wrecked 80 (1 Viewer)

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Last night I found a white 97 Land Cruiser that has 42K miles on it. I talked it over with my wife and she said we could go look at it. Early this morning we pack up the fam to go look. It was a trade-in at Superstition Toy by an older couple who upgraded to a Lexis. Its a one owner and...well...you had me at 97 and 42K miles. So I run off to get a check at the bank. While I am away the guy at the lot went to get the emissions done. While on the drive to the get the emissions done the car is side swiped by a lady on a cell phone. The damage is not excessive, all on the drivers side. The front bumper has bad scratches, the front passenger rim has a small chunk out of it, there is a little body damage in the rear quarter panel, the running board is done, the side of the car will need to be repainted, and the fender flares are gone. I don't know if the guy ran it into a curb to avoid the collusion but the front passenger tire side wall was ripped.
The dealer suggests the following: When he gets the check from the adjuster he will drop the sales price of the Cruiser by the amount of the adjusters check.

I think I will come out on top of this deal for the following reasons:
I can get the work done for less than the adjuster will estimate.
I can use the rim as the spare and live with the damage.
I can get other cosmetic problems solved at little cost-small dings on driver door.
Cost of new Slee or ARB bumper will be offset by the cost of Toy bumper

My questions are:
Are my presumptions real or wishful thinking?
Does anyone know a good body shop in the east valley of metro PHX?
Where are the good used replacement parts...specifically the running boards?
Am I missing a major aspect of this dilemma that I can't see?

Sorry this is so long...but thanks for any feedback you might offer.
 
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brittan said:
Last night I found a white 97 Land Cruiser that has 42K miles on it.

If you are looking for a pristine low mileage un-hit LC then this slight damage will bug you forever. Tough decision but it sounds like your plans are to wheel the vehicle anyway. In that case....

I would guess you're looking at $5,000 damage, maybe more from the sounds of it. That $$$ buys a lot of accessories once you pull off front & rear bumpers, and add sliders instead of the running boards. A little painting and flare repair and you're good to go. Any way they would sign the insurance check over to you or give you the cash to do the repairs yourself?

I would do it if it were me, especially since that truck only has 42k miles and is the color you want for Arizona.

Is it locked?

-B-
 
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If it's just cosmetic damage and your willing to live with some flaws, you will come out ahead. If you want someone to look at, I would be happy to, my shop is in central Mesa. My brother is about done with a little body work on his. He has a nice set of running boards, but if your going to wheel it you don't want them, just leave them off.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=56182
 
At least 5 thousand bucks, probably higher.
 
No guarantee that the adjustor's estimate will in the end be sufficient to repair. Not unusual for the body shop to discover "hidden" or "unforeseen" damage that ups the repair cost after they have started. If you purchase the vehicle before repair, then you could end up in a tough spot, as the insurance companies responsibiity is to reimburse the owner of the vehicle at the time of the accident (the dealer) and not to a subsequent owner (you). So getting additional reimbersment for any possible hidden damage, could be difficult or impossible. Now, the dealer could assign to you all rights to recovery, and then the insurance company would be obligated to deal directly with you.

If I were to be the buyer, I would either agree with the dealer a specific discount that I was positive reflected the cost and trouble to repair, or, I would have the entire deal be contigent on the vehicle being repaired to my satisfaction prior to purchase.
 
Why don't you take the truck to a couple bodyshops and get estimates before you do the deal? I don't think you're going to be pulling the wool over the dealer's eyes. Get a couple estimates, preferably at two of the most expensive places in Phoenix, have the dealer discount the truck by the higher of the two and then it becomes your option to repair or not.
 
Thanks Beowulf for the advice...it isn't locked. I do plan on wheeling it but with the low miles and a built up Tacoma also in the garage this will be my wife's daily driver for another few years, or at least that is the plan. She has agreed to let me “tinker” with it...my idea is to have this be the next build. But it needs to be presentable for her so I think I am going to get the work done.

Tools R Us
Where is your shop? Good work on the link you added.
The Cruiser is at Gilbert and Main. It is drivable but I'd like to have the adjuster do this thing before moving it. Thanks for the offer. Can I get your number?

Rich said
Now, the dealer could assign to you all rights to recovery, and then the insurance company would be obligated to deal directly with you.

I like the idea. Is this a common practice?

Everyone...thanks for the ideas and suggestions. My plan is to see what the adjuster does and then make some decisions. I hope you see pix of it in my garage soon getting some love.
 
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brittan said:
Rich said
Now, the dealer could assign to you all rights to recovery, and then the insurance company would be obligated to deal directly with you.

I like the idea. Is this a common practice?
It is a very common practice between insurance companies. Say somebody else causes an accident damages your vehicle and your insurance company pays you for the lose. When they pay you, you assign your insurance company the right to recover monetary damages from the party (more likely, in the end, their insurance company) who was responsible for the accident.

However, this would not be a common practice in your situation, where you as a consumer are buying a vehicle previously damaged by somebody else. You would need a willing and honest dealer to pull it off. There would always be the chance, regardless of what signed agreement you have between yourself and the dealer, that the insurance company ends up paying the dealer, in which case you would need to fetch the payment back from the dealer. It would be simplist if all monetary settlement is finalized at time of purchase.
 
I would also be careful that the dealer does not futz around with the "estimated" amount of the repair so that he gets more and you get less... so do your homework.
I would play hardball. They are now in a tough spot cuz their truck is no longer a little old lady pristine truck, they will have to (should) declare the repairs, which would spook new buyers etc.
and, of course, you need to use *your* figure for the sales price, not *theirs*... you were going to offer $5K, right? :)
 
I would expect more from the dealer than simply the insurance settlement. If the truck had been original undamaged before then I'd try to get some $$$s off the price plus an insurance settlement. I would not let the dealer do the work. I'd definitely take it elsewhere, regardless.
 
Rich said:
It is a very common practice between insurance companies. Say somebody else causes an accident damages your vehicle and your insurance company pays you for the lose. When they pay you, you assign your insurance company the right to recover monetary damages from the party (more likely, in the end, their insurance company) who was responsible for the accident.

Called subrogation (sp?) right? This is only the case in dual-party states like Wisconsin or the like (that's a question) In a no-fault state this should not always apply?
 

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