Your Opinion on 1979 Type 2 Value

Hello, all.

Please help a dedicated lurker.

An old story: My 19 year old son is driving along in his '79 bus and is the
victim of a collision, not his fault, other driver cited. The other driver's
insurance, State Farm, has offered $1500, considering the vehicle totalled, due
to damage to the front end body work and bumper. My son paid $2500 for the bus
three years ago and has made incremental improvements since.

I believe the offer is too low, for a bus which has aways been kept in the
Tucson, AZ area and has minimal rust. It's original/rebuilt 2.0 engine runs
very well, *was* pretty straight body wise until now, has a complete and mostly
intact interior, and has fair paint. Am I unrealistic to expect a better
settlement offer? Did my son pay too much to begin with? Would arbitration be
worth it? Does anyone who frequents this group have any advice? Any feedback,
encouraging or discouraging, is welcome. I just feel that he cannot replace
this bus with another in like condition for that amount of money.

Thanks.

"Dzeetz" > wrote in message
...
> Hello, all.
>
> Please help a dedicated lurker.
>
> An old story: My 19 year old son is driving along in his '79 bus and is
> the
> victim of a collision, not his fault, other driver cited. The other
> driver's
> insurance, State Farm, has offered $1500, considering the vehicle
> totalled, due
> to damage to the front end body work and bumper. My son paid $2500 for
> the bus
> three years ago and has made incremental improvements since.
>
> I believe the offer is too low, for a bus which has aways been kept in the
> Tucson, AZ area and has minimal rust. It's original/rebuilt 2.0 engine
> runs
> very well, *was* pretty straight body wise until now, has a complete and
> mostly
> intact interior, and has fair paint. Am I unrealistic to expect a better
> settlement offer? Did my son pay too much to begin with? Would
> arbitration be
> worth it? Does anyone who frequents this group have any advice? Any
> feedback,
> encouraging or discouraging, is welcome. I just feel that he cannot
> replace
> this bus with another in like condition for that amount of money.
>
> Thanks.

Maybe you could talk the insurance company into that amount of money and
also keeping the vehicle for parts. You should be able to find a
non-running, with minimal rust body in your are for a decent amount of money
and then just start swapping all the good stuff to the new bus. I wish
sometimes I lived in a much drier climate so I could find better candidates
to fix up and drive..... lots of rust on the coastal areas of Florida.

Mac

"Dzeetz" > wrote in message
...
> Hello, all.
>
> Please help a dedicated lurker.
>
> An old story: My 19 year old son is driving along in his '79 bus and is
the
> victim of a collision, not his fault, other driver cited. The other
driver's
> insurance, State Farm, has offered $1500, considering the vehicle
totalled, due
> to damage to the front end body work and bumper. My son paid $2500 for
the bus
> three years ago and has made incremental improvements since.
>
> I believe the offer is too low, for a bus which has aways been kept in the
> Tucson, AZ area and has minimal rust. It's original/rebuilt 2.0 engine
runs
> very well, *was* pretty straight body wise until now, has a complete and
mostly
> intact interior, and has fair paint. Am I unrealistic to expect a better
> settlement offer? Did my son pay too much to begin with? Would
arbitration be
> worth it? Does anyone who frequents this group have any advice? Any
feedback,
> encouraging or discouraging, is welcome. I just feel that he cannot
replace
> this bus with another in like condition for that amount of money.
>
> Thanks.

The insurance company by law has to find 3 comparable vehicles when making
an insurance estimate. I'd tell them to prove that the could replace it for
that amount with one in equal or better condition. Also buy it back for the
wrecked price and save all the good parts.

Tony

The bus is a classic vehicle so I would tell the Insurance Company that.



The price of a classic auto actually goes up in price, as it gets older as
long as it's in good shape. Go to http://www.nadaguides.com and look under
classic cars, Truck, Van & Suv, Select Year then model. You'll be shocked at
what it is actually worth. Allot of people don't know what their vehicles
are worth and insurance companies know that. Do you research before you get
any money from them; once you sign their check your claim is settled.



A 79 Kombi's low retail is $4,150 average retail is $7,275 and high retail
is $11,550


"Dzeetz" > wrote in message
...
> Hello, all.
>
> Please help a dedicated lurker.
>
> An old story: My 19 year old son is driving along in his '79 bus and is
> the
> victim of a collision, not his fault, other driver cited. The other
> driver's
> insurance, State Farm, has offered $1500, considering the vehicle
> totalled, due
> to damage to the front end body work and bumper. My son paid $2500 for
> the bus
> three years ago and has made incremental improvements since.
>
> I believe the offer is too low, for a bus which has aways been kept in the
> Tucson, AZ area and has minimal rust. It's original/rebuilt 2.0 engine
> runs
> very well, *was* pretty straight body wise until now, has a complete and
> mostly
> intact interior, and has fair paint. Am I unrealistic to expect a better
> settlement offer? Did my son pay too much to begin with? Would
> arbitration be
> worth it? Does anyone who frequents this group have any advice? Any
> feedback,
> encouraging or discouraging, is welcome. I just feel that he cannot
> replace
> this bus with another in like condition for that amount of money.
>
> Thanks.

While it wasn't one of the VW's, I have dealt with having a collectible
vehicle hit.

I've only dealt with KS and MO, but as I understand it most states are the
same. You have the right to have your vehicle returned to it's previous
condition. Insurance companies will offer to total it hoping you will take
that because it costs them less. The person who is responsible for an
accident is liable for the other person's damages therefore, so is the
insurance company that covers them.

I would consult an attourney on this one, and explain (to the attourney) the
value of the vehicle and why you wanted it restored to pre-accident
condition. Having an attourney in this case will more than pay for itself
and should help recover/cover any and all damages.


"David" > wrote in message
...
> The bus is a classic vehicle so I would tell the Insurance Company that.
>
>
>
> The price of a classic auto actually goes up in price, as it gets older as
> long as it's in good shape. Go to http://www.nadaguides.com and look under
> classic cars, Truck, Van & Suv, Select Year then model. You'll be shocked
> at what it is actually worth. Allot of people don't know what their
> vehicles are worth and insurance companies know that. Do you research
> before you get any money from them; once you sign their check your claim
> is settled.
>
>
>
> A 79 Kombi's low retail is $4,150 average retail is $7,275 and high retail
> is $11,550
>
>
> "Dzeetz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hello, all.
>>
>> Please help a dedicated lurker.
>>
>> An old story: My 19 year old son is driving along in his '79 bus and is
>> the
>> victim of a collision, not his fault, other driver cited. The other
>> driver's
>> insurance, State Farm, has offered $1500, considering the vehicle
>> totalled, due
>> to damage to the front end body work and bumper. My son paid $2500 for
>> the bus
>> three years ago and has made incremental improvements since.
>>
>> I believe the offer is too low, for a bus which has aways been kept in
>> the
>> Tucson, AZ area and has minimal rust. It's original/rebuilt 2.0 engine
>> runs
>> very well, *was* pretty straight body wise until now, has a complete and
>> mostly
>> intact interior, and has fair paint. Am I unrealistic to expect a better
>> settlement offer? Did my son pay too much to begin with? Would
>> arbitration be
>> worth it? Does anyone who frequents this group have any advice? Any
>> feedback,
>> encouraging or discouraging, is welcome. I just feel that he cannot
>> replace
>> this bus with another in like condition for that amount of money.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>