RIP TUNDRA? After 7 months in the body shop, now SOLD TO CARMAX

I said as much in my answer - not passing judgement here - just stating the obvious.

As far as the demand vs the offer - it’s pretty simple - he has a contract - that contract spells out rights and responsibilities. You can’t come back later and say “ I want more” just as they can’t say “we owe you less”.

Here - OP is saying exactly that. I want OE parts, I want the option to just walk away and you pay me the value of my truck and I want you to pay whatever my shop says they want to fix my truck. Those are all things covered in the standard contract. Show me where State Farm refused to repair the truck and then you got something - but saying we have the right to follow the contract is not a breach.

OP has an appraisal clause - they should hire a competent appraiser to advise and use it if they feel needed. DOI is for violations - I’ve seen no violation of statute here. Just someone asking for more than they paid for. As I’ve said - OE endorsements and stated value are common endorsements to an auto policy - available at a cost. Seen same thing many times over - consumer buys the lowest cost service - but wants the “perks” of the higher level provider when they have a claim. It doesn’t work like that ever - you pick your horse and you ride it. You may pay $1k a year for “better” coverage and never use it - but when you need it/it’s there. Or you can pay less and accept the terms of the deal - same decision every consumer faces on a daily basis with many decisions - quality over cost - you pick what best fits your specific needs.

 

Fun, work is NOT extending my team's employment. We were told last November that we would be laid off at the end of September, with a possibility of an extension. Well, no extension is being made, and our lay off date stands. Below is my LinkIn Profile. Please feel free to share it with anyone you know that is hiring. I will have to wait until my lay off date to start any new position, so that I receive my severance.

I've been a Data Center Engineer for Pearson Education the last 5.5 years, and was a Data Center Operations Specialist for Flexential Data Centers for 6 years prior to that. I currently own Data Center Remote Hands LLC, and have business insurance through Berkshire Hathaway. I specialize in complete hardware lifecycle management. From initial installation, break-fix, and decommissioning. Managing all aspects of a Data Center cage, working closely with supporting infrastructure teams, and coordinating with vendors.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/slloyd82/

Thanks!

 

@Shamrock92 @e30cabrio I get it. I'm mostly just venting my frustrations out here. It's been a learning experience that I've never had to deal with this exact situation before. I dind't know going into it that I was under contract with SF to use non-oem parts. The wait time is frustrating regardless of the repairs needing done, and the seemingly lack of giving a shit about my situation on the part of my agent and adjuster just compounds things.

Department of Insurance called me back today and basically said what I already know, they have limited teeth in this case. They will be writing a letter to SF to bring up my complaints, and SF should be calling me back to address those. He can basically only help out with disputes on shop labor rates. SF has 20 days to respond. Not like I don't have the time to wait! lol Next shop appointment isn't until Sept 26th.

Tldr: I know I'm fucked. I know insurance doesn't care. I'm mostly venting. I hope it helps someone else learn from my mistake.

 

I know this is easier said than done (and I know nothing about the field you are in) but you seem like a highly motivated and intelligent person; maybe it's time to look at the layoff as an opportunity to invest the most precious thing you have to offer (your time) into the growth and prosperity of your own business. Sorry, I'm just thinking out loud...

 

I completely agree! I created my LLC at the beginning of the year, and just kinda forgot about it, waiting to hear the final word from my current employer. Even though I've been paying for the business insurance. It's a niche field I'm in, and harder to drum up clients. But I'm going to start putting in an effort towards it.

 

@M3Tundra-JK I live close by and have a shift knob you can have if you want?

 

Here's my new idea. Not that I'll do it, but am thinking heavily about doing it.

Sell my truck with a Clean Title AS-IS for $35k? Hear me out

This SALVAGE Title 2021 base edition SR5 2WD with 29k Miles is listed for almost $18k, has front end and some side damage.

My truck is a Platinum Edition 4WD with only 10k Miles. And estimated $15k damages so far. I've found a 2021 Platinum 4WD with 17k miles Clean Title and similar damage to mine listed on their CarFax (was repaired) selling at a dealer for $57k.

So If I assume my truck was in similar condition. And I started the price lower at $55k, subtracted the $15k for repairs = $40k. And then I list it at $35k.

What do you think the chances of it selling are? What do you think the appropriate price would be to sell my truck in current condition??

Edit: looks like the listing may have disappeared already

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175757584623?LH_ItemCondition=3000|1000|2500

 

It's there. Seems like possibly a sound idea except you might end up with 2 damaged Tundras

 

No, I want to sell my current tundra. Not buy the second tundra. Just using the second as basis to set my price.

I DO want to buy that $9k RCSB, though. Getting rid of the current disaster would help facilitate that

 

Sorry I thought the link was the one that was missing.

 

I couldn’t see your truck selling for that the way it looks right now?? But that’s just me?

 

Oh, I wouldn't buy it either for that amount lol. But maybe a body shop guy would? It's likely not gonna happen, but never know!

 

Lol. Out washing the jeep, prepping to list it at auction on BaT, and a mobile body shop dude rolls by and wants to talk about buying the truck, or fixing it. He didn't scoff at the $35k price tag or anything. Offered to fix it for $10k. May be in touch with him....

 

Ive followed your thread since you first put the lowering kit on. Really feel terrible for the garbage service you’re getting from insurance.

outside perspective though. Imagine how difficult it is gonna be to find a buyer with 35k in cash that will buy a wrecked truck. I think thats a unicorn

 

Thanks. Ya no doubt, i need to change the thread title again. That was a failed thought experiment lol

 

We talked before and I know your experience is primarily with large scale data centers and high end enterprise hardware, but are you interested in expanding to MSP work with your business? I have resources and can advise you on cloud service procurement and administration. SMB space.

 

Then you have the wrong definition of what an Insurance Agent is, actually at least here in Florida by regulation the agent cannot get involved in claims. The agent's job is to handle administrative work to issue and maintain the policy, nothing more.
Also, you as a customer DO NOT pay your agent....he is paid by the insurance company on a commission basis, you can argue that commission comes out of your premium and while it is true the Insured never pays the agent for his/her services directly.
At the end the Agent has a stronger business connection with the Company and of course will try to get the best options available for a well known client.
If you have an issue with the outcome of a claim then you get a Lawyer and that IS your liaison.
That's how people get in weird/tough situations, by assuming stuff.

 

Putting the jeep up on Ebay auction first with a $16k reserve or buy it now for $25k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304979530119

 

here's a link to more photos. Can't add anything to the ebay auction since it already started. Wish they had a comments section or something I could add more info to. If the reserve doesn't get met on ebay, I'll probably try BaT next.

Also, I did remove the Buy It Now option and increased the reserve to $20k.

After adding the sway bars back on, I was like huh this is a way better ride on the street now lol. Made me kinda want to keep it, or at least not let it go for so little.

I'm into the whole build for right at $35k, which includes buying the jeep at salvage auction (it has a rebuilt title now), and all the parts. I did the work myself.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/u1o61VyTqzf1GdaY6

 

That's a sick-ass ride man. If we weren't looking to buy a house, I'd have to highly consider that. Probably going to end up in Aurora. We got blown out of the water by a cash offer way above asking for a spot in Littleton. Quite disappointing.

 

Meant to reply to this. I'm actually looking to help build out a remote hands department with a company a lot of my former peers have moved over to. Hopefully will know about that more sooner than later.

Thanks! It was a fun project and I learned a lot working on it.

I'm in SE Aurora, just a block away from Centennial. The property tax appraisal this year was insanely high! And tbh, I wouldn't mind selling and moving a little further away from the city. Been in this house 10 years so got some equity.

 

Sounds good! Working remote hands can be fun.

I'm off of Smokey, so we're probably not far.

 

Truck update

I got a call Friday from a new State Farm rep. Calling me back about the complaint I sent to the CO DOI. I was out of town so didn't get to speak with them. I'll call them back on Tuesday. Basically be airing my grievances all over again. But at least it got kicked up past that first claims specialist finally.

Here's a recap:

Truck Hit And Run while parked outside my house. Have video evidence. Driver never found.

I file under my own insurance. Takes multiple weeks of me asking them to send out an adjuster because the truck isn't drivable, and no shop would accept an undrivable vehicle. Roughly 3 weeks after file date they send an adjuster out. $10k estimate. I call around and still not finding shops taking my vehicle. Finally Caliber Collision, a State Farm preferred shop, would see me to do an supplemental quote. State Farm sends the assignment over to them. Quote goes up to $15k. Two parts on "national backorder with no ETA". OEM parts number simply says unavailable. Not even order able. Caliber asks me to pay for parts up front. Store truck and parts at my house until they all shop up. Not happening. And turns out even though State Farm sent the assignment over to CC, CC never sent the new $15k quote back over to State Farm.

I take truck to new shop, Nylunds Collision. A Toyota certified repair facility. None of the State Farm preferred shops were Toyota certified. As soon as I tell SF my truck is over there, same phone call I immediately get a claims specialist assigned, who says "they are in a list". And that SF will not cover any OEM parts. This is news to me at this point. They would not even pay for the storage fees nor new estimate that Nylunds performed. $860 I had to pay to get truck released. Because the new estimate from Nylunds came in at $28k. They wrote up on the quote, showed and explained to the SF inspector that came how the bed was twisted and needed a new bed. SF only approved replacing the side bed panel, even though the whole bed needs replacing. SF only approved $14k. So again no go. I get truck back over to my house to look for new shop.

On the new quote SF approved frame measurements. I call damn near every shop on State Farms preferred list. 99% turn me down because A) they are not accepting jobs of this size and are unable to perform the repairs. B) They do not have a frame rack large enough for the crewmax Tundra. I find ONE shop that can do both. And it's one of the shops I already had an appointment with that was made when the original claim was submitted in March. They cannot see me until September 26th, which I have an appointment date for.

So now I have to wait till then. And circle back to the same issue of the cab corner part IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE. And it's a crumbled mess. Which to me says the truck is not repairable. And then again to the bed being twisted, which they were already told and denied. And then obviously, there's no way the frame is straight within the 5mm spec.

I think that's it, summary of what happened. Wrote this for me as much as anyone else not caught up on this mess. Jog my memory so I know I cover everything with them. Probably just read this post verbatim lol. Will edit post if I remember anything else that needs to be added in.

Edit1: I got another supplemental estimate approval today....of $29...wtf!

Edit2: called them again. Did the call me back option. waited 20 minutes. Got a call back. No one answered And then it just sat on silence for 5 minutes.

Called again and now waiting on hold. sat on hold for 30 minutes. Then they put me on hold AGAIN and put me back into the same hold queue as before.

Been on hold for over an hour so far.

Had to hang up at 68 minutes and call back again.

 

Also turns out there is a class action lawsuit a Porsche owner started against SF for basically doing this same thing to them. Except they started over only a $2k difference. Because it was new like mine, still under all factory warranties. And Porsche has a strict repair policy that must be followed. But SF would not adhere to it and approve the payout for the damages.

Nylunds did a segment over it on their YT channel last week. And offered to connect anyone over to that person to possibly get in on the class action.

 

Ok finally got off the phone with her. She said she called Prime Time auto to see if they can get me in much sooner than Sept 26. More like 5 weeks from now. But Im supposed to call Prime Time to confirm. Said they'd be putting in some notice with Caliber collision because they asked me to be their warehouse for parts until they all arrived. And they never sent their estimate over to SF. And she's gonna look at reimbursement for the $850 Nylunds charges me. Still a waiting game. But I let her know how frustrating this whole process has been

 

Finally settled on a shower tile. Need to rent a marble cutter to finish the edges.

 

We made an offer on a small house w/5 acres for 30k over asking. Got shut down in 24 hours.

 

I had a realtor come over the other week and said I could get $475k for my house as is. At least $500k if I just finish my projects lol. But looks like houses around me are stating to go for just 100-115% list prices. I may be selling towards October

 

I don't know how you haven't just tossed in the towel on this whole ordeal. I've worked through some B.S. before (I'll never be a Verizon customer again) but nothing on this level. You're a Saint!

 

Crazy how real estate is inflated in different pockets of the country. I lived in WA state for 5 years. I could've come back to TX and bought a small ranch for what they were selling their split level houses near Green Lake for and this was back in 2005-2010