Chevy & GMC Vans

Good you all are ok.Pictures are important in the case it does end up in front of a Judge Judy type someday.Keep them until is is all resolved.

My adjustor is back from holidays and just called. The van will need a tear down for a full inspection and replacement estimate. In the meantime they are sending a rental car to the body shop so I will have wheels while they do the tear down.

let the games begin

One has to wonder if the other driver got her deposit back from the car rental company.

blacknome wrote:My adjustor is back from holidays and just called. The van will need a tear down for a full inspection and replacement estimate. In the meantime they are sending a rental car to the body shop so I will have wheels while they do the tear down.

let the games begin

So if they get it torn apart and it costs more than the van is worth, what then? You pay for it to be put back together or do they tow it torn down to your house? I would get that worked out in writing before hand. Sounds like a screw job. That van is worth...what...? 6K? The shop is saying 3k but they have to tear it down to determine? Uh no. They can write a check now and settle or not. I would say no.

Meterpig wrote:

blacknome wrote:My adjustor is back from holidays and just called. The van will need a tear down for a full inspection and replacement estimate. In the meantime they are sending a rental car to the body shop so I will have wheels while they do the tear down.

So if they get it torn apart and it costs more than the van is worth, what then?

According to my broker if it's deemed a write-off then the body shop keeps the van and I have 7 business days left in the rental car to find a replacement based on current retail values in the auto trader in my area. If I find another vehicle they will buy it for me. Or I can take a chq and be on my way.

He shows that due to the good condition the wholesale value on the van is deemed at $4200 based on the mileage, condition and options ( including the year old snow tires and 2 week old tuneup ). But because I show a 0% at fault in the accident ( meaning the rental car company pays for the repairs on her behalf ) I get full replacement value which is retail.

So current retail value in S.Ont on an 03, AWD, SLE Package, w/Factory Towing Package and trans cooler, 150 thousand kms on the clock, and a spotless interior is about $7500 +/- to replace. So big giant ""IF"" they write it off he has set aside up to $8500 to cover for another vehicle + taxes and misc expenses.

So if the van is a write off or even close then they can keep it and worry about putting it back together. I was told I can swap the summer tires back on and get my snows and go car shopping or he said he would give me add'l credit for the snows that are on it. Its a great van cosmetically but I dont want to be stuck with a van with a salvage title no matter how cheap I get it back for.

So with that in mind the only point in the conversation with my broker where he would not give me a straight answer was the value cutoff which deemed it a write off. I asked him directly if it would be based on wholesale or retail value and he said it depends on me and what I want to do when the final repair costs come in but would not elaborate.

So I am looking for replacement options. The body shop is supposed to tear it down and have pricing by the 12th at the latest and Monday earliest. If they write it off I would like the opportunity to pick up either a RWD Safari or a Savana to replace it with. Really I would love to get my hands on a Sprinter with the seating package but they are way way out of my price range. If I can't find a replacement van I will have to look for a pickup with a locking cap and seating for 4 + 2 dogs.

For now I am driving a 2010 Nissan ( ironic huh ) Altima as a rental car that makes my wifes 03 Impala sound like an old cab LOL. This little car is almost as big as her Imp on the inside, trunk is almost as big and its as quiet as can be. It probably gets better fuel mileage than the IMP and it has a push button for a starter and a key fob nut no keys. Still a POS but I can see how it would be some fun !

Any chance you getting a check,buy back your van,get a lower priced replacement van?That way you would could have a project van that you could work on at your own pace.


Ok-ok,I am closing my eyes and imagining a project van for ya.It's a 8" lifted van with a 700 c.i. blown bbc you drive on the street and often let me drive. I can see how well this could work out for both of us........

Wow-and to think I only paid 5k for my van with 100k miles.

Well, you know, I see where you are at. A vehicle with a salvage title can be an albatross unless the demand is huge. Even then....

I hope it all works out for you. In general the insurance is buying the van from you and you are selling so....please keep in mind they are in it for a profit.

Why do you want a RWD van? Does your van never find itself in slippery conditions?

I did the drive by the bodyshop today as I was coming into work and I see the van has been moved from the front of the yard and it is tucked wayyy at the back of their yard untouched ( we got 4" of now on Friday night and the van is completely covered ).

So Sat I did a little more looking on-line. I did a little searching and printed out a couple of vans but the mileage is a little higher than I would like. Looking at an '05 base model listed for $9995 RWD or an '02 loaded with leather and 4 captains chairs for $ 8k. Everything else is hovering around the 200 thousand KMS mark. I really like this one for the driveway. Its RWD, low low kms, barn doors, and WHITE as the Monte is white and wifeys Imp is white as well but I don't think that the insurance co will give me $15k

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/CHEVROLET/AS ... rucks_vans

I would prefer a RWD van as most of the RWD courier vans I see and talk to the drivers about get around 15 mpg as a city courier vehicle ( my AWD is lucky to sqeek out 12.5 mpg ) and frankly RWD is just less to break. Doind the Disk brakes and rotors all around on my 2003 AWD was very expensive and the tire size was a little odd to replace.

That leaves me leaning more towards the 2001 and 2002 models I have been turning up but I am really ahead of myself until I get the final word back on my van.

As far as picking up my van as a project if they write it off I will have to pass. I already have an '84 Monte SS that takes all my free time and money

just a small update, insurance company called and they will proceed with the repairs to the van as it's cosmetic damage and nothing structural.

So I called bodyshop this morning...
They pulled the whole front clip off to inspect. They have ordered a Hood, DS fender, rad support, grill and front fascia ( rad support is on B/O ). The PS fender can be saved.
He said there is no frame damage and that the alignment shop will straighten it out.

Current timeline to get the van back is the 24th.

Good stuff!

Sweet good to here another safari is still on the road

Nice to not to have a unibody...eh?

I seen the van back out in the yard at the bodyshop coming into work today so I managed to drive in to their yard and snap a quick picture and have a look-see. It looks like the rad support was replaced and painted. Both the coolant overflow and the washer fluid container are new. The AC condensor looks new as well. I wasn't too happy to see both the drivers door and back hatch left ajar and the keys to the van in the ignition ( but I wasn't supposed to be in there anyways ).

So it was supposed to be ready by the 27th ( tomorrow ). Hmm; I wonder if the bodyshop will call me to say it won't.
One more gripe, I don't like driving other peoples cars to begin with but driving this Nissan Altima I dislike it more and more every day. It gets about the same mileage as wifeys '03 Impala and nowhere near as comfortable. It really sucks in the snow too.

looking at that pic i could almost swear that the van was just cut in half and up against a mirror. Had to look twice.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Know the feeling this when I welded in my new core support.Nissan ultima with some young kid driving nailed me.They totalled mine because of age.But I know the nissan will never be driven again