For those who have been in my position before, what's the process?
Also, a few questions:
1. Would you consider this totaled, and do you think the insurance will as well? My answer would be absolutely yes. Even if the insurance says they want to fix it, I'd dispute that. From what I see there is definitely frame damage and I know the car would never drive right again.
The door was jammed backwards and could not open. It could not close either because the edge of the door was scraping on the passenger quarter panel. Frame damage?
Nothing impacted or struck the roof, but part of it had a serious dent in it. Frame damage?
Rear passenger quarter panel damaged.
Both airbags deployed and the entire dash was screwed up. I had to rip open the glove box, the center console around the shifter bezel had shifted over to the left a considerable amount and my head unit had fallen backwards out of the head unit.
This might not be recognizable in this photo, but behind the passenger seat the floorboard has a very large hump to it that was not there before. Frame damage bent the floorboard upwards?
2. What should I do about the engine? It was replaced and we have all paperwork that came with it, along with how many miles were on the car when it was replaced. I would say the new engine has +/- 15k miles on it. It was bought as a brand new crate motor and was around $6000 not including labor. Would this make a difference in what the insurance company offers me for the car? I definitely want to be compensated because the fresh motor definitely adds value to the car.
3. What about aftermarket parts I've installed on the car: rotors, pads, clutch, clutch cable, quadrant, head unit, speakers, etc. I have the OEM speakers, that's it, so everything I take off I will have nothing to replace it with.
4. Will I be able to take what I want off the car after they total it? I'd gut the car down to the frame but I'm pretty sure that even if I was allowed to, it would take away value from the car and the insurance would offer me less for it.
5. What can I do if the insurance offers me less than what I feel the car is worth? I suspect they'll be looking at the KBB value and factors such as sales prices for the same car etc. KBB has my car valued for right at $12000, but I feel the car is worth more than that. It's got practically a brand new motor, new clutch was installed when the motor was put in, new rotors, pads, tires, head unit, speakers. On top of that, it was the cleanest Mach 1 I've ever seen.
Also, a few questions:
1. Would you consider this totaled, and do you think the insurance will as well? My answer would be absolutely yes. Even if the insurance says they want to fix it, I'd dispute that. From what I see there is definitely frame damage and I know the car would never drive right again.
The door was jammed backwards and could not open. It could not close either because the edge of the door was scraping on the passenger quarter panel. Frame damage?
Nothing impacted or struck the roof, but part of it had a serious dent in it. Frame damage?
Rear passenger quarter panel damaged.
Both airbags deployed and the entire dash was screwed up. I had to rip open the glove box, the center console around the shifter bezel had shifted over to the left a considerable amount and my head unit had fallen backwards out of the head unit.
This might not be recognizable in this photo, but behind the passenger seat the floorboard has a very large hump to it that was not there before. Frame damage bent the floorboard upwards?
2. What should I do about the engine? It was replaced and we have all paperwork that came with it, along with how many miles were on the car when it was replaced. I would say the new engine has +/- 15k miles on it. It was bought as a brand new crate motor and was around $6000 not including labor. Would this make a difference in what the insurance company offers me for the car? I definitely want to be compensated because the fresh motor definitely adds value to the car.
3. What about aftermarket parts I've installed on the car: rotors, pads, clutch, clutch cable, quadrant, head unit, speakers, etc. I have the OEM speakers, that's it, so everything I take off I will have nothing to replace it with.
4. Will I be able to take what I want off the car after they total it? I'd gut the car down to the frame but I'm pretty sure that even if I was allowed to, it would take away value from the car and the insurance would offer me less for it.
5. What can I do if the insurance offers me less than what I feel the car is worth? I suspect they'll be looking at the KBB value and factors such as sales prices for the same car etc. KBB has my car valued for right at $12000, but I feel the car is worth more than that. It's got practically a brand new motor, new clutch was installed when the motor was put in, new rotors, pads, tires, head unit, speakers. On top of that, it was the cleanest Mach 1 I've ever seen.