BZBZZZ down ... but not for the count!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

I serious ****ing hate insurance companies. What ***holes.

---

I couldn't agree more!!!

I just spent 45 minutes on the phone with them & basically it appears that they make a judgement call on whether to total or repair. There's no 75% standard that they use. They also indicated that they do not accept counter proposals in VA (which I submitted last night), only for MD residents because it's state law.

They basically suggested I take one or two next steps:

1. hire a licensed vehicle assessor in VA to provide a counter assessment (won't honor Richard's because he's not licensed in VA).

2. pay to have body shop tear down the VehiCross to verify that there's no additional damage other than what's listed in the estimate.

Notice the words 'hire' & 'pay'. As a victim, I've got to invest in the process to make myself whole!!!!

A manager is supposed to call me back. If I can't get any resolution, I'll have to go legal. It's the last thing that I want to do but now it's the principal of the situation. I'm just enough of an AH to refuse to be bullied by an insurance company .... justice will be done & BZBZZZ will roll again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

If I can't get any resolution, I'll have to go POSTAL. It's the last thing that I want to do but now it's the principal of the situation. I'm just enough of an AH to refuse to be bullied by an insurance company .... justice will be done & BZBZZZ will roll again.

---

Fixded...:smilewink

ROFL

I would never put evidence of that nature on the web!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

Is that another quote from 'Little Big Man'?

---

Both quotes (yours & mine) were from The Outlaw Josey Wales...right guy (Chief Dan George), wrong movie...:rotate:

GTK

I thought I was wrong once ... I see now that I was mistaken.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

Notice the words 'hire' & 'pay'. As a victim, I've got to invest in the process to make myself whole!!!!

A manager is supposed to call me back. If I can't get any resolution, I'll have to go legal.

---

I agree 100%. Not that you want to sell BZBZZZ, but having a salvage title will destroy your resale value, which does unfairly damage you financially.

Let me tell you a story about USAA though. We used them to apply for a VA home loan for our current house, and they recommended a "USAA-certified" real estate agent that we could use. We were offered a $1000 gift card in exchange for using this agent, who we were told must maintain a membership/certification to be recommended by USAA (and I guarantee you there was a fee associated with membership). That arrangement is the clear definition of a kickback and is absolutely illegal in the state of Virginia. I pressed our loan officer on how in the world they get away with it, and she said she'd talk to her "manager" and call me back. This is literally what she said when she called back: "I've been reassured by my manager that our lawyers have researched the issue and found a loophole that makes this technically legal in Virginia." I told her I didn't feel comfortable with the potential that I could be violating the law and that we'd provide our own agent.

The total loss department is scheduling a meeting for me at the collision center to discuss the assessment with the assessor. Hopefully I'll be able to get the value bumped up just enough based on mods to get them to overturn their decision to total it. The meeting will happen sometime next week so I won't have any new updates for a while.

EDIT: Monday morning at 1000.

Fingers crossed... :luck:

Well, the assessor is still going to recommend it be totalled but he is going to increase the value based on modifications to give me a 'little' better settlement. He wants to make sure that I have a little ($) buffer to make sure I get all the repairs done.

I'm not gullible so I fully recognize that I'll potentially end up with out of pocket expenses ... but I need the VX back on the road. Since Merlin said that 3 of the major parts will be back ordered (at least a month) I need to get the settlement done.

I should hear something today & I'll keep Y'all posted.

Good Luck!

The assessor found a complete Proton with a blown engine in PA. Since it'll be 'one stop shopping' for all used parts, he's having the shop re-write the estimate accordingly for re-assessment.

I should know something today.

Not to worry though, as soon as the shop has identified all the parts that are needed for BZBZZZ, I'll get the contact info for the bone yard & Y'all vultures can descend upon them.:tweed:

OMG! Sorry to hear the bad news. :( Hope your VX is better than new soon!

Good luck Tom!

Well, another 180 degrees.

Assessor just called. Despite being able to source used parts for fender, hood, & bumper cover, he's still going to recommend totaling it since it'll also need a steering box & airbag control module (which they are not allowed to use salvaged parts for).

He's submitting his revised assessment that'll leave me with about $6700 to effect repairs. It should be plenty as long as nothing major is found during the repairs that wasn't on the estimate.

At least now we can get started on the repairs.

so you get your vx back (salvage title i assume but who cares if you are keeping it) plus $6700? that seems pretty good to me could have been much worse - i hope you can get it fixed cheaper than that so you can have a little (well deserved) pain and suffering money

Sorry to hear Tom but at least that explanation makes better sense. As EC says it really only matters if you plan to keep BZBZZZ forever anyway.

Best of luck for a speedy repair!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by evillecutter

so you get your vx back (salvage title i assume but who cares if you are keeping it) plus $6700? that seems pretty good to me could have been much worse - i hope you can get it fixed cheaper than that so you can have a little (well deserved) pain and suffering money

---

No, no salvage title. Even though the insurance company totalled it, the title will not show anything IRT the accident. CARFAX on the other hand will be all over it (2 major accidents now).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

Sorry to hear Tom but at least that explanation makes better sense. As EC says it really only matters if you plan to keep BZBZZZ forever anyway.

Best of luck for a speedy repair!

---

I do plan on keeping it forever so the diminished value didn't play into the decision.

I ordered the parts today:

Hood
Left front fender
Front bumper cover
Left headlight
Airbag control module
Radiator
AC condensor
Steering box
Fan
Air box

They were pulling the right window regulator for me but found the cable busted.

AFAIK the vehicle was nearly complete (blown engine) with the exception of the parts I listed above and the front grill & front right fender, everything else is still there.

The vehicle is at Millerstown Auto Parts in Tarentum, PA (near Pittsburg).

Call Dane (724) 352-3900

You'll probably have to make your own shipping arrangements.

BTW, the last 4 of the VIN are 0724. It doesn't look like it was ever owned by a member of the forum.

I called Indy yesterday. I'm on the waiting list for the HD torsion bars (probably available in about a month).

I think I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger on HD ball joint kit (all my boots are ripped & it won't hold alignment) & a set of shocks (I think my OEM front left is dead).

BTW, I cleaned Merlin out of cladding screws (he only had 4) & he's back ordered me 16 more. It'll be more than enough for my repairs & I'll hang on to the rest if anyone needs them. Holy Carp!!! $3 each.

I called Dane & told him to keep any that he removes so Y'all can prolly get some from him too if you need them quick.

These are the shocks I'm thinking about:

https://www.independent4x.com/mercha...roducts_id=118

EDIT: I ordered the ball joints today. I'll prolly order the shocks before the end of the week.

Sweet! Go ahead and get the rear lower links too! I am getting those as soon as tax return comes, I am tired of my bent ones (I mean really bent) and I can get rid of the rear axle rake. That means you can make some kind of summer trip down here with the VX?

AFAIK my lower links are in good shape so I'll hafta have another look before I pull the trigger on that.

I'd love to make a beach run this summer but I'm not even gonna make it a 'fer sure' on Moab until I'm actually driving the beastie again.

Sorry to hear the trouble you are going through...If the insurance co knew you like we do they would just give up or "tap-out" as I like to say. Good luck with the repairs and look forward to seeing the off-set from hell back on the road again!

Wait what?

I disappear for little bit and come back to this? Awww man... not cool. Tom, sorry to hear about your troubles, my friend. Glad that you have the sticktoitiveness to turn the screws on your insurance company for so long and get a little more out of them. The bee will buzz once more, and I'm glad everyone's ok.

Got a question for you... was the salvage Proton in decent enough shape that you would have considered buying it outright and just dropping in a motor?

-V

I was told that it was almost whole & in very good shape. Now both front fenders, front bumper cover, grill, hood, at least one of the half shafts, airbox, steering box are gone. The vultures are picking it clean quickly so it was more valuable to the community that way. Interesting note is that the hood & both front fenders when to Proton owners - didn't even need to be painted. I might have to go back for the rear door, then strip down vt-mav's old one for the next vulture (it's still rattle can painted ... but looking pretty good so haven't quite decided).

I didn't ask about buying it outright. Wifey wouldn't like me parting out a VX in the driveway. She said that I must have been born with the Sanford & Son gene in me.

[QUOTE=tom4bren;274442]I didn't ask about buying it outright. Wifey wouldn't like me parting out a VX in the driveway. She said that I must have been born with the Sanford & Son gene in me.

I takes a very special wife to allow these home projects. I have done it, my wife looses her parking space to these projects. My last two vehicles that died (250K+) were parted out in my garage. Praise to my sleeping wife....lol

[QUOTE=VxSport;274444]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

I takes a very special wife to allow these home projects. I have done it, my wife looses her parking space to these projects. My last two vehicles that died (250K+) were parted out in my garage. Praise to my sleeping wife....lol

---

ROFL - she's def a keeper!!!

I just found out that my next major project is scheduled to begin this spring. I hafta dig out under the deck & weatherproof ... just so I can get all my crap out of MY garage & renovate that as a family room for HER. Oh Joy!!!

Just got a call from the body shop. The body panels arrived today. Gotta wrap up a few things here at work & get my tukkas down there to inspect them before they'll start the install.

WOOHOO!!!

Awesome news! Take some pics for posterity. :-)

It's a good day in VXhood.

-V

Well, VX is looking good. They already have the hood & fender on. The hood has some rock chips on the leading edge so I'll be ordering another magna-bra.

Bad news though, the radiator and condensor didn't arrive. I'll have to call Dane tomorrow to see what's up.

Good news though, the front tube bumper is in great shape - no rust, no bends.

I'll keep you posted.

You sir...are a blessed man!

Nice when good things happen for good folks...:bgwb::bwgy::smilewink:bgwo:

Dane said that he didn't show in his notes that he was supposed to send the radiator, condensor, & fan.

PPHHTT!!!

I have it in my notes where he gave me pricing on those items. I'm waiting for him to call me back on how quick he can get them out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

Dane said that he didn't show in his notes that he was supposed to send the radiator, condensor, & fan.

---

Sooooo...on that basis, apparently he never would have sent them??

Seems like a question worth pursuing with the customer if his "notes" don't contain that basic info...

I'm not ready to piss off Dane yet. He said he's getting the rad, condensor & fan shipped out this morning.

BTW - noticed that all my ball joint boots were shot.

Independent 4X is now on my speed dial.

HD ball joints have arrived and are ready to install.

Just ordered their HD tie rods.

I'll prolly order an OEM centerlink since Indy doesn't carry an HD version.

The big question now is: do I violate my procrastinistic inclinations and install all that myself ... or let the alignment shop do it. I'm kinda leaning towards the later since I remember how much of a pain it was to disconnect the center link when I did the diff drop.

EDIT:

Center Link ordered -

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sh...vehicross.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tom4bren

BTW - noticed that all my ball joint boots were shot.

Independent 4X is now on my speed dial.

HD ball joints have arrived and are ready to install.

Just ordered their HD tie rods.

I'll prolly order an OEM centerlink since Indy doesn't carry an HD version.

The big question now is: do I violate my procrastinistic inclinations and install all that myself ... or let the alignment shop do it. I'm kinda leaning towards the later since I remember how much of a pain it was to disconnect the center link when I did the diff drop.

EDIT:

Center Link ordered -

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sh...vehicross.html

---

There has been centerlinks listed on Ebay for months. Might save you some $$$

CSTYLES ordered his from them with good results so I played it safe & did the same. 'Sides ... I overpaid for Heavy Duty components from Indy ... why change now.:)

Now I'm getting excited. The last of the parts arrived today from PA. I'll drop them at the shop in the morning. Maybe it'll be ready for the alignment shop by Monday.

The HD Tie Rods came in today too. OMG they are monsters. The Center Link arrived yesterday.

I ordered the shocks today. She's gonna be a new ride when it's all said & done.

:dance:.:dan_ban:.:dance:

Replacement radiator leaks. They are looking at aftermarket now. If push comes to shove, the old one isn't leaking despite some bent tubes.

Finners crossed that it's ready today!!!!

Just to move it from the body shop to the alignment shop though:)

Hope to make a road trip in it to Philly this weekend.

Morning Tom.... I bet your on the edge of your seat. Are you picking it up this weekend? Congrads on your repairs and saving your vx from most certainly would have been the death and salvage yard.