Most likely totalled (w/ pics)... How to get insurance co to understand?

[aduggs]

In Feb 2015 the engine was out for the JHM timing kit with upgraded adjusters along with a lot of other maintenance stuff ($7k). Installed an Accusump. Very little oil consumption. Engine was sorted. Had AWE exhaust which was sweet. The rest of the car was in good shape. Now it is in the hands of some insurance pencil pusher...

Waiting on a appraisal by a State Farm "specialist." Any advice?

[Terry.Reese]

receipts of all additions? USAA paid me for upgrades done to my Chevy Blazer when it was totalled, not sure if they will though.

[LINDW4LL]

What are you really asking? I'm sure you realize that the $7k you spent on maintenance does not significantly raise the value of the car.

[aduggs]

I'm sorry, but a well maintained car is worth more, not significantly more, but more. If they appraise at KBB value, that is wrong.

[924Carrera]

Although there is some frontal damage, I would imagine the engine made it through relatively unscathed. If I were in this situation, and insurance lowballed me as they typically try to do, I would do a salvage buyback, pull the sweet running engine, then part the rest of the intact stuff out and sell it unless it's something super expensive that you want to hang onto just in case. Then find a rolling shell or an oil burner or the all-too-common car with wrecked timing, swap in the engine, and you're back in business with probably some money in your pocket. Obviously it's a lot of work, but I'd say worth it unless you were bored or tired of B6 S4's.

[Terry.Reese]

Also, you should send me that lower grille...

[aduggs]

Although there is some frontal damage, I would imagine the engine made it through relatively unscathed. If I were in this situation, and insurance lowballed me as they typically try to do, I would do a salvage buyback, pull the sweet running engine, then part the rest of the intact stuff out and sell it unless it's something super expensive that you want to hang onto just in case. Then find a rolling shell or an oil burner or the all-too-common car with wrecked timing, swap in the engine, and you're back in business with probably some money in your pocket. Obviously it's a lot of work, but I'd say worth it unless you were bored or tired of B6 S4's.

I like it apart from the a lot of work part
And how can you get tired of the B6/B7 S4!? Already miss the ride.
If you're looking for a mid-size sedan with AWD and a V8, you are not exactly spoiled for choice.

[Audibot]

When my car was totaled, I was lucky the guy made some packages out of upgrades I had done, but only for those that were actual options. My Porsche BBK did not account for anything, for instance.

Also, their appraisal uses some type of insurance-oriented software to provide an "average" car the make/model/year, and then they compare it to yours. If you have lower miles, for instance, you should get more than if you had higher mileage (which is a reduction). Packages will increase the value of the vehicle. Condition only counts so much. But they also compare it to total losses of similar cars (similar years and miles) to get a ballpark estimate of what the payout should be.

[924Carrera]

One thing that annoyed me about my insurance was that they gave me a mixed story about mods. When my B5 S4 was totaled, I came to the appraiser with $10k in receipts. He immediately turned me down on that and said, "You would have needed to report those modifications to us when you installed them in order to have them be covered." (Obviously driving up my rate). I told him that I would then like to do a salvage buyback if they weren't going to cover the cost of all those parts which were pretty much unharmed in the collision. His response was, "Have you seen the car??" Um, first of all, I JUST told you that I had all these parts on there that were worth a bunch. Second, YES I saw it, I was in it when the crash happened...

I quoted another B5 after that and listed a bunch of mods on the quote. My same insurance company then told me, "we don't cover that kind of stuff." So the line about "telling us when you did it" was just BS yet would still have probably raised my rate.

I ended up reconstructing the B5 and doing a Stage 3 build.

[dsgray16]

I see a lot of fluids.. Just coolant from the radiator, or was an oil pan cracked? I wouldn't assume that the engine is fine.

[xhackerekx]

total for 100% always u can buy car from insurance and sell the parts .

[BCsniper]

I love how the title says "most likely totalled". That thing is WAY totalled, and then some. They would total the car with just one end of it damaged. Front & back.........fogettaboutit

Find out how much buy back is. Check if the motor is okay. If so sell it to the 19 year old kid with the B7 who burns 2 qts every 200 miles. After that you can sell the seats, lights, wheels, door blades, brakes and probably make some profit. After that it's a crap-shoot of tons of small stuff that will take 5 years to get rid of for little money

[Audibot]

I see a lot of fluids.. Just coolant from the radiator, or was an oil pan cracked? I wouldn't assume that the engine is fine.

Likely just coolant. Same thing happened on my B7--red all over the road, but it's all from the rad.

[roboto_1337]

I love how the title says "most likely totalled". That thing is WAY totalled, and then some. They would total the car with just one end of it damaged. Front & back.........fogettaboutit

Find out how much buy back is. Check if the motor is okay. If so sell it to the 19 year old kid with the B7 who burns 2 qts every 200 miles. After that you can sell the seats, lights, wheels, door blades, brakes and probably make some profit. After that it's a crap-shoot of tons of small stuff that will take 5 years to get rid of for little money

LOL... yeah, they should be able to give you some options with dollar values... take the buy back and part it out... send whats left to the scrap yard for $500.