[Diggler68]

I was taking the kids to school, stopped at a light, when out of my review I see a black Seabring coming strait at me. It did not appear to be slowing down....All I had time to yell was" ****!!!!" Everyone in the car was ok, including my 3 year old who was properly buckled in his toddler seat. At first, I wasn't upset, everyone was ok, and I had full coverage, or so I thought...Turns out, my wife had set my deductable at $2500, "it was cheaper that way" I was told. Well, Michigan being a no fault state, or "yo' fault" as I call it, I could only recover $500 from his insurance company, or so I thought....turns out the prick let his insurance lapse in march. And the insurance company deemed my car only worth $2100, so no pay out. So now I'm out of the $2000 or so I put into the re-manned engine, and other new parts on the car, not to mention, the custom work to the interior(search my name to see the center console and system). I am very sad face... So, I'm doing what any other guy does when his best girl is dusted and disgusted, putting her on craigslist to get what I can get out of her. The pics don't look so bad, but the rear end is bent down significantly, and the pass rear door won't open, in addition to the large gap at the top of both rear doors. If you look at the side view, you can slightly see where the body line breaks at the rear door. On the bright side, I did take joy in pulling foward and yanking my trailer hitch from the front of his car, there was a loud creak, than a loud pop. It broke the ball off!!

 

[Harsh]

That sucks man. You gonna get another wagon? Hopefully you find what you are looking for.

 

[Thanatos6]

I hate to hear it man, that was a very clean looking car.

Glad to hear that everyone is safe though.

Brings back bad memories since it looks like my first wagon that died in the same manner..

 

[Northern Classics]

One the lighter side (aside from your comment about the hitch ball)

Instant rollpan!!!

My guess is you were pushed into the car in front of you with the amount of damage which also appears to the grille and hood.
5 years ago, while in Toronto, my light blue Caprice was rear-ended by a Grand Caravan traveling at 70 km/h while I was stopped in traffic. The steel bumper and left rear quarter were 4 inches lower to the ground than the right side, the left rear door wouldn't open, the roof was wrinkled above the left C pillar, the left side frame was broken over the rear axle, and the body/frame mounts sheared. Just like your car, everything on the rear above the bumper (tailgate, lights, window) was spared. This was all fixed by insurance for 1,400$ and I still have the car today. The body and frame were pulled straight, a section was welded into the frame where it was cracked, and the body mounts were replaced. The gap around the rear doors was normal again and the doors open and close perfectly, and the car looks level from the rear again. Even the bumper was re-used / straightened out. In fact the only hint of the damage is slight wrinkles where the roof meets the left C pillar. Amazing thing, even before being straightened, the car didn't pull or act oddly when braking, turning, going over bumps, normal as ever - even the steering wheel was in the same centered position. In fact from the driving perspective, it was like nothing had happened!

Why I state all of this? Because at first insurance wants to give me 300$ cash (book value for 17 year old car with 450,000 km). I told them NEVER. This was not my fault, so I expect them to find an equivalent vehicle with working A/C, tow package and no rust like mine with their 300$. They opted to repair my car after adjuster looked over it and stated these points made it worth much more than 300$ the insurance tried to offer. Absolutely this was worth getting fixed, I have driven the car 150,000 km since the collision! (even the picture/video of the burnout is three years after!)

So don't give up!! With the custom work invested in your car, and if the car is rust free, and still drives properly, you have a good argument to get it repaired. Or get more than 2,100$ if you don't want it anymore.

.

 

[silverfox103]

Hurts to see that happen to your wagon, but you know that having your family safe and unhurt is more important than anything! Getting another car is easy.

Tom C.

 

[BigBlackBeaSSt]

Sorry to hear about your wagon. I know insurance companies do not help much with our old truxters!! But Tom (Silverfox103) is right!!!!

 

[Fred Kiehl]

The tank won. They really protect the occupants.

You have a civil suit against the uninsured driver. I would go after him. You can not have a lawyer, but you have an iron clad case. If he as anything of value, you can attach it, even his bank account if you go through the right proceedures.

If you get another car, you can swap out all the good parts from this one, part out the rest, and probably make enough to pay for the other car. Sometimes the wagons are worth more parted out than for the whole car. Check with Sprocket, or Acme Racer (even I come up with a good one once on a while) for some good deals. Buy a Florida car with no/minimal rust. There are some nice ones down here, and a trip down here to pick it up is about $100 for the plane fare. One of us might even be able to check it out for you.

 

[Northern Classics]

Pay attention, or you will pay someone else later.

... and hopefully what Fred states in his signature is EXACTLY what applies to the driver of the Sebring! That driver should consider himself very lucky he only has to repair/relace your property which his actions damaged, and not hospital costs for your family.

.

 

[Diggler68]

One the lighter side (aside from your comment about the hitch ball)

Instant rollpan!!!

.

HA!! Thats the exact same thing I thought when I got out of the car and seen the damage!!! LOL!! But, yes you were correct, I was pushed into the car in front of me, a late model Caddy Seville. The place that did the appraisal also did the estimate for the repair, $6700. I picked up a 99 GMC Savana conversion van for now, I think I'm too heart broken to try and save her. Everything has been a hard time with that car since I bought it, first week the motor spun a bearing, second week after I put the new motor in, the trans went out, not long after that, the new alternator had to be replaced under warranty, the list goes on and on, and I still fixed everything that popped up because I truly liked the car. I should have known when it got hit it wouldn't be a cut and dry affair to get any retribution out of it. Whats that poetic statement they always make, "Its better to love and lost, than to not love at all"?

 

[Dutch Pete]

Nicely said......but it still sucks

 

[Thanatos6]

Just have them fix the rear end, and then take the settlement money to fix the front end yourself for cheaper?

 

[RoadMonster 2.0]

Sorry to hear this...

But glad that none of your family was hurt.

Thank God for the B-Body!

 

[sherlock9c1]

Glad you're okay. Crap happens. Everybody, take note and doublecheck your insurance deductibles!

When did MI pass that crazy law? Why don't the citizens of MI say something and get the law changed!

 

[95BRMW]

Glad everyone is ok. Hope you got him worse than he got you!

 

[rogers9c1]

Glad you are ok! I would be buggin the insurance company to fix my ride, looks like you had a very clean nice wagon before all this happened.

 

[92 Woody Wagon]

That completely sucks & get the insurance companies to replace it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290360454986&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[Fred Kiehl]

HA!! Thats the exact same thing I thought when I got out of the car and seen the damage!!! LOL!! But, yes you were correct, I was pushed into the car in front of me, a late model Caddy Seville. The place that did the appraisal also did the estimate for the repair, $6700. I picked up a 99 GMC Savana conversion van for now, I think I'm too heart broken to try and save her. Everything has been a hard time with that car since I bought it, first week the motor spun a bearing, second week after I put the new motor in, the trans went out, not long after that, the new alternator had to be replaced under warranty, the list goes on and on, and I still fixed everything that popped up because I truly liked the car. I should have known when it got hit it wouldn't be a cut and dry affair to get any retribution out of it. Whats that poetic statement they always make, "Its better to love and lost, than to not love at all"?

Its more like, "No good deed goes unpunished."

 

[Diggler68]

Its more like, "No good deed goes unpunished."

I had just got that dash piece installed about 2 weeks prior to the accident, it was in great shape, I didn't get a chance to thank you for your help on that.

 

[Fred Kiehl]

I had just got that dash piece installed about 2 weeks prior to the accident, it was in great shape, I didn't get a chance to thank you for your help on that.

It really sucks when you do an improvement and wack...all your efforts are for nought. You should get another good one, swap the good parts, and part out the one you have. It is probably worth more as parts than as a whole car. There is a nice Olds CC on ebay that no one has bid on ($1000). You would have to fly to FL to get it, but the ticket is only about $100. Your engine and computer would be a direct bolt in. In fact it is basically identical to the Buick, except for the trim and grill.

 

[1993 Roady-man]

Sorry to hear of your lost glad everyone was ok.