gnosez Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 So I wrecked my nice 240 (over $10,000 in damages) and while I can put it all back together again, I'm a little concerned due to some frame twist in the rear. I purchased a shell out of Arizona as a vehicle to swap over my engine, suspension, and interior and wanted to know what comes first? Do I have the body work done, including engine bay and then do the swap? What about the undercarriage? I plan on replacing the front glass and all the moulding, plus adding that rear spoiler I got for my birthday last year and never got around to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonfly Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 John I'm glad to see you were able to find a replacement car. My recomendation is to do the body work, undercarrage, and engine bay before installing any of the parts from your car. When you put the engine in you can always do it with the fenders etc. off the car. Remember it is always easier to work on something when there is nothing else in the way than working around stuff to get to what would have been easy to reach. BTW welcome to HybridZ. Dragonfly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted December 3, 2002 Author Share Posted December 3, 2002 Thanks...I got the car last week and haven't gotten around to sending any emails to people letting them know I have one. The holidays and my mom's medical condition have me going in several directions at once. The insurance company just and I mean just reviewed a 43 page package in under an hour and stated they will give us $100. more than the first offer (1/2 of what we had it appraised for and 1/3 the price of the parts). Court here we come.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonfly Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 Good luck with the insurance thing. What I would suggest is try to gather as many reciepts as possible, then get a copy of the Motorsport catalauge and go through it and highlite all the things in it that would require replacement on your car, if at all possible find an auto shop who will be willing to appear in court with you or at least sign an official appraisal of the labor cost. I have found that the insurance companies back peddle pretty quickly when they see you have done your homework and have documentation to back it up. Make extra sure you fully understand what is required on any and all documentation you intend to submit in court. Also I would like to wish you the best of luck and health to your mom. Dragonfly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 Personnaly, I plan on doing the engine swap first. Once I am happy with the install, then I will pull the engine and do the paint from the inside out. I mean, what are you going to do with fresh paint and need a little sheet metal clearance in a spot or two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted December 4, 2002 Author Share Posted December 4, 2002 Oh, I think it's worth more than $10K based on the following parts: Rebello 3.0L L28 w/comp 5-spd and 3:90 LSD rear, all new bushings, ground control coil-overs, tokico adjustables, camber plates, all new u-joints, bearings, seals, H-4 head/fog lights, Holley fuel pump®ulator, K&N filters (gas, oil, air),Howe radiator, 6.5 qt comp oil pan, all new chrome bumpers, BBS chrome 16X8 wheels w/Bridgestone-03s, ST sway bars front and rear,new brakes w/Porterfield pads, Cobra seats, rollbar, all new interior except dash (door skins, arm rests, handles,carpets, all plastic trim), 5-pt cam safety harnesses, no rust anywhere. As to the insurance company, I sent them all the reciepts (over $18,000.) and they upped their offer $500. to $6,700. I had it appraised 2 yrs ago for $11,000. before redoing the suspension, brakes and wheels. I did what they asked (appraisal) and now they say they don't have to pay that amount. They reached their value by going to AutoTrader.com and just picking a few cars in the $5 to 8k range and saying their comparable. I took the same cars and added a list of all the parts they didn't have and what they cost (using my reciepts and no labor). If you took a $6k car and added everything I have it comes out in the $14-16k range. No response whatsoever on this from them. My autobody shop will stand by me, I'm having the car appraised again next week and we have reported the company (Liberty Mutual) to the State for switching our policy to "stated value" and have requested an internal audit by their oversight group. We will be cancelling our 3 cars, house and cottage polices with them as soon as this is settled. They paid out nearly $3,000. for a minor hit and run 2 years ago and now want to give me double that for a total (their estimate was $10,650.). My wife is now angry at me just because this is taking so much of her time (if I was the family contact person, it would be down to fists at this point). I suppose they think that it costs them nothing to say no to our request for the whole amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Ride em like a horse... after awhile they will throw in the towel and pay.. just be persistant and flood them with paperwork and other high priced comparable cars.Do not worry about cancelling .. they will cancel... just have an insurance company to fall back on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 This kind of stuff happens a lot on the BMW lists I'm on. Some track junkie dumps $30,000 into his M3 and wants the insurance company to give him $70,000 for it when some dingbat T-bones him in an intersection. Tricky Dick's Insurance Agency offers him $25k, and the fighting begins. I'm not saying you're not justified in your anger, because you are! Someone has stolen your vehicle from you, and you have every right to be angry. BUT. The best thing to do in this circumstance is usually to use part of your settlement to buy your car back from the insurance company, then pull your expensive parts off and put them on another car. Yes, it will probably cost you extra time and money, but far less than battling the insurance companies will. Think of the time missed from work, the lawyer costs, the Tagamet prescriptions, the endless phone calls, the stress at home. Just ain't worth it, in my book. Good luck buddy - keep your chin up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted December 4, 2002 Author Share Posted December 4, 2002 well, Scott you have a point, but I have never let any corporate entity get away with anything before without a fight or a good fraggin...I paid for the appraised value as part of my coverage and I intend on getting it or a piece of their ass with it. I'm not asking for more than the coverage I paid for ($11,000.) regardless of how much more I put into the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Ride em hard and put em away wet. That is what they do to the populace at every opportunity and have the lobby to write legislation for the politicians. A good passive-aggressive fight with an insurance company will at least take you out of the victim category. They ain't in business to pay losses but make profits with no expeditures for vaseline..my rant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Liberty Mutual? I'll add them right next to the snakes at Geico to the list of companies that will NEVER get my money. If you paid for a specific policy to cover up to $11K and they're now declining that I would certainly fight like hell! How did the car get damaged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Just read your post again. Are you doing a V8 swap, or a stock L6 swap? If it's a stock engine that you are sure will fit, then there is no sense taking it apart twice. Now if your are fitting a V8 (like me) then do all of the fabricating with bad paint. BTW, good luck on the insurance thing. As we all know, the value of a car is MUCH less than the sum of it's parts. If you can buy a decent 240Z for $4000, then why would they pay you for 10 grand worth of parts? What were the particulars of your 240 that made it worth 10 grand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 If you took a $6k car and added everything I have it comes out in the $14-16k range. but unfortunately if you went to sell it on ebay you would be lucky to get $7k for it... The car is only worth what someone will pay for it, not what you have invested in it. That statement works both ways. Old Ferrari's that originally sold for several thousand dollars are now worth millions because that is what they have been selling for. Modify them and they lose most of their value. Old Z cars with bitchin V8 transplants and over $10K in mods are selling on this site (and slowly I might add) for 4 to 5 thousand bucks. Don't get me wrong, fight the insurance company for all it's worth. But just don't take it personnaly if it doesn't turn out the way you think it should. Also follow the advice posted above and buy the salvage rights to the old car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Z-rific Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 But, if he insured the car for appraised value, he should get appraised value. And if he has professionals willing to go to court or get appraisals notarized, he should get more. In the end, find out what junkyard your car is headed to and, acting like you don't know **** about cars, try and buy back that Robello 3.0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 I originally tried to get a full converage policy on my 25 year old Z. Along the way I managed to get an honest, independent insurance broker. He told me the only way to get full coverage on a car so old was to get a stated value policy. This required getting the car appraised, then the premiums would be based upon this value. He also told me (and this was the honest part) if I did all that and later made a claim, that (and I quote) "let's just say questions would be raised". A polite way of saying "good luck collecting". I don't have such a policy for just that reason. This is more a question of what will happen than what should happen. All I can say is get some legal advice before undergoing the expense of a court battle. Those people play by their own set of rules and what seems obvious to you may be humerous to them. And why do you think people fall down holding their necks when they get hit? Insurance companies are a lot more flexible determining appraised values if they fear a personal injury suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted December 5, 2002 Author Share Posted December 5, 2002 Well, to answer more than one post... first, I did ask for and get actual cash value ($11,000. and that's without the Rebello 3.0 installed so not to worry before the car leaves for the junkyard it will have the L24 it came with sitting in the hatch area if they won't let me buy it back),now this year they changed my policy to market value (page 7 in small print and without explaining or giving us any reason for their action). We missed that but then they missed the fact that the market value policy is $150 a yr lower, so I've been paying for the actual all along. I called today to Liberty Mutual and asked an agent to quote me a price to insure all three of our cars (they're in my wife's name now and it's different than mine). I asked for actual value on the Z ($11,000.) and she gave me a price within $10 of what we're paying now. I asked what would the price be if the company won't do actual value. She had to work on that and call me back, so when she did I didn't answer and let her call go to voice mail. I now have her telling me that it would be $150. lower. Got Ya...There's a way to take them to court under a law called 93A. I will be talking to attornies tomorrow and reporting them again to the Division of Insurance here in MA. Now as to the restoration, I'm going to have the paint prepped and primed (interior and exterior), paint the engine bay, then take it back to go the engine, drivetrain, and suspension swap, have it reprimed if needed, then painted. Then add new front glass and all around moulding/emblems, etc. Will report back later next week. But not to worry every part over $11k will not be going to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 5, 2002 Share Posted December 5, 2002 Sounds like you have it covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnosez Posted December 10, 2002 Author Share Posted December 10, 2002 Thanks!! I have seen their ads and had thought about contacting them but was under the (wrong)impression that there was a mileage limit. The car is garaged year round and is our third car. I would gladly list the mods for them. Thanks again. And as to the status of my plight; my insurance company hasn't responded to our latest detailed rebuttal. Maybe by 2003. In the meanwhile, my AZ shell will be here later this week, and a spare parts car has been stripped to the suspension. Have the tool kit that never came out of the plastic bag, plus a lot of other unused stuff. It was like opening a time capsule. I'll post some pics in the New year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 I have my Z on a Hagerty policy. (which reminds me I need to get some updated pics to them to raise the agreed value now that it's on the road!) They don't like cars they think you might be racing. They mainly look for the classic car or rod that someone gives only tender loving care to. No daily drivers. And you must show that you have another car as a daily driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-tom Posted December 11, 2002 Share Posted December 11, 2002 I have state farm and have had no trouble getting $10000.00 on my fairlady z from them and its in part in my garage. Last year when the ice storm totaled my audi a4 they paid in less than 2 weeks and gave me more than fair market value. My Z is my 3rd car on my policy and costs less than 100.00 a year to insure. The only time I have ever fought a insurance company was over a wreck that wasnt my fault. They wouldnt give me book value for my car so I had a attorny call them and tell them he was representing me in the matter. 4 hours later they called me and gave me what I wanted. You Just have to keep pushing them abit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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