BBBSS

So I'm driving home minding my own business on a 4 lane road 30mph limit wondering where I should stop for gas and then I see an SUV in my mirror kinda weaving side to side and getting real close to my *** then backing off. I'm watching this clown wondering WTF? Thought maybe it was my ex's BF or his buddy or something possibly messing with me so I'm keeping a close eye on him. Well we come towards a red light and I stop leaving a car or two lengths in front of me so I don't get boxed in as I still don't know what this guys up to at this point. So I stop and stupid drives up along the passenger quarter panel and turns like he's gonna hit my passenger side but stops with his headlight pointing in my face. I'm still thinking WTF? and go to pull forward so I'm not in this guys path then he just guns it and takes out the side of my car!!! Takes off through a light speeding for all he had.

I go after him and he's trying to run in this 07 Explorer. He goes around a few turns then starts speeding like a total nutjob through an alley and getting airborne a good 2-3 feet several times as he's going over speed bumps and across streets. I back off as I'm not gonna have this guy crash with me chasing him and somehow get sued or have his life on my hands but he ends up getting back on an open road and I catch up the almost block behind I was in seconds. I called 911 and they tell me I can't chase him. I say I'm just following not chasing and to send a cop car my way. They say they can't send a car if I'm moving and following him and they suggest getting the plate and going to the police station to make a report. I know how that would end.... So I tell em that's fine I'd get the plate and make a report and hang up quickly. I follow him a lil longer and he turns down a road that says no outlet and I'm thinking its about to get interesting! He ends up pulling calmly into a driveway and a mid 20's kid gets out apologizing up and down. I ask him several times WTF why did you do that and all he can say is he was drinking and he's sorry and he's fairly confused and just not all there. I ask him for his license which he gives me, and I walk over and take the keys out of his ignition and put em in my pocket. Call the cops again and have em come make a report.

That's a lil story in itself but to keep it short we decide not to hit him for DUI as he has no record at all and he was being cool and has insurance etc. He's hit with a misdemeanor for leaving the scene and the car gets towed/impounded. Apparently he started crying up a storm when the cop took him to an ATM to get bail money for himself.

Police report will be picked up tomorrow but cop was 100% on my side and said he'd make sure he includes he admits to it and it wasn't my fault at all. He has Farmers insurance and the family has a good amount of money from what I soon found out after putting the feelers out into the neighborhood to find out who he is. Apparently a good kid that's always worked and not a screw up just has been drinking a bit much lately.







BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE THIS





MID CHASE ACTION PHOTOS

BBBSS

So damage tally

1 Wheel
2 Door Handles
1 Mirror
1 Side Skirt
2 Doors one with a big wide indent in it, gotta look at the other tomorrow to see if its pushed in as well
1 painted wheel arch
1 Rear bumper with a small scuff behind the wheel

I know the black junk will buff off but not touching it till the insurance adjusters look at it. The smallest scratch will call for me wanting the panel paid to be repainted. I know I I'll need the wheel refinished or replaced along with the mirror. Door handles they will probably want to paint. 1 door I'm gonna demand they replace as its pushed in. Other probably needs paint. Wheel arch probably needs paint as well. Rear bumper has a scuff that I will push for paint as well.

My biggest Q though is how much should I ask for Diminished Value? I can't have the ceramic paint replaced, multiple panels will need to be repainted, it will need a new door very likely. They better not try to put on a cheap replacement either. Gonna be fun seeing as this is a 2003.

How much has this damaged resale and how much can I realistically get out of this for diminished value? I fully intend to sell the car and buy another clean E55 at this point. I want to make every dollar I can so I don't lose my *** while doing the flip for another car. Its an 03 with 54K miles pano, distronic, heated and cooled seats, 6 disc, and forgot what other options. No sunscreen, no keyless go, no dynamic seats, no parktronic. I traded for it last October so hard to put a price on what I paid but dealer was asking 23 or or 24 for it.

I appreciate any advice.

nysid2007

Damn !!! What a night !! what a night !!! Good thing you hunt his *** down and

took his ignition keys !!!! Thank god !!! Cops came !!!!

Sorry for your loss but it could have been a lot worse and painful !!!

Hope you get your beast fixed up properly ~!!

Also I admire your generosity ! Not charging him with DUI !!!

Let us know what happens with Insurance company ~!!

slownrusty

Wow..what a night..glad you followed him (not chased..laughing) and was able to get all his details and have the cops show up.

Now the big question is how will the insurance company handle the repair?

BenJ

Speaking just for the diminished value, that is something that you will have to talk directly with the kids insurance company about seeing as though your insurance company will more than likely not represent you concerning that. It would then be up to the kids insurance company to pay a diminished value amount and if they said no, you would have to hire counsel out of pocket to represent yourself.

bobafett

Disagree with BenJ on both counts. I've had more experience with this than I care to admit. Diminished value is a standard compensation and you won't need any kind of counsel to get it. Secondly, your insurance company can handle all of the diminished value claim as they will be working on having the other party's insurance pay. For them this is standard procedure and it will be materially easier for you and them if they handle it.

The problem is that you can't just ask for diminished value amounts. You'll have to use a few proven stats. Check NADA, KBB, ebay / autotrader (for listings of cars that have been damaged and repaired and their corresponding value) and any other resources to compile a list of vehicles that most accurately resemble your car. Pick the three or four with the highest disparity (i.e. lowest value because of their damage) and then tell them you want that delta.

You can also try to bring up the externalities of the situation (e.g. hit and run, etc) because no matter what the insurance company says, they are still partially on the hook would you have gone after the driver. That might net you a bit more.

If they try to short-change you on the value, tell them that you will seek out an independent appraisal expert and they will be responsible for the cost of doing so. There are some excellent independents who are very reasonable and do amazing work, but the time and money might not be worth it in this case.

As always, be firm but reasonable. A good attitude (playing the victim, relating the story and how crazy it was by humanizing it) will oftentimes get you far more than simply presenting facts. Doing both will net the best possible result.

cij911

Diminished value ~10% if your car had not been in an accident prior....

Sorry about the incident, but glad you are OK...

shardul

iTrader: (1)

Looks like it is going to be 4 to 6 k worth of damages. Insurance will probably pay for a whole new door skin or shell.

chawkins2001

I have both rear doors for sale if needed, it is black so you would need to paint it, but would let you have it for an amazing deal brotha, pm me if interested.

djrabbi

I had almost same damage on my E500 and it was near $8000. The mirror alone was close to $2000.

moosejaw

That kid is so lucky he did not get a DUI.
I cant believe he got let off
That would not happen in FLA.

RedBullJnky

No he definately would not have gotten away in FL.

Sorry to hear about your interesting night. But glad you got the report and the cops on your side. Accidents and hit and runs are crazy now a days.

dcjwlee

Getting away with a DUI after a hit and run... Insane.

I hope everyone realizes this kid is going to cop a plea deal...

Shoulda thrown the book at him and see what stuck.


Edit: You are one helluva good guy for letting him go though.

Shifter

That kid is lucky he didnt get a old school beat down. Because that may be what I would have done....

Edit, but then I suppose I would be in jail.....

zneB-sedecreM

I too would have ignored the dumb police officer you talked to that told you not to chase him. If he/she was in the same position, regardless cop or not, they would have done the same thing. Your E55 doesn't seem to be worked on. It looks stock, visually. My car is custom at every angle, so if that had happened to me I'd be way more pissed as things can't just be replaced. Everything would have to be re-done. At lease no one was hurt. That kid should sober the **** up, or he's going to end up killing someone and living in jail.

Das Geld 2

Why should the OP care what comes of his criminal record?

That's none of his business. OP's business is to get his car back up to shape and get as much money as possible.

BTW you can go through his insurance and it won't show up on your carfax.

DGSU4EA70

Im not sure if I should be bummed (car wrecked) and or happy (driver caught) for you, so I will be both! Im not sure that I agree with your decision to NOT have him arrested for DUI though, however that might be influenced by my being impartial to that crime. I have had 2 motorcycle friends killed by drunk drivers, and my best man and good friend from grade school was killed by his act of drinking and getting behind the wheel. Who's to say that he would even learn a lesson by jail time and the costs associated with a DUI, but I say the less there are out there the safer we are! These crimes are on the rise (especially with this economy) and the statistics are staggering with how frequent they are happening. Its a good thing that this damage isn't coming out of your pocket though so there is some good news to rejoice too. Seems more and more of us 55 owners (of late) are losing our rides due to; mechanical issues, human error, and collisions. Maybe we should just park em in our garages and leave em! NEVER.....

Good Luck OP with your claims and repair......

moosejaw

It was the 911 operator BBBS ignored, much like the zimmerman guy when he went after Trayvon................Oops!

emoving

Oh it's the Marine wanna be chiming in again! Police dont answer the phone you tard, dispatchers do.

zneB-sedecreM

It's a shame that you weren't the one hit.
Meh, I'm not even that heartless to wish that upon someone, even if it is you.
Marine wannabe? I'd never want to be marine, nor tried. I know what you look like. You're as ugly as your attitude, no wonder why you're so frustrated. Tard lol. Go back to PSC, your posts suck

Vic55

guys really- do I have to close another thread because of bickering and internet bashing.... take the higher road and let the OP share with you his dilemma.

but feel free to PM each other with insults.

BBBSS

Normally I am all about making someone pay for their mistakes. Especially with a DUI. For some reason I felt the kid needed a break. The cop was an old school hard nose type and was all about nailing him to the cross but after a bit he softened up as well. I really think the kid just made some stupid decisions and I hope a few hours in lockup and the costs he's gonna run into now along with apparently his father going to nearly murder him I think he may learn his lesson. I feel better about my decision after talking to several people in the neighborhood that knew him and all were very shocked he did this. It is what it was at this point.

About the repairs now, I spoke to the shop I trust and has done amazing work for me before about this. He can get me in in about a week and a half if I want he just has to finish up a Cuda he has in there. He mainly does higher end restoration and did a lil insurance work to keep funds flowing a bit. He stopped doing insurance work except for certain people he knows and he said he would help me out. I asked him about the Farmers/Allstate thing and he HATES farmers and says they cut every corner and push used and cheap replacement parts and he, like me, feels these have no place on an E55. Now I can have Allstate subrogate for me but I'm out my $500 deductible and I doubt I'd ever see it. Starting to think I'm gonna end up down a $500 deductible and in for a massive fight for any diminished value coverage. If I don't get that I basically got it with no lube in my opinion.

Maybe I should have had em go down for that DUI... lol

WPOZZZ

What if his state has no statute regarding diminished value?

danlnyc

WOW. What a story, felt like I was right there with you. I don't know if I would've had the heart to give the kid a break though IMO.

how did he manage to stratch both your car handles?

WPOZZZ

Can't you go back to the kid and his family for the $500? After all, you didn't have him arrested for DUI. Just go to the house and speak to them.