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Originally Posted by crystalworks
We disagree fundamentally. Which is fine. You would not buy a vehicle from me. As a seller, and a buyer, I will ask more, and I have paid more, for a vehicle which has had maintenance and repairs done to it.
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Why do you think I would not purchase a vehicle from you? I think it is completely reasonable to ask more for a vehicle which is in above average condition. But it's unreasonable to ask more for a vehicle in above average condition and also expect me to pay extra for the work that was performed to bring it up to the above average condition.
The OP is claiming that his vehicle was in excellent condition and therefore is setting his expectation of the insurance payout according to said condition. Then he's expecting, at least partially, them to pay for the work he did to bring it up to that condition. He can't have it both ways. The compensation he'll receive for the work he put into it will be in a higher payout price for the vehicle. Unfortunately it will not be dollar for dollar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crystalworks
Until I know the offer, I was jumping the gun on SF's reason-ability. I'm betting though, that like you, they are offering based on NADA and KBB type value systems. Those are wholly inaccurate as to the market value of enthusiast type vehicles.
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That may be one way of valuing the vehicle. However, in my two instances, they used comparable vehicles for sale on the used market. Which resulted in a more than acceptable payment for my losses. I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance company is doing the same in this instance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crystalworks
Insurance companies' entire business model is to pay out as little as possible to as few people as possible. That's just how it works. If you let them, they will give you as little as possible. I hope jlwjacket is able to negotiate for a higher price as he will have to replace the vehicle, which is what insurance is supposed to be for. He won't find that same condition vehicle for $3900 (the excellent value you quoted) so insurance is falling short of it's purpose IMO if the offer is less than $5000ish.
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Of course they'll pay as little as possible. Don't you? having said that insurance isn't supposed to pay you for a replacement vehicle (unless you specifically buy coverage to that effect or they happen to offer it as part of your policy...either of which come with restrictions) but rather pay you fair market value for your vehicle.
I had a prime example of this. I purchased a 1999 328i brand new in December of 1998. I sold that car in August 2010 with slightly less than 35K miles on the clock. That car was in, literally, brand new condition. It was highly unlikely anyone would find that age of a car with such low miles and in the brand new condition it was in. However if it were totaled I would have received around $10K for it. Despite the fact the vehicle was in brand new condition the fact was it wasn't worth more than $10K (the price I sold it for). There was no way the insurance company would have given me 75% of the original purchase price for that car.