Athomas1341

Hi all!

I just bought my ML350 about a year ago and absolutely love it! Unfortunately, people cant drive and someone ran into us. My whole family was in the car, and thankfully, all OK! (the most important thing really!)

Anyhow... The appraiser called me and said that he looked at the car and from what he could see, he is estimating $10,500 so far. The repair shop has not taken the car apart yet to see if there is any underlying damage. He did mention that a strut would most certainly need to be replaced.

I am wondering if any of you have had this experience and what are your thoughts? I love this car! I am also concerned that it will never be the same again if they decide to do repairs. What do you think?

My car has 52,000 miles and is a 2013. It has never been in an accident before... as a matter of fact, this is my very first accident. It only has package 1 on it- so nothing fancy. I love it though! I would most certainly get another one if they do total it.

easyedwin

Did it roll to one side?

Athomas1341

No- the car that hit us kind of did a full U-turn around the side and front hood of my car. We sent them flying across the median into oncoming traffic- thankfully everyone involved was ok. the car did not roll or anything.

PaulE550

Based on your photos, this vehicle doesn't look totaled to me. Being it is a 2013 model, your estimated repair bill isn't high enough for the insurance company to total it.

Over 10K so far for your repair estimate isn't bad for any luxury brand vehicle. The OEM parts that are going to be used to repair it are based on the original price of the vehicle when it was new. The concern I would have is that your resale value of the vehicle, should you decide to replace it after it's repaired, just took a big hit. No pun intended. It's just that everyone buying any luxury brand vehicle want a pristine CARFAX report.

Was your vehicle drivable after the accident or did you require a tow? Your wheels don't look bent or pushed in any way from these photos.

racer12

I had a little less damage than what it looks like you have and it started at $11000 and ended up at $ 21000 U S funds with no suspension damage Mine is a 2013 also.I hit a deer on the passenger side towards the middle of the front of the car. It took 14 weeks to fix it as some parts had to come from Germany. The cars is as good as new now, paint matches and everything fits perfectly.

AkaSigFreak

My 2008 C300 had a damaged passenger mirror and it was $4200. You'd be surprised how expensive these vehicles are to fix.

Athomas1341

It was not drivable and we had to have it towed....And that's what I'm nervous about- resale value. I would rather them total it if I won't get crap for it after the fact. I looked on KBB and Edmunds and the estimated resale is around $25k

Although, I did plan to run it into the ground so the resale value might just be pennies at that point (if they repair it well)

It is frustrating thinking about especially since it wasn't even my fault and we all know the insurance companies want to give you nothing really.

Wewannabenz

I personally would rather have them total it and cut me a check. Cosmetically, a body shop can make it look brand new again, but I'd be concerned about the structural integrity of the vehicle after taking a hit. Also, like you said, the vehicle will take a price hit if you decide to sell.

Athomas1341

any ideas on how I can have them total it instead? or any advice on what I can say?

AkaSigFreak

There is not much you can say. They will obtain an accurate written estimate from an authorized repair center (I chose a shop who specialized in Luxury and Exotic cars) and if the estimate is more than 50% of the value of the vehicle- it will be considered a total loss.

Athomas1341

What's crazy is that the appraiser told me it's at about 55% of the value right now (he said it is based off of the basic model with zero upgrades) and once they won't know the rest until they get under the hood. The shop owner told me they are not even ordering parts yet until they have taken it apart and looked to see if there are other issues- which I assume there will be since the strut has to be replaced and I saw wires all over in the pictures.
It was dark and I didn't get to really examine it until later- in pictures.

PaulE550

The insurance company will make their decision based purely on what the repair shop finds versus the value of the vehicle equipped as is. They won't base their decision one what you want. The repair shop won't order any parts until the indurance company makes their decision to repair or total the vehicle. If they don't total it, then just stick to your original plan and drive it into the ground and forget resale value.

As for all the wires hanging out of the front, today's cars are loaded with so many sensors built into the fenders that when you rip the fender off like one yours, you are bound to see a bunch of wires. Looks worse than it likely is electronics wise.

JALLEN4

The decision to total is based on the estimate to repair and the estimate of salvage value. There is not a percentage of retail value that decides whether to total or not.

The G Man

Each insurance company is different, I would say if the damage is above 2/3 of the car's value, there is a good chance the car will be total. I would have a talk with the body shop manager and ask him or her for an worst case scenario estimate and convey to him or her that you would rather have the car total.

Diabolis

Glad everyone is OK - which is the most important thing by far.

As for the car - contrary to what you're being told, that is probably about $30K worth of damage if you get it PROPERLY fixed. If they don't decide to write it off, insist on OEM parts only and get it done through a MB dealership if you have the option (they will send it to their own body shop, which will charge more $ but do the job to MB OEM standards). If the frame is not bent, I would not be concerned about the quality of the repair or the vehicle "being the same" because a decent body shop will repalce every single piece of metal or plastic that is bent or broken with a new one instead of using bondo. If the frame is bent, it will never track straight again - at which point you do want to dump the car - but the location and severity of the impact doesn't suggest that it is. In other words, the repairs - if done right - will make it as good as new.

The only other valid concern that someone brought up is that you will take a hit on resale value. Ask the insurance appraiser and/or body shop to provide you with copies of all documents, including the repair estimate as it will list the damage and itemize everything that needs to be repalced. If they don't write off the car, insist that the body shop document everything with pictures (we all have cell phones with cameras now) and give you copies of all receipts and repairs. Seeing as the car is already four years old (and I'm assuming you'd be driving it for another couple of years at least), if the rebuild is fully documented it will be much easier to get a decent price for it when you sell it down the road. Good luck.

The G Man

Depending on where you live, you might be able to file for a diminished value claim with your insurance company.

Athomas1341

Funny you mention diminished value- someone called me today on it. They said that since my car was in a minor rear end collision (before I purchased the car-1st owner-even says minor on CarFax report) and that it cost $3500 to fix the bumper- purely cosmetic.

Now this- which is well over 10k (according to shop manager, but they haven't opened her up yet), I am looking at about $300 in diminished value.

Are you F***ing kidding me?!!! I laughed and said... uhh I'll be getting an independent vehicle appraiser. $300 is a joke- This was a serious accident with $10k plus damages and he really thinks the value will only go down by $300. I told him i know he is doing his job...but seriously...would he accept that if this was his car? NO.

Anyway.... I am waiting to hear what else they find. I spoke to the shop this morning and the manager said she wouldn't be surprised if it was totaled. if they don't total it- she said it would take TWO months to fix. Im fine either way- but if they total it I would expect them to atleast pay fair market value. I paid 32k for the vehicle with 20k miles on it. It ran beautifully until this lady hit me. Frustrating for sure.

nookie

Diminished value has been excluded from insurance policies since about 2002

There's a clause in just about every insurance policy with reference to it's exlusion.

If you have a brand new car and someone hits you pulling out of the sales lot you're stuck with the dimished loss. always!- repaired like new or not.

In some cases this is significant!. (Even if it was only a shopping cart that hit you...as soon as there is a record....)

A case like above the dimished value could be thousands.

PaulE550

Unfortunately if the vehicle is deemed totaled, it is unlikely the check you will receive will equal the 32K you paid for it.

Athomas1341

oh- yes of course I don't expect that amount. (I wish it worked that way!) but I do expect KBB value or something fair. I'm just hoping they do not try to low ball for the first minor rear end accident the vehicle was in- that was purely cosmetic.
we shall see! two months in the shop seems absurd that any insurance company would want to cover that to fix a vehicle though. Just my thoughts

PaulE550

I had one of my vehicles, a Lexus, in the shop for 75 days after it was T-boned. The other driver hit me hard enough to literally shove the car sideways into the oncoming traffic lane. The insurance company wouldn't total it. The repair costs didn't exceed the percentage of the residual value of the car. So yes, insurance companies will cover two or more months of a car sitting in a shop, as long as the dollar and cents work out in their favor. The more modern and up-scale the vehicle, the longer they take to repair / rebuild.

I know a guy who had a Porsche sitting a the repair shop for almost four months last year for what was a relatively minor accident. $33K on a $175K car. Almost all the parts had to be ordered from Germany, which took several weeks alone. Several weeks or even months are not that unusual for European luxury car accident repairs.

The G Man

In your case, I would say a fair diminished value should be at least a $1000. If the insurance company do decide to fix it, make sure you get the other party to pay for your substitute transportation.
Technically, your car's current value will include the two accident, one by the previous owner and the current accident. The price you paid for the vehicle should have reflected on the first accident.
Isnt carfax great, when it was first introduced, it was suppose to be a tool for consumers shopping for a car, but it has become a way for insurance companies, car dealers, etc.... to siphon more money out of the consumers.