kvc@scgvaxd.UUCP (Kevin Carosso) (09/05/85)
Well, I should've known it'd happen to me... Barely one month after I
got it, my '84 RX-7 GSL-SE got ripped off and stripped. Right out of the
goddamn Hughes parking lot!! So, a couple of requests for advice...
First of all, the insurance company... (arggggg!!!) First the bastards
total the car, then offer me blue-book wholesale for it! That's ridiculous!
If they fixed the damn thing (the dealer said it was fixable, just needed
a new interior and a roof) I'd be out my deductible but have my car back.
Instead, they total it and try to give me less money than I could replace
it with (ever try to buy a car in perfect condition for blue-book low?).
Not that I could replace it. It was pretty much one-of-a-kind.
So, can anyone out there that's had to deal with an insurance claim tell
me what I am entitled to? How do I convince them that the car was worth
more than wholesale? Has anyone successfully gone through the bureau of
consumer affairs on something like this? How about an appraisal? Mercury
Casualty (my *#$&^#$ insurer) says if I contest the settlement I have to
hire an appraiser and they hire one and someone else (the "umpire") settles
from those two figures. Is that really the way it's done? Anyone else
gone through that? How much do you lose to the appraiser? Can I get them
to un-total the car (I don't want to at this point, but if I can't replace
it...).
Some facts: I paid 12,900 for the car, they are offering 11,500 + tax.
Blue book low is 11,450, high is 14,200. I want 12,900 + tax.
Second issue: car alarms.
Do they work? Anyone ever seen any statistics? Do I go all the way? or
is an ignition cut-off as good as anything else?
I can design a simple cut-off myself. Is that a good idea? Since it's
not off the shelf, thieves wouldn't know exactly how to get around it.
Should I do that in addition to getting a good alarm system?
What I'd really like is something that electrocutes would-be theives
before they do any damage so I can back over the smoking remains a few
time as I drive the car away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! aarrgg!!
(and yes, I realize this is illegal, lets not have THAT discussion again!
I was only kidding.... sheeeesh!)
/Kevin Carosso {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!scgvaxd!engvax!kvc
Hughes Aircraft Co.
ps.
Anyway, I hope no one minds this posting. I know there are a lot
of people out there and I'm hoping someone with some experience in
these areas could tell me what's going on here... It's really nasty
having your beautiful new toy raped like this... (sob sob)daw1@rduxb.UUCP (WILLIAMS) (09/08/85)
> Well, I should've known it'd happen to me... Barely one month after I > got it, my '84 RX-7 GSL-SE got ripped off and stripped. Right out of the > goddamn Hughes parking lot!! So, a couple of requests for advice... Christ that f*ing sucks the big one! The big thing to not do with respect to ins. co's. is to accept any check they send you. They may send you something but DON'T cash it!! Otherwise you settled the claim as far as they care. They know you want money to get a new set of wheels, but don't fall for it! As far as alarms go, I'm sure several jillion bytes will be posted. Here's a tip, though: Mount electrified razorblades in a few choice spots so the flunkies get sliced up! :-) Doug Williams AT&T Bell Labs Reading, PA mhuxt!rduxb!daw1
wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery) (09/11/85)
> Second issue: car alarms. > > Do they work? Anyone ever seen any statistics? Do I go all the way? or > is an ignition cut-off as good as anything else? > A good alarm system will keep the joyriders from getting the car (but not necessarily from trahing it is they get pissed), but a real pro is tough to stop. Case in point: several years ago, a friend of mine had a new 'vette that he was hyper about somebody ripping off, so he had everything he could think of put in to protect it. He lived in an apartment building with a basement garage one of the better sections of Brookly. One night, a team of pros broke into the garage and stole about fifteen expensive cars. They got around the exterior alarm sytem--cut out a small piece of the body to do that. They got around the interior alarm system without setting that off either--some more interior damage. They found and got around the ignition cut off. They had a didtributor rotor to replace the one he always took out when he left the car. But he still beat them: he had a very heavy chain around the rear end and a pillar in the garage (shades of American Grafitti), and they didn't have anything to cut the chain.