While the wife had her van parked in town, a 75 year old little lady side-swiped it (Cosmetic damage). Looks like its going to be totaled. Great, its paid for and nothing mechanically wrong with it. Thinking about buying it back and fixing it myself, with help from a friend who is a bodyman. I've never had a vehicle totaled, wondering what's involved in getting my $$ out of it and buying it back? Hope I don't get quoted a ridicoulsy low price for it....

Thanks
67HotRod

 

Just deal with the insurance adjuster. They will usually give you the wreck for little or nothing just to get it out of their responsibility. You will get a salvage title though which reduces the value of the finished vehicle by about one third.

 

I was told once I have a salvage title, I can only get liability coverage. I can see the rocks eyeing up the windsheild now...

 

i bought back my 95 ram 1500 for $700. they will sell it back to you, just dont let them take it to "their lot" while its getting taken care of. keep control of it yourself so you know that no-one takes pieces off. i had new tires, battery, and a bunch of stuff.

 

Well, the adjuster just left. $3600+ estimate on a van worth $4000.

 

Not too bad considering what they could say.

You can get her a Cummins for that... I don't know how bad she needs a van, but do you really want a van parked by your Chevelle and Dodge? (It probably doesn't harm the aesthetics of the other Chevy any...)


And post pics!

 

I paid $175.00 for my 88 Mazda truck (been about 5 years now). A new tailgate and some touch up here and there, sold it for $1,475.
It's worth more to YOU because you know the vehicle. That is, as long as the damage can be fixed and there are no safety issues.

 

The fight is on, their offer was real low.

 

The first offer is always low. They're flickin the jab to see what you're about. The 3rd or 4th offer will be the one to consider. As far as retaining salvage of the vehicle what I usually do is have them stop it just short of a total and write me a check. Then theres no salvage title to deal with. I always make sure to get all of my accessories and upgrades added in. I've been through this 3 times now. Hopefully never again. One more note. They go by " comparable" vehicles for sale to determine fair market value. You have to watch them on this. I asked for the phone numbers of the vehicles that they were using for comps. 2 of the 3 never had a vehicle like that and the 3rd had one the same year but it had been sitting for 3 years and smoked when it was run. I always challenge them to find me a vehicle for the price that they offered me.

 

spunbearing, thanks for the info. Were collecting recpeits and I plan on challenging them to find me another one in the same condition. Its going to be hard to do, the van has another 100,000 miles left in it.

 

After some back and forth, we agreed on more money, and a low buy back. Check is on its way and wife said I could have some of it to BOMB AWAY!

 

Bonus!
"Extra" Money is alway's nice, I have assured my wife where any "extra" money wiil be going in the next few months.

 

Glad to hear that it worked out. You have to play hardball with ins. companies sometimes. My dad was visiting me one year and a guy ran a red light and t-boned my dads van. It was a 1 ton dodge van with a brand new 360 and trans. He also had all of his HAM radio equipment in it and it was outfitted exactly how he wanted it. His ins. company told him that they'd give him $900 for the van. My dad almost signed the papers. I told him to put his pen away. It took about a month but I got him $3800 plus he got to keep his van. He found a new body and swapped eng. etc. Took 8 months to find a body.