Waiting on the tow truck

AZ CRD · **Posted:** Fri Apr 05, 2013 8:49 pm

jinstall wrote:

I should be getting my Ford tonight and leaving the CRD with Ford.

I'm sure we've all wondered/fantasized about what comes after the CRD though I have not yet had any major difficulties (knock on rocker arms) with mine at 80,000 miles. The stupid window regulators and air in the fuel (mostly fixed by a lift pump) have been about it.

Good luck with the Ford. I burn a healthy amount of home brewed BD so I would be leery of any of the newer diesels. I'd probably go used pre-DPF Ford, Cummins, VW or MB.

kjjet · **Posted:** Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:54 pm

AZ CRD wrote:

jinstall wrote:

I should be getting my Ford tonight and leaving the CRD with Ford.

I'm sure we've all wondered/fantasized about what comes after the CRD though I have not yet had any major difficulties (knock on rocker arms) with mine at 80,000 miles. The stupid window regulators and air in the fuel (mostly fixed by a lift pump) have been about it.

Good luck with the Ford. I burn a healthy amount of home brewed BD so I would be leery of any of the newer diesels. I'd probably go used pre-DPF Ford, Cummins, VW or MB.

I just did a RawTek exhaust mod with a Malone tune on my 5k mile Jetta TDI today. Newer is not so bad. At least you know what your getting.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:07 pm

Speaking of newer... The buy back on my family's wrecked Mariner is off.

Seems that the state of Flori-duh decided to put all the power in the hands of the insurance companies. It is up to THEM to declare whether a total is repairable, when they are paying it out. If they decide to brand the title as "salvage" then that is it. No chance of ever putting it back on the road.

This sucks, and so we are now arguing for a better offer from them and then looking at a new 4 cylinder Chevy Equinox as a replacement. Anyone have any thoughts about them? Good, bad, indifferent? I'd like to hear it all.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:07 pm

geordi wrote:

Speaking of newer... The buy back on my family's wrecked Mariner is off.

Seems that the state of Flori-duh decided to put all the power in the hands of the insurance companies. It is up to THEM to declare whether a total is repairable, when they are paying it out. If they decide to brand the title as "salvage" then that is it. No chance of ever putting it back on the road.

This sucks, and so we are now arguing for a better offer from them and then looking at a new 4 cylinder Chevy Equinox as a replacement. Anyone have any thoughts about them? Good, bad, indifferent? I'd like to hear it all.

What a crock of crap! Insurance companies suck balls... I know, I work for them.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:26 pm

MRausch82 wrote:

geordi wrote:

Speaking of newer... The buy back on my family's wrecked Mariner is off.

Seems that the state of Flori-duh decided to put all the power in the hands of the insurance companies. It is up to THEM to declare whether a total is repairable, when they are paying it out. If they decide to brand the title as "salvage" then that is it. No chance of ever putting it back on the road.

This sucks, and so we are now arguing for a better offer from them and then looking at a new 4 cylinder Chevy Equinox as a replacement. Anyone have any thoughts about them? Good, bad, indifferent? I'd like to hear it all.

What a crock of crap! Insurance companies suck balls... I know, I work for them.

Tell me about it. My dad had the thought that someone could buy a cheap car like a Kia, drive it around the block and then dent every panel with a hammer. It would be totaled, and could be declared for salvage with 20 miles on it!

We showed it to another body shop, a guy suggested to us by a client. This guy has bought several totals from auction, fixed them and made a bundle off them. He said even if the insurance company branded it as "total loss - rebuildable" he probably wouldn't touch ours, because of the cost and the risk b/c the unibody bumper support was a bit mangled.

It was fixable (cut and welding) but the chances to get it re-insured... Marginal. Not worth it with the mileage. Sad. 193,300 miles, and done in by a moron with two bald tires.

The drivers down here suck just as much as the insurance companies.

droptop · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:31 pm

I don't think that Florduh, can put a Salvage only designation on a Georgia Title. If you really want it, bring it back to Ga. and have it repaired.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:43 pm

Mike could confirm this, but I don't believe you are correct in that thought. (I had it too)

While it is true that not every state has the same descriptions / brandings as every other state, salvage is kinda a tough one. That's one that does seem to show up in most places.

At the same time, it is currently titled in Florida, and would need to have the title reprinted (with the brand) according to state law, within 72 hours of the agreement from the insurance company.

I might like to go at this differently too, but even the second bodyshop guy said he wouldn't touch it. He showed me the values: before the mileage was input, the rough condition value was only 5200. Add the mileage, it drops to 2200. He said they would be LUCKY to get 1200 for salvage, he wouldn't offer over 600, might settle for 800. Even then... If he fixed it, he thought he might be into it for about 2500-3500 doing it cheap... And only get 6k with that mileage.

Unfortunate, but not totally unexpected. The shocker was that the insurance started with an "excellent condition" number, but then HAMMERED us 2500 on the mileage and tax / deductible. Their first offer ended up being only 2/3rd of a "like and equivalent" vehicle, none of which were less than 10k, or closer than 1000 miles "as the crow flies." Some might have been cars from Sandy too. Oog.

That is where we are now, looking for other "like and equivalent" to get them to up the offer. At least to get back some of the 2500 we lost in the deductions. It won't get us into a new $24k Equinox... But it will blunt the pain a bit.

The impressive thing about the Chevy is that while being bigger than the Mariner hybrid, and not being a hybrid at all... The 4 cylinder has pretty good power and gets better mileage on the highway at 80. (25mpg!) that is hand-calculated today on a 200-mile trip with the rental Equinox.

Is it bad that they gave this rental to us 2 weeks ago, and we will be giving it back with almost 5,000 miles added to it? :shock:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:30 pm

geordi wrote:

This sucks, and so we are now arguing for a better offer from them and then looking at a new 4 cylinder Chevy Equinox as a replacement. Anyone have any thoughts about them? Good, bad, indifferent? I'd like to hear it all.

Have issues with the ignition switch and the high pressure fuel pump located on the engine('10's+ model years).Stupid loud door dinger but that is with all new GM's.

kjjet · **Posted:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:45 pm

[quote="geordi"]
The impressive thing about the Chevy is that while being bigger than the Mariner hybrid, and not being a hybrid at all... The 4 cylinder has pretty good power and gets better mileage on the highway at 80. (25mpg!) that is hand-calculated today on a 200-mile trip with the rental Equinox.

If you think you worked on your Jeep often? If you drive that Chevy Equinox for 100k? If it makes it that far? You will work on it more than you jeep with 2 engines. GM would be my last choice of US brands. Bigger is not better. They burn oil, rattle, brake problems, paint sucks, shifting issues, interior's fall apart and so on....

AZ CRD · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:51 pm

kjjet wrote:

AZ CRD wrote:

jinstall wrote:

I should be getting my Ford tonight and leaving the CRD with Ford.

I'm sure we've all wondered/fantasized about what comes after the CRD though I have not yet had any major difficulties (knock on rocker arms) with mine at 80,000 miles. The stupid window regulators and air in the fuel (mostly fixed by a lift pump) have been about it.

Good luck with the Ford. I burn a healthy amount of home brewed BD so I would be leery of any of the newer diesels. I'd probably go used pre-DPF Ford, Cummins, VW or MB.

I just did a RawTek exhaust mod with a Malone tune on my 5k mile Jetta TDI today. Newer is not so bad. At least you know what your getting.

My concern is with the newer CP4.x fuel pumps and reports of them grenading on biodiesel if even trace amounts of methanol/ethanol or water are present in the fuel.

Leeann · **Joined:** Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:19 pm **Posts:** 523

kjjet wrote:

geordi wrote:

The impressive thing about the Chevy is that while being bigger than the Mariner hybrid, and not being a hybrid at all... The 4 cylinder has pretty good power and gets better mileage on the highway at 80. (25mpg!) that is hand-calculated today on a 200-mile trip with the rental Equinox.

If you think you worked on your Jeep often? If you drive that Chevy Equinox for 100k? If it makes it that far? You will work on it more than you jeep with 2 engines. GM would be my last choice of US brands. Bigger is not better. They burn oil, rattle, brake problems, paint sucks, shifting issues, interior's fall apart and so on....

I have a 2002 Chevy Astro AWD 4.3/4L60E with 207,000 miles. Uses no oil whatsoever. No brake issues, Paint is solid, transmission is solid, interior's as good or better than my '05 Jeep.

Owned a Chevy recently?

kjjet · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:37 pm

Leeann wrote:

kjjet wrote:

geordi wrote:

The impressive thing about the Chevy is that while being bigger than the Mariner hybrid, and not being a hybrid at all... The 4 cylinder has pretty good power and gets better mileage on the highway at 80. (25mpg!) that is hand-calculated today on a 200-mile trip with the rental Equinox.

If you think you worked on your Jeep often? If you drive that Chevy Equinox for 100k? If it makes it that far? You will work on it more than you jeep with 2 engines. GM would be my last choice of US brands. Bigger is not better. They burn oil, rattle, brake problems, paint sucks, shifting issues, interior's fall apart and so on....

I have a 2002 Chevy Astro AWD 4.3/4L60E with 207,000 miles. Uses no oil whatsoever. No brake issues, Paint is solid, transmission is solid, interior's as good or better than my '05 Jeep.

Owned a Chevy recently?

Agreed the Astro van is not a bad GM. One of the better built in the 2000s. Its more of a truck than a SUV or car. Friend had one that we had to replace the intake and head gaskets @ 65k. I have not owned a Chevy or GM ever, but being a mechanic, having friends with them and working on them all the time. Sorry... Not stepping down to that level any time soon. Jeep level is low enough. :ROTFL:

jinstall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:41 pm

Go figure the CRD is funning flawlessly now. My Ford will be a car and not a truck. I4 Eco Boost and a manual. Ill get another jeep in 2015.

Waiting on the tow truck

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