Acura Legend Forum banner

My 92 Coupe...wrecked (totaled?) Please help

3K views 33 replies 19 participants last post by  crikfromcincy 
#1 ·
Well, I've been a member here for quite a while. I've read a bunch of stories about people wrecking their rides, and the day has come for me to share my story, and get some feedback/info from all of you...

So 2 days ago I was on my way to the store to ship out some boxes of stuff I sold on ebay. It was raining out, but visibility was fine. I was driving straight on this long street when a guy pulling out from the right of me decides to go ahead and turn into my lane when I'm about 15 feet away from him. I hit the brakes, but was unable to get away, and drilled him. Somehow he ended up hitting a car in oncoming traffic, but everyone was ok (thank god!). He was cited by the police, nobody else was.

I was told that his insurance company (safe auto) doesn't have you send your car to a shop for repairs and pay them (the shop). Instead they come to you, inspect the car for damages, and cut you a check. If you use it to fix your car, fine... if not... fine. Does anyone know if this is true? I'm still waiting to hear from their adjuster to schedule a meeting time. I told them when I called that they need to pay for a rental, but the lady on the phone said that I had to wait until I hear from the adjuster, then they would do a manual bill.... whatever that means... but in the meantime I can't go anywhere, or do anything. (I'm laid out in pain anyway, but I'm missing work, and cannot go anywhere even if I wanted to)

I ended up going to the emergency room later that night due to severe back pain. They said nothing is broken, but I have some deep muscle bruises. They gave me Percocet, Motrin, and a note saying to take off work until I feel better. The pain isn't unbearable, but it really hurts.

I drove the car home, but it was pulling really hard to the right, and the engine seemed like it wasn't firing right. It was rubbing really hard when I turned the wheel, but I assumed that was from the fender and bumper being in the wheel well. I'm not mechanically inclined, so I'm not sure what the full extent of damages are.

I started thinking about the damages vs. what it would cost to have a good shop fix them. I have a buddy at carstar that does great work. A few of my family members have had their cars fixed there and they looked amazing. My biggest concerns are these...

#1) what if the check isn't enough to cover the cost of repairs? I don't feel like I should have to come out of pocket to get my car back to what it was before the wreck...

#2) what if they decided to total my car? I know the hood, fender, bumper, headlight, and turnlight need to be replaced and painted... along with whatever happened under the hood (the metal all these pieces connect to) With the car being valued at anywhere between $3,000 to $4,000 give or take.... parts and labor are going to be close. What happens when they total your car? Do you get to keep it? Do they take it? I'd part it out if so, but if not I have a ton of aftermarket stuff to get out.... stereo, speakers, amps, alarm, ect...

#3) what if there's problems with the engine due to the wreck such as a motor mount snapping or something? This is something that neither the adjuster nor I would know, but a mechanic would....

#4) how does pain and suffering work? I'm missing work, can't commute anywhere, had to go to the ER, and I hurt. how do I go about being compensated for this?

I've never been in an auto accident before so I don't know anything about any of this. I live in the state of Ohio if that matters, and my insurance agent advised me to not claim/discuss or anything about the wreck with him as it wasn't my fault, and using my insurance will only raise my premium. He told me that it was their fault, they were cited, their insurance should take care of the whole thing.

I've posted some pics of my baby....they were taken on my blackberry so please forgive the quality (no I wasn't on the phone or texting when I wrecked, I never use the phone while driving!). Please give me some insight as to what you think I should do, and if you think she might be totaled. Thanks in advance guys (and gals?)

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

:(
 
See less See more
7
#3 ·
Dude r u ok
I suppose so.... my back hurts but xrays didn't show anything broken. So besides the pain, and being pissed that my car (which I've loved since the second I saw her sitting in the lot) is all messed up. Thanks for asking though! More than anything I'm just confused and worried about taking all the right steps and not getting ripped off.
 
#4 ·
Doesn't seem too bad, but insurance might (big might - damage seems not 2 bad) total it. If they do you should have the option to buy it back and fix it on your own. If they dont total it make sure if the repairs are more than the check they give you, to go back and show them a receipt that the repair costs are more and they'll do an adjustment.

In case they total it, be sure to get the most value of your car as they are going to try and lowball you of course. Car looked really clean man, sad to see it and it was a nice rare color too..but at the end all that matters is that no one got hurt.
 
#5 ·
His insurance company should compensate you for the time you didn't work, pay your medical bills and fix the car. If they even for one minute say they won't do this, tell them you can't talk to them anymore because you have to get a lawyer. This should get them to settle. And get an estimate from a repair shop that you trust so they don't short you on the claim check.
 
#6 ·
92 acura legend with what looks like 2 to 3000 worth of damage will more than likely be totalled out.
cost of repair > than book value (usually falls somewhere between galves and blue book) means instant total.
what u do with the car is up to u.
if there is frame damage the car may never drive right again. the suspension could be "jammed back" on that side and cause alignment issues for the life of the car and affect mpg, tire wear, suspension, etc. ie more headaches in the long run.
my suggestion: get paid for the total vehicle value, ur injuries, and time away from work, keep the car for parts and find urself another 2 dr legend that HAS NOT been hit.
front end collisions are never a good thing. was the cooling system damaged? how bad is the suspension? how does it run? these are things to consider as well.
good luck and i hope u feel better.
 
#7 ·
o, is it HIS adjustor that's coming to assess damage? I HOPE SO, cuz if its URS then that must mean he didnt have collission.
if he had collission then he also carries injury, well everyone even liability policies cover injury.
so u can get paid for the car (yes they cut YOU the check, just provide estimates, they give u the lesser - cost of repair vs cost of replacement / book value)
go see a doctor AGAIN, yes AGAIN
stay on it and u will be rewarded.
use the car for parts, buy another legend with the 10K + u will more than likely receive in your settlement for injuries (i mean ur back hurts like he77 doesnt it, YESSS YESSS it does, doesnt it) and u cant get out of bed this week can u (NOOO NOOO U CANT) and u missed work and might even get fired!!!! awwww man and now ur hand is twitching!! lol u get the point.
rest up tho for real, dont play with a back injury, i feel on my back 3 years ago thought i was just fine, now its killin me.
 
#8 ·
I could only wish I'd get 10k+.... I'm thinking about going back to the ER this weekend, if not going to my doctor on monday if I can get in. Even with the pain meds, I'm still feeling a lot of pain. It seems like the more time that goes by, the more it's hurting.

As for the adjuster, yes it is THEIR adjuster that is supposed to be calling me on Monday to schedule a date/time to meet up and review the car. I haven't been able to get an estimate on the damages due to my back killing me as much as it has been. Is this something i should do? What do I do if they only offer me $1,000 or $2,000? What would be an acceptable amount to you guys? (I'm trying to figure out what to expect here, and I really don't wanna get screwed)

As for the car, it runs... there's no coolant leak, and there doesn't appear to be any damage to the car underneath the fender/bumper/headlights/hood.... but again I'm no mechanic so I'm not sure. It does appear that the area around the cold air intake has less space around it.... almost like it's all been scrunched in. If they total it, do they take the car, or do I "figure something out with it" (i.e. put all the parts on here for sale)?

What am I supposed to give/tell this adjuster when they come? I have absolutely no idea how to handle this. The people at the hospital said that I shouldn't give them any paperwork. They said they can call to verify that I was in there, but if I give them my papers I forfeit my privacy on that visit (not my personal info, but my privacy). It made sense the way they explained it. I'm just not sure as to what I'm supposed to do....
should I get a note from somebody saying I'm hurt? What about missing work? I am risking losing my job because of this, how do I present that to the insurance adjuster? I really need guidance here. Thanks for all your responses.
 
#9 ·
i mean, i could tell u to go blow ur engine before the adjuster gets there, but that would be unethical and dishonest.
as fas as ur injuries, dude got a ticket homie. he is screwed to the wall.
ur hurt, plain and simple.
loss of income, pain and suffering, stress from possibly losing ur job.
oh, U NEED TO SEE A CHIROPRACTER!!!!! ASAP!!!!!!
and u need them to tell u how ur gonna need therapy to get the kinks out. and how now u need to sleep on some kind of special mattress or something lol.
and yea, dont relenquish ANY records, just get letters, notes, and copies of pain scripts.
compile a file and get a lawyer.
if u dont get a lawyer ur gonna be stuck with what they give u, and they are gonna just offer to pay med bills. with a lawyer they will settle and u will get paid.
the insurance company is gonna create 1 quote for the repair / replacement of ur car.
u should get at least 2 others on ur own.
be agressive and dont be a lay down.

i will send u a bill for my advise:yes:
 
#10 ·
If you are really hurting do NOT accept any payment from the insurance company until you see a lawyer. There is no way any of us "normal" citizens of the forum can help you if you are hurt. We can offer you our help and assistance in getting your car repaired as it should be but not your body! As for the car, check to see if any of your Acura dealers do their own body work. If you have a dealer that does, tell the insurance company that is where you want your car fixed, period. Too many people accept the check and once they cash it the insurance company is off the hook.

Hope you feel better, usually you'll feel worse for a day or two after an accident.
 
#12 ·
Idiot drivers...

sorry to hear/see what happened. Really gets to me how some people (the person who hit you) think they can drive like the roads are dry when it's raining. They don't understand people need more time to stop in wet conditions..

Hopefully everything is ok with your back, but definately get it checked out more. You shouldn't have to take a payment from them for like 1 or 2 thousand, in my opinion, that's just an insult. You're going through personal injury as well as damage to your car, I would take the advice of the other members here and start building up some portfolio and get a lawyer involved especially if you are having really bad back problems now..

Hope you get better soon though...
 
#13 ·
Thank you so much to everyone for your support and suggestions. I spoke with my mother today, and she told me I need to call Safe Auto and let them know that I am filing a medical claim. Is this true? What should I say? I am so paranoid of saying the wrong thing, and screwing myself out of a potential settlement. I called my doctor to schedule an appointment, but being the weekend he wasn't in. I'm debating on going back to the ER or just waiting for the doc to call back. I also called a lawyer, but I am concerned about being able to afford one. I thought most lawyers took money from the settlement.... but I am being told by friends and family that I'm wrong. Again, thank you SO MUCH for your support and suggestions.... it means a lot to me as I'm not getting much of either from my family and friends. Just another reason I love this community.
 
#14 ·
Ok... update time. I got a call from the adjuster, I have a rental waiting for me at Enterprise, but I don't want to pay the $250 deposit to rent it... I didn't have to put any money on my charge car to drive MY car, and I don't really feel like I should pay to borrow a car that is replacing mine temporarily. I'm still waiting for the guy to come out and inspect the damages to my car, and give me a check for repairs. So far I've been to the ER twice, and my family doctor once. I now have 8 weeks of going to physical therapy twice a week. I was prescribed percocet and a muscle relaxer, but my family doctor put me on vicodin and another muscle relaxer... so I'm still in pain, but I'm high constantly...lol.

I'm really hoping I can get the car fixed, and maybe talk the guy at carstar (repair shop) to repaint my roof... he's a friend of family, and that's the only spot besides the wheel wells that really needs work. I know it's a long shot, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

As far as my pain and suffering settlement, I'm going to wait it out until after the physical therapy to do anything. I still haven't "lawyered up", and I'm not sure if I should...

I'm thinking about either selling it when she's all fixed up and getting another car, possibly a newer legend coupe (manual would be fantastic)... or dumping money into a new engine (3.2-5 swap need to read up on it)... fixing the interior, and finishing the body work. I can't decide. My engine has 175k on it now.

Again, thanks to everyone for your support. I'm sure If I decide to keep her, I'll be on here begging for a deal on parts, and if I sell her I promise to give the community that gave so much to me the first shot at it.
 
#15 ·
**UPDATE**
So I got a call from the adjuster. She said the damages were about the same as the value of the car. She offered me $2,660 and they take the car, or I pay $250 from that $2,660, and I keep it with a salvage title. Any suggestions? Would I be better off parting it out if I end up with a salvage title? Help!

(on a side note) I meant to post this a couple of days ago, but got caught up reading that scammer thread from the Mercedes Benz forum. If anyone hasn't read it, go now.
 
#16 ·
Definitely keep it. Fix it up or part out.

-Ed
 
#17 ·
I'm not sure how auto insurance law works in Ohio, but I do know how it works in Ontario.
Find yourself a good paralegal firm (not a lawyer, you only have soft tissue injuries, a lawyer would be overkill and charge you way more)
Make sure they don't charge you per hour or take any $ up front... thats now how they should work.
The company I work for takes 20% (formerly 10%) of benefits such as time off work, and 30% of the final settlement. Believe me, that may seem like alot, but there is no way you will get anywhere near the same amount of money for your injuries without representation.

Best of luck!
 
#19 ·
+1
The full and final release should only be signed when it is accompanied by a large sum of money :thumbsup:
 
#21 · (Edited)
I haven't signed anything but a form releasing my medical records... and my lawyer (yes, I lawyered up) reviewed and said the forms were fine. I'm just concerned that I'm not going to be able to find parts within the 2k budget.... I'm going to need a new headlight, new hood, new fender, and new bumper. I had a bright idea that there are a lot of after market parts that are fairly cheap like the vented fenders, and maybe getting a kit for the whole thing instead of just replacing the bumper.... but I haven't seen a kit that really caught my eye...Also, my laywer said that sometimes you can offer to take $100 less and keep a clean title, so I'm going to try that. I have to call the adjuster today and let her know. Do any of you ride with a salvage title? Any suggestions on where to find the parts I'm going to need? I just don't know how I feel about putting 2k into this car.... it doesn't blue book for much, and I've seen some really clean ones go on ebay for a little over 3k... only thing I've done to this one is CIA, icebox, alarm, and stereo.... that's it.... besides a few dumb odds and ends (strobes, headlight strobes, clear corners.... cheap and stupid stuff)

**Edit** really liking the cyber front bumper I found on ebay...eBay Motors: 91 92 93 94 95 96 Acura Legend 2/4Dr Full Body Kit

is this a good deal? I thought the 2 door and 4 door kits aren't the same (not compatible)
 
#22 ·
Also, anybody live anywhere near Cincinnati, Ohio that would be willing to help me out if/when I decide to fix her back up? I still have the factory corners, so I guess I could just put those back in... as for the rest of the parts, I'm just going to have to scout the FS section, and hope I can beat everyone else to the parts. I could really use the help on a few things I've been wanting to do, and I suppose there's no better time than now. Thanks again to everyone.
 
#24 ·
i live in toledo ohio and am willing to help with anything u need, i dont know much about cars but i can help u find some parts where i stay at, there are alota junkyards here, and im very sorry about the accident, If i was in your position ild fix it and keep it or sell it, up 2 u, dont part it out and let the car go to waste. good luck on everything pm me if u need anyhelp with anything.hope ur feeling better
 
#26 ·
Sorry to multiple post, and not just edit, but sometimes I have questions... and instead of *bump*ing my thread, I figured I would just add a new post. Any clues as to what it would cost (approx) to replace the obvious parts missing with USDM OEM parts vs aftermarket? Just curious.... also, what would painting a fender, bumper, and hood cost me (again, approx) Was thinking about painting the whole car black before the wreck, would this be the better way to go? The black and tan interior would look so sick with a black exterior. Thanks so much everyone.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Wow, one moment can change everything! Hope it all works out okay.

I had similar damage to my '91 coupe, except the car was drivable and the
frame unscathed. I bought a fender on ebay for about $125.00 plus $17.00
shipping. I had it repainted for $199.00 at my usual car shop/mechanic.
I bought a headlight on ebay for $99.00. The hood was only crimped on
the right leading edge. I straightened it with pliers. I did the fender, headlight
R&R myself with the help of a Helm manual. The R&R took a few hours and
only simple tools were involved. I was able to reuse the inner fender liner and
trim. Bottom line: my repair cost about $450.00 plus $82.00 for the Helm.
No insurance was involved; but it would have been totaled because of costs.
The hardest part was waiting for ebay parts and then winning them. Again,
I was able to drive the car "as is" (after repairing the broken headlight with
acrylic and adhesives.) The waiting took about a year. I also bought another coupe "just in case." If you can, bargain for the salvage title and hold on to repair or sell for parts. If I skipped repainting, my cost would have been $250.

Edit: because of its size, a hood is best obtained at a local auto salvage. Shipping costs
would be expensive. Others have purchased hoods; I cannot guess the cost.
 
#28 ·
Yeah, man. Hold on to the car, and fix the damage. Pull out the yellow book and make a list of local and nearby junkyards. The pull-a-parts are always the the best in prices. It might take a while, but start now, and something will come up. It won't be too hard.

As for the paint job, keep the original colour. Unless you are going all out and having the car stripped down, sand blasted and repainted inside and out (trunk, engine bay, seats and ceiling out and the inside painted too), which is expensive, don't change the car's colour. Don't do it. Original colour, and it will look good. If you want a black car, sell the one you have, and buy a black car, which you can then repaint black. Kapiche?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top