2018 Subaru Forester - Got Hail Damage!

[Jdeere562]

I bought this brand new in 2018. Gave it to my Granddaughter last fall when I ceased driving. It was pretty much the base model, only options were CVT, alloy wheels and 2 sets of floor mats. Think I paid about $22,000 for it out the door. She says it just rolled over 80,000 miles.

I have always maintained it well. All filters and fluids changed according to Subaru, even drained and refilled the CVT twice.
Now it got hail damage in the last 2 weeks. She hates looking through all the dimples. She really loves the Forester and wants a new one. Even showed me pics on her phone of the color she wants. I have no idea on what it is worth these days. Says a new one with all the bells and whistles costs around $35,000
Insurance company might total it, I have no idea and have not seen the damage.

What say the brains of BITOG? I say take whatever money the insurance will pay, and drive the dimpled darling. I would hate to see her have car payments at the age of 19.

 

[sloinker]

80K miles on a hail damaged Subaru? Ball park guess as a private seller? $4k

 

[cptbarkey]

Let me share a recent anecdote. I live near (but not in) a large metro area. My close friend who lives closer in also got fairly bad hail damage on his car. He took it to a "hail experts" chain. The insurance company initially wanted to total the car, but then backed out for some unknown reason.

The "hail experts" initially submitted an 8k claim, which the insurance agreed to, then submitted another claim for 5k, which the insurance company also agreed to. The "hail experts" then submitted another 7k claim. Then the insurance company stopped communicating with the repair company, and stopped talking to my friend (the owner) as well. This back and forth stretched for roughly 6 months, until my friend learned that he needed to initiate (in TX) the arbitration clause, hire his own appraiser/negotiator to continue the process and discussions. There is a bit of drama in this story I am leaving out for obvious reasons. He finally got his car back and things ended, but 6 months is a very long time.

In short, when dealing with the insurance company, stay on top of them, don't necessarily trust them outright, and avoid "hail experts." Stick with a well known repair shop/chain.

I would definitely keep the car. It will have another 5 years of useful life until it turns into a beater.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Did that giant sunroof break?

 

[Rand]

What say the brains of BITOG? I say take whatever money the insurance will pay, and drive the dimpled darling. I would hate to see her have car payments at the age of 19.

When young car payment seems easy until you have to make it every month for years.. even when paying for new tires and brakes .. still the car payment.

22k seems a little low. unless you got some kind of hot deal.

A running everything works 2018 car with 80k would easily fetch 5k+ here. Cosmetic damage or no.

You just dont have to worry about other people's car doors or shopping carts now.

 

[Jdeere562]

Did that giant sunroof break?

No sunroof. Just those snow catching luggage racks on top.
And yes, I dealt hard and waited until end up the quarter. No "Doc" fee either.
I did have to pay sales tax at the courthouse.

 

[Nick1994]

So, is she hinting to you that she wants you to pay the difference for a new one?

 

[Jdeere562]

So, is she hinting to you that she wants you to pay the difference for a new one?

No, she knows better than that and is hard working young lady. She is a pharmacy tech and pays all her own bills.
I spoiled her enough giving her a vehicle with less than 60,000 miles. Even paid about $1300 getting ALL the fluids and stuff changed before giving it to her. She knows what that cost, she came to the nursing home I was in for the check.

 

[FatOrangeCat]

Maybe after some consideration on her part, the cosmetic damage vs a low mileage, well maintained paid for vehicle won't seem so bad after all.

 

[sloinker]

Isn't buying multiple Subaru's akin to Russian Roulette? New engine/cvt roulette for 100,000 miles Alex.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Have you looked into paint less dent removal?

 

[joekingcorvette]

My bet is the insurance company will not total it. A 2018 will bring decent money repaired and the dentless guys can make it look new again.

 

[KJSmith]

Hail storm hit us 5/28.

A warning about insurance....especially in TX.
Tx has rules and laws that a lot of other states don't.
If an adjuster does not know the laws, you can be mislead.

1 Car, 1 truck damaged.
Out of state adjuster came out and did an estimate.
She was a good adjuster.
They hold a shade over the area that "projects" lines onto the body area they are counting.

Estimated my wife's car at $4200 worth of damage.
Her car is new.
She took it to a shop approved by the insurer.
Actual damage $6100.
Insurance payed the shop direct.

Truck estimated at $5200.
Truck is paid for. Insurer wired the money to my account.
Took the truck to the same shop.
$9300.
Insurer paid the difference to the shop.
I almost didn't get it fixed....
There was some cracked paint on the roof, so I decided to get it done.
Even using PDR guys they still had to paint the roof and hood.

The House had an adjuster in California.
They sent out a contractor/adjuster, Seek Now.
2 different roofers and the Seek Now adjuster indicated 100% loss.
California adjuster estimated $1800 worth of damage

Just today, I finally got the roofers bid to them.
Adjuster out of Kansas called me to ask some questions.
I asked her to look at Seek Nows paperwork and pictures.
All the info she needed was there to approve the claim.
I could yell she was surprised.
She said she would call the adjuster in California to see what he was thinking.
He called about an hour later and told me I was approved 100%.

Long story to make a couple of simple points.
Sometimes adjusters that are good can make mistakes.

Sometimes you just get bad adjusters.
Know your rights.
Get your own estimates.
Question everything.

 

[Al]

What say the brains of BITOG? I say take whatever money the insurance will pay, and drive the dimpled darling. I would hate to see her have car payments at the age of 19.

Agreed.

 

[PF52]

So, is she hinting to you that she wants you to pay the difference for a new one?

Does the sun come up in the east?

 

[Fordiesel69]

1.) This is not the time to make a new vehicle purchase.
2.) Get the ins to cover the repair.
3.) If all else fails have the hail damage repaired by a PDR shop and get it "close enough".

Unless she is a car collector and plans to make this car a hand-me-down for her children, it does not matter. Drive it till it is mechanically no longer viable.

 

[dishdude]

Ridiculous for a 19 yo in this situation to get into a car payment. She has a reliable, safe car.

 

[Jdeere562]

1.) This is not the time to make a new vehicle purchase.
2.) Get the ins to cover the repair.
3.) If all else fails have the hail damage repaired by a PDR shop and get it "close enough".

Unless she is a car collector and plans to make this car a hand-me-down for her children, it does not matter. Drive it till it is mechanically no longer viable.

I plan on encouraging her to just take the insurance money and invest it. Drive the dimpled darling and enjoy the cheap ride.
If not, go with a good PDR guy and call it a day.

As my only Grandchild...I COULD cut a check and get her a new one.
However I won't. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth and she has to make her own way in life.
So far she is doing an excellent job and saving money.

I only have a Son and a Daughter. They each get 45% in my will. Granddaughter gets 10%. I think my spoiling days are over.
Besides, it is only cosmetic damage. I used to drive rusty crap at her age. I guess her and the boyfriend are taking it to Florida on vacation in late December.

I said why not fly and rent a car? Then realized they don't rent cars to 19 year old folks.

 

[Danno]

I would have her take it to a PDR shop or mobil service with good ratings. Get a quote and submit to insurance. They can make it look like the hail never happened.
We had a black RAM 2500 with hundreds of hail dents. Took it to our local shop, after they were done, looked as good as new.
About $4000 iirc.

 

[meep]

I’d be interested in a diminished value check… or just not worry about it and drive it, save the insurance payout for if it ever needs it, depending on how it’s covered. She’s 19. Dimples are cosmetic.

I remember being a team lead, mid 30s with a good company and a good job, driving a used jeep with the entire right side scraped off by the previous owner via phone pole. It sported bondo, my own spray paint repair, and a toilet flush handle wired into the door to open it. It was a great car, my favorite, and I loved it. I *never* worried about where it was parked. I know that is a bit extreme by most people’s standards, but there is a freedom in it.

Tbh, idk if I could do that today…. Good times.