Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jmonroe1 · May 2019

stickguy said:
I see texting more at stoplights. No danger in that, but real annoying since they never notice the light changing.

I've noticed that too. It seems like cars welcome red lights now because it gives them the chance to answer or make a text. A polite toot is often needed to get them to move. The world is changing, not everyone wants to run a light lately. Stop signs, well, that is another story. We need more lights.

jmonroe

snakeweasel · May 2019

It's raining today, it rained yesterday, the day before that, the day before that and it's supposed to rain tomorrow. We are starting to see roads being closed due to flooding.

Anyone know where I can get gopher wood?

tjc78 · May 2019

stickguy said:

I see texting more at stoplights. No danger in that, but real annoying since they never notice the light changing.

Guilty as charged... but I’ve never been honked at so I must not do it too often or pay enough attention to the light.

stickguy · May 2019

Yeah, I’ll sneak a peek too, but keep one eye on the light.

jmonroe1 · May 2019

Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up. Mrs. j notices she is almost flying out of her driveway, directly across the street and she is on her phone. Mrs. j quickly throws the shifter into drive to pull back into our driveway but she was too late. BAM, the young student nails her new Subie. LOTS of damage. When I got home I could see that not only was the bumper destroyed the trunk was even popped up at the rear window area thereby if it rained the trunk would flood. Since it was a nice day I decided to get an estimate right then and there. I took it to the same independent shop that fixed the damage done to my Genny this past Winter. The guy does his estimate and it is just penny's shy of 4 grand but he tells me that when he "gets in there" he knows the price will go up. I go home and call my insurance agent to tell him what happened and what the preliminary cost would be. I also told him Mrs. j was actually in drive when she got hit but that would be impossible to prove so I was prepared for our insurance company to pay all of the costs. My agent said, "not necessarily" but we will have to sort this out after we talk to the young lady. I said, "you know she isn't going to admit she was on the phone like Mrs. j saw and she even admitted to that when they talked after the collision". He said, "let's wait before we jump to conclusions".

He then told me I have a couple of choices, (1) pay my $500 deductible and get the car fixed immediately or (2) wait until the insurance companies battle it out to see who is going to pay. He even said it could be a shared responsibility type of accident. I chose to get her car fixed immediately. I picked it up last week and the final bill was $5,246.73 and a good chunk of that was for painting.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.

I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.

jmonroe

28firefighter · May 2019

Oh man. On the new car, of course. That honeymoon didn't last long.

suydam · May 2019

Oh boy. Sorry for your new Subaru! A sign of distracted driving is that the accident damage is always way worse than if someone was paying attention, because they didn’t slow down. Certainly the case in my recent distracted driving accident (not caused by texting). In my case too the driver also owned up to it. Nice to see people taking responsibility for their actions, and hopefully learning from their experience.

ruking1 · May 2019

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up. Mrs. j notices she is almost flying out of her driveway, directly across the street and she is on her phone. Mrs. j quickly throws the shifter into drive to pull back into our driveway but she was too late. BAM, the young student nails her new Subie. LOTS of damage. When I got home I could see that not only was the bumper destroyed the trunk was even popped up at the rear window area thereby if it rained the trunk would flood. Since it was a nice day I decided to get an estimate right then and there. I took it to the same independent shop that fixed the damage done to my Genny this past Winter. The guy does his estimate and it is just penny's shy of 4 grand but he tells me that when he "gets in there" he knows the price will go up. I go home and call my insurance agent to tell him what happened and what the preliminary cost would be. I also told him Mrs. j was actually in drive when she got hit but that would be impossible to prove so I was prepared for our insurance company to pay all of the costs. My agent said, "not necessarily" but we will have to sort this out after we talk to the young lady. I said, "you know she isn't going to admit she was on the phone like Mrs. j saw and she even admitted to that when they talked after the collision". He said, "let's wait before we jump to conclusions".

He then told me I have a couple of choices, (1) pay my $500 deductible and get the car fixed immediately or (2) wait until the insurance companies battle it out to see who is going to pay. He even said it could be a shared responsibility type of accident. I chose to get her car fixed immediately. I picked it up last week and the final bill was $5,246.73 and a good chunk of that was for painting.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.

I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.

jmonroe

The bright side, @ least the other driver had “adequate” insurance.

tjc78 · May 2019

@jmonroe

That’s brutal! At least you got your deductible back and your insurance won’t go up!

oldfarmer50 · May 2019

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
Is this really happening? Is the tech to do this readily available? Opinions?

https://youtu.be/dkHFf4_oAKs
Worthwhile watching.....thanks for posting OF. Confirms my thoughts about CL and the newspaper these days.
I believe they have those devices, and I wouldn't buy a car from CL. There are too many things that can go wrong, and too many scammers trying to make a quick buck. Pay a bit more, and buy from a dealer who has a good reputation and a warranty. The only other way to buy is from someone you know, directly or indirectly.

What makes you think some dealers don’t do the same thing?

Also your discussion about the cost of body repair made me think of a few videos I've seen where many insurance company “preferred” body shops have been caught doing shoddy work leaving cars to rot out from the inside or become unsafe. One Honda I saw was supposed to have 23 welds on a certain panel but the shop only did 11. In a crash the car would have folded up like an accordion.

ruking1 · May 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
Is this really happening? Is the tech to do this readily available? Opinions?

https://youtu.be/dkHFf4_oAKs
Worthwhile watching.....thanks for posting OF. Confirms my thoughts about CL and the newspaper these days.
I believe they have those devices, and I wouldn't buy a car from CL. There are too many things that can go wrong, and too many scammers trying to make a quick buck. Pay a bit more, and buy from a dealer who has a good reputation and a warranty. The only other way to buy is from someone you know, directly or indirectly.

What makes you think some dealers don’t do the same thing?

Also your discussion about the cost of body repair made me think of a few videos I've seen where many insurance company “preferred” body shops have been caught doing shoddy work leaving cars to rot out from the inside or become unsafe. One Honda I saw was supposed to have 23 welds on a certain panel but the shop only did 11. In a crash the car would have folded up like an accordion.

That may or may not be true. The up/down sides, worst case are if the insurance company catchers a “preferred” body shop, they can “ decertify” for cause. The insurance company should also have increased leverage to making the shop makes sure their customer is satisfied. In any case, any insurance company will send one the boiler plate that one can bring it wherever one would like.

My additional take, one can also bring the car to three/more shops (i.e. dealer, ins preferred shop, insured’s preferred shops, etc.), for bids. Most can see the interesting consequences here.

Word of mouth on links like YELP, can really help narrow the search’s super fast. I select shops around me that earn 4 to 5 stars of 5. The good/bad news, there are a lot!

oldfarmer50 · May 2019

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up. Mrs. j notices she is almost flying out of her driveway, directly across the street and she is on her phone. Mrs. j quickly throws the shifter into drive to pull back into our driveway but she was too late. BAM, the young student nails her new Subie. LOTS of damage. When I got home I could see that not only was the bumper destroyed the trunk was even popped up at the rear window area thereby if it rained the trunk would flood. Since it was a nice day I decided to get an estimate right then and there. I took it to the same independent shop that fixed the damage done to my Genny this past Winter. The guy does his estimate and it is just penny's shy of 4 grand but he tells me that when he "gets in there" he knows the price will go up. I go home and call my insurance agent to tell him what happened and what the preliminary cost would be. I also told him Mrs. j was actually in drive when she got hit but that would be impossible to prove so I was prepared for our insurance company to pay all of the costs. My agent said, "not necessarily" but we will have to sort this out after we talk to the young lady. I said, "you know she isn't going to admit she was on the phone like Mrs. j saw and she even admitted to that when they talked after the collision". He said, "let's wait before we jump to conclusions".

He then told me I have a couple of choices, (1) pay my $500 deductible and get the car fixed immediately or (2) wait until the insurance companies battle it out to see who is going to pay. He even said it could be a shared responsibility type of accident. I chose to get her car fixed immediately. I picked it up last week and the final bill was $5,246.73 and a good chunk of that was for painting.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.

I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.

jmonroe

That’s a shame. Admirable that the young woman took responsibility in an era where people’s first instinct is to lie. Just out of curiosity, did you get a police report from an on scene officer? If not, why?

driver100 · May 2019

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:
@oldfarmer50,
Maybe the manufacturer paid for the whole job the first time, but the dealer only did part of it.
Just a guess, but I think they repaired the hood which had bubbles on it. Then the fenders erupted, and now it is out of warranty. The dealer is honorable, and decided to help a customer out....probably a slow day in the paint department too. They have the staff, paint doesn't cost much, do a little PR work and hopefully make a satisfied customer, who will tell 10 other people.
And you did it again. Paint ain't cheap and it costs plenty to apply it. When my Genny was backed into this past Winter, you could barely see the damage to the lower right quarter panel yet it cost well over 1300 bucks to repair the damage. When I asked both shops that provided the estimates, "why so much for so little damage" ? They both said, "the painting".

You gotta stop shooting from the hip.

jmonroe
And you believed them? The body shop probably has a good supply of paint, the paint tech guy has a few free moments, it costs the dealer very little but it is great PR.....actually relatively cheap advertising to keep a customer happy. These days retailers and most businesses have loss leaders to get you in the door. If they do it right they can also deduct it as an expense. Basically free labor, and how much can paint be to paint the top of a fender?
Of course I believed them. The guy that hit me had Allstate insurance and they were the ones that paid for the repair. If that wasn't the going rate, do you really think they would have paid that price? Why are you trying to argue about this ? Your ploy of trying to have the last word is getting old and has worn itself out.

jmonroe
Yours was a real job that the garage was getting paid for....of course they are going to charge the going rate to do the repair, especially since the insurance company is paying for it.

The Mustang is in the dealers shop, the body repair guy has a few extra moments, a few ounces of paint isn't worth a huge amount, the dealer can write the repair off as an expense so costs a fraction of the real cost.....and it is good PR to satisfy a customer. If it needs to go under heat lamps those are already there and are paid for. It is cheap advertising for the dealer, and the beauty of it is the customer, in this case our good friend oldfarmer, is happy he got free bodywork that may have cost $1000 or something, but, it cost the dealer very little. That is how a lot of successful retailers work these days....finding a way to give perceived value.

There is a good possibility oldfarmers repair cost the garage nothing, might even have made a profit. They do it for free, write in the books they did a $1300 repair, record it as an advertising expense, get a tax deduction of $500. Just saying, there are lots of possibilities for doing the repair for free.

Think outside the box.

Now, you can reply with anything you want....you can have the last word.
I don't want the last word. I just wanted to clarify that paint work is not cheap.

In @oldfarmer50's case the dealer probably screwed up when Ford paid to have it repaired but it was good to hear that his dealer stepped up and did the right thing by painting his hood again. Not all dealers would do that. Unfortunately I have first hand knowledge about one that wouldn't.

jmonroe

You had your chance, but, since you don't need the last word I will have it.

Your scenario is completely possible, probably even likely. I am just saying there could be other reasons for the dealer do the paint job for free. I don't think the actually paint is expensive....it is the labor and having the facilities. But, in a case like this, the dealers costs of labor are probably paid for, the facilities are paid for from regular jobs that pay, and the small amount of paint used is not going to be worth a whole lot - and he would rather keep a potential customer coming back.

oldfarmer50 · May 2019

ruking1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
Is this really happening? Is the tech to do this readily available? Opinions?

https://youtu.be/dkHFf4_oAKs
Worthwhile watching.....thanks for posting OF. Confirms my thoughts about CL and the newspaper these days.
I believe they have those devices, and I wouldn't buy a car from CL. There are too many things that can go wrong, and too many scammers trying to make a quick buck. Pay a bit more, and buy from a dealer who has a good reputation and a warranty. The only other way to buy is from someone you know, directly or indirectly.

What makes you think some dealers don’t do the same thing?

Also your discussion about the cost of body repair made me think of a few videos I've seen where many insurance company “preferred” body shops have been caught doing shoddy work leaving cars to rot out from the inside or become unsafe. One Honda I saw was supposed to have 23 welds on a certain panel but the shop only did 11. In a crash the car would have folded up like an accordion.
That may or may not be true. The up/down sides, worst case are if the insurance company catchers a “preferred” body shop, they can “ decertify” for cause. The insurance company should also have increased leverage to making the shop makes sure their customer is satisfied. In any case, any insurance company will send one the boiler plate that one can bring it wherever one would like.

My additional take, one can also bring the car to three/more shops (i.e. dealer, ins preferred shop, insured’s preferred shops, etc.), for bids. Most can see the interesting consequences here.

Word of mouth on links like YELP, can really help narrow the search’s super fast. I select shops around me that earn 4 to 5 stars of 5. The good/bad news, there are a lot!

Well, it’s on YouTube so it must be true.

If you believe the video, the insurance companies almost never decertify these corner cutters. After all, how many people would take their repaired car to another shop and pay to have it torn apart to check the quality of the repair?

driver100 · May 2019

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

henryn said:
I would be more likely to buy a used Genesis than a used BMW or Mercedes. No way I would buy any car like that new, just too rich for my blood.
For a minute there I thought you were going to say you wouldn't want to own a German car that's out of warranty and that would have caused sparks to fly.
jmonroe
I thought we shot that myth down with roadburners X3 that has 200000 miles on it.

There you go again citing the exception. I'm sure there are heart specialists and brain surgeons who smoke but I'm pretty sure they are the exceptions.

jmonroe
I have proof of an X3 with high mileage.........give me an example of a BMW with high maintenance.
A friend in Florida has a 1986 BMW with over 200000 miles on it........how many 1986 Gennies are on the road?????
Someone in my neighborhood has a Yugo, I see it being driven every now and again. Those Yugos must have been great well built cars.

I saw a Pinto and a Chevette the other day.....they must be great long lasting cars.

driver100 · May 2019

abacomike said:

sb55 said:

Is the new proposed Florida law only texting? What about holding the phone and talking? In most states that have cell phone laws, it's all cell phone in hand use, not just texting.

My understanding is that it is texting only.

It is texting only - which is kind of silly but better than nothing.
Police can't check your phone, but if you are not guilty you might give them permission to check.
It should include holding a telephone....these days doesn't everyone have bluetooth? When I see them holding a phone I have to ask WHY?

driver100 · May 2019

stickguy said:
I see texting more at stoplights. No danger in that, but real annoying since they never notice the light changing.

That is really annoying and very selfish....by the time they notice the light has changed 3 more cars could have got through on the green light. It impedes the flow of traffic and only a selfish ignoramus would do that.

driver100 · May 2019

tjc78 said:

stickguy said:

I see texting more at stoplights. No danger in that, but real annoying since they never notice the light changing.

Guilty as charged... but I’ve never been honked at so I must not do it too often or pay enough attention to the light.

Sorry tjc...I just called you an ignoramus....nothing personal. You probably didn't realize when you pause for 6 seconds and miss the light change....cars way back that could have got through can't make it. Really irritating on an advanced green arrow......the last 3 cars have to wait for another cycle when they could have made it through.

snakeweasel · May 2019

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

sb55 said:

Is the new proposed Florida law only texting? What about holding the phone and talking? In most states that have cell phone laws, it's all cell phone in hand use, not just texting.

My understanding is that it is texting only.

It is texting only - which is kind of silly but better than nothing.
Police can't check your phone, but if you are not guilty you might give them permission to check.
It should include holding a telephone....these days doesn't everyone have bluetooth? When I see them holding a phone I have to ask WHY?

My car doesn't have bluetooth and I am not synced up with my wifes. But since 99.99% of the time I am driving my phone is in my pocket if it rings I just let it go to voice mail.

driver100 · May 2019

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.
I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.
jmonroe

That story was actually worth reading. Sorry to hear about it though.....especially since it happened to the brand new car, and once again the victim is the one who ends up on the short end.
You are fortunate she admitted to being on the phone, and basically backing into Mrs JMs car. Because of that, will you get your $500 back?
That is a tough one! :@

ruking1 · May 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

ruking1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
Is this really happening? Is the tech to do this readily available? Opinions?

https://youtu.be/dkHFf4_oAKs
Worthwhile watching.....thanks for posting OF. Confirms my thoughts about CL and the newspaper these days.
I believe they have those devices, and I wouldn't buy a car from CL. There are too many things that can go wrong, and too many scammers trying to make a quick buck. Pay a bit more, and buy from a dealer who has a good reputation and a warranty. The only other way to buy is from someone you know, directly or indirectly.

What makes you think some dealers don’t do the same thing?

Also your discussion about the cost of body repair made me think of a few videos I've seen where many insurance company “preferred” body shops have been caught doing shoddy work leaving cars to rot out from the inside or become unsafe. One Honda I saw was supposed to have 23 welds on a certain panel but the shop only did 11. In a crash the car would have folded up like an accordion.
That may or may not be true. The up/down sides, worst case are if the insurance company catchers a “preferred” body shop, they can “ decertify” for cause. The insurance company should also have increased leverage to making the shop makes sure their customer is satisfied. In any case, any insurance company will send one the boiler plate that one can bring it wherever one would like.

My additional take, one can also bring the car to three/more shops (i.e. dealer, ins preferred shop, insured’s preferred shops, etc.), for bids. Most can see the interesting consequences here.

Word of mouth on links like YELP, can really help narrow the search’s super fast. I select shops around me that earn 4 to 5 stars of 5. The good/bad news, there are a lot!
Well, it’s on YouTube so it must be true.

If you believe the video, the insurance companies almost never decertify these corner cutters. After all, how many people would take their repaired car to another shop and pay to have it torn apart to check the quality of the repair?

One might be gullible enough to believe just one You Tube.🎭 If it meant a lot to one, yes taking a car to another shop to get a 2nd, 3rd opinion might/will be instructive.

tjc78 · May 2019

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

I see texting more at stoplights. No danger in that, but real annoying since they never notice the light changing.

Guilty as charged... but I’ve never been honked at so I must not do it too often or pay enough attention to the light.
Sorry tjc...I just called you an ignoramus....nothing personal. You probably didn't realize when you pause for 6 seconds and miss the light change....cars way back that could have got through can't make it. Really irritating on an advanced green arrow......the last 3 cars have to wait for another cycle when they could have made it through.

Ha ha ...I live in Jersey if you hesitate for more than a second on a left hand turn arrow you get honked at

ruking1 · May 2019

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.
I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.
jmonroe
That story was actually worth reading. Sorry to hear about it though.....especially since it happened to the brand new car, and once again the victim is the one who ends up on the short end.
You are fortunate she admitted to being on the phone, and basically backing into Mrs JMs car. Because of that, will you get your $500 back?
That is a tough one! :@

One should file with the insurance companies, for damages due to “tainted” title. ( I do not know the technical nor legal terms for this ) aka., diminished value due to “major” accident.

So for example, normal used car sales price - sales price, given accident & if accident repairs are not transferable to next owner = -$$’s.

stickguy · May 2019

That is so true.

driver100 · May 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:
Is this really happening? Is the tech to do this readily available? Opinions?

https://youtu.be/dkHFf4_oAKs
Worthwhile watching.....thanks for posting OF. Confirms my thoughts about CL and the newspaper these days.
I believe they have those devices, and I wouldn't buy a car from CL. There are too many things that can go wrong, and too many scammers trying to make a quick buck. Pay a bit more, and buy from a dealer who has a good reputation and a warranty. The only other way to buy is from someone you know, directly or indirectly.

What makes you think some dealers don’t do the same thing?

Also your discussion about the cost of body repair made me think of a few videos I've seen where many insurance company “preferred” body shops have been caught doing shoddy work leaving cars to rot out from the inside or become unsafe. One Honda I saw was supposed to have 23 welds on a certain panel but the shop only did 11. In a crash the car would have folded up like an accordion.

You take precautions and do the best you can do to protect yourself;
*Dealers could could turn back mileage or sell salvaged cars....but, highly unlikely a new car dealer or a very highly rated reputable independent is going to sell garbage....they make their money by selling good quality cars and doing repeat business.

*Body shops similar. A body shop could cut corners but eventually the insurance company will cut them off. Often they belong to organizations which accredit them as trustworthy.....we have garages and repair shops that belong to Car Stars.

The 2014 C Class we bought 2 years ago was a CPO car, they do 120 point inspection. Do you know how nice it is to know all the light bulbs are going to work, all the controls are working, the brakes are safe etc, and if not they will guaranty it for....in this case, 2 years. Might pay a few $1000 more, but, it is better than throwing away $25000!

driver100 · May 2019

ruking1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.
I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.
jmonroe
That story was actually worth reading. Sorry to hear about it though.....especially since it happened to the brand new car, and once again the victim is the one who ends up on the short end.
You are fortunate she admitted to being on the phone, and basically backing into Mrs JMs car. Because of that, will you get your $500 back?
That is a tough one! :@

One should file with the insurance companies, for damages due to “tainted” title. ( I do not know the technical nor legal terms for this ) aka., diminished value due to “major” accident.

It makes sense but the insurance company doesn't have to make you whole....the way they see it they just have to make you mobile once again.....so once the car is repaired it is out of their hands.

If you buy a new car most car insurers will sell you replacement value insurance. Some policies are good for 3 years, some for 5 - if your car is totalled they will replace it with a new one with the same equipment. My 2015 E400 was totaled.....they paid for a 2017 with the same equipment. That extra cost about $60, now the price has risen to $100, but, I take it....it probably saved me $25000!

ruking1 · May 2019

driver100 said:

ruking1 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.
I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.
jmonroe
That story was actually worth reading. Sorry to hear about it though.....especially since it happened to the brand new car, and once again the victim is the one who ends up on the short end.
You are fortunate she admitted to being on the phone, and basically backing into Mrs JMs car. Because of that, will you get your $500 back?
That is a tough one! :@

One should file with the insurance companies, for damages due to “tainted” title. ( I do not know the technical nor legal terms for this ) aka., diminished value due to “major” accident.
It makes sense but the insurance company doesn't have to make you whole....the way they see it they just have to make you mobile once again.....so once the car is repaired it is out of their hands.

If you buy a new car most car insurers will sell you replacement value insurance. Some policies are good for 3 years, some for 5 - if your car is totalled they will replace it with a new one with the same equipment. My 2015 E400 was totaled.....they paid for a 2017 with the same equipment. That extra cost about $60, now the price has risen to $100, but, I take it....it probably saved me $25000!

Paragraph #2: Sans that insurance, (up to $25,000 PLUS attorneys fees) then I’m surprised one would not use an independent lawyer to handle the case. Trust me, without citing anecdotal examples, the plaintiffs insurance co. will settle up sooner, rather than later.

tjc78 · May 2019

Yet another reason to lease!! You never have to worry about DV.

Buddy at work just had his nearly new TLX smashed into, he was pretty pissed but then I explained to him since it's a lease at least you aren't dealing with trying to sell a car with a dirty CarFax

ruking1 · May 2019

tjc78 said:
Yet another reason to lease!! You never have to worry about DV.

Buddy at work just had his nearly new TLX smashed into, he was pretty pissed but then I explained to him since it's a lease at least you aren't dealing with trying to sell a car with a dirty CarFax

I’m not sure what the (his) leasing entity would handle something like this. It’s for certain they are/would be losing more monies than they signed up for/projected.

tjc78 · May 2019

I’ve had a few leased cars get hit and repaired with no repercussions.

Heck a good buddy of mine had his leased car still in the shop for body work at lease end (nasty accident right before his last payment)! No problems with that one either.

dino001 · May 2019

ruking1 said:

tjc78 said:
Yet another reason to lease!! You never have to worry about DV.

Buddy at work just had his nearly new TLX smashed into, he was pretty pissed but then I explained to him since it's a lease at least you aren't dealing with trying to sell a car with a dirty CarFax
I’m not sure what the (his) leasing entity would handle something like this. It’s for certain they are/would be losing more monies than they signed up for/projected.

As long as the vehicle is in a described condition (all repairs made to the satisfactory level), they can do nothing about it. It's a closed end lease, they have no recourse on the car value due to its history. I read it wasn't necessarily the case in the ancient past (90s and earlier).

driver100 · May 2019

tjc78 said:
Yet another reason to lease!! You never have to worry about DV.

Buddy at work just had his nearly new TLX smashed into, he was pretty pissed but then I explained to him since it's a lease at least you aren't dealing with trying to sell a car with a dirty CarFax

Very good point. I am predicting that lease companies will close that loophole soon. If a car is in an accident, and is worth less then the price predicted at the end of the lease, the leasing company is going to be out of pocket, and they don't like that happening. In a way you are probably paying a premium to lease, so that is like paying for insurance coverage for diminished value.

tjc, do you lease your cars?

ruking1 · May 2019

Thanks for the heads up, it’s good to know. I’ll be sure to offer even less for a car off lease.

jmonroe1 · May 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up. Mrs. j notices she is almost flying out of her driveway, directly across the street and she is on her phone. Mrs. j quickly throws the shifter into drive to pull back into our driveway but she was too late. BAM, the young student nails her new Subie. LOTS of damage. When I got home I could see that not only was the bumper destroyed the trunk was even popped up at the rear window area thereby if it rained the trunk would flood. Since it was a nice day I decided to get an estimate right then and there. I took it to the same independent shop that fixed the damage done to my Genny this past Winter. The guy does his estimate and it is just penny's shy of 4 grand but he tells me that when he "gets in there" he knows the price will go up. I go home and call my insurance agent to tell him what happened and what the preliminary cost would be. I also told him Mrs. j was actually in drive when she got hit but that would be impossible to prove so I was prepared for our insurance company to pay all of the costs. My agent said, "not necessarily" but we will have to sort this out after we talk to the young lady. I said, "you know she isn't going to admit she was on the phone like Mrs. j saw and she even admitted to that when they talked after the collision". He said, "let's wait before we jump to conclusions".

He then told me I have a couple of choices, (1) pay my $500 deductible and get the car fixed immediately or (2) wait until the insurance companies battle it out to see who is going to pay. He even said it could be a shared responsibility type of accident. I chose to get her car fixed immediately. I picked it up last week and the final bill was $5,246.73 and a good chunk of that was for painting.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.

I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.

jmonroe
That’s a shame. Admirable that the young woman took responsibility in an era where people’s first instinct is to lie. Just out of curiosity, did you get a police report from an on scene officer? If not, why?

No accident was reported to the police.

Buy the time Mrs. j called me both cars had been moved, hers in the garage and the student went off to her class. Other than maybe a cop hearing that she was on her phone, not sure what a report could have done. Which is probably why a report wouldn't be a bad idea.

jmonroe

driver100 · May 2019

ruking1 said:
Thanks for the heads up, it’s good to know. I’ll be sure to offer even less for a car off lease.

Get a Carfax report....an off lease car may be fine.

ruking1 · May 2019

driver100 said:

ruking1 said:
Thanks for the heads up, it’s good to know. I’ll be sure to offer even less for a car off lease.
Get a Carfax report....an off lease car may be fine.

As another post has already covered, Carfaxes can be less than accurate. I’m good with “off lease” products, Car fax/NON.

henryn · May 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

I think the first thing to do in a private sale would be to check the person’s license against the title. If they match that clears 50% of the chance of getting scammed. If you meet at the sellers home address which matches the other documents you can be pretty sure that it’s a legit sale.

Then you only have to evaluate the actual condition of the car...which is a whole other story.

When I am car shopping on Craigslist, and call anyone who represents themselves as a private owner rather than a dealer, my first question is, "Do you have a clear title with your name on it?" You wouldn't believe how much hemming and hawing that question can bring about.

On the cost of painting, I can offer one concrete example. When the hood was stolen from my 2015 Ford F150, I had it repaired at the dealers bodyshop. The itemized bill clearly showed that the hood itself (brand new from FoMoCo) cost less than painting the new but unpainted hood.

tjc78 · May 2019

driver100 said:

tjc78 said:
Yet another reason to lease!! You never have to worry about DV.

Buddy at work just had his nearly new TLX smashed into, he was pretty pissed but then I explained to him since it's a lease at least you aren't dealing with trying to sell a car with a dirty CarFax
Very good point. I am predicting that lease companies will close that loophole soon. If a car is in an accident, and is worth less then the price predicted at the end of the lease, the leasing company is going to be out of pocket, and they don't like that happening. In a way you are probably paying a premium to lease, so that is like paying for insurance coverage for diminished value.

tjc, do you lease your cars?

Yes I lease my cars... but I really don't feel like I'm paying a premium since I'd be trading out after 3 years anyway.

ruking1 · May 2019

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I think the first thing to do in a private sale would be to check the person’s license against the title. If they match that clears 50% of the chance of getting scammed. If you meet at the sellers home address which matches the other documents you can be pretty sure that it’s a legit sale.

Then you only have to evaluate the actual condition of the car...which is a whole other story.
When I am car shopping on Craigslist, and call anyone who represents themselves as a private owner rather than a dealer, my first question is, "Do you have a clear title with your name on it?" You wouldn't believe how much hemming and hawing that question can bring about.

On the cost of painting, I can offer one concrete example. When the hood was stolen from my 2015 Ford F150, I had it repaired at the dealers bodyshop. The itemized bill clearly showed that the hood itself (brand new from FoMoCo) cost less than painting the new but unpainted hood.

Land/Range Rovers have used aluminum panels for years.

Your post reminded me of one reason why I like German cars. I have reservations going back to Toyota & Lexus. VW, MB, etc., use galvanized steel (way more rust resistant) VW for example has/had 12 year rust through warranty’s. They are also dipped in rust prevention primers.

Now I’ve also seen Kia/Hyundai/Genesis using galvanized steel also. I’m not quite there with those three product lines.

dino001 · May 2019

tjc78 said:

Yes I lease my cars... but I really don't feel like I'm paying a premium since I'd be trading out after 3 years anyway.

I think it depends on the cars and offers. If the manufacturer subsidizes the lease by inflating the residual and money factor is at least in line with purchase equivalent APR, you definitely do better with lease, but if your lease is based on a true residual value of a car and the model isn't particularly strong in holding value, it would crush you, just the same as purchase, or more, as you'd end up paying all those extra fees for the privilege.

I tend to keep my cars 5-6 years, except this one time I had it for three. Every time I approached a transaction, I was open to shorter term lease (like 3 years) instead of longer keep and every time the numbers simply didn't work. But I buy "off-beat" models (wagons), which often don't have same lease support as mainstream trims. I've also had two Subarus and those guys always kept realistic-to-conservative residuals (read - expensive leases). With my current 430 GC I was close to inquire about the lease, but BMW pulled their horns big at that time, slashing residuals, hiking money factors and taking out multiple security deposit program, so purchase became the only real option. Even with value dropping faster that I thought it would, I still think I would end up paying more overall. With purchase, I simply keep it as long as I like and when something new comes along, I go on my own schedule.

If my next car is something like that new Volvo V60 (I like the pictures a lot), another GC, or Audi A5 Sportback, the lease may be on the table, especially with Volvo (they throw thousands into lease support once every so often). So far, I have never saw lease numbers I liked, but maybe I will one day.

ruking1 · May 2019

dino001 said:

tjc78 said:

Yes I lease my cars... but I really don't feel like I'm paying a premium since I'd be trading out after 3 years anyway.
I think it depends on the cars and offers. If the manufacturer subsidizes the lease by inflating the residual and money factor is at least in line with purchase equivalent APR, you definitely do better with lease, but if your lease is based on a true residual value of a car and the model isn't particularly strong in holding value, it would crush you, just the same as purchase, or more, as you'd end up paying all those extra fees for the privilege.

I tend to keep my cars 5-6 years, except this one time I had it for three. Every time I approached a transaction, I was open to shorter term lease (like 3 years) instead of longer keep and every time the numbers simply didn't work. But I buy "off-beat" models (wagons), which often don't have same lease support as mainstream trims. I've also had two Subarus and those guys always kept realistic-to-conservative residuals (read - expensive leases). With my current 430 GC I was close to inquire about the lease, but BMW pulled their horns big at that time, slashing residuals, hiking money factors and taking out multiple security deposit program, so purchase became the only real option. Even with value dropping faster that I thought it would, I still think I would end up paying more overall. With purchase, I simply keep it as long as I like and when something new comes along, I go on my own schedule.

If my next car is something like that new Volvo V60 (I like the pictures a lot), another GC, or Audi A5 Sportback, the lease may be on the table, especially with Volvo (they throw thousands into lease support once every so often). So far, I have never saw lease numbers I liked, but maybe I will one day.

In buying, they offered zero % 60 mo after making a best deal. Due to a few mistakes, they sold a more expensive car for a less expensive vehicle sold from under me. After the 60 mo, zero % it was bought back for slightly more than what was paid.

stickguy · May 2019

Every maker uses galvanized steel, dipping, etc now. Rust really should not be a concern, especially if you wash your car if living in the salt belt.

ruking1 · May 2019

stickguy said:
Every maker uses galvanized steel, dipping, etc now. Rust really should not be a concern, especially if you wash your car if living in the salt belt.

I remain unimpressed with Toyota/Lexus warranty for so called “rust through” . Ah, they probably know what is feared? While I’m not one of them, evidently there are a lot of people who would like the warranties honored ...https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/50458-useless-rust-warranty-arbitration/

https://www.carbuyingtips.com/articles/blog/unbelievable-toyota-corrosion-warranty-weasel-clauses.htm

stickguy · May 2019

Buying new and keeping a long time makes sense. Pick something long lasting, and good to go. That’s what my wife’s car will be. Current one coming up on 7 years, and she’ll keep it 2 past that then get another new one to replace it when the TLX lease is up. Either brand new, or slightly used (CPO or loaner program), depending on model, and if I can convince her! But almost definitely not a lease.

BMW or Volvo, almost certainly a loaner. Acura or Subaru, better shot new. Hyundai, new also most likely. Depends on CPO pricing. And how worried I am about maximizing warranty coverage!

Slight chance, if the stars align, that a lease to buy option could fall into my lap. But easier to just buy and finance as needed up front. Especially for her car.

stickguy · May 2019

I’ve never used that warranty. Don’t know anyone that has either.

Anyone in the group ever use it?

ab348 · May 2019

I was at the supermarket today and parked next to a mid-90s Buick Regal sedan that appeared in pristine condition. It sported at least 19 "Krown" rustproofing annual stickers on the rear door window. I'd guess that's a couple of thousand dollars worth of rustproofing. Can't imagine keeping a car that long but apparently it did this one some good.

driver100 · May 2019

It would be interesting to know the real cost of buying used cars over say an 8 year period, compared to buying a new car for the same period. You would need a graph to show the difference depending on miles driven.

I think the most economical way to buy a car would be to buy a one or two year old low mileage car, but, it wouldn't surprise me if a brand new car would be cheaper to own than a 4 or 5 year old used car...if putting on average or above average miles....and you have to consider the value of the car at the end of the 8 years.

oldfarmer50 · May 2019

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:
Here is my distracted driver story. I held off making this until the story would be complete.

A little over two weeks ago as Mrs. j was backing out of the driveway on her way to her swimming aerobics class, when the young college student (she goes to Pitt) across the street was running late to her class and was calling her classmate to let her know she would be a little late picking her up. Mrs. j notices she is almost flying out of her driveway, directly across the street and she is on her phone. Mrs. j quickly throws the shifter into drive to pull back into our driveway but she was too late. BAM, the young student nails her new Subie. LOTS of damage. When I got home I could see that not only was the bumper destroyed the trunk was even popped up at the rear window area thereby if it rained the trunk would flood. Since it was a nice day I decided to get an estimate right then and there. I took it to the same independent shop that fixed the damage done to my Genny this past Winter. The guy does his estimate and it is just penny's shy of 4 grand but he tells me that when he "gets in there" he knows the price will go up. I go home and call my insurance agent to tell him what happened and what the preliminary cost would be. I also told him Mrs. j was actually in drive when she got hit but that would be impossible to prove so I was prepared for our insurance company to pay all of the costs. My agent said, "not necessarily" but we will have to sort this out after we talk to the young lady. I said, "you know she isn't going to admit she was on the phone like Mrs. j saw and she even admitted to that when they talked after the collision". He said, "let's wait before we jump to conclusions".

He then told me I have a couple of choices, (1) pay my $500 deductible and get the car fixed immediately or (2) wait until the insurance companies battle it out to see who is going to pay. He even said it could be a shared responsibility type of accident. I chose to get her car fixed immediately. I picked it up last week and the final bill was $5,246.73 and a good chunk of that was for painting.

My agent just called to tell me they will be sending me a reimbursement check for my $500 deductible because, believe it or not, the student admitted she was on the phone and was over the midpoint of the street.

I guess now all I'll have to live with is diminished value at trade in time.

jmonroe
That’s a shame. Admirable that the young woman took responsibility in an era where people’s first instinct is to lie. Just out of curiosity, did you get a police report from an on scene officer? If not, why?
No accident was reported to the police.

Buy the time Mrs. j called me both cars had been moved, hers in the garage and the student went off to her class. Other than maybe a cop hearing that she was on her phone, not sure what a report could have done. Which is probably why a report wouldn't be a bad idea.

jmonroe

I would always get a police report. Not everyone is honest. What would happen if the coed had accused your wife of hitting her? We once had a woman run a stop sign and broadside a school bus. She swore up and down that the bus had run the stop sign. She continued the lie even in the face of the 25 student witnesses on the bus. Never would admit fault even after the cop gave her a ticket.

stickguy · May 2019

used cars depreciate too, and have additional costs to own. no free lunch.

It's pretty easy to do a spreadsheet, but you have to assume a lot about the future to compare buying new vs. used. Which usually means buying more often (say 2 used cars vs. 1 new over the same period).

What is easy, and I do, is a spreadsheet to see if it is better to lease then buy or buy at the beginning. Even though leasing has extra fees, and you have to pay in the middle (DMV fees again), if there are enough lease incentives, it can work out better that way. But, usually easier to just buy up front if you can get a good interest rate.

oldfarmer50 · May 2019

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I think the first thing to do in a private sale would be to check the person’s license against the title. If they match that clears 50% of the chance of getting scammed. If you meet at the sellers home address which matches the other documents you can be pretty sure that it’s a legit sale.

Then you only have to evaluate the actual condition of the car...which is a whole other story.
When I am car shopping on Craigslist, and call anyone who represents themselves as a private owner rather than a dealer, my first question is, "Do you have a clear title with your name on it?" You wouldn't believe how much hemming and hawing that question can bring about.

On the cost of painting, I can offer one concrete example. When the hood was stolen from my 2015 Ford F150, I had it repaired at the dealers bodyshop. The itemized bill clearly showed that the hood itself (brand new from FoMoCo) cost less than painting the new but unpainted hood.

Wow, my Ford body shop told me a replacement hood would cost $2000. I wonder if that included paint?

Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy