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Had a fender bender. Ego is a bit bruised. Front bumper is busted. Insurance might total out the car, bc it's a 2010 e550 with 105k so not worth much on paper. For me it drives pretty much as good as it did before the bump.
Damage is already at $6k and will take 2 months to get to repair. Shop say that's already 80% of the value. And the shop hasn't even had the car apart to asses the damage. So I'm assuming cost will go up. Car still drives well sans hood latch says it's open and the cosmetic body damage, headlights are out of alignment but all are working. Minor rub on passenger wheel well when making a left.
The adjuster from GEICO hasn't come to see it yet and they say only $1500 in damage based on the pics.
Should I try to get the car repaired for less?
I don't feel like buying another car right now, I like not having a payment.
heard there are ways to buy the car from insurance when they total it, anyone do this before and know how it works?
Them saying 1500 bucks is a joke, they did the same to me about 20yrs ago and havnt used them since, was a customer of theres for about 8 years when they pulled that.
Them saying 1500 bucks is a joke, they did the same to me about 20yrs ago and havnt used them since, was a customer of theres for about 8 years when they pulled that.
I do not use GEICO anymore for a similar reason. Low balled us for a rear end (somebody else fault) and after some pushing they fixed it, but I did not renew it just because of the hassle they gave me.
OP, push them (within reason) to get it fixed. If totaled, it is likely they will give @5K at best if totaled. Once you come to terms on the price they offer you, the most important is that they do not write the car as salvage or rebuilt title. You can buy it the car back from them, I did this back in 2007 with a Corolla. They wrote off for $5400, and I bought it back for $500, repaired it for 2500 (skipped the fender paint), and drove it for another 5 years.
Similarly for another forum member with an MB wagon in the UK. Insurance wrote off, he bought it and fixed it and now he and his wife still enjoying the vehicle. Here is the thread ( https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post8451856)
On the real cost of the repair, you may need to find a better estimate but $6K is likely in the low to mid range. If it is only the bumper and stretching, and hopefully nothing on the main rail (which I doubt) it is mostly labor and MB parts ($$).
If it were mine, fully paid, and already happy with the car with the intention to drive until it dies, I would go up $10K to get it fixed. No more though.
This seems to be the standard practice with the insurance companies, I think they are hoping people will take the lowball offer. You have to play the long game and wait for the shop. Unfortunately that will take time as at least my local shops were booked months out and they wouldn't quote it until they started the repair as they have to start to disassemble it to see what the damage is underneath. I would recommend planning on it being totaled as that is what happened to my son's car and it caught us by surprise. The car was disassembled at that point so we didn't have the option of driving it until we found a replacement.
Small update, I popped the grill out and can see the primary damage. I think front bumper rail is replaceable, but what about the metal frame that it attaches to? Looks like most of the radiator guts got bent but nothing too busted
Sorry to hear. This sucks! Geico clearly knows nothing. No body repair is $1,500 anymore. Clearly they don’t know MB part prices either. When my wife’s old Honda Civid Hybrid was loved tapped by a teen in a parking lot the damage was well over $2,500… I am sure your car is totaled due to the cost to repair and the low value due to age and miles. Try to get the most $ and maybe try and buy a car in cash to hold off on payment.
Small update, I popped the grill out and can see the primary damage. I think front bumper rail is replaceable, but what about the metal frame that it attaches to? Looks like most of the radiator guts got bent but nothing too busted
Did any of the airbag or seat belt retraction device got activated from this minor crash ?
I am asking because I saw 2 sensors on the aluminum bumper plate at inner side ( facing engine), which is likely the collision sensors.
Some example view of components when you remove the bumper , hope it can help.
Sorry to hear. This sucks! Geico clearly knows nothing. No body repair is $1,500 anymore. Clearly they don’t know MB part prices either. When my wife’s old Honda Civid Hybrid was loved tapped by a teen in a parking lot the damage was well over $2,500… I am sure your car is totaled due to the cost to repair and the low value due to age and miles. Try to get the most $ and maybe try and buy a car in cash to hold off on payment.
Oh they know exactly what the cost and such are, they are just trying to get out of paying it. They will offer the lowest ball offer imagineable to begin with hoping people will take it. Remember insurance companies take your money hoping that you wont ever need to cash in on it. Thats how they make money.
I agree after all the cost of parts (even wholesale) and labor its probably going to exceed the magical blue book value of the car
Great pictures, very helpful.
the airbags and seatbelts are all intact, no warning lights. The distronic and cruise control no longer work but I can understand why. Parking sensors seem to work and same with blind spot.
also the bracket in your last pic is bent and poking out on the bottom, it rubs on extreme left turns.
Hopefully they give me a decent adjustor, I think they might send someone to me to decide if it's going to be repaires or totalled
Great pictures, very helpful. the airbags and seatbelts are all intact, no warning lights. The distronic and cruise control no longer work but I can understand why. Parking sensors seem to work and same with blind spot.
also the bracket in your last pic is bent and poking out on the bottom, it rubs on extreme left turns.
Hopefully they give me a decent adjustor, I think they might send someone to me to decide if it's going to be repaires or totalled
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I do not use GEICO anymore for a similar reason. Low balled us for a rear end (somebody else fault) and after some pushing they fixed it, but I did not renew it just because of the hassle they gave me.
