Speak with the adjuster this afternoon. Destroyed the windshield, side view mirrors, and one rear taillight as well as basically every panel on the car including the top of the doors. It's the touring, so it has the 2.5 engine and leather, but no BOSE or sunroof. And only 60k miles on it.
We just paid it off earlier this year (I was way upside down in it to start after '13 135i debacle) and put a fresh set of Conti DWS06 on the 18" wheels. I'm hoping it's not totaled as I don't think we'd able to find something as nice for whatever we get and we'd like to keep to the only car payment if we can.
She was at an eye doctor appointment or else it would have been home in the garage. It didn't even rain at our house, which is about 9 miles south of where our eye doctor is.
I hate to say it but I think that will be totaled. Too many panels are beat up. Good luck with the process. Hail sucks!
They were reporting golf and tennis ball-sized hail around the area she was.
Duke
MegaDork
10/1/24 12:04 p.m.
Wow, that's a shame!
I would strongly consider taking what they offer you (if it's reasonable), replacing the glass, mirrors, and taillight, then driving it with the metal work like that.
It won't be pretty but it sounds like too functional and serviceable a car to give up, and you'll have some extra money in the bank.
In reply to Duke :
Same thought. But if the damage ruins the car for you I would understand that. Bummer :/
calteg
UltraDork
10/1/24 2:28 p.m.
Almost certainly totaled. Roof damage is much more expensive to repair than other areas.
If it's totaled out, you might be better off buying it back from the insurance company. Replace the windshield, get a junkyard hood and let the rest of the car ride
spandak said:
In reply to Duke :
Same thought. But if the damage ruins the car for you I would understand that. Bummer :/
Well it's the fiance's car. And she would "probably" deal with it, but I also don't want to force her to drive a banged up car with my perfect condition, modified BRZ next to it.
We will just have to see what they say. I have a video call with adjuster at 3pm CST. Man, don't even send out a physical person anymore? Insured with State Farm.
Should be plenty of flood victims to donate parts for it. Looks like an opportunity to start a new hobby.
Tools
Snrub
Dork
10/1/24 4:02 p.m.
calteg said:
Almost certainly totaled. Roof damage is much more expensive to repair than other areas.
If it's totaled out, you might be better off buying it back from the insurance company. Replace the windshield, get a junkyard hood and let the rest of the car ride
I was thinking replace the non roof panels and address the roof with a "pretty good" DIY body filler roof fix and spray can repaint.
I have absolutely no desire to spend weeks, taking it apart, dealing with no-shows to buy parts and low balls, people wanting me to pay for shipping of large items, etc.
I did with that two E30s and a Miata years ago, I'm sure the people are even worse to deal with these days.
Did the video call review of the car with State Farm........he thinks it's totaled but would said he would get me an estimate later today.
And totaled. Initial estimate is $13,200 with nearly $8000 of that labor.
But he said once the total loss unit gets it, it could up.
Quickly jump on the site car-part.com and see if in your area you can buy used body panels in your correct color. Replace a hood and trunk will improve the look. Its not as easy to replace the roof.
$200 hood
$150 trunk
$300 for a windshield instal via Safelite
$100 headlamp or tail lamp
Less say just under $1k to make the car look better but still not great. Would you be interested in keeping the car then?
In reply to John Welsh :
How many body panels at junkyards are also freshly hail damaged?
In reply to John Welsh :
The C-Pillar on both sides have 8-10 hits, all 4 doors and trim, both front fenders and both side view mirrors.
The C and A pillars have more than one hit so hard the paint, is cracked. Same for the roof.
And like I already said, I don't want to force her to drive around in something that is all beat up with areas that are obviously going to start rusting since you see the metal past the primer.
I just don't think it's worth it.
In reply to z31maniac :
Yep, send the car away. Next step...
Start shopping via sites like autotrader and more to go buy the exact car within 200 miles of home. Be honest when shopping to look for same mileage, trim level and condition. This shopping will then set you up to know if the payout the insurance initially offers you is adequate to truly go buy the exact car on today's open market.
Basically, you are running comps to compare if what the insurance company offers you is too low.
Oh yeah, my first job out of college was as a claim rep for State Farm.
My insurance insisted that they cover wholesale value not retail or replacement value. So rather than getting the $10-11k cost of replacement I got $7k, I should have bought that one back.
My last write-off was really good. The adjuster averaged three ads from Autotrader as comps, so I got a good bit more than I would have sold the car for before the accident.
I literally found her almost exact same car in Dallas. Same mileage, same trim, darker gray rather than silver for $14k.
golfduke said:
Duke said:
Wow, that's a shame!
I would strongly consider taking what they offer you (if it's reasonable), replacing the glass, mirrors, and taillight, then driving it with the metal work like that.
It won't be pretty but it sounds like too functional and serviceable a car to give up, and you'll have some extra money in the bank.
IMHO, this is the way.
And I've already said multiple times, I'm not going to force her to drive a beat to E36 M3 car while mine is in perfect shape.
And as I explained to Mr. Welsh, there are multiple hits that have cracked the paint and primer leaving bare metal exposed. So that will just start rusting.
z31maniac said:
golfduke said:
Duke said:
Wow, that's a shame!
I would strongly consider taking what they offer you (if it's reasonable), replacing the glass, mirrors, and taillight, then driving it with the metal work like that.
It won't be pretty but it sounds like too functional and serviceable a car to give up, and you'll have some extra money in the bank.
IMHO, this is the way.
And I've already said multiple times, I'm not going to force her to drive a beat to E36 M3 car while mine is in perfect shape.
And as I explained to Mr. Welsh, there are multiple hits that have cracked the paint and primer leaving bare metal exposed. So that will just start rusting.
I definitely posted prematurely, I totally get where you are coming from now... Apologies for not reading to the end, haha.
That must have been a hell of a storm though, to divot right through clear and paint to bare metal, holy crap.
golfduke said:
z31maniac said:
golfduke said:
Duke said:
Wow, that's a shame!
I would strongly consider taking what they offer you (if it's reasonable), replacing the glass, mirrors, and taillight, then driving it with the metal work like that.
It won't be pretty but it sounds like too functional and serviceable a car to give up, and you'll have some extra money in the bank.
IMHO, this is the way.
And I've already said multiple times, I'm not going to force her to drive a beat to E36 M3 car while mine is in perfect shape.
And as I explained to Mr. Welsh, there are multiple hits that have cracked the paint and primer leaving bare metal exposed. So that will just start rusting.
I definitely posted prematurely, I totally get where you are coming from now... Apologies for not reading to the end, haha.
That must have been a hell of a storm though, to divot right through clear and paint to bare metal, holy crap.
Tennis and baseball sized hail! Another friend had his SL600 and another car they couldn't get in the garage totaled.
8-9 miles to the south, it didn't even rain at our house.
