Dart is totalled.. now what ?

-
DartThis74

DartThis74

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
486
Reaction score
5
Location
Houston,Tx
Not sure how many of you had heard, but I was in an accident about 3 weeks ago in my '74 dart sport. Long story short, I was a 4-way and proceeded to make my turn and a guy went through the stop sign and hit the front of my car.

The guy was at fault and his insurance has made the offer finally after the adjuster came out that my car is worth roughly $2500 the salvage is $750. So If I wanted to keep my car they would cut me a check for about $1800 Or if I decided to give it up they would give me about $2750 and they keep it of course.

The issue I'm trying to solve now is what to do. This is my only means of transportation, I have put in near 13k into this car as a ground up restoration. The damage to my vehicle is not extensive at all really. I only need the front clip of my car (both fenders, hood, radiator support,radiator, bumper) replaced. The issue of replacing the parts is not really the problem it will just be the cost of having someone basically installing the new replacements and repainting which will cost way more than I am going to be given to me from insurance.

The entire car will need to be repainted because the clear coat is peeling everywhere on my car, so that is where the major cost come in. How much do y'all think just getting the car put in primer and sealed would cost ?
 
I'd rebuild it. The down time for something like that is minimal,less if you forgo paint and just replace part's.
 
Sorry the pictures were really large so I tried resizing to fit page.

mj437.jpg

2mo1eo1.jpg
 
I'm sure others will have more to contribute but can't you fight for a better settlement from the insurance company?
 
I don't get that your car is only worth $2500 when you have $13k in it. Did you have it appraised after your restoration?
 
That is what we are going to try to do. I have receipts from start to finish on the restoration of this car and will find the "big ticket" items to show them this isn't just an ordinary plain jane dart sport. All interior is custom, customer sounds system, American racing wheels, had custom paint until it started going bad, but engine is /6 but not normal, it has bigger cam and super six intake with custom exhaust.. etc.. etc..
 
I had the Maaco 2-part polyurethane on my 65 Newport at their "winter special" ~$500 in 1996. The paint still looks shiny other than some chips from rocks, and it has been parked outside mostly since then, often with a car cover. It does have some orange peel in the paint since that was Atlanta in the winter (humidity) and they did get a few hairs in the paint, but negligible compared with the tree branch that fell on the car, 2 drivers and a deer that hit it, and other incidents since. You must do all prep yourself, and if you don't want it sprayed, you better remove it or tape it. Don't trust their tape guy. If a driver car, and not too anal, look up the super-popular thread on www.Moparts.com on painting your car cheap using the roll and tip method. That came out great on my trailer using Interlux Brightsides.

Also, step one with me is to file suit against the other driver if their insurance gives me any crap at all. That is the only way to get any semblance of justice. Otherwise, they file you away as a beggar as give you whatever scraps they deem fitting.
 
what kind of insurance did you have on it? doesn't sound like it was insured properly for what you had into it..


depends how bad it actually is. looks like just sheet metal in the pics.. be sure thats all it is and throw a front clip on the thing. who cares if just the front is a different color for a little while...
 
Fight it! You need to show them this car can not be replaced for $2500.00, And it can't be fixed for the amount they want to give.
 
They told me that the value of my car is what they "found" other vehicles going for recently that were in my shape. They based it off of like two 74 darts and a 75 duster. The only reason I can think that they believe my car is worth the cost of almost a project car is because the clear coat is coming of on the hood, roof and trunk of car which is ridiculous to drop the price of the car that much because of simply paint. The rest of the car is show car worthy.

2duwm0h.jpg
 
I really believe if you are nice but firm with the adjuster, and show him all the receipts, they will come back with a better offer. Compared to the average payouts today, it will still be small coin to the insurance company.
 
The insurance company is jacking you around, they are basing their estimate off of possibly an NADA book or something similar. This does not take into consideration the rest of the equipment and work you have in the car. You might talk to your insurance carrier and have them intercede for you. If you have 13k in the car and they only want to give you 2500 there is something really wrong with that, don't you think. If all else fails, get an attorney insurance is a racket that the government has shoved down our throat and fighting them by yourself is almost impossible.
 
What has your insurance company said with regards to the settlement? They should be helping to make sure you are getting a fair settlement.
 
Being though I am a college student, I'll have to contact them later today to get things figured out. As for now I am using a rental car supplied to me, but once I decline their offer to take my car I have to return the car immediately, but if I accept it then I get an extra week to have transportation.
 
Replace it (keep it), Had the same front end accident, make sure your frame is still straight , gotta luv solid steel :burnout:

MOPAR 4 LIFE
 
What type of insurance did you have on the car, based on the value or blue book?
I have my 1972 Dart insured for the value of $20,000 not what the Nada blue book states $12,180.

NADA lists a 1974 Dart Sport 6 cyl, with a Challenger Rallye pkg $2,809 (low) $7,901 (high).

http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1974/Dodge/Dart-Special/2-Door-Coupe/Values


Have you got a quote from a body shop?

Is your insurance company fighting for you?
 
May be different in your state, here IIRC, they have to send you all the information they used to compile "their" vehicle value numbers. I would request all that info and review it. They may have looked at stuff that was bone stock, etc.

Wow, what a surprise, it's almost spot on with LOW BOOK!
 
That sucks, I would pull the sheet
metal off, Yank the motor and trans and take it to have the frame check on a rack.
 
The insurance will always lowball you. Tell them to either fix it or replace it with a comparable car. Saying they can buy one and actually doing it are two different things. I would tell them what you want for the car and add that it will go to court unless they want to pay it.
 
Keep the Car! looks like you might need to have the front frame horns pulled on a frame machine, so that might get more money involved...can't tell from here, you might get lucky and just replace sheet-metal and bumper and be good.

Otherwise, buy a replacement Dart for the money you get from insurance, and transfer the goodies you have on the wrecked one?
 
You need to sue this guy AND his insurance company. You will NEVER get anywhere by talking to them, being nice, or asking.

If you have anything more than liability on the car, you need to get YOUR insurance company involved.

FIRST thing you need to do, if you have not, is GET THE CAR BACK from the tow company or insurance company and IN YOUR POSSESSION. This is YOUR car until the day you get a settlement.
 
The car is in my possession the whole time, it was towed back to my apartment so that I wouldn't have to pay storage fees at the wrecker. haha I'm sure they would just love to try and find me a comparable dart or duster, I think they would go crazy trying to find one ! I'm waiting on the review to be sent to me in email so I can see where all of their numbers are being supplied from.
 
i would keep it, you already have so much into it not to. it can be fixed, you would be suprised how much energy just the sheet metal will absorb. besides , it will give you something to do this spring, and you will love it just that much more...my $0.02
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top