Body shop insurance question

[Stinger63]

I have a question re what could be a total loss.
What is the incentive for a body shop to total a car?
Why not 1/2 azz the work?
Hope you don’t notice...
Bad lines or gaps
Bondo vs new parts...
Or make work at cost if you are slow
Do you have recourse if all the lines (door gaps trunk/fender) are messed up.
In my day I’ve seen some pretty bad bodywork. 3/8 at the bottom of a hood and 1/8 at the top
Thanks

 

[atikovi]

The insurance adjuster will determine if it's a total.

 

[Vegoose]

Every state has laws that determine and define what constitutes a total loss. In Nevada, if the cost of repairs exceeds 65% of the fair market value it's considered a total loss (NRS 487.490). Most reputable shops warranty their work for life and, in my experience, none of them want to work on a vehicle they know cannot be safely repaired.

 

[kschachn]

Yep, even if the body shop is willing to perform the work for less they do not make the determination.

You can accept the payment, buy it back, salvage the vehicle and then get it "1/2 azz" fixed if you wish and if you find a body shop that is willing to do that sort of work.

Or at that point you could do a "1/2 azz" job of fixing it yourself.

 

[Stinger63]

I had something like that happen about 47 years ago
Bid low and it looked like a joke
Big hassle

 

[atikovi]

I had something like that happen about 47 years ago
Bid low and it looked like a joke
Big hassle

Must a used lead filler back then. Much harder to get right.

 

[Stinger63]

Must a used lead filler back then. Much harder to get right.

It crabbed like an airplane going down the road too

 

[atikovi]

Did they even have frame machines back in '74?

 

[Marcozi]

When to total a car is determined typically by the state's insurance staff. I'm sure that there is at least a couple of state's without any staff mandated percentage. In that case the insurance company could set the percentage. In Virginia the car must be totaled if the cost of the body repair exceeds 75% of the car's retail value.