AUD estimator (car repair)...

[ryan roopnarine]

run an estimate for a damage repair for me? an insurance company is REALLY trying to screw me over, and I need to get a second opinion before i force the company to do another estimate--as there's no way in hell that i'm going to front the money for a rental car and repairs for someone else's negligence. I drive many, many, many :D city miles per year without managing to collide with anyone, the other party had a sign warning them that "traffic may come to a stop in the right lane" at certain times of the day.

[DanDombrowski]

Okay, I didn't read through all of the clay bar thread, so I don't know if it was explained there, or if its even related, but, uh....

What happened?

And why don't you just take it to a BMW dealer or something, or some other high priced body shop? They almost ALWAYS give free estimates, cus they know its usually the insurance company thats paying and that you probably wont shop around.

Since I'm guessing you got rear-ended, then I'm going to guess its either very minor (Bumper + respray + mabye tail lights) or major (tiniest crinkle in the rear body will total cars worth what ours are).

Wait, I think I get it - you wanted to claybar the car so it looks like money, so if the adjuster totals it, its worth more?

[ryan roopnarine]

two totally unrelated things dan. someone was going to hook me up with some really cheap PDR that i kinda desperately need.

in this case, i'm going to take the car in question to either the cadillac body shop here, or see who does bmw's/mercedes/*.* work in orlando. cadillac looks like the most expensive in town, but if allpro answers their phone, i'll ask them, and see if their place is approved by the insurance company.

i don't feel comfortable discussing specifics until things are settled dan, but the damage was more minor than even you describe, and as a result, the adjuster got greedy. i'll have to bring them back to earth myself. i'd love more than anything to just call my ins. company and ask them to sue the person involved as a result of these latest developments, but i'm trying really hard not be a reactionary dumbass about things.

[ricola]

No need to go to an approved shop.... It's your car, you own it, you decide.

[ryan roopnarine]

ohhhh yeaahhh.

a glasurit factory shop in orlando is on their list! idiots. now, to shop between them and the bmw/range rover body shop in orlando. somebody's gonna get hurt.

[Ross]

The at fault party is obligated to restore you to the condition before the loss.
If you have been rear ended as I thought I saw mention of, you are certainly in control here. If they jag you around just hire an attorney( if you were popped in the rear it will be on a contingency basis) and you won't need to deal with some piss ant adjuster trying to chisel you for a few hundred bucks.

[ryan roopnarine]

anyone? even if you don't have software, but work in auto body, can you give me some ballpark numbers if i provide you with some of the parts that need to be replaced? i'm really trying to be upper middle class about this and not scream and make threats with anyone unless i'm 100% sure about things, as their claims people were very helpful with me. the amount of time that is budgeted on this estimate for the work that needs to be done is insane, the person that could do the job would have to be the world's fastest mechanic, and the hourly labor rate is something from maybe 1989-1992.

[632 Regal]

when that sign flew into my car the only insurance repair facility recommended was the local ford dealer...with plenty of bad reviews.

Cant you look up the parts and numbers and go from there?

As the others say, cruise to a couple body shops for free estimates.

[DanDombrowski]

When I bought my 330Ci, the Carfax showed paint work done, but didn't say where. When I tracked it down, it had apparently gone from Allpro to ViewHoltz (spelling might be different) Paint and Body for work. Supposedly ViewHoltz in Gainesville is one of the best.

It made me apprehensive, but when I took it in for a PPI, they couldn't find anything wrong with the paint or body, and they were looking for it too.

[ryan roopnarine]

the parts costs are perfectly in line with realoem.com, its just that the damage was so minor that they want to reuse a part after adjusting the fitting, and they've not included adequate time for that. if i were to take the check and estimate to a body shop right now, it would be permission for them to fix only the cosmetic things wrong with the car, that's how small the check is. i'll post a picture of the check when all is said and done.

[ricola]

As a piss ant insurance claims rep. I will give you my spin on what I'm seeing. First your being very vague in the discription of the real damage. That leads me to believe there is probably less damage than your eluding to. I would find it nearly impossible to believe any adjuster has time to be comb the BBS's looking for your posts and discription of the accident and damage. Trust me, the rep barely has time to complete your estimate much less hunt for some obscure post here...

If the other party has been determined to be at fault during the insurance companies investigation they have an obligation to reimburse you for the cost to repair your vehicle to pre-loss condition. This does not include paying for the cost to repair any prior damage that exsisted before the accident. IE: If you kick a dent in your door and I come over and kick it in the same place why would I owe to fix something that was already junk.

The rep is allowed to use LKQ parts as in salvage. But the parts must come off of a vehicle the same year and condition or newer. The rep is also allowed to consider a repair to a part when it is a fair means to restro the vehicle to pre-loss condition.

The rep is allowed to pay for blending of the paint color to achive the closest match possible. That is reasonable and fair.

The rep is also obligated to pay for any hidden damage. He is not obligated to pay for speculation of possible hidden damage. When the vehicle gets to a shop and additional damage is uncovered during repairs the shop knows to contact the rep for photos and additional payment. By accepting an advance payment in the amount of the reps first inspection you are not giving up any rights to collect for related damage discovered during the repairs.

If you disagree with the other parties rep. you have the right reject the offer to settle and collect damage from your carrier. This does not mean your carrier will automatically do what ever you say. Specially if your not right in your position and procedure. They too will inspect and prepare an estimate for what damage is evident. All the above applied with your carrier as well.

Once the damage repairs are completed your carrier will pursue the other carrier to collect back the money they paid you as well as any deductible you paid as part of the cost to repair.

Some people get real personal and attack claims reps. Name calling and insulting people is no way to get what you want. An accident is not an opportunity to be an ass hole to others. It should be an opportunity to use negociation and communication. It should be an opportunity to get and give and education in the law, claims handling, and reliable repair methods.

Good luck

[Ross]

Bear in mind dear ricola that you represent your company's best interest first.
If the at faults insured is indeed trying to "save" at this guys expense he is entitled to be made whole.
What ever a rep is "allowed" by his companies rules do not necessarily coincide with law or what's right. LKQ is abused to death by insurance cos.and they shop for repairers that will do things their way.
Yes, a lot of people try to take advantage of these situations but this hardly seems the case here.
There is the issue of diminished value regarding a repaired car also, especially in these Carfax days. The insurance company will never reimburse this without a fight, and they are the one's who tender the information that now taints the car.
Any talk of the customers best interest is only lip service.
Your industry always seems to find ways to piss people off and needs the occasional class action suit for a tune-up now and then. State Farm?
Sorry to offend with my name calling as I don't know you but was speaking in generalities based upon personal experience and that of friends, family, and stories as the one in this thread.

[ricola]

Bear in mind dear ricola that you represent your company's best interest first.

*Yes, As with any for profit venture. What do you do for a living. I hope you make a profit for your boss... What is the difference.


If the at faults insured is indeed trying to "save" at this guys expense he is entitled to be made whole.

*That's what I posted.

What ever a rep is "allowed" by his companies rules do not necessarily coincide with law or what's right.

*I was refering to the law. Most states have a Fair Claims Practices Act and a Commerce Dept to enforce it.

LKQ is abused to death by insurance cos.and they shop for repairers that will do things their way.

*As a former collision shop owner I was never part of the Prefered shop system. However I would never agree to use a salvage part that was junk, older than the vehicle being repaired. Ultimately the guarantee falls to the shop first.

Yes, a lot of people try to take advantage of these situations but this hardly seems the case here.

*More than you can ever imagine. I've been on both sides of the fence. If I had a nickel for ever person that came in my shop asking me to prostitute myself for free and give them a "high" estimate I'd have a new Bimmer not an old car with limited value.

There is the issue of diminished value regarding a repaired car also, especially in these Carfax days.

*As stated by DanDombrowski, the car fax isn't always the best gauge for real world repairs. If you pick a shop that can actually repair your car there is no real issue.

The insurance company will never reimburse this without a fight, and they are the one's who tender the information that now taints the car.


*you are correct. Deminished value is mostly speculation.

Any talk of the customers best interest is only lip service.

*If were speaking about a claimant persuing an insurance company then I think that company has it's insured and it's customers best interests in mind when settling the claim.

Your industry always seems to find ways to piss people off and needs the occasional class action suit for a tune-up now and then. State Farm?
Sorry to offend with my name calling as I don't know you but was speaking in generalities based upon personal experience and that of friends, family, and stories as the one in this thread.


*You seem like the kind of person that shouldn't attempt to settle your own claim. You don't seem to have the skills to negociate or present real facts. Just a lot of additude. I had lots of guys like you go off in my face. I would simply make my offer, state the facts and then refer them to their carrier.

I'll never understand why you guys don't see this is just a car. An old car now.

[ryan roopnarine]

oh, how scandalous ! this thread is a perfectly wodehousian demonstration of why i'm doing everything precisely right! after all, i've stated twice now that i would like someone to confirm my suspicions that i'm being screwed before i say/do something that i can't take back (note thread title: can someone run estimate for me?) old ryan would have broken out the c word at your critical, but ultimately harmless suggestions of ignorance/fraud on my part. this old and busted bottle of vermouth only helps things.

first part
("....old car)
if i were in my yard, driving a ground rod in with a sledge, and the head flies off into the tinted rear windscreen of your 525i or your titan, i would think i would lose the right to imply that your window tint may have been bubbled, and outright refuse to tint your replacement window. you've done this two times in your three posts to this thread. it is not my fault that no one has ever rear ended me, that i try to wash my car once a week, or that i somehow managed to react quickly enough when i realised that i was mid-impact to let off my brake and simultaneously scan in front of me for cars that i could possibly run into. my car's rear end being in good shape prior to being rear ended does not absolve the at fault party from fixing the damage they did just because its prior condition conceals the damage well.

2d part
this is the only part in which im going to be even remotely hostile towards you. old people often don't understand how the internet works, or are often naieve about its workings. my reluctance to elaborate on the claim or the damage has nothing to do with the amount of spare time the adjuster has on (their) hands. it has everything to do with how much spare time the other party's insurance company's legal counsel has, in the event that i must sue someone. many older people i know do not understand this. hopefully, you do now. the internet angle segues into a point which ross brought up, which is to do with carfax. the cheque that was cut for me is so small that it can be expressed in terms of multiple tanks of premium gasoline. considering the fact that the carfax entry related to this will likely impact the book value of my car far more than a couple of tanks of gas, i expect to get every cent of the difference back, with my ins. co's counsel if necessary. i expect them to agree with me, and it isn't an unreasonable expectation.

3rd.
this accident is now several months old. after i reported the accident to the (other) party's ins. co, they attempted to contact the person responsible to get their recollection of the events. two full months, and a certified letter later, they have not. this is why i suspect they might be trying to screw me. if this person had come to me and offered me maybe two or three times the value of the cheque in cash, i would have said "shiat happens" and spent a couple of sundays and some money on ebay making sure my rear end was structurally sound again. it was a rainy night, low speed rear end, and traffic is liable to stop in the lane i was in. i've hit people before, and would appreciate it if others did the same for me. seeing as the person responsible did not do this, i expect them to pay-- every cent's worth of possible damage. its not my fault that they didn't scratch the hell out of my bumper when they rear ended me. i will elaborate more once i'm certain that this matter is settled.

ultimately, for me, this matter comes down to whether or not i will front the money for a rental car to myself or the time and aggravation with the other person's ins. co after being rear ended by a complete stranger, and having been given a check worth, at most, a couple of tanks of gas (and hoping they reimburse me, in a timely fashion, or even at all).

in conclusion, i think that my analyst will be very proud of me for the way that i composed this post, and will give me a verbal pat on the head the next time we meet:D ricola, if we ever have occasion to communicate with each other again on a different thread, here's to hoping it is in a civil manner.

[ricola]

Just stating facts. Sometimes people find it useful. Sometimes they just want to vent. Spin it anyway you need to. It still comes out the same. And don't worry, I think the high priced attorney's have much bigger fish to fry.

If this accident happened several months ago you need to speak with the attorney general. I don't know what state your in and I don't care but the claims rep has some very serious time lines to comply with. Check with your state officials.

[ryan roopnarine]

dan, i think you are referring to "bucholtz", not view-holtz. bucholtz has some significance to gainesville, as they named a high school after him, as well as other things. i'll check the other party's insurance co. webpage to see if they are approved.

[ryan roopnarine]

hey guys. if anyone else is going to post in this thread, i'm going to have to ask you to consider laying off the ad-hominems. thanks.

[Ross]

Sounds like I struck a nerve.