derfA8L

Oh WOW! Very glad to hear that you're OK after that impact.

Looks like the A8 did exactly what it's supposed to do in that situation---take in the collision's energy and fold up. If you haven't done so already, get yourself medically checked out!!! Hope you get the insurance company to agree with your desire to declare the car a complete loss. Such a shame.

aceecaus

In my little experience with a past S8 being hit, very minor btw, it cost about $12k to repair. Add my diminished value claim and rental car, and they were on the hook for close to $20k!

Audi only allows certified repair centers to fix the 8 series in order to maintain the structural integrity and warranty on your Audi. Don't let anyone else repair it and mention this to your/their insurance company if they try to send you somewhere else.

Glad you're ok!

adamcb

Thanks again for your concern and observations. It means a lot.

For those of you stopping by for the first time, here are the pics of the accident: http://smu.gs/1i1X3Lb

I was T-Boned, 2013 A8L 4.0 loaded with 2834 miles on it.

UPDATES:

* The other driver was cited for "failure to yield." I was NOT cited for anything - 100% her fault. The other driver likely doesn't have much money, based upon her car and the fact that she had state minimum cut-rate insurance.

* My insurance has not yet come back to me with the determination of whether the car is totaled or not, but they are leading me to believe (based upon conversations today - Monday - that they are going to want to fix it. I am not at all happy about that as I know the repairs will be SIGNIFICANT, not be to the level of precision I expect, I will have to deal with Diminished Value (more on that in a sec) and the fact that I will likely be without my car for 8-12 weeks (what my friend at Audi estimated - if they don't total it). STILL FINGERS CROSSED THEY WILL TOTAL IT. But it's a hard threshold based upon the 50% rule - see below.

* The other driver only had state minimum insurance - which means they only cover the first $25k, then it's up to my insurance to cover the rest. I also have "underinsured" insurance ($50k) but Progressive applies/stacks that in unusual (read: favors them) ways so that I probably won't be able to use that for a Diminished Value claim. Still learning more about this, but that is a big pisser.

* I like the idea of going directly after the cited driver's insurance company. That does mean I need representation. I will need to pursue that, whether they total the car and I don't get full replacement value (and sales tax relief that I paid on the 2800-mile car), or they try to fix my car and I don't get Diminished Value relief.

* Also appears that if they do NOT total my car (which I think is more likely than I did yesterday based upon my initial conversations - still waiting on official inspection FINGERS CROSSED) I will have an opportunity to bring in my own expert to inspect the vehicle and make a counter-estimate of damages. The big number here is 50% (or $55k of a MSRP of $110k). To be totaled, I need to demonstrate at least $55,000 worth of repairs. From the body work to the frame to the transmission issues they created when the bozo tow operator dragged the car onto the flat-bed tow truck, the big question is whether someone can hit this threshold. I do believe that the more they tear into the car, the more damage they will find.

* My reasonable expectation is that they give me the equivalent of a 2013 "demonstrator" model (likely driven by a dealership GM or someone like that) trimmed out close to the $110k my car MSRP'ed for. Demo models have about 3000 miles on them (my car has 2800) and usually have a 7-12% discount. Add to that the sales tax that I paid on the car (about 7% in Texas) and we're back to the MSRP. That's what I am expecting - $110k.

* Thankfully, I have a second car because Progressive will not provide any relief if this takes the 8-12 weeks that my Audi friend estimated (I declined the rental car insurance line - who ever thinks you will be in a wreck where repair timelines are measured in months?)


So, more tomorrow but initial conversations didn't go as well as I hoped today. I am going to fight like hell and expect the insurance company to make me whole - which is to get me into a 2013 $110k car with 2800 miles, or where I was at 4:00 CT on Friday (right before the lady hit me).


Fingers crossed,

Adam

aceecaus

FWIW, the insurance company of the lady that hit me was Progressive and they low balled me on my diminished value claim. I then hired an attorney who handles these kind of claims, and after his fee and my having to serve the driver with a civil suit (even though her insurance company has to pay), I was able to be closer to the value the appraiser had given them. It was about 75% of the claim I received in pocket. I could have gone to court and tried for the 100%, but the attorney's advice was to take it as his fees would have increased also so I would have netted about 75% anyways.

Good luck with your fight. Remember to use an Audi Certified Repair Center ONLY! Once they dig into it, they'll find more stuff than your progressive adjuster did.

MP4.2+6.0

one of Audi's certified repair ones as mentioned.

As I looked at the pictures again, I caught stuff like the driver's mirror also appears to be tweaked even though in one piece. That could be a lot of a grand. Assume the interior door panels are broken. Probably a couple grand more. I expect at least the drivers pyro headrest charge went off, besides the obvious airbags and seatbelt stuff. More $ and it all needs to be inspected. There are underbody insulation panels that run along both sides; drivers side one might be tweaked. I see some stuff that looks like a curb nearby. Any scratches on wheels now that could be explained as such--impact w/ a curb. A grand a wheel. No brainer should be aligned, but that's modest $. Any suspension stuff could get pricy, and it's hidden. Car took a lot of sudden violent side force and it's not designed for this in everyday driving. A/C will have eaten airbag pyro dust--thus clean HVAC, etc., plus all over the upholstery. And so on.

A close inspection is going to add up a whole lot of stuff if you go chapter and verse--a bunch not so obvious and that add up hundreds and a thousand at a time, 10 or 20 times over I bet for someone who really knows the details, systems and the parts diagrams.

BigBoy11

This is a classic example of understanding your insurance policy whether it be house, car, boat, etc. And if you don't understand it from reading the policy (go to sleep material for several nights), make the agent sit down and go over it with you. This is even more critical with sophisticated, expensive vehicles such as the A8 and its variants. There are certain expenses involved in driving a car like the A8 and premium insurance is one of them. Especially do not skimp on any of the physical damage or uninsured/underinsured coverages as you will most likely need them the most in instances just such as this. And for your own sake and peace of mind, forget the Progressives of this world and go with the top line, reputable firms that write premium policies and coverages. Yes, they cost more but do they really? Progressive and others like them are for Camrys and Malibus, not A8's! You can jump up and down, act awful and hire a snootful of lawyers but an insurance policy is a legal, binding contract that if written properly and comprehensively, can save you a lot of headaches and legal fees. As Fram used to say, "you can pay me now or pay me later".

Best of luck on your settlement and glad you were not seriously injured.

subterFUSE

Yup. Like I said earlier, I would be shocked if they total a new A8. Insurance is the most unethical business that exists in the world.

You'll have to get a good lawyer, and fight them to the end. Unfortunately, even if you get the car totaled, the only real winner in this is the lawyer.

jakematic

A friend was in an accident with his 1980ish pickup in January and his insurance company was willing to pay for a rental until November.
Seemed odd to me, have to see what my coverage on that is.



This unfortunate incident is serious motivation for me to re-review everything with my Allstate agent.
Another concern is someone with minimums suddenly having 'problems', finding a TV lawyer, and pointing to 'that guy with the fancy car' looking for a big settlement in a civil suit.


Things to look into....

uberwgn

Yeah, based upon what we can see/can't see, it's tough to say the car is going to be written off. I tend to think otherwise. They'll likely repair given the replacement cost.

I, too, would be giving strong consideration to legal representation at this time.

The insurance companies have to remove emotion from their business. A car is viewed by them as a bucket of bolts rolling around on 4 rubber donuts. They're far more concerned about personal injury, etc. That's where their exposure is, not in repairing damaged sheet metal, not in "diminished value".

BigBoy11

I know dealing with insurance can be very frustrating and it does not always seem "fair" but I would dispute insurance companies being unethical. Insurance is probably one of the most misunderstood business products and yet it is next to impossible not to have it and unfortunately sometimes have to actually use it. I say unfortunate because unlike most things we buy, having to file a claim means there has been an accident, a fire, a flood, a death, etc. Insurance is for catastrophic events in our lives that none of us would like to have happen but rarely does it work the way we "think" it should work which is usually because we never bothered to read the policy, ask questions, verify coverages, etc. Would you actually buy and A8 or S8 without going over the vehicle and making sure you got everything you paid for? And most likely you read all or at least part of the owners manual and played with all the gadgets to make sure they operated as expected. Then you get in that new, beautiful $100k+ car and drive on public roads surrounded by folks who are total strangers in all manner of vehicles and with all levels of driving skills but did not bother to find out if the contract you purchased to cover catastrophic events involving your new car is going to be paid for. Just like you checked out your new car (or house or boat, etc.), check out your insurance; you just may need it!