flatbed pros/cons?

[batafish22]

i was in a rear-end accident a few days ago, and i wasn't at fault, so i'm expecting a check from the insurance company. the problem is, everyone i've talked to (insurance agent or not) has almost guaranteed me a total-damage check due to the age and mileage of the truck, and i don't want to give it up that easily. my dad knows where i can get a replacement bed for cheap, but i'm checking into different options as well.

 

i'm getting alot of different suggestions from fellow jeepers, one of which is to just lose the bed (since that is the only part of the truck that's damaged) and go with a flatbed.

 

i was wondering if anyone on the forum has done this, and what the pros/cons are of going this route.

[jpnjim]

Flatbed:

 

Pro's:

You can go bigger/wider than the stock bed length/width (longer would require frame extensions).

 

Even a small flatbed won't have wheel wells to interfere with carrying stuff (4x8 sheets)

 

Flatbeds typically mount higher, so you can usually fit some decent sized toolboxes under the bed (on the side behind the cab).

 

You can also configure pretty much whatever kind of tool storage you need on the bed (even use the boxes as bedsides)

 

If you don't do the above, you can run the bed without sides, 1/2 high sides, or full height stake sides.

 

A stake side MJ would look pretty frikkin cool 8)

 

You could also build a totally custom flat bed to meet any requirements you have (load size, trail clearance, tire clearance, etc)

 

Con's:

You'll almost have a higher load floor than the stock bed (since most regular flatbeds mount at around the height of the top of the stock wheelwells).

 

Most of the 'off the shelf' flatbeds would be wider than the stock bed. (con for trail use)

 

There's not as much selection in 'off the shelf' beds for compact pickups (vs fullsize flatbeds).

It's also tougher to find decent used 'compact' flatbeds.

 

If you go with stake sides, your friends might start calling your Comanche 'The Farm Truck' :D

[JeepcoMJ]

DO NOT agree to total the vehicle out.

 

 

 

the age of the vehicle you prefer to drive has NOTHING to do with what can and cannot be done to repair it. if the frame rails are in ok shape, and all it needs is a box, you can demand the cost of a full box replacement. you just have to tell them that the truck is sentimental, and prove that it's in good shape.

[whowey]

Flatbed:

 

Pro's:

 

A stake side MJ would look pretty frikkin cool 8)

 

 

Unfortunately.... not anywhere near as cool as you would think...

 

I was thinking the same idea.. then I saw a MJ with a 6 foot stake bed on it. That pretty much took away any ideas of doing one....

[dunl]

... in a rear-end accident a few days ago...expecting a check from the insurance company...almost guaranteed me a total-damage check ...dad knows where i can get a replacement bed for cheap

 

 

Either get the insurance company, as suggested, to replace the bed or take the cheque and buy the cheap bed.

[batafish22]

i brought up the sentimental value of the truck with the insurance guy, and a lawyer, and they both told me that the only thing the insurance company will consider is the blue book value of the truck. it doesn't matter that i drove a crap truck for 6 months until i found the comanche, or that we drove almost 10 hours round trip to get it.

 

i couldn't even find a blue book value for it. anything 1986 or older is now considered a "collectible", and the oldest comanche they have an appraisal for is 1990. for a 1990 comanche with everything mine has, in fair condition, the blue book value is around $3,500.

 

i'm not about to let an accident that wasn't my fault, and couldn't have been avoided by me cost me my truck.

[JeepcoMJ]

i brought up the sentimental value of the truck with the insurance guy, and a lawyer, and they both told me that the only thing the insurance company will consider is the blue book value of the truck. it doesn't matter that i drove a crap truck for 6 months until i found the comanche, or that we drove almost 10 hours round trip to get it.

 

i couldn't even find a blue book value for it. anything 1986 or older is now considered a "collectible", and the oldest comanche they have an appraisal for is 1990. for a 1990 comanche with everything mine has, in fair condition, the blue book value is around $3,500.

 

i'm not about to let an accident that wasn't my fault, and couldn't have been avoided by me cost me my truck.

 

 

the lawyers and insurance company are wrong.

 

 

take it in and pay for an estimate to be done. they give you X number for estimated value in the condition it is in (with the damage from the accident not taken into account), and you supply that estiimate to the insurance company. they have to pay based off of that estimate.

[batafish22]

i'm just going to sit and wait (for now) to hear from the adjuster, and see what they're going to offer me. the way i look at it, it can go two ways. they'll either have it appraised for the condition it's in with ALL the options it came with (the options list is HUGE) and give me a decent check to fix it, or they'll give me a few hundred dollars for total damage, and claim that's all it's worth.

 

and, as it turns out, my dad has a good friend that runs a body shop here in town, if need be, i'll follow advice and get an estimate from him to turn in.

[dasbulliwagen]

I'm not sure really how it works, but if they total it, they own the truck and it will go to salvage weather you want it to or not, and you would then have to buy it back from them for salvage value..... though this scenario may only be if you have full coverage on the truck. Many states will let you either go full coverage, or just liability.... if you don't have full coverage, and the truck is considered totalled, you may just get a check for $400. can't remember what they call this but thats what happened to me when I lived in Michigan and totalled out an old rusty Form Maverick I had. You may need to research this to have your facts straight. Good Luck

[jimoshel]

The Insurance Co and lawyers are there for their benefit. Not yours. Just don't let them bully you. A couple years back a outfit in Ca was making Kits to convert Toyota's to flat bed. It looked darn good. it's not all that hard to duplicate. Do a Google search and you might find it. Just find a truck with flatbed on it. You'll see there's not that much to them. Also all farm and ranch stores have flat bed parts where you can build one. Been thinking about doing one myself because they look neat. And :agree: to everything said above. Jim

[the_wizard_of_fire]

not sure about texas, but in washington, if they total it, you can but it back for salvage, fix it, and get a state patrol safety inspection done on it. if it passes, you will get a salvaged vehicle title. which meand someone probly won't buy it. but you won't sell, so who cares.

 

but i agree with the estamate idea. also, make sure they take into account all the custom stuff you have done. (lift, bumpers, winch, ext.)

[Automan2164]

I don't know how it works for you, but this is what happened to me when I got hit in the cab corner, not my fault, and unavoidable....

 

The adjuster came out, and I struck somewhat of a friendship with him. He was an old body guy, and I talked to him about his old days in the business. Also talked about my truck, and the money I had into it, in paint, lift, wheels and tires... Etc. He agreed it was a nice truck, and he would get back to me with what it was worth. He came back with it being totaled out, and offered $1000... My ins company told me to not settle on the first offer, and after some going back and fourth the adjuster asked about my working at a dealer, and told me to make some "recipts" for what I had done to the truck... I did, and I ended up with $2000 in a check, and they let me keep the truck with a clean title, free and clear.

 

Don't settle, and demand the title be left clean. The accident was NOT your fault. :smart:

Rob L.

[Eagle]

Why should he have to let it be "totalled" and then have to buy it back and deal with a reinspection and a salvage title when the accident wasn't his fault? The other insurance company has no right to take his truck away from him. If the max they can pay is blue book, let 'em pay blue book and he keeps the truck. Remember, it was a rear ender.

 

I got rear ended some years ago when plowing in my old full-size Cherokee. The other insurance company initially said they would pay to repair it. Then, when the body shop found that some additional parts were needed because Jeep had changed the design of the fuel filler when the Cherokee became the Grand Wagoneer, they balked. I reminded them that I had not asked to have my vehicle hit by their insured; that I was struck in the rear; and that I had not as yet been examined by a doctor for possible neck injuries.

 

They paid rather promptly.

[jimoshel]

In 1987 I got laid up when I broadsided a 1 ton Dodge van that ran a stop sign in front of me. His insurance was prompt on the hospital, Dr settlement, $52,000 but was stalling on paying for the bike. They were offering $5K claiming it wasn't totaled and could be repaired. I was holding out for $25K. What the bike was worth to me. After a non productive meeting the adjuster was getting ready to leave when I Grabbed my neck, started moaning and said "Damn, I'm getting another one of them splitting headaches I've been getting ever since that wreck" He promptly had me sign a Waiver againest any further claims and handed over a check for $25K.

[mvusse]

Laws differ from state to state. In Ohio, if it is totalled out, you can by it back from the insurance company, usually for $100 or so. But you will have a salvage title. To be able to plate it you need to have the truck inspected by the highway patrol to make sure everything works and it is safe to drive. There is a $75 fee for this. Take the inspection papers to the title office, and you will be issued a salvage, repaired title. You can then plate it and drive it, but it will never be a clear title again, which will hurt the resale value.

 

My Cherokee is like that.

 

When the Comanche was hit in the rear corner, the damage was cosmetic only, but lowest estimate to fix it was still $2000. Anything over 80% of book value gets totalled out. I spoke with the adjuster and they would give me $1400, which is more than I had invested in the truck at the time. I was by then already attached to it, so I settled for $1120 (80%) and kept the truck with a clear title. Other alternative would have been $1400-$100 buy back =$1300, fix parking brake (all new cables) for $60 =$1240, then $75 inspection fee and I would have $1165 left over with a salvage repaired title.

 

I then spent that money on a 4.5" lift.

 

The plan was to find a rust free bed down south, but I changed my mind. I will drive it until it falls apart from rust, then try to find a rust free shell down south and move everything over to it.

[batafish22]

this is exactly what i've been looking for: guys with been-there-done-that knowledge. i know for a fact that if they total the truck out, i can buy it back for their salvage cost, but i'm unsure as to what that will do to the title, although i'm sure it won't be clean any more. and, after reading some of your injury stories, i figure i should mention that i had to miss a day or two of work due to the back pain. dunno if that's worth mentioning to the adjuster once we get in touch or not.

[jimoshel]

Mention it, definately, and make a big show with grunts of pain getting off the chair.

[batafish22]

i already feel like i'm putting on quite a show, without even having to try. sitting down sucks, standing up sucks, walking sucks, the only thing that doesn't suck is laying down. and i can't quite do that all day every day. :roll:

[whowey]

this is exactly what i've been looking for: guys with been-there-done-that knowledge. i know for a fact that if they total the truck out, i can buy it back for their salvage cost, but i'm unsure as to what that will do to the title, although i'm sure it won't be clean any more. and, after reading some of your injury stories, i figure i should mention that i had to miss a day or two of work due to the back pain. dunno if that's worth mentioning to the adjuster once we get in touch or not.

 

 

When my last Ranger got wrecked, The insurance company cut me a check for the total amount of value. In Illinois, after a certain age they are required by law to allow you to buy it back at scrap price. I had to physically write the insurance company a check, and the truck belonged to me where is sat at the tow company's lot. The insurance company was happy.. they got what they would have expected to get in the salvage auction. I had to pay a tow truck to bring the truck to me.

[mvusse]

this is exactly what i've been looking for: guys with been-there-done-that knowledge. i know for a fact that if they total the truck out, i can buy it back for their salvage cost, but i'm unsure as to what that will do to the title, although i'm sure it won't be clean any more. and, after reading some of your injury stories, i figure i should mention that i had to miss a day or two of work due to the back pain. dunno if that's worth mentioning to the adjuster once we get in touch or not.

 

You are entitled to lost wages because of injuries sustained in the accident, but very few insurance companies will cover that. You can mention it, but in order to get it you may have to take the driver to small claims court.

 

Your insurance company may be willing to help with that, as one of their jobs is to act as your legal counsel (lawyer) in court regarding accidents.

[jpnjim]

If you want to keep the truck, just remember (and sorry for yelling, but):

 

YOU ARE THE OWNER OF YOUR TRUCK.

 

Unless you sign off on it, just because someone crashed into you, doesn't change who actually owns the the Jeep.

 

They can try to withhold the money, but no one can make you sign off on ownership of that truck.

 

 

 

 

Quick story:

a friend of mine had a 1986 Pontiac 2+2 exactly like this one.

SUPER rare limited production car (1225 built):

http://home.flash.net/~rjgeorge/86gp2+2.htm

 

Sister car to the Monte SS Aerocoupe, to homogenize the aerodynamic body mods for NASCAR racing.

 

 

He lucked out even getting the car (try to find one today), till one day someone ran a stop sign, and pushed a quarter panel in.

The other insurance company totaled it, paid out, and DEMANDED the car.

They said it had frame damage, or something, and they legally could not let him have it back. It HAD to be destroyed (Total BS).

 

He caved in, took the check ("what else could I do?"), and signed off the car.

 

 

A couple months later, there was his car, in the same exact condition (one side pushed in), for sale in the local Want-Ad for almost twice the money the insurance company gave him. :fs1:

 

Ad said something like: "rare factory race car, you'll never find another, easy fix, come get it before I fix it myself and tripple the price".

 

 

If you want to keep your truck, don't trust anyone, and don't cave in.

[mvusse]

If the insurance company totals out your vehicle, they buy it from you. If you insist keeping your vehicle, they can insist keeping (some of) their money. You take the money, they take the vehicle.

 

That's why they could only give me $1120 while letting me keep the truck. Any more than $1120 would total it out, they have to give me $1400 and they get the truck.