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CRUNCH..........!

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alwaysride

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Dang, I commute all winter long, 50 miles round trip almost every day, through ice and snow, uphill both ways in my TR6 and have no problems.
Then on a nice sunny day I park in a K-Mart parking lot and come out to find someone crunched the front fender and bumper.
Luckily, someone saw it and convinced the guy to leave his phone number.

So, anyone know where to get a left front fender and a front bumper for a '72 TR6?

Anyone recommend a good bodyshop in eastern Mass?
 
I feel your pain. My spider got crunched a few weeks ago, and then was laid up in the body shop for about 3 1/2 weeks. On the brighter side, it was nasty weather the whole time it was in the shop, and didn't miss out an any driving ops. Luckily you got the guy's number and if he will admit fault then it goes through on his insurance. Sorry, can't help with body shop recommendations, but I'd check with TRF on your body parts.
 
Try Scott Harper at Team Triumph. (330)392-7176 He is always breaking cars for parts. Probably will have to rechrome the bumper. He is also a Moss distributor.
 
Just wanted to post an update on this.
The guy's insurance company sent me a check.
The problem is, the check will cover the cost of the parts but not the cost of freight, hardware, labor and painting.
They wrote the estimate using new parts (left front fender, bumper and headlight trim ring), but then 'depreciated' the amount by 50% because the rest of the car did not deserve the new parts, I guess.
It is a driver, not a shower, but come on, 50%???
 
Go through your insurance, and let them go after the other driver. You should not be out of pocket for something thats not your job.
 
Sic Jaybird on 'em. The mood she's in, they'll be whimpering in no time!

Seriously, don't settle for less than complete reparations.

Mickey
 
Yeah, I'd suggest *not* cashing or depositing their check, too. Doing so might signal your acceptance of their "offer" and might make it impossible for you to pursue fairer compensation.

They should have talked with you and come to an agreement before sending you any form of payment. No way they can just arbitrarily decide an amount and send it.

They should simply pay whatever it takes to put the car back into the condition it was in, before the accident. You can get estimates from repair shops yourself, maybe two or three, to better know what to ask for.

If it were me, my next step would be to politely decline their offer (check) in writing and present those actual repair estimates. If that didn't work, it things would start getting less polite!

Your insurance company should go to bat for you. If they don't, you might need to hire an attorney to send a letter. Alternatively, you might be able or take it up in small claims court eventually. However, before going to the expense of an attorney or court, there may also be an insurance commissioner or board in your state where you can put some pressure on the company. Also, sometimes a local district attorney's office has a division relating to insurance and auto repair issues.

Insurance companies have a bag full of tricks they like to use to try to reduce what they pay out, and probably get away with it more often than not. But, they make mistakes too. Some years ago, after an accident in which the other driver was quite clearly at fault (arrested and ticketed), his insurance company representative asked me, "Was he drunk again?". He was, but she should never have let me know this wasn't the first time. I started seeing lots of dollar signs and thinking about "pain and suffering" lawsuits, but ended up reining myself in and getting fair replacement value for my totalled car!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Having been there and done that myself just recently, I have to echo the advice to refuse the offer. The accident was not your fault, and your property (car) should be restored to it's former glory with no money out of your pocket.

The question is what kind of insurance do you have on it yourself? If it's insured as a classic with an agreed upon price, you can let them know that as far as you're concerned, the car is worth that much, and that if that's what it takes to fix it, then that's what they need to pay. If not, then go to some car sites, (KBB.com, nadaauto.com, etc.) and also get some pricing off EBay.

As a last resort, you can run it through your own insurance and let the two companies duke it out. Since they've already offered you a "settlement" they've pretty much acknowledged their insured was at fault. Doing this drives up their admin costs, so they will probably cave in.

Bottom line is that you were the injured party, and it's their responsibility to "make you whole" again.
 
When I was hit by someone else (while in Nissan truck), my insurance company would do nothing to help me. According to them it was someone else's fault and I did not carry collision at that point. I changed companies just after that. The "indepedent" adjuster for the other company basically called me a liar and a thief and refused to pay for all the repairs, because the truck already had minor damage from another incident.
 
Years ago a knucklehead hit my first TVR. Even though we went to court and the judge found him guilty. His insurance company refused to talk to me. I went to my insurance company (state f) and had them pay for the repairs. After I settled with SF they went through a process called subrogate* to recover their money.
Talk to your insurance company.
*substitue one creditor for another, as in the case where an insurance company sues the person who caused an accident for the insured
 
I agree go to YOUR INSURANCE CO. & take their advice!Take the check with you.Your no-fault insurance should pay for it,& let the two insurance co's duke-it out.And DON'T whatever you do forfeit your car.
 
Just make sure that your company does NOT charge the accident against your record (resulting in higher premiums) until it is cleared up. These things somehow have a way of never getting removed once on your record.
 
Just went through this with my daughter's 850 turbo wagon, some AH couldn't get in his driver's door easily, my daughter may have parked to close? Anyhow the jerk wailed on her car by grabbing the top of his door & bashing into her pass rear door 5-6 times. Luckily a nice 18 yr old whitnessed the whole thing, called the mall security & they got a hold of my daughter. The whitness was nice enough to come back the next day & fill out a police report without us asking. (Who said young kids don't do the right thing some time) My ins also would do nothing for me, but with a whitness, paint match & plate the cops got a hold of the jerk & he kind of admitted it. 40 yr old guy with his kid in the car!

Anyway, my local body guy came up with $750 in damage, his ins co sent me to their appraisal guy & they sent me a check for $450. My appeal is go to any of their authorized shops & they will make it right, no matter the cost after the bodyman talks to ins co.

So, me being in MA also, would call the ins co & get a list of authorized shops & follow same route.

p.s. they guarantee work of their shops, if you go to your own, you own it.

Let us know how you make out.
 
I gotta deal with this on my dads car. They went to pick up a pizza in the MGB. and while they were inside someone caved in the right rear 1/4 panal.
Unfortunatly there were no witnesses, so we're on our own, unless we want the premiums to go up.
Oh well, I installed the panal and painted it, so I guess I can fix it.
 
Thanks for your input. No, I have not cashed the check.
I'm in a spitting contest with the insurance companies. They both say I can't expect to get a brand new shiny bumper for free (for example), when the bumper that is being replaced had some rust and dents on it. I understand that, and that is why they'll give me a brand new bumper, but only pay for 1/2 of it. The thing is, I'd never choose to pay anything for a brand new bumper 'cause my TR6 is a daily driver.

The other option is for me to find used parts but frankly, I don't have the time to be watching eBay or hunting around for parts. I should be able to drop my car off and pick it up a week later and have it look like it did before it was hit. I talked to a couple shops and they didn't even want to touch the car using new parts - let alone look for used parts or anything like that.

I dunno, I've got this tool for straightening bicycle frames called a 'Little Brute'. It is 1/2 car jack and 1/2 adjustable hooks. I think I can get it between the frame and the bumper and push the bumper and fender out.
I'm really tempted to try this...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, my local body guy came up with $750 in damage, his ins co sent me to their appraisal guy & they sent me a check for $450. My appeal is go to any of their authorized shops & they will make it right, no matter the cost after the bodyman talks to ins co....

[/ QUOTE ]Good luck! $450 would hardly cover paint and material costs at any GOOD shop these days!
 
You've paid your insurance company to deal with this kind of headache, it's part of your policy.

Tell the other guy's insurance company that you are going to turn it over to your own company. Just doing that may get you a better check.
 
From past experience :
Meet with and get YOUR insurance company involved, that is after all, a huge part of what you actually pay them for, nec pas?
 
Sometimes it pays to know a crooked body man.

They know the game......Estimate times four.

The company gives 1/2, he pockets cost and you get a new panel. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The honest guys get screwed.
 
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