vetteowner
Junior Member
Last week, I was stopped at a traffic light, and saw an old Volkswagen beetle driving towards me from behind at a distance of over 100 yards at what I’d estimate 50mph (in a 40mph zone). The driver was clearly not looking, probably texting or on the phone, and hit me full on in the back of the car. My car did a 180, and got forced into oncoming traffic where a chap that was coming in the other direction hit my car again. Allstate, the other cars insurers, told me today that they have admitted liability.
My car is a 2007 convertible corvette, so it’s rated to do more than 1G lateral around corners – I’ve seen it very close to 1G on the G-meter when I drive it (not on the road). When you do a very rapid lane transition (left/right to switch lanes in an emergency) and when you sling it around the corner it uses a number of computers to help the driver to push the car around at enhanced performance.
The repairshop has said it’ll cost $11k to “fix” the car, and I would say that it would cost them $11k to “bodge” the car, as it will not, to my mind, ever be in its pre-accident condition again – they have included a “set up frame” and “pull for sway” and “pull for mash” statement that to me means they intend to yank around on the frame until they bend it back – and they have mentioned that there is frame damage. If I drive it the way I could before the accident, I’m concerned that things could break during a high stress maneuver, or that the computer assist system could never give it the optimal behavior since the frame will never be symmetrical – it might be symmetrical in cosmetic terms, but once you stress metal that has been bent and pulled back into its original shape, it will not be symmetrical in the way that it behaves, something that is obviously essential when you push a sportscar – and I do. I am a trained driver with a 35 years accident free driving record.
How do I get the insurance company to pay me for the pre-accident cost of my car (value about $43k + tax/licensing)? I’m in California where there is no diminished value law – but the wholesaler tells me that the car is worth about $19k to him once it’s repaired (the corvette dealer won’t have it on their forecourt because it’s got frame damage and therefore they won’t certify it and therefore won’t sell it).
Obviously I have two issues – (1) I don’t want the car back because I’m afraid it’ll kill me as I don’t drive it like I’m on my way to church, and (2) the value of the car before the accident is something quite different from what it is now even if it is repaired. I'll never be able to sell it and get the right value for it - and I really don't want it back, as my driving depends on the solid behavior of that car.
Can I force the other insurance to buy the car (at the pre-accident replacement cost) ? Do I need to get a lawyer involved? Do I sue the other driver for dangerous driving? How do I get a new car for no more than the difference between the value of the car (41k or so at least) and a new car (around 68k) ?
My car is a 2007 convertible corvette, so it’s rated to do more than 1G lateral around corners – I’ve seen it very close to 1G on the G-meter when I drive it (not on the road). When you do a very rapid lane transition (left/right to switch lanes in an emergency) and when you sling it around the corner it uses a number of computers to help the driver to push the car around at enhanced performance.
The repairshop has said it’ll cost $11k to “fix” the car, and I would say that it would cost them $11k to “bodge” the car, as it will not, to my mind, ever be in its pre-accident condition again – they have included a “set up frame” and “pull for sway” and “pull for mash” statement that to me means they intend to yank around on the frame until they bend it back – and they have mentioned that there is frame damage. If I drive it the way I could before the accident, I’m concerned that things could break during a high stress maneuver, or that the computer assist system could never give it the optimal behavior since the frame will never be symmetrical – it might be symmetrical in cosmetic terms, but once you stress metal that has been bent and pulled back into its original shape, it will not be symmetrical in the way that it behaves, something that is obviously essential when you push a sportscar – and I do. I am a trained driver with a 35 years accident free driving record.
How do I get the insurance company to pay me for the pre-accident cost of my car (value about $43k + tax/licensing)? I’m in California where there is no diminished value law – but the wholesaler tells me that the car is worth about $19k to him once it’s repaired (the corvette dealer won’t have it on their forecourt because it’s got frame damage and therefore they won’t certify it and therefore won’t sell it).
Obviously I have two issues – (1) I don’t want the car back because I’m afraid it’ll kill me as I don’t drive it like I’m on my way to church, and (2) the value of the car before the accident is something quite different from what it is now even if it is repaired. I'll never be able to sell it and get the right value for it - and I really don't want it back, as my driving depends on the solid behavior of that car.
Can I force the other insurance to buy the car (at the pre-accident replacement cost) ? Do I need to get a lawyer involved? Do I sue the other driver for dangerous driving? How do I get a new car for no more than the difference between the value of the car (41k or so at least) and a new car (around 68k) ?