rangerdriver

So I bought her back last summer, so excited, my first mustang. Blew the trans out one night and dropped a tko600 and ram clutch in it($3000). k member, sub frames, springs, weather stripping all around, on the day of the accident my strut brace and other parts came in ups.
She was a fast car. But speed isn't what killed her. A 17 year old girl who can't see a stop sign cause shes late for school is what killed her.
I t-boned her after she blew a stop sign. The force of the accident shifted the front end to the right a good 4 inches. Bending the front frame rails where the k member attaches.
So far her insurance has yet to get in contact with her to collect her statement, my half of the insurance is done and taken care of. I'm waiting on a check which wont happen til they collect her statement of saying she's a stupid driver and should have her license revoked permanently. I had the insurance adjuster come out today and it's a total loss(no **** sherlock), Unfortunately, t tops are not an option according to them, and put it as a manual sun roof. This is what might screw me over. I never fought an insurance company before. My last accident I just took the money because they offered me $2000 for a truck I paid $400 for. I have $3000 for the car, and over $4000 in parts. I know I won't see more than $3000 on a check, which ticks me off. I need to go through the hassle of pulling the engine and trans after just doing all that less than a couple months ago.
Here's the kicker, this a back road, stop signs on the side streets, 25mph limit. This is the second time I have totaled a car on this intersection because of someone elses ignorance.





So I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I have all my receipts, and even printed out comparable mustangs to use as evidence they are low balling me.
Anyone with a similar situation can you chime in?

craig71springsport

I've never fought an insurance company like that before...never had an accident! *knock on wood x100* IMO all you can really do without legal representation is present your evidence and plead your case...telling you right now though that just like most private buyers, insurance companies don't care what you have in the car usually. Unless you have full receipts for everything done, then you might get something.

If it's not too bad it could be salvaged as a drag car? I've seen foxes with radiator supports supposedly ripped off the car fixed into really nice dragsters. Just heresay, but it's something.

BabyGT

You can fight for more, get a lawyer, my buddy had the same thing happen in his modded camaro, had all receipts and proof of what he'd done to it and got every penny for parts unedited plus value of car.

BabyGT

Invested not unedited

PNYXPRESS

Similar think happened to me in '04. The other persons insurance tried to say my car was only worth $5200. I found as many 2000 v6 mustangs as I could in mint condition and similar mileage (but not more) as mine that were the highest price for sale as I could. I told them that I would have to replace my car due to their clients actions and that this was what it would cost. In the end, I kept the car with a clean title and they wrote me a check for $7700. I ended up fixing the car to a total of $7200, so I ended up making money.

That car is very fixable especially if you do most the work yourself.

onewheat

If they total the car, unless you buy it back from them, you no longer own it to be able to pull the engine and tranny. It belongs to them. I went through this with my son's car after he got rear-ended on an off ramp totalling his car. The insurance company was not willing to budge on their price - Ohio law states they need to pay "reasonable replacement cost" and that is all. Somehow in their comparables, they compared my GT with SE cars, stating they couldn't find enough GTs to use in comparison, which was my point to them. My son had an excellent condition GT and they were offering me SE money as "replacement". This went on for over 6 months and they refused to negotiate or come off their original offer. I could have gone with a lawyer, but that would have cost a minimum of $500 to get rolling and guaranteed nothing. In the end, I settled and kept the car with a salvage title and cash, since my son didn't seem to care either way since it was still driveable, just crushed in the quarter panel. All I can say is Good Luck - insurance companies suck.

rangerdriver

The insurance said I can keep the car and do whatever with it after all is said and done.
If they use any kind of autotrader like website to make a starting point on what to give me I should be get atleast 3000 for it.
The car is not fixable. The front frame rails are bent where it mates with the k member. It would require me to cut off the front end and graft a new front on. Id be better off just buying an 87 gt hatch and grafting the t tops on. The other problem is I'm pretty sure the entire car is twisted as the hatch doesn't shut at all with out having to push it sideways and slam it.

capri debris

Agreed amount insurance.... if you don't have it, don't expect the insurance company to pay you a single penny over book value.

I have 3 of my 4 Capris insured with State Farm and all of them were appraised and insured for THAT amount. It's the only way you can have peace of mind with old cars like ours that have a bunch of money invested in them.

Jfsram

You can sometimes fight for a bit more but without an appraisal. Good Luck.

If you drive ANYTHING above average value. An appraisal will work in your favour.

rangerdriver

The insurance put the value at 4500. Well higher than what I expected. I won't bother fighting it. It covers the cost of the car and the small items I've put into it. Without including the trans its actually a profit for me.
All said and done ill be in the green and can start looking for a new fox body.