Handling diminished value and damage to new car.
jodahstarlen
Member Posts: 1
I bought a new limited edition yellow Crosstrek at the beginning of April this year. I needed a high-mileage vehicle that would last a while due to a new job/commute and absolutely fell in love with my Subaru on the lot.
At the end of July, a driver ran a red light and was hit by a vehicle crossing the intersection. The negligent party went for a spin and lucky for her I was stopped at the red light across from her. My car's front right bumper stopped her car. The airbags didn't deploy, but the bumper was hanging and there was some internal damage. The final report from the body shop included replacement of the bumper/grill, headlight, AC condenser and radiator support frame, as well as a weld-repair to the front right frame rail joint where it had separated. (sorry if I'm using the wrong terms here - not my specialty). My car had right at 9,000 miles on it when the accident occurred.
The good thing is that the driver who hit me was at fault and insurance picked up the tab for the repairs & a rental for the past 3 weeks. My car is now ready for pickup, so I'm trying to prepare for phase 2 - diminished value. I'm really concerned about alignment issues, frame damage and future wear on the tires due to something being out of sorts, not to mention the fact that my valuation just took a significant hit.
I've never been in any sort of accident before, so I'm unsure what the best way is to proceed:
- What can/should I do at the body shop at pick-up to ensure there are no remaining problems? Can I request a 5 minute ridealong with a tech to make sure I don't feel any unusual symptoms before taking the car back? What should I do if I feel problems later down the road? (My daily commute is over 100 miles round-trip, so I expect I'll feel something fast if there's anything wrong)
- How should I be preparing for filing a diminished value claim? I've had trouble finding solid data, lawyers/insurance agents have blown me off when asking for advice and I want to make sure I get a fair deal and don't miss out because I missed an opportunity.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I'll be glad to back in my own car!
At the end of July, a driver ran a red light and was hit by a vehicle crossing the intersection. The negligent party went for a spin and lucky for her I was stopped at the red light across from her. My car's front right bumper stopped her car. The airbags didn't deploy, but the bumper was hanging and there was some internal damage. The final report from the body shop included replacement of the bumper/grill, headlight, AC condenser and radiator support frame, as well as a weld-repair to the front right frame rail joint where it had separated. (sorry if I'm using the wrong terms here - not my specialty). My car had right at 9,000 miles on it when the accident occurred.
The good thing is that the driver who hit me was at fault and insurance picked up the tab for the repairs & a rental for the past 3 weeks. My car is now ready for pickup, so I'm trying to prepare for phase 2 - diminished value. I'm really concerned about alignment issues, frame damage and future wear on the tires due to something being out of sorts, not to mention the fact that my valuation just took a significant hit.
I've never been in any sort of accident before, so I'm unsure what the best way is to proceed:
- What can/should I do at the body shop at pick-up to ensure there are no remaining problems? Can I request a 5 minute ridealong with a tech to make sure I don't feel any unusual symptoms before taking the car back? What should I do if I feel problems later down the road? (My daily commute is over 100 miles round-trip, so I expect I'll feel something fast if there's anything wrong)
- How should I be preparing for filing a diminished value claim? I've had trouble finding solid data, lawyers/insurance agents have blown me off when asking for advice and I want to make sure I get a fair deal and don't miss out because I missed an opportunity.
Thanks in advance for any advice. I'll be glad to back in my own car!
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