? on hail damaged vehicle. Opinions needed.

[Mudslinger]

My wife has a 2003 Ford Escape Limited that was damaged by hail right before we were going to sell it. Hail and dent shop I use estimated $5200 to repair and the adjuster the insurance co. told me to take it to estimated $3950. Problem is NADA high retail is only $6600 and Kelly BB is only $5400.
It is close to being totaled, but probably not. Lots of little dings, but nothing really big. Being black in color a lot of these will probably pop out with the heating and cooling of the metal. If i go with the estimate the insurance co. said, I would get $3850 taking the $100 deductible off the top. If they total the vehicle, I want to buy it back as a salvage if it is cheap enough and give it to my nephew as he cannot have a vehicle newer than 10 years according to his disability folks.

Question is, would I be better off taking the $3850 or haggling to get a higher estimate and possibly total the vehicle and then buy it back as salvage. I do not know what the salvage price would run as I have never done this. Really do not want to go back and haggle between the adjuster, insurance co. and the dent shop as it has already been a month since the damage occured. Also, can I find a slavage price for this vehicle? What say you GS?

[wes122984]

Looks like you can take the money and sell the car for well below market and come out ahead.

[Cottonfish]

Problem is, salvage on hail damaged vehicles is 30-50% of cash value, so the vehicle may already be a total loss. If a lot of damage is as minimal as you describe, I'd take the $3850 (if it's offered as a repair) and not worry about fixing the damage. If it is a total loss, you're looking at vehicle value less salvage value if you want to keep it, so worst case scenario using your low value of $5400 minus $2700 high salvage (50%) leaves you $2600 after deductible. Your insurance company is going to have to run ACV and salvage value evaluations before you'll have hard numbers.

Stu

[Frog72]

Problem is, salvage on hail damaged vehicles is 30-50% of cash value, so the vehicle may already be a total loss. If a lot of damage is as minimal as you describe, I'd take the $3850 (if it's offered as a repair) and not worry about fixing the damage. If it is a total loss, you're looking at vehicle value less salvage value if you want to keep it, so worst case scenario using your low value of $5400 minus $2700 high salvage (50%) leaves you $2600 after deductible. Your insurance company is going to have to run ACV and salvage value evaluations before you'll have hard numbers.

Stu

This ^^^

[Coach W]

Problem is, salvage on hail damaged vehicles is 30-50% of cash value, so the vehicle may already be a total loss. If a lot of damage is as minimal as you describe, I'd take the $3850 (if it's offered as a repair) and not worry about fixing the damage. If it is a total loss, you're looking at vehicle value less salvage value if you want to keep it, so worst case scenario using your low value of $5400 minus $2700 high salvage (50%) leaves you $2600 after deductible. Your insurance company is going to have to run ACV and salvage value evaluations before you'll have hard numbers.

Stu

This is gotta be right because I didn't understand over half of it.

Sorry bout your hail damage Doug! That happen in Lubbock?

[RutnBuk]

I would take the money. Is it 4wd? How many miles on it? I am needing something like this for a ranch vehicle. Let me know

[Huntindad]

may want to get a couple other estimates. If higher than ins. adjuster... offer to settle in the middle and keep the car. Giving it to your nephew is a nice gesture. Dents and all... he'd appreciate it.

[tkuehn5410]

There's a random guy I ran into who does paintless dent repair while I was at the Home Depot parking lot in Lubbock who did $4k worth of hail damage for $1k. I need to find the card he gave me and I will let you know. The funny thing is that he did several thousand dollars worth of repairs in about 3 hours...the dents were repaired fully, though, and we were both satisfied with the job.

[Mudslinger]

Yep happened in Lubbock. I live on the south side and the hail was on the north side of Lubbock where my vehicle was sitting at a friends house, unfortunaltey. No matter what happens with the vehicle, I will keep it and give it to my nephew, he needs a vehicle and this will help him tremendously and it will help me on my taxes with a donation vehicle. Just waiting, waiting and waiting on the insurance co. to let me know what they are going to do. If i do not hear today, may agent is getting another call. This is too long and has never taken this long on any damage i have ever had on any vehicle with a claim.