Tuesday night a driver of a Chevy Equinox ran a red light @ 55mph hitting me and two other cars. I am OK, only abrasions were where the airbag went off across my arm. Mini took it in the drivers front and it looks like the insurance company will total with a $9500 estimate to repair. As many of you know, my Mini had many mods and was still very low miles (67k for a 2002). My questions are to any who have been through this before, how does the negotiation work with insurance with respect to mods, mileage, etc? Some have suggested getting value for car and with negotiations additional money, parts back, buying the salvaged car back. Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated. Thank You!!! Rs

 

Sorry to hear that! Glad you walked away with minimal injuries as well! In my experience, insurance companies could care less about what mods were on the car unfortunately. They care about the year and miles. I know you didn't ask for advice particularly about the car BUT, in my experience, since they are totaling it I would take the check the value of the car, and go purchase another MINI. It's very likely that if you fix the car it'll have a reconstruct title which is never good if you were to ever try and sell the car. it deducts a huge value of the car. Also, although I've never had this happen, I had a friend who's insurance company let him take some of the mods off of the wrecked car since it was totaled. maybe yours would do the same? I've also known of a dealer to let a customer take all the mods off his trade in to put them on the new car. so maybe there is a chance?? Best of luck, hope everything works out in your favor!!

 

If you had the MINI towed home or to towing garage, and still have the OEM parts, ask the ins agent for few days to swap out these parts. In most cases, you don't have to re-install the OEM parts into the old MINI, as long as they are present in the vehicle when they take receipt of it.

Glad your ok

 

Sorry for your loss. :(

If you end up buying it back, dont forget those of us who need parts...

 

that really sucks. sorry to see that happen to ya. glad your ok, that's the important part. for parts, theres a guy on ebay with lost of parts from the Miami area. I bought some. good parts, looks like he has a mini salvage yard of some sort and he disassembles the cars then sells the parts. interior exterior, motors, wiring harness, EVERYTHING !. and you can make an offer for less as well as buy for the posted price.

 

If you have receipts for the mods, present it to the insurance company and ask for compensation. You did not ask to get hit.

Buy the salvage or strip the parts then contact a few folks on here that need parts for their older MINIS.

Really sorry to see you were hit, if I remember right, you have a roll bar in that MINI, it is worth a some money to the right MINI owner.

I do hope all of you are all right. If your not at fault, put the pressure on the other persons insurance to pay you compensation and loss of usage of a classic MINI.

Good luck, Don

 

If it comes down to it and it looks like your going to part the car out or take parts out before insurance takes it, like the roll bar. please contact me. may want other stuff as well. I would like to see you fix it tho. the more cars running means a bigger market for aftermarket companies.

 

Sprintcars, that is quite a build you have in your signature, where are you located?

Who built the N14 head? Are the Schrick cams custom or a shelf item?

 

I would like to see you fix it Rich, make it into a complete track MINI. If you did that, you would not have to worry about it ever passing emissions again Take the insurance companies money, plus some, your neck is sore I bet

 

Cams are off the shelf. And now on a shelf. The head was done by me and the valves seats were cut at a engine shop I work at in the mornings. It's going as close to factory as I can get it cause tuning might as well be none existent for a car like this. I'm in south jersey.

 

Sprintcars, thank you for the answers to my questions.

My personal experience, if you decide to put it all back on and they have a RMW Tune party in your area, you would be good with a tune from them.

I ran a RMW tune for over two years, no issues, but mild mods, nothing extreme.

Now that I am over 50K, I might get another updated tune with a few more hard mods to the engine.

Disclaimer: I moderate this area and this is not an invitation for anyone to start a "this tune is better than that tune."

I am stating my personal experience and preferences, so keep in sane, please, if anyone wants to comment.

Don

 

[QUOTE=old81;3793831]Sprintcars, thank you for the answers to my questions.

My personal experience, if you decide to put it all back on and they have a RMW Tune party in your area, you would be good with a tune from them.

I ran a RMW tune for over two years, no issues, but mild mods, nothing extreme.

Now that I am over 50K, I might get another updated tune with a few more hard mods to the engine.

Disclaimer: I moderate this area and this is not an invitation for anyone to start a "this tune is better than that tune."

I am stating my personal experience and preferences, so keep in sane, please, if anyone wants to comment.

Don [/QUOTE
I'll go back to bone factory stock before I use him again. Only because he has a total lack of customer support after he gets your money.