Look what the insurance wants me to do.

[Strodder]

Wow Allan. You are the master. Great job. I hope it paid you well. How come the insurance company didn't total it??

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by bubba327

Really Nice work Alan. In defense of the Insurance Company, They did give you work instead of just totaling it. Some one told me the other day that their shop sees nothing over 2 years old if the airbag is deployed (Disposable little cars) . The insurance just totals it and the shop misses out on the work.

Thanks. Your right it was something to work on.

Originally Posted by 63deluxfleet

wow im just floored by the type of skills you posess. i wish i can be half as good as you. well done

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Agian very nice work she turned out great...

Originally Posted by Strodder

Wow Allan. You are the master. Great job. I hope it paid you well. How come the insurance company didn't total it??

Thanks Dennis, I probably broke even on the job. Side hits are one of the worst paying jobs there is as far as collisions go.

I've got another job I did a few years ago it was a F-450 Longhorn and the final cost of repairs was around $38,000. I might post pics of it in time.

[scotts62]

Thats cool Alan! I used to work in a body shop as a body shop mechanic pulling engines and complete wiring harnesses and getting them ready for you guys
I kinda miss it because i thought it was fun, and the best part was seeing what you tore apart into pieces completely rebuilt and seeing it finished

[Strodder]

When I was a BMW Tech at a dealer, I was the main mechanic that tore apart the cars for the body shop. I would take the suspension, engine's, tranny's, complete ABS brake systems, dash boards, wiring, and anything else that was needed to straighten a frame. When the Body Shop was finished and it was painted where they did the frame repair. I would get it back a month later, and even more taken apart from the Body Shop guys, Then I had to replace the bad parts, figure out how it all went back together. After the Body Shop completely finished the car, I would align it. Lucky I worked at the Dealer, and had lots of other new BMW's to see exactly how it should go back together. Like vacuum, fuel, and brake lines. Some guy at the shop would complain that I got all the good work, so they gave the big mouth one of the Body Shop jobs. The A Hole quit before he could put it back to gether. It was a 750 BMW with a 12 cylinder engine. What a jerk. No body complained after that. I made big bucks doing it, and never got a come back. These young kids were the ones that complained the most. The older guys knew better and didn't want to touch them. Except me

[Slick17]

You are doing great work for even if it's not the way you'd want to. Damn insurance companies.

[Strodder]

Back in 74 my wife got hit in the right door of our new 73 Gran Torino. The insurance company checked the work, and the had the body shop do it over again. They were supposed to replace the door skin, instead they repaired it. Damn flat raters.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Back in 74 my wife got hit in the right door of our new 73 Gran Torino. The insurance company checked the work, and the had the body shop do it over again. They were supposed to replace the door skin, instead they repaired it. Damn flat raters.

When I get an estimate from insurance and they want to replace a panel that I can repair I have the estimate corrected to reflect what repair is being done. I don't like busting a factory weld unless I just have too. I can put corrosion protection in it, but it's not as good as factory.

[Strodder]

I hear ya on that, but they did a ****ty job and used a lot of bondo. I'm glad the insurance company was looking out for me.

[jb1016]

So, this might be out of line -- if it is, just say so. But which insurance company was it? I mean, if they are so desperate to save some money (and I can't imagine they saved much) that they would put that car back on the road, I want to avoid them like the plague.

BTW, I'm in awe like everybody else, you do great work.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

I'm glad the insurance company was looking out for me.

Me too.

Originally Posted by jb1016

So, this might be out of line -- if it is, just say so. But which insurance company was it? I mean, if they are so desperate to save some money (and I can't imagine they saved much) that they would put that car back on the road, I want to avoid them like the plague.

BTW, I'm in awe like everybody else, you do great work.

I know people want to know the name of the company, but I don't want this info to get out of hand. I just want people to know how some insurance companies are repairing cars. So if/when the need arises you will be familiar with the process. BTW thanks!!

[trixter99]

Insurance companies are all capable of making poor business decisions. I have fixed a lot of vehicles that should have been wrote off but the insurance ass hats have no Idea of how to write as sheet because most of the estimaters are washed up ex bodymen that were'nt worth a damn to begin with thats why the go and get those jobs or they were hired off the street and sent to estmating school and brain washed into being useless drones. Ihave no use for insurance companies all they care about are themselves. We quit working for them and went back to private work becuase it was to much hassle being told how to do the jobs and what parts to use.

[lax54650]

WOW ive done a couple wrecks. simple r/i after pull that my friend is too much work for me. i have seen them done where they will cut floor and lap weld used rocker and post in. would be faster but unsure of durability

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by stepside83

wow that sucks we had cases like that all the time, bout insurance companys wanting used replacement parts put on a year old or new car, where i worked we also had a case that someone sewed the insurance company for useing old parts on a newer car along with a bunch of other issues, i tell you the insurance companys do what ever they can to get as much money as possible into there pocket and not helping there customers at all

Most of the new insurance adjusters are college grads that don't know a front bumper from a rear. There are exceptions to the rule, that's the trend that I am seeing.

Originally Posted by trixter99

Insurance companies are all capable of making poor business decisions. I have fixed a lot of vehicles that should have been wrote off but the insurance ass hats have no Idea of how to write as sheet because most of the estimaters are washed up ex bodymen that were'nt worth a damn to begin with thats why the go and get those jobs or they were hired off the street and sent to estmating school and brain washed into being useless drones. Ihave no use for insurance companies all they care about are themselves. We quit working for them and went back to private work becuase it was to much hassle being told how to do the jobs and what parts to use.

Wish I was in a position to do that. Private work that is.

Originally Posted by lax54650

WOW ive done a couple wrecks. simple r/i after pull that my friend is too much work for me. i have seen them done where they will cut floor and lap weld used rocker and post in. would be faster but unsure of durability

Thanks!!

[msgross]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Most of the new insurance adjusters are college grads that don't know a front bumper from a rear. There are exceptions to the rule, that's the trend that I am seeing.

My first job offer out of college was as an adjuster. The one thing I remember them saying in the interview was "you'll write more checks in the beginning, but as you get more experience you'll write less and less". It's a business and in business you don't make money by writing checks to customers...

3 weeks later I was in flight school and didn't have to worry about screwing people in that industry...

[jsmithbm]

[QUOTE=Alan's Classic;3840261]Most of the new insurance adjusters are college grads that don't know a front bumper from a rear. There are exceptions to the rule, that's the trend that I am seeing.

Alan, that so true. i just ran across this posting too. That m3 should have been totaled. your boss / estimator *who ever* didn't write it up right. I would not have fixed it! 143 hours is a total loss all day long!!!
i dont want to live with these cars thats for sure.

good venting about it though.....
start posting those videos and maybe we can get them sent to Stacy David and get you a co hosting spot!!!!!

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by msgross

My first job offer out of college was as an adjuster. The one thing I remember them saying in the interview was "you'll write more checks in the beginning, but as you get more experience you'll write less and less". It's a business and in business you don't make money by writing checks to customers...

3 weeks later I was in flight school and didn't have to worry about screwing people in that industry...

It's great you didn't go down that road. Just wish I could get out and still support the family.

Originally Posted by jsmithbm

Alan, that so true. i just ran across this posting too. That m3 should have been totaled. your boss / estimator *who ever* didn't write it up right. I would not have fixed it! 143 hours is a total loss all day long!!!
i dont want to live with these cars thats for sure.

good venting about it though.....
start posting those videos and maybe we can get them sent to Stacy David and get you a co hosting spot!!!!!

Knock on wood that car never came back for anything. It will be my luck that it is waiting for me in the am.

Do you have connections with Stacey David? That would be a dream come true. I'd love to get a job teaching and showing people different techniques. I don't have the fundage to do anything more than home videos which some of ya'll have seen already.

[watahyahknow]

there insurance companies here that try to use junkyard parts where ever possible but they advertize with it and there cheaper than regulair companies and is better for the inviroment .
i dont think they go as far as replacing the side that way the hourly rate here lies around 40 euro an hour for a bodyguy so they want it done as eazy and fast as possible

they do work on structural stuff but it has to be reaproved for roaduse and they do a visual check and a driving test used to work for a company that made limos out of mercedeses they where used as taxies mostly they cut them in half pulled them apart made new sides and used factorie parts for the middle piece of the floor and roof put in an extra doorjam and used the front part of a reardoor and the back part of a front door to make the middle door
they did rust a lot faster than factorie stuff