How do I retrieve my totaled 240sx?

[elpiar]

So I crashed my 240 yesterday. THe other person's fault. My agent told me that any liability insurance is required to restore the car to its condition right before the accident, so I should be fine with proof of my car's worth.

However, looking from the damage, I think it will be totaled no matter what. If they decide to give me a check for the totaled car, how do I track where it's sold and re-buy it? I'm in ohio (if that makes a difference)

[twichel04]

well i am not sure about ohio, but in florida, you dont HAVE to take the check if they total it, you can keep the car, they just wont give you any money. if you do take the check then they brand the car with a salvage title and sell it at auction for parts or scrap.

do you know how bad the damage was? any frame damage? if there is ANY frame damage at all, they will most likely total it, sorry

if they offer you enough, id say take the check and buy your self a new 240

[pauliedrft]

what have you done to your car ? is the ? if you have after market seats and turbo or a motor swap you can buy it back from them for pretty cheap . but if they totall it just buy another one if there isnt a lot of cost in the parts .

[slipnfall]

It seems every insurance company is different. Here in PA, State Farm gives you the option to buy it back directly from them. I would ask.

[KYZAAC]

It seems every insurance company is different. Here in PA, State Farm gives you the option to buy it back directly from them. I would ask.

my buddy wrecked his bike in the summer, they wrote it off, he still wanted it so they just took $500 off the check and he got the bike and check. the bike was a b0mber tho

[ZOMG.SR20]

yea usually just say you want it back and they take about 300 - 500$ of the check for the totaled car

[breadbox]

My girl wrecked her cabrio and they gave her the option to take like $3000 or $1500 and the car back. We needed to pay mortgage or else I would have kept the Cabrio and fixed the front axle.

[elpiar]

Thanks for the reply guys.

Here's the thing. I have about $7k in the car that I put in (built motor, turbo kit, etc.) that I have receipt and memo from my shop. With my own insurance, actually I have custom insurance where they cover up to that value for theft because I have the documentation.

I'm trying to fight for the actual value of the car with all parts installed in it minus depreciation. Now if I get a check for let's say $6k for the total, I'm not sure the insurance will let me keep the car cause they have taken into account the value of the parts I'm keeping with the check.

However, if they sell it at an auction, I would like to be there and bid along with other people (knowing what's truly in the car).

How do I track it down after the insurance take it from me?

[NiceLyphe]

Id try contacting your agent and tell him you are interested in buying it back from them.

[chaosli]

do it before they take your car

[mcdonne32004]

I'm an adjuster for auto claims and the way we do it is we get value from third party valuation center approved by the state, then we get a quote for salvage value which means what your car is worth with the damage on it. If you want to keep the car they will take off the salvage value from the settlement check. In order to get the check though you will have to show that you had the title switched to salvage. If you post pics I can give you a better idea of what your cars damage is going to cost to fix. Just because the frame is damaged doesn't mean its totalled right away, that car doesn't have a frame anyway, its unibody construction-frame built into car. they make rail replacement kits from factory I believe for that car. If not thats why we have frame machines. You would be suprised at what can actually be fixed. good luck and lmk if you have any other questions.

by the way the company I work for owns columbus, Ohio....[ ]

[spank044]

When I put insurance on my 240sx with a value of $9500 I had to get a third party company to declare the value with mods. The insurance company said that the value if it were damaged would reflect the NADA value and not include custom work unless it was appraised. When my drunk neighbor totaled my 2001 Ford Ranger by making it a short box with her Jepep the insurance company totaled it and I bought it back for $912 and then installed a used bed and bumper for $200. After I fixed it they allowed me to put full coverage back on it and I still have a clean title.

Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

[elpiar]

I'm an adjuster for auto claims and the way we do it is we get value from third party valuation center approved by the state, then we get a quote for salvage value which means what your car is worth with the damage on it. If you want to keep the car they will take off the salvage value from the settlement check. In order to get the check though you will have to show that you had the title switched to salvage. If you post pics I can give you a better idea of what your cars damage is going to cost to fix. Just because the frame is damaged doesn't mean its totalled right away, that car doesn't have a frame anyway, its unibody construction-frame built into car. they make rail replacement kits from factory I believe for that car. If not thats why we have frame machines. You would be suprised at what can actually be fixed. good luck and lmk if you have any other questions.

by the way the company I work for owns columbus, Ohio....[ ]

[breadbox]

That sucks. Add that pic to the wrecked 240 thread.

[Cody240]

Man that sucks it reminds me of when my z31 got totaled *tear* it looks like your car got punched in the face and someone stopped the slowmo before it reformed lol GL with it man.

[Hooked on 240]

Good god.

Any before pics?

[TheRealNap0le0n]

well i am not sure about ohio, but in florida, you dont HAVE to take the check if they total it, you can keep the car, they just wont give you any money. if you do take the check then they brand the car with a salvage title and sell it at auction for parts or scrap.

do you know how bad the damage was? any frame damage? if there is ANY frame damage at all, they will most likely total it, sorry

if they offer you enough, id say take the check and buy your self a new 240

It may depend on the insurance company but most insurance companies in FL allow you to take 70% of the value and you keep the car and the title stays clear

[RustspecS13]

Wow man that sucks.

Let me know if I can help wrenching or anything like that, I live in the morse/71 area so let me know if your looking for another 240 or need to part it out or need parts for it.

I know here in ohio you can get your car back and they take 10-25% (rough estimate) off the settlement price.

~Alex

[SirSilvia]

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN I've never seen an intercooler warped in such a way. Hopefully you can salvage/chop as much off that if you get it back.

[n240sxfnatic]

Damn, were u even running a bumper support???

[elpiar]

Wow man that sucks.

Let me know if I can help wrenching or anything like that, I live in the morse/71 area so let me know if your looking for another 240 or need to part it out or need parts for it.

I know here in ohio you can get your car back and they take 10-25% (rough estimate) off the settlement price.

~Alex

thanks man. i'll let u know if i can keep the car.

[elpiar]

i'm meeting the insurance adjuster tomorrow. we'll see if it's totalled and if i can keep the car.

[OM3GA]

sweet jesus.

[zenkistic]

i'm meeting the insurance adjuster tomorrow. we'll see if it's totalled and if i can keep the car.

that's the definition of "totaled".... good thing you weren't hurt.

[Ninjamasta]

i'm meeting the insurance adjuster tomorrow. we'll see if it's totalled and if i can keep the car.

Make sure to tell him you need the car back, it might take months before they put it out for salvage. So just save some time and get it back, then part out what ever part thats not needed, and it should be able to cover the cost of getting the car back.

[Didderson]

looks like no bumper support to me. Looks like you hit a street sign that didn't have breakaway bolts at the bottom mount.Anything else?I also don't think you ran bumper foam.OP should tell us I wanna know!

Bet u wish U did Sorry for your collision good luck getting the car back!

[elpiar]

i have bumper support, but no bumper foam.

[biggie]

Best bet is to work out a deal to get the car back included with them giving you money for the 'book value'. Probably around $2-3k and the car back.

When I totalled my '92 in '04 they gave me the choice of $3,100 w/o the car or $2,800 + the car back. Of course I took the car back due to all the money in parts on it.

[progman]

The person that hit you is liable to fix everything they damaged. I mean yes there are some laws blah blah but I would give his insurance company hell. I don't know all the legal stuff but the way I understand it is the person at fault's insurance is responsible to make you whole again. Don't just take what they offer. at least try to get as much out of it as you can. I don't know if it will help but just don't get your pants pulled down by that insurance company; they are liable.

[mcdonne32004]

OK, that is a gonner. here's what I would do...talk to the insurance about what would happen if you took out motor and all non damaged parts. tell them just to pay for what is damaged as far as aftermarket parts go, then tell them to value car as normal 240sx w/ some addtional consideratiions for time to swap out engine into another 240sx. just because to shop says car is worth 7k doesn't mean ins company will think same thing, sounds like you have customization rider on your policy but not a stated value policy-these are different. customization is for theft but not for total loss collision. hit right up the middle like that ur talking bumper assy, intercooler, hood, h/l's, both rails are prob sucked in, rad support, rad, conden, fans, both fenders and all the little lines, hoses, wiring up frt. I'd say 3-5k easy, did it reach motor? this is always tough w/ a customized car, if you go through other insurance they will only pay for cars worth as a normal 240sx, they won't pay for custom work because that was owners choice and was not needed. depending on who looks at it you also may run into a prob w/ engine not being u.s. emissions legal and for offroad use only, they could tell you to f urself if you run into a d!ck. in the end you can still find those body-styles around. i wld have them pay for all broken a/m parts plus add in time for installation, value car as normal 240sx, and swap ur stuff to another car....