SIXTEEN THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS!
We left off the last post with Tiffany getting towed away to the body shop. That was Saturday. Monday, I got a call from the body shop that they were in a holding pattern with the insurance company. Today, I got the call from the insurance company that they had an estimate from the shop and had some questions.
I found the estimate on the insurance company's website as they didn't send it directly to me. As I was talking to her on the phone, I got the shock of my life. The end number was $16,880.88 to fix Tiffany.
I was right on the prices of some of the stuff, but surprisingly this doesn't include changing out the flooring or the carpet in the back. It doesn't include the trim pieces in the back. It doesn't include the speaker and such. It does have a general "ATTEMPT TO DEODORIZE REMAINING" fee of $2,200.00 as part of the sixteen grand total. And yes, it's capitalized just like that with everything else on the estimate using proper capitalization.
The parts alone were $13,220.86. The estimate included a 10% discount on parts. But then there is the body labor, the mechanical labor, (a total of 18.8 hours!!) miscellaneous costs (that's the attempt to deodorize fee) and another $550 in 'other charges'.
I'm still just flabbergasted.
I should say that I trust this body shop. It's not a Lincoln or Ford dealership, but it is a big body shop that's part of a Cadillac dealership. They're the same ones that fixed Fiona after I ran over that coyote and ruined her bumper. They did an amazing job at blending that tri coat yellow/orange paint in.
When the rep called, she asked me more direct questions. I explained it in basic words. I left a gallon of milk in the back and didn't find it for a week. When I found it, I removed the gallon container and researched how to clean up spoiled milk. I learned that it's nearly impossible, so I set up an insurance claim. They can't say that I didn't work to get this done as fast as possible. But they do have a pretty good path for denying the claim.
Mold.
I even sent them the photos of the stuff I saw. I say stuff because I'm not sold on it being mold, but the way the definitions work its probably not important. Lemme step back. The rep said that she was going to send a note to her manager asking for guidance as they clearly didn't cover damages from mold but this wasn't a clear cut case and was in fact quite peculiar. She didn't sound like a woman slamming the door on me. But she also didn't sound like she was writing me a check and just being safe. She honestly didn't know.
And it's not like they're just going to write a check for $16,880.80 (Technically a hundred less than that as that's my deductible). There's that tricky 'Attempt' to deodorize. Reading the estimate is tough as it's using Ford Parts numbers, but they list seat back covers for two seats, head rests for two seats, cushion covers for two seats, seat back covers for two more seats, head rests for two more seats, seat back covers for two more seats. So... replacing the seat covers for the front and rear seats? They're also replacing the headliner, and windshield trim. But that's it. Not the seat belts (and you remember that photo, right?), or the trim in the back, or the carpet in the back, or the mat in the back. If they can't magically clean those parts up and have to start adding in more replacement trim pieces... well hell, the headliner is over two grand itself! How much is the trim for the back? We talked about the back mat being $800.
I don't know what they would put the value of Tiffany at. And I don't know the magic percentage of that where they'd cut it off. But it HAS to be close. The shop hinted at total loss and the rep actually said 'Total Loss' on the phone as an option.
If this were most companies, I'd say I was 80% screwed. They'd be working hard to NOT pay it. And if they have a mold exclusion, they could hide behind that and use arbitration and lawsuits to keep their money for a long long time. But this isn't any company and it isn't any normal situation. First, it's State Farm. State Farm is the largest auto insurance company in the country. And they're the largest by a LOT. And they want to keep that first place position. My friends both used to work for them. Where other insurance companies are by the letter of their policy (I was told that Progressive's internal motto is to pay "every penny we owe, and not one single penny more"), State Farm tends to pay out without much thought. It's the way they keep their customers happy. And then there's just the matter of the loss. Sure, it says they won't cover loss form mold. But I could argue that I don't want the mold fixed. I could argue that I just want the milk and its odor cleaned up. And yes, cleaning up the milk and its odor would naturally include cleaning up the mold.
So... I give it a 60% chance of them covering the loss. If they cover it, I give it an 80% chance that they'll total it out.
That... well, that just makes me sad. Values are always so screwed up. Yes, technically Tiffany is only worth $22,000. But that's not what a dealer would sell her for. If I wanted a direct replacement, it costs a lot more. And I forgot until I was looking at possible replacements, that Tiffany was absolutely loaded for a Lincoln Nautilus in the Reserve Trim. She had several big things including the bigger engine, the tech package which included the active park assist and the 360 camera, the drivers assistant package which includes the adaptive cruise control, and the ultimate package which is the ultimate audio system. There isn't a single Nautilus with all of these packages and they all go for over $30,000.
That's why it makes me sad. I will end up with a 'lesser' car. Sure, I'll get something out of it, but I'll be losing a lot.
When I started to think about it, I thought I would want to save as much money as possible. And then I thought I'd want to get something with a bigger screen. And then I thought I'd want to get something with an amazing audio system. On and on.
So, I did what I always do. I started making a list. A list of wants and needs. I started with an ideal price of $25,000 or less. That's a bit of a pipe dream, but it lets me push off the $40,000 Nautilus' that I see. Obviously I wanted something in the same size, so a midsized SUV. I need it to be all wheel drive. That's both for getting around town and for hopefully going to and from work when I get the migraines under control. I'd like a bigger screen, a digital gauge cluster, heated and cooled seats, adaptive cruise, remote start, and a 360 camera.
I knew with that list, that I wasn't going to get everything. But having the list like that would help me see what sacrifices I'd be accepting.
I put all of that into the Car Gurus search (at least as much as you CAN put into the search) and looked at what was available. There were three easy choices and several difficult ones.
Ford Edge
If I went for a 2021 or newer, it would include a 12 inch screen. It's massive. I'd strongly considered getting one of these when I got Tiffany, but that was in 2021 and you just couldn't find them. If I limit it to the Titanium Trim, and include the 301A equipment group, it will be the same size as Tiffany (they're the same SUV, just the Ford or Lincoln version), have the big screen, heated/cooled seats, adaptive cruise with lane centering, a front 180 camera (it doesn't have a 360 camera option), and it's best audio system. I found plenty of these between $28,000 and $30,000 and even found one at $25,000 with half the miles than Tiffany.
Lincoln Nautilus
I focused on the 2021 or newer as it would have the larger screen. They're still tough to find with everything else, but they almost all come with heated/cooled seats, digital gauge cluster, remote start and a 360 camera. The problem is cost. They go for well over $30,000. If I went down to the 2019 or 2020 ones, I'd lose the big screen and the price would go down, but it's hard to find with all the other options. Basically, it would feel like I'm paying a premium to take a step back where the Edge is 'saving' money while taking similar steps back.
Lincoln Corsair
The Corsair is the smaller version, so it started off as a harder sell. But, if I got a 2023 it included a nice big screen and almost all of the options. I wouldn't get the high end audio system, but I found a couple around $35,000. It's a high price, but it IS significantly newer than anything else I'm looking at. But... it's smaller.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
I'd have to get a 2022 or newer as that's when the new body style came out. I hate to be petty, but a 2021 would be practically just like R's 2012 Grand Cherokee. Ick. Anyway, the 2022 can be made with all the options I want, but they're pricy at around $32,000. Expensive and a brand that I don't like as much as I do Ford/Lincoln. I left it in consideration as it'd be good if there was a good deal to be had.
Others that were in the running but I slowly eliminated were the VW Tiguan and Atlas, the Volvo XC60 and XC90 and the Genesis GV70. But these were all very expensive ($35,000 or more), moving to brands that I didn't love, and were often compromised in one way or another. As there were plenty in the Edge, Nautilus, Corsair, and Grand Cherokee lines, I just stayed with them.
I started to look again, getting into the nitty gritty of what options were available in what trims for what years, but then I stopped myself. I don't know if this is going to happen. I don't know if State Farm is going to pay or when they'll pay.
I did, in general, decide that if they do total Tiffany out, I'll focus on Ford Edges. That big screen would be nice to play with. It should drive similar to Tiffany with just a little less power. I'll have the adaptive cruise, the lane centering, the heated/cooled seats, the remote start, and a nice audio system. I'll miss out on the all digital guage cluster, but it's close. I'll also miss out on the ultimate audio system, but it will still have the top system for the Ford Edge. And of course I'll miss out on the cache of having a Lincoln. But I'll either get it for the same money I get for Tiffany or just a little more. I'll even be able to put on an extended warranty if I want without getting into my 401k.
It actually got me thinking of how I'd do the payment. Ever since I got Fiona way back in 2013, I've financed all of my cars. Sometimes at the dealership, sometimes in advance with my credit union. But I always went in there knowing that the dealership would work out all the money stuff and I'd just have to put my signature down. Now... how DO you pay $25,000 for a car? I'd be looking at dealers up to an hour and a half away from me. Going to see the car, driving back to get a cashier's check, and returning sounds like a pain in the ass. But they won't take a personal check, will they? I guess I could technically finance it and then just pay it off within a month to avoid any interest, but that's a hard hit on my credit and having a new account that's almost immediately closed will hurt my score for over a year. I don't have an answer. If I get to the point of picking a car out and just needing a test drive, I'll call the dealership and ask them. I'm sure they'll have an answer that can work.
The last kick in the pants today was what to do if State Farm absolutely will not cover this? Do I take on the responsibility myself of having the shop fix it and 'attempt' to deodorize? That's a $16,880 gamble. I'm not to worried about the insurance company making that gamble because if they choose it and they can't get the smell out, I'll still be made whole with either a fully repaired (no smells left) car or a check for her full value. But if I pay the shop to fix her and it doesn't work out... I'm out sixteen grand and have a car that smells like spoiled milk.
I could 'total' it myself. Try to sell it 'as is' or to a junk yard. Then take what I have in my account and get a car. A brief look showed me that I could get a Ford Edge that was close to what I wanted. It'd just be old and have a lot of miles. Like a 2015 with over 100,000 miles. I didn't look too long down that road as it would be the first major step back in cars that I ever took. It's one thing to 'step back' to a newer Edge with a bigger screen. Yeah, it's not the same thing as my very special Tiffany, but it's still a newer, nicer, ride with less miles. But this would be stepping back to the equivalent to a car I had three or four cars ago (Ginger was a 2015 sedan and basically like the Edge I looked at).
I don't know. I have to really hope this doesn't come to pass.
I'll keep you up to date. I'll hopefully hear back from State Farm tomorrow. I'll post an update when I know what I'm doing with that information (waiting to get Tiffany back, car shopping for a $25,000 car, car shopping for a $10,000 car).
No comments:
Post a Comment