The Red Sled is Dead (sorry, sammm!)

Well, let's start with the important stuff. My right shoulder is a little sore, and I'll need to ice down my left hand after I'm done typing. Aside from those things and a few minor abrasions, I seem to be of reasonably sound mind and body.

Insurance adjuster will be out here on Friday to take a look. I'll see what buying the car back will cost. However, the wheels are done, and at least one corner of the coilovers will be finding the local trash bins...assuming someone can get the hood open.
Um, yeah...I don't know what to say. On with the carnage...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...k/IMGP3178.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...k/IMGP3185.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...k/IMGP3187.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...k/IMGP3197.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...k/IMGP3202.jpg

Happy birthday to me, right? *sigh*

Noooooooooooooooo...........sorry Steve. Glad you're OK, hang in there!

Buff right out?? Please?

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Originally Posted by juxt3r

Buff right out?? Please?

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Have another cocktail and try to relax. ;)

I think we could pull that out and get it back on the road... might dog-track a little bit, though.

Sorry, man... perfect end to a perfect day, eh?

Well crap... thats not a happy birthday. :-( I'm glad you are OK... Lets hope the insurance company takes good care of you.

:-(

Glad you're ok... coulda been a lot worse.

My condolences. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

No worries man... My daughter just looked at it and she says its not bad.. just the front. She says the last pic looks cool the way it is lower in the middle and wants to know if I can make mine do that. ::Blink::

I'm glad to hear you are ok!

Thank the engineers at Mazda for knowing how to build a solid little car!

Get well soon, and get another Miata!

Yikes, glad your ok. What happened?

Glad you are OK!

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Originally Posted by Majik

Yikes, glad your ok. What happened?

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Thanks, guys!

What happened: dude in a light commercial truck was changing lanes repeatedly without signaling. Got tired of it, saw an opportunity to pass on the left without accelerating, changed lanes...
...and he promptly changed lanes *right* in front of me this time.

I applied the brakes (not sure if they locked at this point), apparently put too much into the steering, and hit the concrete barricades to the right. Bounced off and hit the left barricade thrice.
Ouch...

Rollbar is unscathed, and I'll credit it with helping out at least a little bit.

Glad your OK

Sorry to hear about that. Hope you get better soon; and that the insurance company works things out favorably.

The only thing that comes to mind is what my dad told me a long time ago about drunk drivers.

If they are in front of you they can't wreck into you. But if they are beside you or behind you look out.

And the dickhead w/no signal gets away unscathed. ::Rant::

Happened to Barbara yesterday on 121.
Drove her onto the shoulder and down an embankment.
No damage to the 93LE, but re injured he back again.

Glad your OK, Steve. That was a hard hit.

Glad you're ok.
That is a total.

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Originally Posted by juxt3r

Thanks, guys!

What happened: dude in a light commercial truck was changing lanes repeatedly without signaling. Got tired of it, saw an opportunity to pass on the left without accelerating, changed lanes...
...and he promptly changed lanes *right* in front of me this time.

I applied the brakes (not sure if they locked at this point), apparently put too much into the steering, and hit the concrete barricades to the right. Bounced off and hit the left barricade thrice.
Ouch...

Rollbar is unscathed, and I'll credit it with helping out at least a little bit.

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::Rant::

Sounds similar to what happened to my Saturn last month, only it was the asshat that crashed instead.

Shame his truck didn't contact your car in the process. He would've been buying you a new Miata.

sorry to see this.

sorry to see that........ glad to hear you are ok.

Sucks about the car, but at least you are OK

Get better soon

Sorry to hear about the car. Glad to hear you walked away from it!

That is not a good look on a Miata! Good news is that you get to shop for a new ride.

Stevan,
I hope Barbara feels better. Jack D works for my back!

Craptastic. Glad you're okay. Hope you feel better soon.

Insurance adjuster just left. It's definitely a total...like we didn't know, right?

Should hear back re: settlement by Wednesday at the latest.

Anyone happen to have a facility I can borrow to pull the drivetrain and other usable bits should I decide to buy the salvage?

Definitely pull those Sportectomy parts, if you can.

Sorry about the loss, but glad you're okay. I blame Sammm for selling you a faulty car.

Like everyone said, glad you are OK.

Car can be replaced.

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Originally Posted by juxt3r

Anyone happen to have a facility I can borrow to pull the drivetrain and other usable bits should I decide to buy the salvage?

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PM sent.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by juxt3r

Insurance adjuster just left. It's definitely a total...like we didn't know, right?

Should hear back re: settlement by Wednesday at the latest.

Anyone happen to have a facility I can borrow to pull the drivetrain and other usable bits should I decide to buy the salvage?

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First of all: Glad you're okay. Cars are replaceable, you're not.

Secondly: Very sorry to hear about the car though. BTDT. Sucks. Big ones.

Third: remember that your add-ons do not increase the value of the car to the insurance company, therefore they do not decrease its value either if you take them off before it's towed to the junkyard. You might do the numbers on taking their offer for the total plus the value of your add-ons (after you take them back off, whether you reuse them or sell them) versus the value of the buy-back/part-out.

Curtis

I couldn't see the pictures until now. Ouch! Really glad you're okay.

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Originally Posted by cwisenheimer

First of all: Glad you're okay. Cars are replaceable, you're not.

Secondly: Very sorry to hear about the car though. BTDT. Sucks. Big ones.

Third: remember that your add-ons do not increase the value of the car to the insurance company, therefore they do not decrease its value either if you take them off before it's towed to the junkyard. You might do the numbers on taking their offer for the total plus the value of your add-ons (after you take them back off, whether you reuse them or sell them) versus the value of the buy-back/part-out.

Curtis

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Words of wisdom. Thank you!

The two Flex on the front are done. The rears very well might be, too. All of the wheels are done. The only other things I've added are the radio, voodoo knob and Nardi wheel & hub. The first two I pulled yesterday. Wheel & hub will come out in the morning.
Interestingly, the adjuster seemed to think the rollbar was a value-adding item, as the car didn't need it to be...you know, a car.

I'm very curious as to what kind of value these folks will give to the car: lowball vs. retail.

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Originally Posted by juxt3r

I'm very curious as to what kind of value these folks will give to the car: lowball vs. retail.

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It's been a while, but from past experience, they err on the high side. YMMV, of course. I'll be curious to see what they offer up as well.

My mother just bought her car back not too long ago after her Miata was stolen and ditched in a creek.

I think she paid $500 to buy the car back, which they took out of the check they gave her for what the retail value of the car was...in their mind. They said 3g, she bought it private party for 4g...

But - her's was easily fixable, your is destroyed. Is it worth it to drop $500 or more on that car knowing that you are most likely not going to get that much money back in parting it out? And the hassle of storage and disposal?

edit: I would expect a lowball, KBB like offer. We all know Miatas sell above KBB though. And believe me it sucks to see a red NB like mine destroyed like that and it definitely sucks it happened on/near your birthday. But all you gotta do is save a few pennies and take the insurance check and go shopping.

I'm very sorry to read this Steve. Hope you get better soon. Any news on the commercial driver? He needs to be held responsible.

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Originally Posted by bmcreider

...edit: I would expect a lowball, KBB like offer. We all know Miatas sell above KBB though. And believe me it sucks to see a red NB like mine destroyed like that and it definitely sucks it happened on/near your birthday. But all you gotta do is save a few pennies and take the insurance check and go shopping.

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Standard Presumptive Value may be more than KBB, and is what the state presumes the car to be worth. It may be helpful to know that value when talking to insurance folks.

Hope this helps.

I used a little-known capability when my '65 Mustang was totaled. Instead of taking a check, require them to replace the car with a like-optioned and condition replacement. That netted me 3k more, because they couldn't find one in the condition mine was for anything like what they wanted to give me for it.

This is especially useful if you actually WANT to replace it with a like car!

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Originally Posted by CobaltFire

I used a little-known capability when my '65 Mustang was totaled. Instead of taking a check, require them to replace the car with a like-optioned and condition replacement. That netted me 3k more, because they couldn't find one in the condition mine was for anything like what they wanted to give me for it.

This is especially useful if you actually WANT to replace it with a like car!

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What? I've never heard of such a thing. Was this a special deal with a particular insurance company, policy, or other? I would have loved to have used that concept.

Walsted, thank you for the linky! Checking it out right now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmcreider

My mother just bought her car back not too long ago after her Miata was stolen and ditched in a creek.

I think she paid $500 to buy the car back, which they took out of the check they gave her for what the retail value of the car was...in their mind. They said 3g, she bought it private party for 4g...

But - her's was easily fixable, your is destroyed. Is it worth it to drop $500 or more on that car knowing that you are most likely not going to get that much money back in parting it out? And the hassle of storage and disposal?

edit: I would expect a lowball, KBB like offer. We all know Miatas sell above KBB though. And believe me it sucks to see a red NB like mine destroyed like that and it definitely sucks it happened on/near your birthday. But all you gotta do is save a few pennies and take the insurance check and go shopping.

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You have valid points, all.
The primary reason I'd take the salvage is the drivetrain, which could net (if sold) maybe $2k. Sure would make engine replacement for my '90 a veritable non-issue. I'll lift the car up on Sunday to see if the subframe impacted the engine. As far as I can tell at the moment, though, the closest thing to the engine that's utterly toast is the PS pump.
I know the sammm-foamectomied driver seat would bring top dollar as well. ;) It's not as comfy as the NA seat he did "for me" a few years back, but it's pretty darn decent.

If they offer me what I'd like to see or close to it, I'll let them have the car and just source my desired parts elsewhere. No biggie...or so I'd like to think.
I've found a couple of local 99s with similar options and nearly identical mileage valued right around KBB retail value. Maybe a reasonable number to consider as a starting point, though I certainly have my doubts.

Thanks again, everyone, for your well-wishes, thoughts, advice and help!!

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Originally Posted by cwisenheimer

What? I've never heard of such a thing. Was this a special deal with a particular insurance company, policy, or other? I would have loved to have used that concept.

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State Farm. Someone I knew told me to tell them I didn't want cash, that I wanted a replacement that met my cars specs and condition, so I did.

In the above case it may not be worth it, as he is seeing cars listed @ KBB value that match his. However, in my case (true 64.5 Mustang 289 in 8/10 condition, numbers matching) it netted me a whole lot more money for an extra 2 weeks wait.

Not sure if it is a law or just a reasonable request, but it worked for me!

The Track Dog sticker made it through the wreck....you could salvage that

Glad to hear your okay