Truck was stolen while on family trip

Joined
Apr 1, 2018
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152
Location
TX
So I was on a spring break road trip with the family, and my very nice and quite perfect low miles 2020 RAM 1500 Limited disappeared from the hotel parking lot in Webster, TX just SE of Houston. The plan was to visit the NASA Space Center there. We filed a police report with the Webster PD and callied State Farm, and and after some heated conversations and long walks/Uber was able to obtain a crossover from Hertz to get out of there. We wanted out of Houston immediately and modified our trip plans.

The Uconnect tracking was disabled so I couldn’t even see where it went. Hotel cameras caught the whole thing around midnight and I didn’t know it was gone until the next morning when I looked out my hotel room window. Not sure how they stole it, but I’m guessing it was the hackery you see with the truck signals to the fob and the associated unlocking and push to start. No broken glass or anything, just a clean vanishing. And I just bought some supplies to replace the AF and CAF, along with some OFs. Never mind the new custom solar shade from Covercraft that I never even used that was under the rear seat. On a positive note, no luggage or laptops in the truck - that was all up in the room.

Any suggestions on dealing with insurance in such a situation? I doubt they will find the truck and I’m not wanting it back if they do. They say if they do find it, then they’ll repair if feasible. They say they will pay out in seven days, and once they do I basically have to return the rental they are funding. But I recall a mention that they could still find the truck after the payout and that I may have to deal with that. Apparently the payout doesn’t mean I get to wash my hands of it? Seems kind of poor to me as I need a replacement vehicle for Summer trips.

Anyway, I’m now going to have to shop for something and while I like the truck for Home Depot runs, my need to tow has greatly diminished. I could look at a larger SUV like an X5. With full size domestic trucks normally discounted at 20%, I can’t see paying anywhere near sticker for one. I’d rather get a X5 if I’m going to be paying list.

Amazing how powerless it felt when we suddenly had no vehicle and
 
You have a couple choices, State Farm is usually pretty fair in my past dealings. If they find the truck, and Chances are, they won’t, they could repair it, and you could either keep it, or trade it for your X5, which is seemingly what you want instead anyhow. They use the 7 days to investigate the theft. Understandable on their part. As long as they are paying for rental, just have to wait for payout. Meanwhile, you could start looking for the x5 and get it locked in, as you can always back out if want, or, in the case of returning the truck, just trade it immediately and get what you want.
 
One option is to buy something used, that is "good enough" to meet your needs. Drive it for the next couple of months until this all shakes out, then trade it in on whatever you buy as a permanent replacement.

Basiclly, you're buying yourself some time, by buying something that you don't intend to keep in the long term.
 
Ram trucks are stolen quite often. Work at a Ram dealership, sales rep took his Ram to a park and fly hotel. Uconnect notified him someone was in it, called the hotel who scared off the thief. Horn was disconnected as the first thing, apparently easy to do with Rams.
Sports, Laramie and Limited trims are most popular to thieves.
I suspect hotels have "bird dogs" that call theft rings for a fee when they see a prime unit.
 
Sorry to hear about your experience. I can only imagine how frustrating dealing with the insurance bureaucracy after your truck was stolen. My guess is that truck left the United States pretty quickly and will not be found again.
 
So I was on a spring break road trip with the family, and my very nice and quite perfect low miles 2020 RAM 1500 Limited disappeared from the hotel parking lot in Webster, TX just SE of Houston. The plan was to visit the NASA Space Center there. We filed a police report with the Webster PD and callied State Farm, and and after some heated conversations and long walks/Uber was able to obtain a crossover from Hertz to get out of there. We wanted out of Houston immediately and modified our trip plans.

The Uconnect tracking was disabled so I couldn’t even see where it went. Hotel cameras caught the whole thing around midnight and I didn’t know it was gone until the next morning when I looked out my hotel room window. Not sure how they stole it, but I’m guessing it was the hackery you see with the truck signals to the fob and the associated unlocking and push to start. No broken glass or anything, just a clean vanishing. And I just bought some supplies to replace the AF and CAF, along with some OFs. Never mind the new custom solar shade from Covercraft that I never even used that was under the rear seat. On a positive note, no luggage or laptops in the truck - that was all up in the room.

Any suggestions on dealing with insurance in such a situation? I doubt they will find the truck and I’m not wanting it back if they do. They say if they do find it, then they’ll repair if feasible. They say they will pay out in seven days, and once they do I basically have to return the rental they are funding. But I recall a mention that they could still find the truck after the payout and that I may have to deal with that. Apparently the payout doesn’t mean I get to wash my hands of it? Seems kind of poor to me as I need a replacement vehicle for Summer trips.

Anyway, I’m now going to have to shop for something and while I like the truck for Home Depot runs, my need to tow has greatly diminished. I could look at a larger SUV like an X5. With full size domestic trucks normally discounted at 20%, I can’t see paying anywhere near sticker for one. I’d rather get a X5 if I’m going to be paying list.

Amazing how powerless it felt when we suddenly had no vehicle and
Nothing for you to do except cash the check or you can wait to see if the truck is recovered. If they find the truck after you've cashed the check it's their problem not yours.

For the record we had similar thing occur at a hotel in Raleigh NC. Vehicle was found a couple of months later about a mile away.
 
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My minivan was stolen and recovered a few days later. That was in 2017 or early 18. It was a bit banged up, passenger from fender was replaced, front wheel and tire repaired and the bumper replaced. It drives perfectly fine to this day.

Although I have a squeaking/slight clunk coming from what I expect control arm bushings, so it perhaps got banged and now these are now failing prematurely.

I would not get too upset or make up my mind about it just yet. Wait if the vehicle is recovered or not and then what condition it’s going to be in. May not be as bad as you imagine it.
 
My daughter totaled her used RAV4 after one week of ownership. Insurance paid her like $5000 more than what she paid for it and what she paid for it was heavily inflated due to the vehicle shortage problem. You might get a lot more for your truck than you expect.
 
With full size domestic trucks normally discounted at 20%, I can’t see paying anywhere near sticker for one. I’d rather get a X5 if I’m going to be paying list.
Head over to Lake Charles, LA, and you can find another one that is discounted. Not quite 20% off, but close:

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The problem is that you don’t know what has happened to it. It might be across the border. It might be used in another crime. They may be joyriding it or smoking fentanyl and or meth in it.
 
Look and get at least 12 comps on the high side. Use them to fight with ins co if needed. My daughter did that and got a good settlement on totaled car. What was originally offered was on the low side of comps.
I am sorry I'm ignorant, what is a comp? Is that just a quote or are you saying find 12 different vehicles of similar or "comparable" condition that are priced well?
 
It's a jungle out there!
I'm heading up to PGH soon in the MB, and don't think that possibility hasn't crossed my mind.
 
I am sorry I'm ignorant, what is a comp? Is that just a quote or are you saying find 12 different vehicles of similar or "comparable" condition that are priced well?

Just that.
A comparable vehicle.
 
The problem is that you don’t know what has happened to it. It might be across the border. It might be used in another crime. They may be joyriding it or smoking fentanyl and or meth in it.
Most likely across the border. This stuff is rampant along the southern border areas. Az has the highest auto and motorcycle theft in the country. I was on a rented Harley in Az when I found that out. I got the extra insurance but would still have to pay $1500 if it was stolen. I parked it by the front door of whatever hotel I was staying at. The night staff was good about that.
 
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