For some reason this thread was closed before I had a chance to say THANK YOU! to all of you - your support and advices have made me feel a little better. One interesting twist in this story - the guy who hit me is insured in the same company (Commerce Ins.). Still not sure whether I'm going to try "diminished value" approach. BTW, I found an internet company (http://www.collisionclaims.com) who specializes in DV cases in all 50 states as long as a car is less than 5 years old and repair bill is more than $2000 (there are other companies in the same business). Their fee is based on the appraisal and ranges from $170 to $300. Would it make sense to risk $300 and see what happens?

 

No, a fee based company isn't going to do anything but drain your pocket. You can make a DV claim (of course that depends on what state you are in) yourself and with little effort...

I haven't been on the site in a week and I haven't seen your old thread (I'll try to find it in a few when I get some more time), but I'm in the claims business and can help you. That being said, you will not be getting some huge amount of $$$ for a DV claim unless you have had a very large collision and your car is very new/very low miles/very well kept. The meat of DV claims falls in the actual resale value of your car and the desirability of the model--usually meaning rarer, high end cars. However, chances are you could make some recovery...

 

Okay, found and read the thread...

There is a lot of misinformation on the thread and there is some good stuff.

Mr ex-adjuster is right: If you indeed have a 2000 model car, you aren't going to get new parts unless they absolutely cannot locate a used (LKQ-Like Kind and Quality) part for the car. The other option is an aftermarket part. Though this is a reasonable option for a 1990 Chevy truck used to haul dirt and crap on a daily basis, I wouldn't use aftermarket parts on a car even though they 'technically' are perfectly fine. Additionally, every state's auto policy is the same in that there is no "replacement cost" provision for autos--only "actual cash value" meaning, if you have a used car (meaning, a 2000 model with 5 year old parts) you are gonna get used parts when you need a repair which puts you back to EXACTLY where you were before the loss occurred. The exception is mechanical parts and tires and such. There is little/no warranty provisions to protect a company with them and if they need to be replaced, you will be charged betterment for receiving new items which is simply the difference between the used parts value and the cost of the new item (usually a ratio).

As far as DV is concerned, very few states allow for this against YOUR OWN POLICY. If you aren't claiming under the at fault party's policy, well, you may be out of luck. Finally, if your car is indeed a 2000 TL-P, unless you have more than $5,000 in damages or so--and you have low miles--and you have a perfect car as far as paint, interior, etc., your DV claim isn't gonna be worth squat. $1,000 on your best day after a whole lot of aggravation on your part, likely $250-$500 in the grand scheme of things...

 

The determining factor in how well your car looks after the repair is the skill of the people doing the work, particularly the person behind the spray gun. Matching the color, applying the primer, base coat then clear coat are all more important, IMO, than whether OEM or LKQ parts are used.

 

This is somewhat true, but in every DV claim, the smart insurer will tell you that you must have issues in the repair taken care of before assessing any DV. Meaning, if you have overspray or misaligned panels, you have a repair warranty and your shop of choice should take care of that kind of issue first.

 

i believe there are quite a few insurance adjusters working on this board, you can ask for their opinion

and you may post this at the off topic so you would get more response~

 

Big THANKS! for everybody - I've got pretty good idea of what my options are. I believe I found a good shop - it was recommended by Acura dealer and has been working with Acura for 12 years. Talking to the guy also left me with good impression - seems like a knowledgeable and honest person (if such a thing is possible in this business ). Once the whole thing is over, I’ll tell the tale.

 

Well said. Don't waste your time and money with diminished value claim. Your car isn't exactly new. As far as DV is concerned, I've only seen one claim where we had to consider DV. It was a brand new S class mercedes with moderate damage.

As far as ACV is concerned it's usually taken into consideration only for total loss claims. Different insurance companies have differnt policies for repairs. I believe the bigger insurance companies have a policy of replacing bumpers with only OEM due to safety issues. So you could run off with a new OEM bumper depending on your insurance company. I don't think commerce west has such a policy. As far as betterment is concerned, I don't think your insurance company would have a problem if you ask them to use OEM parts if you pay the difference (betterment).

I would try to go to your insurance company recommended shops. If there are any problems down the road with repair performed by these shops, there usually is a lifetime warranty. Another thing I want to warn you about none insurance recommended shop is that.... If there are any delays, insurance company will not take responsiblity.

 

Closed due to this not directly pertinent to a 2nd gen TL ... this should be in ramblings or car talk. Thread closed.