evans@wivax.UUCP (Barry Evans) (12/14/84)
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This message was forwarded because of notes problems at hpscda!hpscdb!garyg
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Wanted: info on totaling a car
Last night an errant left-turner met my 84 Mustang. His 80 Toyota
is probably totaled. My `Tang had the front end pushed over a few
inches, the left front wheel pushed back into sheet metal, and the
top of the car now has a slight "v". There is now a 3/4 to 1" vertical
gap between the drivers window and the top of the car where the front of
the car was pushed up & back. The frame/body is bent in 2 directions, both
top and bottom. (I sure am glad I wear belts, else I would be too.)
The steering column being pulled over an inch or so is what broke
a bone in my hand (makes typing fun).
I think my car is totaled. I'm afraid that the insurance co. might
not agree. (the other car is insured by AAA.) I don't think I really
want to drive my car another 90K mi with handling problems, leaks
in the 'T tops', wind whistles due to air leaks in the `T top`,
doors that won't close right, etc. I don't even want to think about
getting a good wheel alignment after the front suspension has been
pushed inches out of position.
Has anyone on the net had a similar experience? How does one persuade
an insurance co. to total a car instead of fixing it?
If it is fixed, what should I expect? How demanding (nit picking)
should I be? The car cost about 10.5K (used w 12K mi) 2 months and
1800 miles ago. It now has 13.8Kmi. Current retail blue book looks like
11.5K + tax.
Thanks in advance for any & all information.
Please send any mail to the address below, not the originating adrs.
>From the artificial intelligenge of hpscda!hpscdb!garyg
Gary Gitzen
Hewlett Packard
5301 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 246-4300 ext 2507
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--
Barry Evans - Wang Institute (617) 649-9731 x383
[apollo, bbncca, cadmus, decvax, harvard, linus, masscomp]!wivax!evans
evans%Wang-Inst@Csnet-Relaykevin@voder.UUCP (The Last Bugfighter) (12/17/84)
> Wanted: info on totaling a car
I just drive mine off a cliff. Find a nice cliff with an aproach of
at least 50 feet. Make sure that your car will go straight with no one
at the wheel (at lot of negative camber on the front suspension will help
this) and that the aproach isn't too uneven or bumpy. Press a stick against
the accelerator (not a brick, the insurance agent will wonder why you were
carrying a brick up front with you), and let the car roll forward under it's
own power. A long aproach will let it build up enough speed to clear any
trees, too long and it may go of course. Have an alibi ready.
--
Kevin Thompson {ucbvax,ihnp4!nsc}!voder!kevin
"It's sort of a threat, you see. I've never been very good at them
myself but I'm told they can be very effective."