Repair Cost Estimate Help
#16
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Location: MO
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Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I mean we could say that -- it doesn't matter, XJ's are essentially priceless since you cannot buy a new vehicle today that is anything legitimately comparable. We could say that, screw you buddy, you're not an XJ owner so pay up, overpay etc. etc. etc.... In other words, we could "play favorites".
Or we can do what we all pretty much do by default - if someone posts asking an honest question in good faith, we respond with our best opinion of the matter given the stated situation. I think that's what we've done here.
We don't know and most of us would say that we'd need an auto body/collision professional to see it in person (even if "we" were one ourselves) to say for sure what the true extent of the damage was. The XJ owner says the vehicle drives differently - this could be true, this could be in their head, this could be pre-existing. Just because someone owns an XJ doesn't mean they're a person of good character. Likewise the O.P. may be omitting knowledge that is unfavorable. I don't think we can or should make any of those assumptions though. Regardless of the facts however, whatever the agreement is that has the XJ owner satisfied and the O.P. satisfied is up to them.
Or we can do what we all pretty much do by default - if someone posts asking an honest question in good faith, we respond with our best opinion of the matter given the stated situation. I think that's what we've done here.
We don't know and most of us would say that we'd need an auto body/collision professional to see it in person (even if "we" were one ourselves) to say for sure what the true extent of the damage was. The XJ owner says the vehicle drives differently - this could be true, this could be in their head, this could be pre-existing. Just because someone owns an XJ doesn't mean they're a person of good character. Likewise the O.P. may be omitting knowledge that is unfavorable. I don't think we can or should make any of those assumptions though. Regardless of the facts however, whatever the agreement is that has the XJ owner satisfied and the O.P. satisfied is up to them.
#17
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Location: Groton, MA
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Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: I6 4.0L
Absolutely with you on that! Like Jordan was saying, if you're not at fault, morally, logically and in most cases legally, you don't have to settle for having your vehicle totalled. The offending insurance provider would love to convince you that the "total value" is all they are obliged to pay out, but that's not true. If you are zero percent at fault, you can and should -demand- FULL restoration.
If someone damaged a truly priceless possession like my XJ, if they survived (exaggerating) they'd pay full restoration whether -they- believed it "worth" doing or not or they'd see me in court and deal with me taking it extremely personally.
If someone damaged a truly priceless possession like my XJ, if they survived (exaggerating) they'd pay full restoration whether -they- believed it "worth" doing or not or they'd see me in court and deal with me taking it extremely personally.
#18
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I went through this, my XJ got smashed, both of us only had "at fault" cover. Statutory Insurance write-off value $2400
As my XJ was worth twice that, I threatened to relentlessly sue the guys **** in Court, and he eventually cash settled
bought another '96, and repaired the other one for spares, its now driveable, but the frame got damaged & rear qtr mangled
swapped over the good stuff to the newbie
* actually twice..another XJ got smashed from behind, bent the frame rail a smick..got paid out $2900
lol.. I am actually cash flow positive for my XJs, including all maintenance, after Insurance payouts, and I have the 3 x '96 on the books as asetts
As my XJ was worth twice that, I threatened to relentlessly sue the guys **** in Court, and he eventually cash settled
bought another '96, and repaired the other one for spares, its now driveable, but the frame got damaged & rear qtr mangled
swapped over the good stuff to the newbie
* actually twice..another XJ got smashed from behind, bent the frame rail a smick..got paid out $2900
lol.. I am actually cash flow positive for my XJs, including all maintenance, after Insurance payouts, and I have the 3 x '96 on the books as asetts
Last edited by awg; 05-10-2019 at 07:24 PM.
#19
CF Veteran
Absolutely with you on that! Like Jordan was saying, if you're not at fault, morally, logically and in most cases legally, you don't have to settle for having your vehicle totalled. The offending insurance provider would love to convince you that the "total value" is all they are obliged to pay out, but that's not true. If you are zero percent at fault, you can and should -demand- FULL restoration.
If someone damaged a truly priceless possession like my XJ, if they survived (exaggerating) they'd pay full restoration whether -they- believed it "worth" doing or not or they'd see me in court and deal with me taking it extremely personally.
If someone damaged a truly priceless possession like my XJ, if they survived (exaggerating) they'd pay full restoration whether -they- believed it "worth" doing or not or they'd see me in court and deal with me taking it extremely personally.
That is an extreme example. But the main idea is...they use much pressure and your desperation to make you think that they get to set the terms of the settlement. But the settlement is something that both parties (the insurance company and the damaged party) must agree to. If you can't come to an agreement, you go to court. Both sides want to avoid this. So just a small willingness to fight can lead to several more thousand dollars in the settlement (on a case by case basis, do you think they care one bit about a $3k vs. $10k settlement? Not at all).
On the "totalling" issue. If you are the one that suffered damage, and it is the other person's insurance provider is trying to settle. It's not even just about your vehicle. If you happened to have a $100k priceless heirloom in the vehicle that day, and it was destroyed. They get to make that whole as well (at least up to the limits of the policy - but the remainder of the liability would still rest on the person they insured). They may even say things at first such as "we can't be responsible for anything other than the vehicle". But they don't get to choose. They are just trying to get it settled quickly and cheaply.
Most people learn about making claims by having made a couple claims for their own vehicle, through their own insurance provider. But this type of coverage is VERY different than the type of coverage that pays for the damage that you accidentally do to other people and their property. The first is limited by agreements you made with the insurance company in advance when you signed the policy (such as that they get to set the value of your vehicle and will never pay more than that to repair it). The latter is between two parties that have no prior agreements (the damaged party and the insurance provider).
Last edited by jordan96xj; 05-10-2019 at 08:27 PM.
#20
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Year: 1989
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0
First off, are you in a no-fault insurance state? Also since it looks like he hit you (regardless of whether you did anything to precipitate it), it will likely be his insurance paying out and not yours.
#21
CF Veteran
No fault insurance just means that you are not obligated to work with the other parties insurance company if they were at fault. You can simply make the claim with your own trusted insurance company (you won't have to fight as much, but you may get a lot less because you have agreements with your insurance company that came into effect when you signed the policy - such as how the value of your vehicle and property will be determined). If both parties have insurance, typically the insurance companies utilize their own internal processes to share the expenses between themselves based on trust (insurance companies trust each other much more than they trust us).
#22
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
a comprehensive"agreed value" policy is probably best if your XJ (or any older vehicle) is well sorted
in the situation some idiot wipes you out (the usual) it will help
read the fine print
not many XJ would be worth 10k
in the situation some idiot wipes you out (the usual) it will help
read the fine print
not many XJ would be worth 10k
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