2021 was off to a great start lol

[NeptuneRanger]

Pretty sure that varies by state.

Removing them AND being reimbursed for them would be fraud.

However, when my WRX was totalled both the shop it at was at AND my insurance company allowed me to remove aftermarket parts. I was required to replace them with the stock parts, which I had available.

I pulled a full TBE, coilovers, and wheels and tires off, which recouped a lot of my mod money.

It varies by state, company and actually by the loss, if you settled on an amount for a stock WRX then sure, they would allow it. Wheels and many aftermarket parts are valued at Actual Cash Value not replacement cost. Lucky2013 is correct for the most part, some adjusters and shops are more chill. It is a lot less brain damage to just get paid for the parts and start over. There can be wiggle room usually to negotiate the value of adds.

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[NeptuneRanger]

You are not allowed to take parts of the truck which are bolted on or belong to the truck. That includes after market stereo systems ( mounted in the dash ), tires and wheels, battery, nerf bars...

We deal on daily basis with that at my work !

If the shop allows you to take parts off he can be held resposible for that.

My tip is to inform your Insurance in the future about all upgrades you did to your vehicle ! They might ask for pictures or the invoice. Like that the upgrades are documented and you get reimbursed.

That is exactly right for the most part with most companies. In order for customization to be covered there needs to be an endorsement on the policy so the company can collect the appropriate premium to cover the loss. Without it, you will likely get a total estimate equal to a stock vehicle. Even with the endorsement, aftermarket customization is settled on an ACV basis usually.

 

[D Fresh]

It varies by state, company and actually by the loss, if you settled on an amount for a stock WRX then sure, they would allow it. Wheels and many aftermarket parts are valued at Actual Cash Value not replacement cost. Lucky2013 is correct for the most part, some adjusters and shops are more chill. It is a lot less brain damage to just get paid for the parts and start over. There can be wiggle room usually to negotiate the value of adds.

Pretty much sums up my experience.

When I asked my adjuster she started to go down that road, talking about determining ACV.

There was the possibility I'd get an exact replacement to swap my parts onto, and determining ACV seemed to be a pain in the ass. So I asked if I could yoink 'em off and she said sure, just put the stock parts on.

Shop threw it on a lift for me, might have brought donuts with my toolbox, and had it all done in less than an hour. Not having to pay attention to torque values saved some time.

 

[NeptuneRanger]

What I learned today from @Lucky2013 :

• If you have significant modifications on your truck, keep all the OEM parts.
• If you wreck the truck and have significant damage, have it towed to your home first.
• Remove all the aftermarket components, put the OEM components back on.
• Then have it towed to the body shop.

Or add the value of your customization as an endorsement to your current policy and get paid for them. That is the best and easiest way.

 

[HenryMac]

Or add the value of your customization as an endorsement to your current policy and get paid for them. That is the best and easiest way.

I wouldn't consider throwing more money at my insurance agent the best way. When it comes to insurance... the minimum amount is almost always the "best" choice.

But since you're an insurance agent I understand you're opinion likely isn't in line with mine. Am I right or am I right?

Do you know Ned Ryserson from Punxsutawney?

 

[NeptuneRanger]

I wouldn't consider throwing more money at my insurance agent the best way. When it comes to insurance... the minimum amount is almost always the "best" choice.

But since you're an insurance agent I understand you're opinion likely isn't in line with mine. Am I right or am I right?

Do you know Ned Ryserson from Punxsutawney?

I don’t know him. That philosophy works as long as you don’t have a claim. I have in my years of experience seen folks not select comp or collision on vehicles up to 100k, essentially self insuring, in one case a guy totaled the car two weeks later. To each is own, respect your opinion, just don’t share it.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Not sure, but from what I gathered from the new collision center “the entire frame” would need replaced. They might have seen more than I could with them having access to lifts and a frame machine but the part I have been insisting where the damage is obvious is directly inline with the rear axle on both the left and right hand sides. It is crumbled inwards and bends downwards slightly.

There has been lots of posts here about Ford being slow to deliver on parts throughout the last year with covid being the blanket excuse.

Hi Garret,

From time to time we have had to reframe some prototype trucks. It is a time consuming and exacting process to get everything right using Ford Mechanics that are accustomed to the process and there is usually a sorting out process by the development engineers to get it right, so we avoid it all cost. Worst was the Econoline when the almost the whole fleet needed reframing due to very poor crash performance that could endanger anyone driving. Huge task.... and fortunately there were not all that many 1st build level. Back then they were called MP for Mechanical Prototypes. I personally would not want a reframed truck... Hope they just scrap out your wounded Ranger...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[HenryMac]

I don’t know him. That philosophy works as long as you don’t have a claim. I have in my years of experience seen folks not select comp or collision on vehicles up to 100k, essentially self insuring, in one case a guy totaled the car two weeks later. To each is own, respect your opinion, just don’t share it.

Ned's a great guy. Had the shingles real bad senior year. We called him "Needle Nose Ned" back then.

As for the Ranger, sure we have comp & collision, but with a high deductible. We haven't had a claim since 2013. It's all a crap shoot.

But getting insurance for rock sliders and aftermarket bumpers, etc. seems like throwing good money after bad.

 

[NickTheEnforcer]

I feel your pain from a recent personal experience, and sadly even at every step if the process goes your 'way' you will forgive my bluntness.. to some degree your F'd, and this is your new short-term hobby [getting through the whole mess].

We bought my wife a new 2016 escape near the end of '15. It was going to be her first new-in-the-wrapper car ever and she was super excited. after 1.5 years she was in an accident that was not her fault and there was about $12k in damage to it. Luckily I have a top-notch shop about 30 minutes west of me, I'm about 1 hour west of Chicago. I went round and round with near daily arguments with my carrier because they wanted to use aftermarket parts. Then the other drivers carrier got involved and that was no longer a problem. The car got fixed and turned out great, in the end and after a few follow-on visits by the insurance adjuster while it was in Ray's shop it was nearly $14 k in damage/repairs! We needed a few visits for minor adjustments to Ray and he always treated us well. The problem started when I tried to collect a diminished value payment from the other drivers carrier. I spent 6 months jumping through hoops of every kind to prove the lower value [about $4k]. Even hired a so-called dim-value advocate/professional who is an industry 'insider' yada-yada. Luckily I negotiated a back end payment to him that was larger than his normal take so he would waive his front-end fee..so I'm $0 out of pocket with him. Now 4 more months down the road and carrier X is stone walling him and me, we filed complaints with every insurance oversight agency, states attorney, etc. The only recourse we had was to file against the driver in small claims, at this point I was done with the ordeal and told my wife she would have to pick up the baton to get her into court. Wife flatly said 'no' she was done just being a bystander to what I was going through.

Accidents are a loose-loose-loose proposition all the way through, you loose once again on any mods you do, in our case I added a factory roof rail system myself [$200] and took to my local custom shop to add front heated seats [$130x2]. Lucky for us covid hit and bottom line our trade in on a new 2020 Escape was about $700 out of pocket [value to trade in allowance].

The only 'easy' accidents are ones that no one gets injured and are 100% total loss scenarios. We had a story up here that a flatbed driver lost a vehicle going over R/R tracks, acquaintance knew the guy and supposedly got a check in less that two weeks, clean and done. Bough a new car [period].

 

[Cape Cruiser]

Garrett, frame replacement is pretty common place today on high priced vehicles with great success . I have a friend in Jersey that works in a state of the art Ford/Lincoln dealer with a 52 bay body shop and he replaces 2 frames per week, usually on Expeditions, F150 and super duties. Good luck with your truck, Bret

 

[HenryMac]

Garrett, frame replacement is pretty common place today on high priced vehicles with great success . I have a friend in Jersey that works in a state of the art Ford/Lincoln dealer with a 52 bay body shop and he replaces 2 frames per week, usually on Expeditions, F150 and super duties. Good luck with your truck, Bret

Back when the Tacoma's had frame rust issues they were doing frame swaps too.

On a modern car... with all the electrical connections.... Wow. Just pop the hood on our Rangers and think about pulling the motor and replacing it... Seems like an impossible task to do with out breaking something.

I'm thinking the first thing I'd do when I got it back.... would be to sell it.

 

[gbritt89]

At work but will post back later on tonight or tomorrow. Appreciate the advice and input from all. Thanks everybody!

 

[Cape Cruiser]

Back when the Tacoma's had frame rust issues they were doing frame swaps too.

On a modern car... with all the electrical connections.... Wow. Just pop the hood on our Rangers and think about pulling the motor and replacing it... Seems like an impossible task to do with out breaking something.

I'm thinking the first thing I'd do when I got it back.... would be to sell it.

John, my friend and I had a long discussion about frame replacement as I had concerns. My friends defense was these vehicles were made to be put together fast on an assembly line so they come apart fast and go back together fast. As far as broken clips or electrical connectors they are a dealer and have all that stuff in stock. I said to him you remove every clip, wire brake lines ,fuel lines, brakes ,suspension and reinstall , he said yep ! In less than 2 hours the body is off and hanging in the air on overhead hoist. Motor ,tranny and differentials are out in no time. He has worked there 30 years and has minimum to no repeat repairs on frame replacement. He does 2 per week and gets to go home early on Friday and still gets 60 plus flat rate hours per week. I just traded my 17 Taco because the frame rust issue is still going on. Toyota blames Dana for that . It requires you bring truck to them every year for next 12 years to have the frame inspected and coated with rust preventative if needed. If it must be coated it needs to sit at dealer to drip for 2 plus days. Bret

 

[P. A. Schilke]

John, my friend and I had a long discussion about frame replacement as I had concerns. My friends defense was these vehicles were made to be put together fast on an assembly line so they come apart fast and go back together fast. As far as broken clips or electrical connectors they are a dealer and have all that stuff in stock. I said to him you remove every clip, wire brake lines ,fuel lines, brakes ,suspension and reinstall , he said yep ! In less than 2 hours the body is off and hanging in the air on overhead hoist. Motor ,tranny and differentials are out in no time. He has worked there 30 years and has minimum to no repeat repairs on frame replacement. He does 2 per week and gets to go home early on Friday and still gets 60 plus flat rate hours per week. I just traded my 17 Taco because the frame rust issue is still going on. Toyota blames Dana for that . It requires you bring truck to them every year for next 12 years to have the frame inspected and coated with rust preventative if needed. If it must be coated it needs to sit at dealer to drip for 2 plus days. Bret

Hi Bret,

I am so happy to hear of quality shops like you have. You friend makes a good case in point about fast assembly at the plant, but tons of special tools at the plant not available to the normal aftermarket. It appears this shop has it figured out. Curious how they will do the evac and fill of the cooling system and the brake system...I bet with 50 some odd stalls they have the equipment to duplicate the evac and fill processes! Hope OP can find equivalent or close. Our reframes on prototypes include innocuous frame hole movements and new clips and new fuel lines to support the clips etc for example. Prototype parts can be scarcer than hen's teeth...

There are two areas of headaches at Ford Engineering Design. Frames and Exhaust. As the prototypes mature and problems are found and fixed. These two areas are faced with changes from head to toe of the vehicle. I am heartened there aftermarket folks that can make a vehicle whole again with no "come backs".

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[dmeyer302]

I have experience rebuilding salvage vehicles. My wife’s Escape was a rebuilder. I do the work myself. So I’m not afraid of them.

That said...getting into a wreck with my truck that I special ordered is a major fear of mine. There are always things that just aren’t quite right afterwards. Usually minor, but they’re there. Those things are fine for someone who doesn’t care (my wife) and when you get several thousand $ off the purchase price. In that case it’s a positive thing. But like Nick said, getting into a wreck yourself is lose-lose.

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