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Need help -- URGENT!


Eagle
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Insurance company wants to total my 2000 XJ Sport. They value it at $5400 and the repair estimate is almost exactly that amount. This is a VERY rare 2000 XJ 4.0L with a 5-speed, Up Coutry suspension, cruise control, a/c, remote electric locks, alloys, full-size spare -- the works. There isn't a nick or door ding on it, and it only has 40,000 miles on it. There's NO WAY I can buy a comparable vehicle for anything approaching $5400.

 

I want to fight them on the value. If those of you in states outside of the rust belt could check your regional Craigs List and send me links to any late-model, low-mileage Cherokees with prices of $6,000 or higher, I'd appreciate it. Please check ASAP -- I don't know if the insurance company is working on Monday, but I hope not. I need to intercept the agent handling the claim before she declares it a total, and I need backup.

 

Thanks.

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Thanks, guys, keep 'em coming. Some good ones in there.

 

No links to lifted or modified vehicles, please. Mine is pure, box stock, just as it drove out of the showroom. I need to show them high prices for comparable, similar vehicles. Or, better yet, high prices for vehicles that aren't as nice as mine was (:sniff: boo-hoo.) Gotta be stock, not lifted, modified, or customized. Thanks.

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Is the unibody bent at all under the damaged area's?

I have my wife's nephews 2000 XJ that was totaled with damage to the drivers fender, bumper and header. My ex son in law bought it from him and he replaced the damaged parts with parts of the same color found on car-part.com. I did the part searching and driving for him I ended up spending under $500 for all the parts.

There was slight damage to the unibody that he hammered out and it is back to stock looking with a minor trim difference on the fender.

Avoid having it totaled at all costs. If there is no or only slight unibody damage it should be able to be fixed for under $1000.

Send detailed pictures to my email if you can. I have a patriot blue header you can have.

It's not perfect but nice ones are out there.

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I don't know if they'll accept any values other than whatever book they use. My argument is that mine has zero rust, has never seen salted, winter roads, and has exceptionally low mileage, so I would have to look all over the country to find anything even remotely comparable. I don't know if the argument will work, but it's the only argument I have, so I have to play it.

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Most insurance companys will let you keep it for around 20% less than the totaled value. I know its worth more much more however in a worse case you could keep it with clean title and fix for the book amount minus the 20%.  Also it seems its time for classic plates and insurance so you can pick the value that is if you can it your state.

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I don't know if they'll accept any values other than whatever book they use. My argument is that mine has zero rust, has never seen salted, winter roads, and has exceptionally low mileage, so I would have to look all over the country to find anything even remotely comparable. I don't know if the argument will work, but it's the only argument I have, so I have to play it.

Have the insurance company find another jeep exactly like yours for the money they want to give you , bet you they won't , they'll give you some reasons why they won't . I thought insurance companies were supposed to get you to the point you were before the accident ...

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Most insurance companys will let you keep it for around 20% less than the totaled value. I know its worth more much more however in a worse case you could keep it with clean title and fix for the book amount minus the 20%.  Also it seems its time for classic plates and insurance so you can pick the value that is if you can it your state.

 

It's not old enough for Early American tags in Connecticut. And the classic car insurance companies won't insure vehicles with 4WD, even if they have early American tags -- I went through that with two Comanches.

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I don't know if they'll accept any values other than whatever book they use. My argument is that mine has zero rust, has never seen salted, winter roads, and has exceptionally low mileage, so I would have to look all over the country to find anything even remotely comparable. I don't know if the argument will work, but it's the only argument I have, so I have to play it.

Have the insurance company find another jeep exactly like yours for the money they want to give you , bet you they won't , they'll give you some reasons why they won't . I thought insurance companies were supposed to get you to the point you were before the accident .

 

That's what I thought, too. Apparently we were wrong. E-mail from the person handling my claim at the company:

 

"We pay on a total loss as Actual Cash Value and not replacement cost."

 

Of course, my counter argument is that it isn't a total loss if they use a fair actual cash value -- which is why I appreciate all the links you lads have sent me to other Cherokees for sale. I can't use links to modified XJs for this purpose, but a couple of the links to stock vehicles are outstanding -- and they still don't come close to what mine is (ahem ... "was"). So far, though, even with the comparable vehicles information, my arguments have fallen on deaf ears.

 

Wish me luck.

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What's the extent of the damage?

 

Hood

RF fender

RF fender liner

Header

Grille

RF Headlight assembly

RF Parking light assembly

Bumper

RF bumper end cap

Front air dam/chin spoiler (whatever they call it)

RF factory fog light

Inner fender (engine compartment wall) bent -- can be straightened

RF radiator support

 

That's about it. I don't have a copy of the written estimate, I'm going by what I could see was damaged.

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Loaded header panel in your color can be found for under $200. Loaded fender under $125.

Complete bumper with painted ends under $150.

Find out if insurance and autobody place will work with you by using used parts.

The goal should be to keep it on the road in working condition. Not returned to mint condition at this point.

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I don't know if they'll accept any values other than whatever book they use. My argument is that mine has zero rust, has never seen salted, winter roads, and has exceptionally low mileage, so I would have to look all over the country to find anything even remotely comparable. I don't know if the argument will work, but it's the only argument I have, so I have to play it.

Have the insurance company find another jeep exactly like yours for the money they want to give you , bet you they won't , they'll give you some reasons why they won't . I thought insurance companies were supposed to get you to the point you were before the accident ...

 

That used to be what they were supposed to do.  The primary objective for all modern insurance company's is to determine how to pay out as little as possible (or nothing at all) by finding whatever loophole they can.

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