Your not going to believe this - car totaled without a scratch on it

[gh1950]

Insurance didn't allow her the option to buy back the totaled car? She would be well served to have kept it and bought a computer chip...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324643529927?hash=item4b964324c7:g:7NAAAOSwKgFgrS15

30 seconds on eBay found one

She was in a panic to get a new vehicle, and closed the deal with the ins. co before talking to me, this is what I would have suggested.

I'm betting the local dealer has it pushed over in a corner somewhere. Subaru really hold their value - I was shopping for one and even 20 year old ones retain a lot of value.

This vehicle was in 99% condition.

 

[gh1950]

If the car was worth 2k more..shouldnt the ins pay that minus a deductible?

It's an arguable point, and I don't know if the ins. co. paid that or not. She had a loan, and it was paid off, and she got some cash out, so she wasn't hurt.

Her credit union financed the "new" used car at 1.9% which with anticipate inflation, is like having them pay you to borrow money.

 

[gh1950]

News says late model used cars are up almost 50%. If the chip shortage goes on, look for them to go higher.

WSJ had an article on several used vehicles selling for more than they were new.

 

[StuP]

Amazing. Wish she could have bought it back; easy fix.

 

[gh1950]

Amazing. Wish she could have bought it back; easy fix.

She came out o.k. and she's happy, so it worked out.

I agree, in my own mind, the dealership, knowing she had good ins. and the ins. co. being willing to total it, I'm not sure how diligent the dealership was in considering all the options. As noted, they are in possession of desirable used car which only requires a minor repair to get running.

I had a similar problem with a '97 Ford PU that has a module that I didn't even know existed (not the ECM) that is long long out of production. My garage is really good, and they didn't have any problem with me flogging the interwebs, where I found 2 companies that rebuild/remanufacture them, one didn't require a core, and has a lifetime warranty.

But I had to take a deep dive to find those companies, and the garage was up front and admitted that they probably wouldn't have taken the time.

FWIW, the module has been working perfectly.

Also, my local garage correctly diagnosed the problem in less than an hour, the local Ford dealership took a full hour, made a $100 diagnosis, including a supposed visual check of the 4 WD which was totally wrong, not even close. the Ford estimate was about $900. I have wondered what their response would have been if I'd paid the $900 and it still didn't work - because their suggested repair had nothing to do with the actual problem.

My actual cost at the local shop was less than $300 which included me buying the part and paying for shipping to their door.

 

[Tony2X]

Never heard of an Ins. co. sending something as simple as that to a DEALERSHIP for repair.

 

[Realstudent368]

Amazing. Wish she could have bought it back; easy fix.

The way I see it..

The insurance company cant do anything with my car without my approval...


It's really not up to them...

 

[rockyfatcat]

I have very first hand knowledge that all of the following is exactly true.

Lady friend parks in her yard, and parks over water pipe - just the way it is.

Drives a late model Subaru wagon.

Lightening strike, runs down the pipe, under the car, and into the house , where there was some minor damage.

The lightening never touched the car as far as anyone can tell. BUT the EMR radiation fried the car's computer, just like it could fry your home computer in the right circumstances.

Towed off to the Subaru dealer, who gives her a loaner. insurance company is good on paying for repairs.

All the car needs is a computer, and it will be up and running.

You may be aware of the world wide shortage of computer chips for automobiles. Subaru dealer can't find a computer, not in the U.S., not in Japan, not in the whole wider world. So she keeps loaner for 5 weeks, Subaru throws up its hands, say "we can't repair it." "we want our loaner back."

Based on this , ins. co. (GEICO) throws up its hands, declares it totaled, pays her off, gives her 3 day rental, end of story.

So there is a late model, "totalled" Subaru sitting at the dealership in excellent condition without a mark on it.

Footnote: She really likes Subaru. She couldn't find a good used one. Car Vanna had some but she found the delivery chargers prohibitive. She found one similar to hers, about 4 years old, she bought hers two years ago, and she said the current price was $2000 more than she paid 3 years ago.

Ended up buying mid-sized Honda SUV or crossover

I’d be hitting up the junk dealer market. Somebody is going to have a collision and the computer that is going to be salvageable.

 

[gh1950]

The way I see it..

The insurance company cant do anything with my car without my approval...


It's really not up to them...

First, actually your ins. co. can do a lot without your approval. Once they tender what they calculate to be the full value of your vehicle, they have completed their contractual obligation, and you are on your own. You can dispute it, but the cost of doing that is on you, and any benefits (rental car, etc.) will stop. Even the decision on whether to total or repair is up the company - and this case is a good example of that. Storage fees, towing costs, etc. are your responsibility after the tender.

Secondly, I'm talking about a 76 year old woman with virtually no mechanical knowledge, who had waited 5 weeks to have what seemed to be a simple repair made.

So while you and I would have been perfectly comfortable with a salvaged unit, her, not so much. She has been taken advantage of before by less than honorable repair facilities because she tends to fall in love with her mechanics.

Yes, I wish she had discussed the settlement with me, but the dealership wanted it's loaner back, the ins. co. offered to make a favorable settlement, and told her it would pay for 3 more days rental. Fortunately that included a weekend, so it extended that by 2 days, and she was able to find a suitable vehicle - a nice late model Honda. Easy to Monday morning quarterback.

 

[gh1950]

Never heard of an Ins. co. sending something as simple as that to a DEALERSHIP for repair.

SHE sent it to the dealership. She uses a very reputable local garage for normal service. As with a lot of late model cars, that GARAGE did not have the necessary equipment and software to diagnose the problem, and IT recommended that she have it taken to the dealership. No one knew the extent of the problem until it was diagnosed. It could have been any number of simple electrical problems.

One of the rights you have under your policy is you get to choose the repair facility, just like you can insist on OEM parts.