deltadude388

What if a tree falls on it?

ndabunka

Then you would try to Sue Mother Nature if it wasn't excluded from the policy as all acts by that gracious matronly figure. I guess the guy who ran into the rear of someone making an illegal U-turn would need to first prove in court that the fault of the accident was the illegal U-turn and that by doing so, the driver of that car acted in a way in which the driver of the CL would not have been "able" to of avoided it (i.e. Didn't activate a turn signal and/or wrecklessly slammed on brakes in attempting to make the turn, etc). Gettting rear-ended seems like a no-brainer (but probably still requires an attorney to get justice) but running into a stopped car is a little more tricky. What if the car had been broken down and you ran into it? Would the owner of the brokendown car be liable? NO. You might say that the broken down car "should" have had it's hazards on to indicate that it had broken down but that would not be a precursor as the electrical system itself may have been the broken down element. In short... You run into someone, the responsibilty falls on you (i.e. no dimineshed value claim "likely"), Someone runs into you...Break out the Lawyers to protect your investments. PS - I am not a lawyer nor have I EVER played one on TV.

DBERRY7578

By the way, my insurance company stated that Allstate Ins must give me Diminished Value if I request it, according to State of Fla law. I have had MB used car dept review the initial damage and they are waiting on the secondary damage report so that they can give me a figure on the DV. My Ins co. also told me that you can't receive DV if you are at fault.

My only concern is how will the final DV be determined. I will keep ya'll posted.

AMG_55

sorry 2 hear that, it sucks
another reason 2 lease.

apdesign

Here are some pics I took at the bodyshop of the damage. Here is my senario..the car cost too much for them to total it unless major frame damage. My only choice are: fix it (really don't want to) or keep the money and sale the car as is hopefully I can break even. Damage so far is about 15,000 that is from the adjuster without taking the car above. Does any of you feel that one can sale this car as is, the guy at the bodyshop said yes..a lot of people will buy it and fix it. That's just a small battle for me as of now....my rims are damage and I have no idea if they will paid for that...my insurance say no...but it wasn't my fault...bodyshop say they have to pay for it.

AMG2GO

Those pictures make me want to cry....

I think the insurance company is trying to screw you. I mean that's their business. To screw people. They love to collect money, and they never want to pay. What do you mean they won't pay for the wheels? Thats crazy! The wheels were damaged in an accident, they have to pay.

I'm sorry, but I think this car is done. It will never be the same. Even if its fixed carefuly, its worth so much less. This is going to show up on carfax and you will get screwed selling time. Thats the main issue. I really think you need a good attorney. This is a lot of money, and the insurance co. is going to do everything they can to pay as little as possible. They need to know they are dealing with someone with some power. You need an attorney.

ScottCLS55

You have frame damage.. That alone will get you your diminished value claim. 15k sounds way cheap.. The the Apillar that the fender bolts to will have to be replaced.
The insurance co is trying what they do on everyone. Lowball first offer and hope that they dont fix it.. If you get it fixed then the bodyshop will send in the supplement amount that is needed to actually fix the car.. I can count 6k in parts with out wheels. They are at least 4k off. Complain and say you dont want a frame damaged car period.. See the two silver bolts behind the black piece behind the silver bumper that is considered your frame on a unibody car. It is now called unibody damage instead of frame damage.. Unibody cars are made to crinkle in a wreck and save you but that is a one time use kind of thing. Even if they pull it out with a frame machine(which is done everyday) then if you so happened to get hit in that same spot again in another wreck the crinkle zone would not work and more damage would happen and you would feel more of the shock from the wreck in your NECK.

Again, you definately have frame damage. Raise hell and get that thing totaled. The A-piller has to be drilled out an a new one welded in. No one will want that car after it is done. The insurance company will send it to salvage sale and will get top dollar for it and you will see it at casmiami.com all fixed up for the same price as a good used one with no wreck.

3199cc

Pursue a new car. It will never be the same.

djamer

Out of curiousity, did you take your car to a Mercedes Benz Authorized body shop at one of their dealerships? If so, I would bet they would certainly declare your car a total loss due to the frame damage. Other bodyshops would likely try to fix it and cooperate w/ the insurance companies.

apdesign

Actually the Mercedes dealer here at Rusnak in Pasadena out source it anyways to the bodyshop they work with. So I think either or, they would have the same guest as the shop I brought it to. I did talk to the shop of my choice and they were very positive about totalling the car if they can. They also gave me another opportunity to take it else where after they estimate it. They also suggested that I can take the money that it will cause to fix the car and not fix it and sell the car as is...and I might maybe break even. So far the cause to fix the car is about $25,000. I am going to fix and like AMG2GO suggested, I will upgrade it with the 2005 AMG kit. Can't wait to see it.

j.edwards

apdesign:

I think you're making a big mistake if your goal is to get your car fixed correctly. There are only two Mercedes dealerships authorized to repair CL's in the L.A. area. House of Imports in Buena Park is one of them. I can't remember the other. Special tooling is required. The guys at Caliber Motors told me this and I verified it through MB USA.
If Rusnak isn't telling you this, they are either ignorant or crooks.

apdesign

j.edwards, now you really got me concern, it seem like every car is the same. can't think of what kind of special tooling it will need. i mean a panel is a panel, light is light. it would be great if you can give some more knowledge about it, so i can be aware of it. thanks

awiner

Here are some quotes from the Mercedes C215 (CL-Class) Collision Repair WorkShop information CD I have.

Body / Collision Repair / C215 Certified Collision Repair Facilities


MBUSA plans to establish a collision repair/paintwork network which will provide the specialized repair capabilities and expertise needed as a result of the extensive use of hybrid materials in the construction of the C-215. Our strategy is to Certify collision repair facilities based upon meeting the criteria necessary to properly perform collision repair/paintwork on the C-215. This Certification will be the basis upon which MBUSA will provide structural collision repair ("Advanced C-215 Certification") and cosmetic repair ("General C-215 Certification") that the owners of this special vehicle can have total confidence in. This network will initially include only franchised Mercedes-Benz Retailers who own collision repair facilities that meet the established criteria, working to a defined standard. MBRB input will be considered in any decision to extend Certification to repairers outside of the existing Retail Network.


Because of the composite construction used in the model 215, special repair methods have been developed for MBUSA certified collision repair facilities.

For example, Replacement of the roof, which involves mig welding at the rear can only be done at a facility with an advanced C215 certification.

Due to adhesion problems, body lead can not be used. Instead, two component polyester filler is used for aluminum and galvanized steel.

Due to its sensitivity, aluminum can only be cold straightened to a very limited extent. Die-cast aluminum or magnesium parts cannot be straightened or repaired. They must always be replaced at the original joints.

Prior to and following repair work on aluminum components, a test must be made to check for cracks, inclusions, and other welding errors.
The dye-penetrant method is used for this.

j.edwards

I'm not going to be able to do better than Adam on this one. I had a collision in my G-wagen last year. I learned about the issues with the CL while reasearching collision centers. I'd have to go back and search for the source. It may actually be in one of those little books they give you with your owner's manual. The other authorized CL collision center may be Fletcher Jones.

If I were in your place, I wouldn't think of taking it anywhere but a CL authorized MB collision center. In CA you can take it anywhere you want and then the insurance company battles it out with the dealer. The repair done by House of Imports to my G-wagen was outstanding.

If you're having trouble acceptingwhat Adam and I have to say, call Mercedes yourself. As Adam pointed out, all cars are not made out of the same stuff. A panel is not a panel when one is made of magnesium or aluminium.

mjr24

Let me say the only crooks here are the Mercedes dealers. The statement above is the biggest croc out there. I was in an accident with my CL a year ago and I got the same BS, that there were only 9 or 10 authorized service centers allowed to work on the CL. I was told the techs had to be sent to Germany to be certified. They said no other body shop could legally work on my car. They mentioned the magnesium or aluminum body and how it stemmed from the fact that once upon a time someone unauthorized tried to work on one of these cars and basically set the whole body shop on fire because when welding this stuff it produces a clear flame or something to that extent. This is how the dealer justified the almost $50/more per hour labor rate for the CL as well with bodywork as opposed to any other Mercedes model.

Needless to say...my insurance company, Progressive, was not trying to hear that. They were firm that they would only pay a normal rate of labor that they would pay for any other Mercedes. What did this mean? At the time, they basically wanted me to swallow the $4,000 remaining balance from what the Benz dealer charged for the labor rate versus what Progressive was going to pay. Progressive eventually called around to Audi dealers because I guess one of the Audi models also used the same aluminum or magnesium. Progressive agreed to pay the labor rate the Audi dealers were charging for that model, which was like another $10 an hour more than what Progressive initially was going to pay. In the end, I swallowed my deductible and then the extra maybe $3k balance because I just wanted the damn car back.

I will give Progressive credit, I wrote a nasty letter to them a week later about how I will not be renewing with them after my policy expired (at this time, I only had Progressive for maybe 4 months prior) as the whole point of a deductible was to pay the amount and have the insurance cover 100% of the rest. I told them I didn't pay their rates to have a $500 deductible that turned into a $3,500 deductible. Another week or two later was a check in the mail from Progressive for the whole remaining balance minus my original deductible....a very unexpected surprise. It was a hassle and a half though.

Point is.....I got my rear 1/4 panel scratched by a little girl on her bike this summer. The scratches were pretty deep and had dented the rear quarter panel a little bit. I took it to a local body shop and got a quote from the Mercedes dealer as well. I paid out of pocket because my insurance is high enough already. Benz dealer wanted $1500, the body shop did it for $900. They laughed when I told them about my prior ordeal and how supposedly no one else was authorized to work on these according to Mercedes. Needless to say, the body shop did not burn down and the car looks as perfect as if the Benz dealer fixed it, for $600 less.

mjr24

My overall opinion? Just because you aren't paying the bill yourself (rather your insurance is), don't think the Benz dealers don't want to get paid. It's no secret that CL owners probably make more than the average Mercedes owners and thus many don't have a problem paying that extra labor charge. If your intentions are to keep the car and you know a reputable place that you trust, even if it's not the Benz dealer, you may want to consider getting an estimate from them. By all means, if you want 110% assurance everything will be fine, take it to the Benz dealer to have fixed, but make sure your insurance company does not try to screw you.

DBERRY7578

When I took my car (SL65) to the MB shop in West Palm , they told me that they only had two guys certified to work on the SL, McLaren, and the Maybach. They also told me that the adjustment bench that they used for MB cars were within factory tolerence for frame alignment of 3mm, and that other standard benches were not nearly as accurate. If you allow a Non-MB certified shop work on your car, will they have the appropriate bench?

apdesign

mjr24-thanks for giving me the other side of your opinion. it really helped release my mind. i though i made a huge mistake by taking it to a non MB bodyshop. i was like you...just wanted my car back without busting out my own money for something I did not cause to get the damn car fix. i need to talk to the bodyshop about CL bodywork to see if they know about the fact...if not i got to inform them about it.

apdesign

awiner- thank you very much for the informative facts about the body work on the CL. it bother me for a wild now. knowing that it was a probably a huge mistake taking it to a non MB bodyshop. well, i once took my lady FX45 to a what the dealer call their Infiniti specialize bodyshop...they did an ok job...body wasn't align, so i took it back a couple of time for them to get it right. like mjr24 says...some are just crooks.

AMG2GO

This whole thread is pointing out a serious problem with owning a rather rare car, whatever it may be. I am ever so careful to never get so much as a chip on my car, but you can't help it if someone rams into you. Now your baby is worth so much less money and it may or may not ever be fixed right.. even if fixed right you are still out a lot of dollars.

So what is the solution? I contacted my agent and asked if there was some sort of "supplement" I could buy... he said no. I asked if I could go after depreciated value after a fix, he said no. I said "so I am just screwed? there is nothing I can do?" and he said "no". This is in Massachusetts.

Does anyone have a solution to this issue? Am I only relegated to flooring the gas pedal and ramming the car that hit me to make sure its a total? I pay a lot of money for insurance... why is there no solution to this?

mjr24

To the OP, are you 100% sure there is frame damage?
If not, it does not go on your Carfax I do not believe.

If you did have the car done at the Benz dealer, there is no reason why resale value should go down at all IMHO. The resale on my car is no different due to my accident. I have some pics....it was decent damage, $10-12k worth. A piece of steel was ripped from the door and the other 3 dents were dented in about 2 inches.

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DBERRY7578

Dont depend on carfax to much. My SL55 accident never showed up in carfax. I'm just pissed becuase I almost went my entire driving career without a major accident, and within the last 6 months I have wrecked about $325,000.00 in vehicles, although I wasn't at fault.

BLK 300C

TRUMP TOWERS TO A MOTEL 6??? ARE U KIDDING ME??? HOW ABOUT IF HE SAYS IM THINKING ABOUT A HONDA ACCORD, YOUR GONNA PUT THAT IN THE SAME CATEGORY OF MOTEL 6 WITH THE M3??? STOP TALKING OUT OF YOUR A$$. THE M3 IS SICK. YOUR STUCK ON THE PRICE BUDDY. JUS CUZ ITS 60K AND NOT 110+ DOESNT MAKE IT ANY LESS OF A CAR. MAYBE THE M3 ISNT AS LUXURIOUS AS THE CL CLASS BUT ITS DEFINETLY NOT A MOTEL 6

AMG2GO

Take it easy man, no need to get all bent out of shape. I was just pointing out that there is what I consider to be a huge difference in luxury. I am not saying the M3 is a bad car.... its a nice car, but it is not really something you can compare to a CL. Since he was considering it as an alternative to a CL, I wanted to make clear the difference between the two and used that example. I don't really think an M3 is like a Motel 6.

The price is what it is because the cars are so vastly different. In my opinion, the M3 is definitely "less" of a car. But it costs a lot less to so thats OK.

ndabunka

The CL is MUCH MUCH more like the 6-series than it is the 3-series. Both the CL and the 6-series Beemer are $70K+ cars with similar levels of luxury and sopihistcation. The 3-series can be as cheap as a Honda accord (325is = Accord top of the line IMHO). The M3 is similar in price and performance as the C55. I always wonder why all these M3 lovers show up to ruin the party...