Dudeler

My son's '01 S55 got smacked by an SUV yesterday when he was in an intersection. The impact drove him into the car in front of him also. Here is a picture of the car. I'm wondering about issues that are not visual, such as the exhaust system getting tweaked. It looks like the trunk opening is tweaked, I'm guessing he would want to get a new body panel, rather than having it straightened, that may be an insurance battle. Any input on possible issues that the collision caused would be appreciated./Users/frankalderete/Desktop/photo.jpg

emoving

I had a Volvo S60R get rearended a few years ago and it was totaled due to frame damage in the trunk area. That car looks like it has some serious damage and may be totaled.

nick 55

First and foremost, I hope everyone in the car is okay. It looks like the car did a great job of sacrificing itself to protect the people in it. Did they have their seatbelts on? I hate to have to say this, but I think emoving is right. Thats a pretty hard hit for a repair job on that car.

Nick

Dudeler

Yes, my kids drive MB's and they all wear seatbelts. These cars will protect you best with your seatbeltI tell them. I fear the battle he will have with the insurance folks in terms of value.

06E55

Looks like a lot of damage. Do you have any other pictures? I would concur that it will probably be a total loss. Glad to hear everyone is safe!

Dudeler

My son shot that right after the collision. It now sits in a repair facility.His front grill and bumper is also bashed. He thinks that the person who hit him never braked and it was the impact from hitting the S55 stopped him. I told him today to go back to the intersection and take some photographs. If there are no skid marks then it would appear that there was serious driver inattention. He's bummed because he spent a long time finding an S55 that was meticulously maintained and had planned on driving the car for a very long time. His insurance policy had a replacement value set at $20,000, but I'm thinking that he will be dealing with the carrier of the person who hit him and that carrier will have their own idea of what the car is worth.

rondocap

That's really sad for me to see because I have a 2001 S55 AMG in the same color - so I feel for him. I love this car, and can only imagine that he is very upset.

Let us know what happens, if it's repaired, and those details!

06E55

I am not sure if this varies from state to state or not, but I know when I was in an accident and my vehicle was totaled when I was in PA, a similar situation existed. I was in an accident where someone T-boned me (they ran a red light and had multiple witnesses [traffic cameras were non-existant and people actually volunteered information ). My insurance company said my vehicle was worth $XXXXX and the other person's insurance company said my vehicle was worth $xxxxx. My insurance company ended up paying me what they said it was worth and the insurance companies battled it out... Needless to say, I have been with this insurance company since I was 16 and would never switch...

Dudeler

06E55,

Did you get an attorney, or let the insurance companies battle it out? He's debating the loss/gain of getting legal representation.

OAG

I suggest he NOT sign anything, from his insurer or ESPECIALLY the other insurer, and see what they come up with, both repair/total status and value. Until he signs something he can always call a "time out" to go find a appropriate attorney.

06E55

No, I did not get an attorney. My insurance agent (one of the largest in the area of PA I was in) treated each of his customers very well (in fact, he had won multiple awards for customer service) got my insurance company to pay and they ended up battling it out... I have no clue on what happened from there as far as that aspect goes...

But, as OAG stated, he shouldn't sign anything from the other insurance company (or his for that matter) unless you are in 100% agreement with what they are offering... Once he signs, it cannot be undone! If a "fair" payout isn't reached by either his insurance company or the other person's insurance company, then he must weigh the pros/cons (i.e., cost) of an attorney.

He needs to play hardball (but respectfully) with the other person's insurance company. After all, it was one of their policy holders' who was at fault and (more than likely) totaled his car...

Dudeler

Well, yesterday my son learned that the car is repairable, that there was no frame damage, and work has begun. I have had several comments advocating having the car totaled, that there will be rattles and squeaks and that it will never be as it was before. New grill, front bumper, rear, bumper, trunk, air compressor (?) rear and front lights. Is there way to effect totaling a car? I'm afraid that, after the car is done, he will chase rattles and squeaks--but only 90 days to do it--and the multi-thousands to fix the car will make any resale difficult.

Fraser

Could you sue the other party for the diminished resale as a result of the accident?

emoving

Take it to another body shop that charges more. That body shop want the repair money because from looking at that car and knowing the values.....its totaled. I wouldnt want it back. It gonna be a mess from here on out. How many miles are on the car?

Dudeler

Fraser,

That is a really good point. He has held off getting an attorney involved because he did not suffer any visible, serious injury. He tweaked his neck, went to ER to make sure nothing was broken and is waiting to see his primary care physician.

06E55 made a good case for letting the his insurance company do the work and that is what he is doing now. The repair facility has yet to really get into the car, so unseen issues may still take place.

Dudeler

emoving,
There is 115,000 miles on the car. He is the second owner. The first owner took meticulous care of it, had all the records, two other cars to drive. It was pristine.How does one go about convincing an insurance company that the car should be totaled? Demand a second opinion? I'm assuming frame damage would be the mortal blow and they claim there is none, just a smashed trunk, front and rear bumpers and all the lights and the car will be fine when it is fixed.

retardedmunk

that car is going to be a $8-10k car tops to a buyer who checks the carfax...I say fight it out...get another car....that car is ****ed up real bad...the trunk is twisted...meaning that everything inside is as loose as a 2 dollar *****.....the car is 9 years old and now has an accident history....and it is a 2001 which is not a demanding car at the moment...also no way to 100% match that paint either...the car is going to look repaired by anybody who looks at it closely....they have to paint the 1/4's and the lid is shot and the bumper as well....how can they match this on a 9 year old paint on the car now...no way...the color code will match but not the visible age of the old paint and the new paint.....you will see.....i dont understand...with miles and the year...the car is worth $15k anyway tops .....so they repair it for atleast $7-8k .....just doesnt make sense......not worth it..

Dudeler

munk,

I think you are absolutely correct on every point. His policy set a declared value of the car at $20K and a $5K rider for his baller 20" Lowenharts. I'm guessing the insurance company of the person who hit himis simply trying to save money. I told him yesterday to contact his company and tell them the repair option devalues the car.

Dudeler

Carnage update:

It appears that the driver who caused the wreck insurance company is spending $14K to fix a car that they have valued at $18.7. They are also trying to get my son's company to pay for the front end damage because 'he hit that car'..which was actually the result of him getting pushed into it because he was smacked from the back..strange logic there. He's advocating that the car has been totaled and he wants his $20K. He has had three different agents to deal with in three days.

Gondon

What kind of retard insurance company is that?

Here they would total it right away and give you a check for 20k within a week.

Isnt 70% total value? 14k is over 70%...they are trying to play your son.

Dudeler

Tort law in California!

My son's insurance is Mercury, he told me this morning that his latest agent is going to call him this afternoon and he is going to talk ask why the car is not being totaled and who is driving the bus on the settlement, it appears to be the insured who caused the wreck.

I don't know what company covers the guy who started it all. I'm heading down there tomorrow..400 miles in the rain, the mountain right outside LA is closed because of snow, so I'll take the long way around. LA drivers and snow..I'm not allow my S55 to entertain that level of craziness.

06E55

Sorry, haven't checked this thread lately.

I would definitely get his insurance company or a lawyer involved at this point. I would also get another repair shop to look at it (if not two others).

How on earth is the other person's insurance company even beginning to think they could get your son's insurance company to pay for hitting the car in front of him? He was the one that caused the accident, not your son! The ONLY way that this could possibly happen is if your son hit that car first and then the other person ran into the back of your son's car...

I did a Kelly Blue Book on your son's car and in pristine condition at a dealer it is worth about $22,000 (which is pretty close to what his insurance company is valuing his car at). If they are spending $14K to fix a car they value at 18.7K, it is totaled (this works out to 74.866% of the value!).

Have your son get his insurance company involved and possibly a lawyer if needed!

retardedmunk

STAY AWAY from Mercury....wow...they r insane trying to fix a car that they are practically buying .....*******s.....

L A Y W E R ....<----did i spell this correctly....lol

Phin

...I don't think the place it's at for repair is a certified MB repair facility....your Son needs to get another estimate from a place with more "prestige"....to confirm it's totaled...good luck

06E55

Mercury is not trying to fix the car... The insurance company of the person that hit the OP's son is trying to fix the car...