Automan2164

State Farm came out today. Guy was a lot nicer, had more years in the business. Body shop said I got the good guy. We hammed it up and talked about cars. He had been doing this for over 25+ years. Took notice on how clean the XJ was, didn't take nearly as many pics as the Progressive guy. He said to make sure that the number from Progressive gets 7.5% sales tax added on, since that would be an additional cost when considering the value of replacement. Good to know. Also gave me some good advice, and told me that I should just toss some money to the body shop and have them toss it on the frame rack to check to make sure it's square. Makes sense, I'd hate to start getting everything together and realize that something, somewhere I didn't see it is bent. I talked to the shop manager, and he said he'd take care of me. Only 1.5 HRS or so, and he said if he had to do a pull or two to shore it up, he wouldn't charge much of anything for the couple extra minutes. He said like $200 tops. Also asked about a tow back to my house, and he just said not to worry about it and that he would take care of me. When asked about the storage, he said he's got his money from the insurance for it sitting there and that was enough. I can't say enough about how much I like this body shop. I send everyone here. State Farm guy said that he sees a ton more claims than progressive, and that it gets processed internally and spit back. He said I may know tomorrow afternoon at the earliest, Monday at the latest. To be honest I just want to have it here and cranking away, but in the mean time I am servicing the Diesel MJ to get that up and ready when they pull my rental car. The blemish battery showed up at work while I was out today, and I plan on asking if I can just go back out there to the body shop, pull the fenders and get the battery in enough so they can lot drive it while they do the work. I think they would be cool with that. Rob

He said that that is about the best he could do. We had a good back and fourth and talked about values and stuff. And the $600 I think is a fair number. I could see a yard at auction paying that for mine. Low mile drive train, all the metal from the a pillar back is good... Tires are great, wheels are good, interior is leather... I bet it would fetch more rolling across the block than just $600. Like I said, just waiting on State Farm. If this is the better offer of the two, I don't think I can be too upset. Rob

First numbers are in from Progressive $4800 Total loss replacement $600 Buy back Basically a check for $4200 and a clean title. State Farm will be in tomorrow or Friday. Rob

Just an update: Spoke with the claims agent for Progressive after playing phone tag. She was very nice, as I to her. Catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar. The Jeep part is pretty black and white. She told me they do claims through a 3rd party that will come out and put a value on it. She did ask about where I had it stored and that they would like to move it to one of their approved facilities... I said the only other place is will go is my house if they are worried about fees. I tried to be courteous but firm where needed. I explained that she probably deals with enraged dickheads all the time... I didn't desire to be another on the list. She got a good laugh and said thank you. She also advised me (as advice she gave her sister also) to continue to have my agency do an estimate also. That way if my company comes back with a better number, I can choose that. Hadn't crossed my mind until she said so. I told her that I would like to be present when they come for the assessment, and that was really not negotiable. She said the adjuster would call me when they knew what the schedule was for the day. She did elaborate on the 'Buyback' and said rather than a set percentage, it was usually whatever the salvage worth would be, or a good guess as to what it might bring at auction. My guess is mine may bring a good coin, as it's in good shape, and leather... So I am sort of dreading that number. A friend's 2001 XJ sport with about the same mileage was totalled for $4800, and the buy back was $800 with a front end impact and frame rail damage. He ended up having the shop fix it, bought some bumpers and a lift, and had them spray/install the bumpers. I also stopped by the body shop where I have it, and told them the same about letting people look at it. I said no one looks at it without me. He said he would do the best he could do, while saying he doesn't want to piss any of them off either. He told me the State Farm guys (my company) are usually pretty cool and you can talk to them and ham it up a bit. He said Progressive's are usually straight and to the point, as they are just a third party and have no ties/interest. He also said that while he didn't take a close look at it, he said they just fixed one with similar front end damage to mine after the insurance co totalled it out. I just smiled and asked if it was a white 2001 XJ, and he just laughed and said "Steve?" It just happened to be the same buddy of mine. I told him I would most likely just fix it myself, and that I appreciate the offer, but really only needed it in the yard for the time being. I did toss out maybe having them spray the front clip, depending on what color parts I end up with. He understood and agreed that parts are plenty and I shouldn't have a problem. Now this is going to be more for information at this point for others. Medical stuff. She presented it in a couple ways, I asked her to explain it in since I have never dealt with it. Open, which is basically where you pay out of pocket until you are feeling better. Whether that requires chiropractic appointments, doc visits, therapy... What have you. All expenses out of pocket, until you decide you are healed, then they pay all in full and I assume you sign away liability then. Closed, which she explained is like a bank account. Say $2000 is agreed upon over 60 days. She said they would pay any care claims submitted, and that the money would be a use it or lose it kinda deal. She also said in addition to whatever choice, there would be a one time payment for any 'Inconvenience or suffering' she did have a number, which was low, but did make mention it was fully open to dispute (Part of where being nice probably helped). I told her I would not make any decisions until after a follow up appointment with my primary care doctor, and she agreed that it was a smart idea. I asked multiple times whether or not they had a copy of the accident report and she had said no, but it had been requested and paid for. I got mine for free, so I asked her what was up with that, and she just said that it's because they are an insurance agency, and the county just wants to make some money for the administrative fees. I offered my copy, but she politely declined and said they didn't need it anyway. She went on further to explain that the report and citations only come into play when fault is a question, but in their case, the other driver already admitted fault and that the documents were more or less just a formality of the process for them at this point. They recognize that their insured caused the accident and just want to take care of what I am owed. So that's where it stands. Rob

Made some phone calls yesterday after getting the accident report sent to me. Appears as though the other driver was cited with 'Failure to yield right of way' and 'Inattentive driving'. I called my insurance, which told me that they were sending out their own adjuster and will bill the other company for the agreed value. I don't have rental, so my company urged me to call the other drivers and explain the situation, while advising me that if they hadn't yet accepted liability that they may not cover it. I called over there, the other driver had started a claim for his truck, but they knew nothing about me. After some questions about my side of the story, (Even asking my speed and speed limit) he said that he had talked to his insured and they would be accommodating me with a rental and was setting it up as we talked on the phone. I didn't even have to really ask about it. Also asked about my back and soreness and set up an medical claims adjuster. Ball is rolling now, but this is what I get to drive for the time being: Just doesn't look right in the drive way. Oh well, it's wheels for now. Rob

Son of a... Heading home Saturday... I can now move up in the accident world... I was traveling down a country road (Hwy) that goes through some smaller towns. I was trucking along, when I had to slow down to 45 to get through town... Business as usual. I was almost through town, but didn't make it. I was approaching a crossroad, and noticed a big black F250 that came up to the stop sign from my right. I didn't have a stop, so I just kept an eye on him. I saw him look my way, then look right, and then he pulled out 20 feet in front of me. I hit the hooks, laid on the horn, and had no place to go. I was transfixed on his drivers window, where all I could see was the back of his head because he was still looking right... Bam. I was still reeling. I had a good amount of speed trucking into that accident. I head the fan eating a hole into the battery or radiator, so I turned it off and just sat back. As I got out there were people everywhere. I slid out of the drivers door which wouldn't open all the way because of the fender. I looked for the truck, and he we no where to be found... Kidding me right? Then someone spotted him parked across a field on a side road. I called the sheriff right away, took the pics of the scene as it was before moving anything, and awaited the sheriff. Once he got there, we put it in neutral and pushed it off the road. I saw the other driver walking towards us, but he stopped and walked back to his truck before getting close. I never met the other driver. I talked to the officer first, and gave my side of the story. Basically, I had the right of way. He walked over to the driver of the F250, got his side, and came back. He told me the other guy had the same opinion. Just said he looked my way, looked right, and pulled out without checking my way again. He did tell the deputy that the truck was a 2014, and cost $69K. I imagine he got cited for failure to yield the right of way. I have to wait a few days for the accident report to be completed and pick it up from the county. The other driver got picked up by his wife and left without saying a word to me. I am the kind of person that would appreciate a hand shake and an apology at the least, so this bothered me a bit. The tow truck showed up, he flatbedded the XJ, and pulled the F250 by the rear. The tow truck driver was pretty impressed with the damage to the 250, he said all the curtain/seat bags went off, it was still trying to call 911, and made mention that the cab must have been tweaked, because the sunroof motor kept grinding and trying to close, but was out of whack. When we got into the truck, he said that the other guy had a pretty lengthy record from the sound of it. He said he had the scanner going when he was in route and heard the drivers record reports come across. I got a ride to the towing shop where we dropped the 250, and put the XJ onto another flatbed to take it to my body shop 30 miles away. Both the tow truck drivers were pretty cool and super nice. I just kept talking about how pissed I was about the XJ, since it took me so long to find a rust free clean loaded one... Even finding one with the window sticker and original title. We dropped if off at my shop's yard and I took a look at it. At first glance, it looks pretty bad. no airbag deployment (Thank god, my hand was all over it blaring the horn) What might have saved me was the height of the truck. When I hit the hooks, it nose dived and tucked itself under the rocker of the 250. What did the most damage was the leading edge of the truck bed as it hooked all the soft upper portions of the body. It grabbed the fender and shoved it into the hood, and shoved it into the drivers fender. All the doors still open and close fine (Drivers just not as much because of the fender), and all the gaps look correct. The front bumper looks rather unscathed, and the frame/front horns look untouched. I plan on trying to fix it if I can get it back from the insurance company (I guess his is Progressive). I took a bunch of pics, maybe you guys can tell me what you think: Overall, I was sore last night. My neck and back felt like a warm sunburn and achy. Today I feel worse, with a headache, back ache, shoulder, and general stiffness. Under the advisement of my insurance agent I ended up going to the local urgent care and got checked out. The doc did an eval, and said it seems like muscular pain and that I should be alright. She sent me packing with some drugs and some cream for my shoulder. I've never been in an accident of this caliber yet, so I am really unsure of what to expect next. I really want to keep the XJ with as much work as I have put into it, and how clean it is. It frustrates me that he just couldn't look back my way. I just wish I'd have still been looking his way when the sound of the horn and screaming tires barreling down on him clicked into his head. I have had an accident before where the repair value exceeded the vehicle value, but it was a light hit, and I kept it clean titled. I would really like to do the same here, but have never had something damaged to his extent. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to pick up a rental car and be mobile again. As it sits now, I have a bunch of drugs to take, the XJ is sadly sitting in a gated yard, and I have no wheels. Looking at the pictures, what do you guys think of the situation, if the XJ is saveable, and how to proceed in general? Anything I should/shouldn't do with dealing with the insurance agencies? Rob

Someone, maybe someone here, I remember them saying you could drive a 2a up into the back of a fullsize longbed truck and it would fit between the rails just fine. Rob

I'm thinking Ranger Rims.

I hadn't planned on this, but after posting my EDC on Facebook to share with a friend, Pete said he smelled a thread... Didn't even cross my mind at the time, but hey, why the hell not. I got the idea off the net, from pics of people showing off their daily carry items. I suppose I will have to kick it off, so here goes: Contents: NiteIze Pock-its tool holster Gerber MP-600 Multiplier Gerber Bit set Matco Torx Bit set Streamlight Stylus Pro Sharpie Zebra F-701 with BOLD! 1.6MM Ball point cartrige Field Notes Lined Notebook Keyport Slide V2.0 with Automate Alarm Fob Canvas Wallet Casio Forester Watch Work keys Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Otterbox Commuter series case This setup has become a part of my daily being. Working in a decent sized public fleet, I always found myself running back to the shop for small tools and drivers when inspecting and going over things, tearing into a squad car, or on service calls. My EDC has evolved along with my needs. Now it may seem like a lot, but it really isn't. The biggest life saver has been the NiteIze holster. It holds the Multitool, Flashlight, Sharpie, Pen, and the Bit sets. I keep the Notepad in my back pocket with my wallet, and it's great for jotting down a VIN or serial number off a tractor when I am out in the field and don't want to scuzz up my phone. The Keyport streamlined my personal keys, and added a great conversation starter. The watch is a constant staple, and I feel naked without it. I am however, looking to replace it if anyone has any suggestions for an analog/date watch for work use (I know there are a couple Horologists here.) So what is in your pockets? Rob

Another thing... Be wary of any that use side gussets on the crossmember... As many made for the XJ do not take into account the extra cab supports that our MJ's have. You will have to cut the brackets or the supports depending on what you end up doing. Rob

Cheap and lifts are generally two terms that shouldn't be used in the same sentence... Cheap and long arms? Forget about it. I've been contemplating the BDS 4.5" LA for my MJ. Rob

If you are just out to complete your set though, I just saw one on CL last night on a Canyon off of a TJ. Rob

Yep. You really, really, really need to get up here so we can set up your MJ. Rob

Spent some time cleaning out my yard bag today and remembered this thread. I moved away from the metal ammo can awhile back after finding this Condor Tactical bag. It has tons of pockets for storage and tools, as well as a 'Concealed Carry' hidden pocket that is helpful at times for parts. It has a nice shoulder strap so it's comfortable to walk around the bigger yards with, and keeps me more mobile and be able to climb around without having to hold something. I put on carabiners to latch onto parts incase my hands are full with big stuff. I just hook on all the smalls and let them dangle off the bag. It also dawned on me today to use a couple carabiners to keep the wrenches in check. With them loose, it always seemed the one I was looking for was the last one I grabbed at the bottom of the bag. The bag also has a couple good spots on the end for some penetrant and a water bottle. http://www.condoroutdoor.com/Condor-136.aspx Only things I left out of the picture are the ball peen hammer and my Mechanix Impact gloves. Rob

You can get those zip ties at your local parts store. I picked up 2 bags of them when I was going the dash on my diesel MJ. Rob

I have a set of 4 30X9.5 Goodyear Wrangler GS-A's on black AR767's in the attic... Have I said you need to get over here? Off of this: Rob

Interesting bed liner... Rob

Now for sale? Rob

Bear, my Standard Schnauzer. Made a ram and jam round trip from Chicago to Detroit on Dec 23rd 2012 to pick him up from the breeder at 8 weeks. Us with him and dad: Angela and Dad: Still a puppy at the cruise night (Tape on the ears is for training them to sit right). Not a little fella anymore, 45 pounds of muscle: Rob

So what did you end up beating him to if you don't mind me asking? He's had it on CL for awhile, and a co-worker was thinking about picking it up. Rob

Found mine in my '86 behind the passenger door panel. Rob

Yep. While I do appreciate the fact that they put a lot of work into the truck, I regret ever selling it, and have ever since the instant I found out it's fate. Is what it is, but I really wish it would have went to someone who was going to maintain it as the anomaly it was. Rob

Unfortunately not. I sold it to afford my factory diesel MJ, and the current owner painted it orange... :fs2: Rob :rant:

Yellaheep... No worries with me, I just wanted to make sure everyone knows the history. For the most part, you are correct. Most of all this crap was just an appearance group. Certain things come into play with Eliminators, like has to be a 4.0L, gauge group, and at least to the factories manuals, bucket seats. I think XLS and Laredo were the ones that came with the most "Standard" options, but everything else was up in the air. I just don't want someone who doesn't know quite what we are talking about to read into it wrong and assume D44's or PW PDL never existed in '91+. Same thing I have to do when someone says 4WD Eliminators never existed.. Or when someone says there was a longbed chief, or '87 XLS, or whatever. Rob