I just don't know If I have the energy and drive to re-build or build again from scratch. I guess I thought insurance would or should take care of it

I have been doing some searches on CC. I wonder if there is a list of reputable private builders out there....any recomendations would be appreciated

John

I just came into this thread but based on my recent experience with dealing with "the other insurance company" I would suggest having your own company handle it and let them deal with the other company. Your company is in your favor, the others want to do it as cheaply as possible and get rid of you.

As they say, "just my 2 cents".
AL

Hello Al

Please clue us in on your recent experience with the insurance company. It might help me on how to handle them

thanks

John

I've heard the same thing, but from high end hot rod guys. It's usually easier to get your insurance company involved, they'll make the payout and then collect from the other insurance company.

This is last weeks mishap.... gonna be intresting:(
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...-12-07_010.jpg

OUCH.
John

Hello Thudmaster

I hope everyone was OK? makes my little collision a true "fender bender"

lets us know how the insurance handles it for you

John

In a recent accident with our other car, their insurance wanted to give us about 30% less than my insurance company finally came up with. My agent said that as long as I was negotiating with "the others" they could not help me. As long as you are covered, your insurance company should be able to handle it. They are much more in your favor than "the others".

Thudmaster, that looks bad!

That just goes to show the safety of these things, that kind of impact and the airbags didn't deploy!:LOL: Oh wait, I was thinking vette...**)

Jeeeeeeeeeeesusssssssssssss.......
 

That aint not "fender bender"! BTW: if you want to get rid of those seats after they total it; let me know. Vultures are moving in.....

John,
Did you give my guy a call yet?

--Mike Duell

Hello Mike

No I haven't yet...today I heard from the insurance company....this first round wasn't good.

They didn't have a problem with the time estimates for the the job...just the hourly charge by the shop. I guess the typical insurance shop rate in the Rochester, NY area is around 42.00 an hour. My shop quoted a low 60 an hour because of the custom nature of these cars. He has built several.

The insurance company came back with the estimate of work hours as Ok but using the usual lower per hour rate...so quite a bit different (lower). The insurance company wants to do a 3/4 cowl cut, replacing the front half of the car from the door edges forward and re-glassing it all to gether. I want a new body

They are willing to move the car to another shop to get a second opinion...they have 2 shops they have used in the past for some kind of custom work....I dont yet know who they are as I have to see some paper work faxed to my office in the morning.

If I have to deal with a unknown shop, its just as well to deal with someone closer to home as its more conveniant. Ed came recomended by Joe, the owner of Antique & Collectables. It looks like he does really great work...just expensive for the insurance company

If possible e-mail me the name and numbers of the guys you recomended or put them in the next post.

I am a bit confused as which way to go.....any suggestions would be most appreciated on this

John

YOu REALLY need to get your insurance involved! the average hourly rate for insurance work should not apply to a car of this nature! how many of those insurance claims at 42/hr were for a car as rare as a cobra? Not many if any. Most of those were your wife's mini van! haha

Read over these threads... this guy owns a $100,000+ 68 camaro. He had the same problem you are having and he had to get his insurance involved because the guys insurance wouldn't agree to the labor rate. in the end, it all worked out and his car is almost fully repaired now.

Link to pics of the damge, you will see it doesn't look too bad really....
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=penny

And here's a pair of links on the insuing insurance battle
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=penny
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=penny

Lets see what today brings...I have been keeping my own insurance company in the loop in regards to e-maill copies and faxes.

This is the first "offer" from the other insurance company. I have to hold my ground for now and see where they go. I don't want to take it to any of the shops they are going to recomend...but I can understand that they want a second opinion/quote. I am in Cleveland....does any one have any recomendations for shop in North East Ohio?

I am going to start another thread asking for recomendations for NE Ohio

while the car is in the Rochester, Ny area does anyone recomend a shop?

John

Get your insurance to fix the car and let them recover cost from Nationwide---you shopped for insurance to fit your needs , the other party didn't shop for insurance to fit YOUR needs--use your insurance and let them handle the other party

Most shops estimate something and then find more damage later to cover higher costs---like extra hours( less per hour so more hours are needed) Your shop probably gave a very good estimate as to time required, but the rate pushes up the total---have them rewritr the estimate and push up the hours

Jerry

Hello Jerry

for now my insurance is standing by the sidelines....waiting to see how this progreses as this is the first "offer" from Nationwide.

My guy probably burned the bridge by giving an honest quote for time at the higher rate. he won't be able to go back and requote for my hors. So I need another shop....any recomendations?

John

I think we're trying to say is that... this is not a honda civic we are dealing with here which is what nationwide deals most with. YOu should not have to send the car all over the east coast for quotes, even on their dime. If you want it fixed at this shop, that's where it should be done! The best chance you have to get the car done in a timely manner is to get your insurance involved. they deal with the cars on a more frequent basis and understand that you can't send the car to just any collision shop for repair.

I would seriously put it on my insurance hands if it were mine. you will make alot more progress faster that way. Trust me!

Thanks all for for your input. I am bringing the car back home and will deal with someone local to me. This out of town stuff makes it to complicated

One here than I will start pushing my insurance company into the fray!

John

That sounds like a good idea John! It's alot easier to make things happen when You can go to the car once a week or so to see progress.

Hello All

the car is back home in my garage. I had to pay to have the car returned to me though.

The insurance company is penny wise and pound foolish! It has paid $1200.00 to collision shop #1.....reimbursing for the hauling of the car from Cleveland to Batavia, Ny, $21.00 a day for storage, $65.00 an hour for the time to estimate the job...but won't pay that rate to repair the car.

They used collision shop #1 estimate and photos by the adjuster of the car and damage to find a shop that will fix the car for a shop rate of $42.00, and they want to cut off the nose (3/4 cowl cut) and splice in a new one.
Monday we start round 2 as I will have my car sent to a local collision shop who I think can handle and is interested in the job.

The local guy wants to involve both insurance companies....mine as well the other guys. He also thinks like many of you have advised here, that it would be best to deal with my company first and let them collect from the other guys.

It seems that between the insurance companies they don't bicker and try to low ball like they do when dealing with the consumer and collision shop

Jusat for everyones interest...the owner of the local collision shop is a boat racer who also does boat insurance work....for boat repairs the insurance companies pay shop rates of $80.00 an hour for fiberglass work, but for Cobras only 42.50 and hour for collision work

I'll keep you all informed

John