The Conclusion:

So, I agreed to a settlement yesterday, and the check is in the mail. I am not sure if I want to post actual dollars - maybe I'll wait until after I have the actual check to do that.

In the end, the settlement is fair, and I can replace the vehicle with it.

Here are a couple of details:
- 2005, 170k miles, loaded (panorama, cold weather, luxury etc)
- condition was pretty good before the wreck, with the aforementioned $3k+ in repairs/maint. This was to fix oil leaks, replace entire cooling system, power steering pump, front cv's, bushing, ball joints, new tires, new battery, new alternator, and a few other things.

Process:
- first offer was OK, but I wanted to account for all of the work I'd done. So, I submitted receipts. I was hoping for a condition upgrade to recognize it (everything was based on Good in the 1st estimate).

- after submitting receipts, offer dropped by $400. they deducted $1k for mileage (original was based on assumed of 150k), and added back $600 for battery and tires

- I started to look for comps, and came across some of the same ones used in their evaluation report. However, the listing prices I found, on the exact vehicles, was in 2 cases about $2000-2500 higher than what they had used. Their value was based on 4 comps, averaged.

- they revised their estimate based on the current listing prices, which increase the offer by $1k, or about $600 more than 1st estimate.

- I had one more conversation relative to a few more options that they had not recognized. They said they could not do anything with those, but in recognition of the repairs/receipts, would upgrade the condition to "very well maintained" from "good", which added $400.

So, the crash was about 3 weeks ago now. I will have a check next week for an amount that I think is very fair, and with which I can replace the car. The final settlement is about $1k more than the initial.

I received, in all, a $1k deduction for mileage, a $1k increase for comp listing price errors, $600 for tires/battery being new, and $400 for a condition upgrade due to receipts. So, a total of about $1k in recognition of the parts I had done, though tires and battery were really the only ones that had value in their view.

So, I feel good about where we ended up.

One thing I will say - any proposed increases in value had to be documented on my end. They were not going to give anything for free.

Also, everyone that I spoke with during the entire process at State Farm was courteous and professional.

So, my plan now is to reimburse myself for part (about half) of the repair costs, and give my daughter a max contribution that I will make to the replacement vehicle. If that is not enough, she will have to contribute. She has $2k saved that she is willing to spend for another car, so her contribution added to mine should be enough.

BTW - not sure where you guys are from, but there are no X5's available around here for $3900.