APLUS

Man my insurance company gave the okay and fixed my car. Total estimate of repairs $18,000. on a 99 GS300. They really didn't give me a solid answer on why they didn't total it but the dude at the repair shop (does Lexus exclusively) ordered brand new parts for the entire under carriage of the car. Went up there and checked it out. Car boxes everywhere with black suspension components. Looks like an assembly line. Getting a new paint job also and oem wheels, I think since they didn't total it I might just keep it. What do you guys think? Really miss it now. The Jeep just isn't the same. Got new axles to.
On the real would you guys keep it and custom it out like I in the process of doing anyway or sell/ trade it in for a 2000 M5 or SC430. When I mean custom I also mean all the way, even turbo. If I got one of the other two the most I could do is probaly wheels, springs, well you know pretty stuff.
Holla

Richie

If the car had frame damage I would not keep it, otherwise I would say, custom it dude!!

bryanb124

your car will NEVER be the same...you will be plagued with hundreds of little issues that will never get solved...the insurance company is going to end up jacking your rates up so high...that is a lot of money they are laying out...

Ditch it and get a new SC430....thats my $.02

later

Bryan

Copout221

First of all, your insurance company is retarded.
Secondly, as soon as you get it back get rid of it. It will never be the same again!!!!!!!!

ceoart

You must have had a company like Allstate or State Farm. Go with Geico in the future.

APLUS

Got AAA insurance. Might check out Geico. Yeah I am thinking/probaly going to trade it in for something else.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

that's insane. a 99 GS300 now doesn't even worth more than 26k in most cases, and they are paying over 18k to repair the car? where are their brains.... so dumb....

but yes, don't keep the car, it will never be the same. that's a lot of damges...

MrSypher

Yeah, dump it.... You don't want anymore problems with that GS. And more problems are bound to happen now...
I can't believe they didn't total it.....

APLUS

Here is the reason why I believe they didn't total it.
I assumed that the car was totalled so I had the tow truck driver drop it off at a AAA direct repair shop. A AAA direct repair shop just plugs in the damage in the computer and AAA okays it without sending out an adjuster. I figured it was a total and the repair shop would plug in the damage and AAA would just total it since there policy is (supposed to be) total a car if the damage of the vehicle exceeds 60% of the value of the car. My car has 60,000 miles and is a 1999 fully loaded GS300. Kelly blue book value is 21,000.00. That is why I dropped it off at a direct repair shop. When the repair shop told me they are at $15,000.00 I knew for sure it was a total, and then they told me I would have the car back in a month. At that point I called my insurance company and questioned why they didn't total it. Their half a$$ response was "It's up to the discretion of the repair shop if they believe it's a total or not." At this point I'm back at the repair shop wanting blood because I found out that a AAA direct repair shop *does not* receive any compesation if they total a car. If I would have known this then it would have went to the shop I ended up taking it anyway. I took it to the only Lexus certified repair shop in the state of Michigan who inturned charged AAA, as of today, $18,000.00 to fix my car. They still need another three weeks so the price could jump.

In short the first repair shop (and probaly all AAA direct repair shops) will not total a car unless it is damn near demolished because they only receive compensation for towing the car to their shop. Which I paid for. Labor, estimates, parts, time, storge, etc... they have to eat if someone (which I did) takes their car some where else. I never signed a work release order . They ordered all of the parts from Meade Lexus but couldn't return half of them and the other parts they where only obligated to get 80% of their money back. Had I signed that work release order I would have had to buy those parts before they released my car. Did I mention they ordered $9,000.00 worth of Lexus GS parts and that they are a Chrysler dealership .

If you are wondering why I took it to a Chrysler dealership, it was the closet AAA direct repair shop and I had assumed it was a total anyway. Once I found out they where going to fix it I took my *****.

I will check into other insurance companies but finding insurance for a 21 year old in his name with two speeding tickets at $235.00 a month is hard. Allstate quoted me $850.00 a month. I damn near blew the ladies hear drums off with laughter.

I also might start looking at the GS400or 430.

Copout221

InFreekingCredible !!!!!!! It is no wonder insurance rates are so high these days. Too bad the car did not burn, that is the only true way to make sure a car is totaled. Sounds like your insurance company is going to save itself a few grand and the shop only thought about profit. I guarantee you that if they fixed the car alot of corners would have been cut to keep the cost from going up, hence alot of problems for you. That really sucks and I hope you can get it resolved with some debate and persistance. You will really have a hard time getting that car sold for more than 20k unless you lie to the potential buyer. Which is illegal and you can be sued.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah the car won't worth much... this really stinks man...

and btw, with a gs4, your insurance would be ridiculously expensive

Harleyman1

What does you insurance say about "diminished value". If the car is worth $24k before a wreck and only $20k after repairs, it seems to me that the insurance co would be liable to you for $4k in diminished value. This may be something you want to have you insurance co to look at in an effort to get your car "totaled"

BLiu

And to think, the guy was going for a 2000 M5 or an SC430...Imagine the insurance on those two!!!

Brent

JeromeBaker

Ok, he is 120% right. Take it from someone who knows the insurance business first hand, as well as comes from a long line of insurance professionals. You really need to claim diminished value. It is very important you do this quickly before you sign anything which settles the claim (which then leaves you with very little legal claims.. unless you want to spend massive ammounts to fight it in court.) Your insurance company should repair their car (they have the legal right to simply fix it, even if there was $50k in damage) ... but if they choose to do this (fix it) they are legally required to give you a check for the difference in the lost value. If you go to sell the car, and some runs a car fax and finds $18k in damage, your resale bottoms.. you deserve a check. If you were not at fault you really deserve a check, and if you were at fault, the law in almost all states still says you are entitled to a check. Find out your rights and don't let the insurance comapny walk all over you, especially a big one like AAA.

APLUS

Really interesting guys and I had know clue about diminshed value. There is a dealer here that wants to buy my car and knows what has happened. They would be the ones responsible for letting the next owner what has happened right? Because I am not selling it threw them I am selling it to them. We haven't worked out a price yet.

Back to this diminished value let me see if I got this right.
My GS was worth by AAA's standars $23,000.00. If the dealer only gives me $20,000.00. AAA is liable to pay me $3,000.00? If the dealer gives me what the car was worth before the accident then I cannot claim anything right? HHMM. Very interesting. And no I wasn't at fault and that is on the record. Looks like I will be calling AAA in the morning.

My insurance for the SC430 was quoted at $323.00 a month and for a GS400 it was a little cheaper. It will go down when my two tickest come off in the Spring. The reason my insurance is so low is because I have five discounts threw AAA. Technicaly my insurance for a SC430 should be $280.00 a month, but I have the two tickets.
Five discounts
1. Credit union member. Knocks 25% of the top if you let them deduct the money directly from your credit union.
2. Mutli car discount (with AAA insurance)
3. Multi family memeber (with AAA insurance)
4. Multi plan with AAA (Life insurance also) saves 10%
5. Divided by 11 months insted of 10 for being a member of a credit union.
Alarm, airbags,etc... play into it to. Hell a brand new Vette was only $350.00. At twenty five my brother pays 90.00 for a drop top GT stang (01)