Any tips on getting a decent payout from my total loss CLS500?

[Silver CL55]

Ok, my CLS500 was written off 2 weeks ago, no injuries so no worries.
Admiral are D##king around with offers.
Car was a Mercedes approved vehicle 1 year ago pretty well specced @ 18k, they have offered 14k, up from 13k.
I've sent my invoice and screen shots from Mercedes approved site with quite similar vehicles at more than that, no difference.
They have send me a glasses guide valuation at 14.5k (retail) and say they will offer no more than the 14k already offered..

Any proper tips gentlemen?

Where do I go from here?

Thanks, Colin.

 

[mejermy]

If you have a good relationship with a (or more ideally several) local concessionnaires ask them for a written quotation to supply a similarly specced replacement, with an indication of how long it may take to obtain. The idea of insurance is to put you in the position you were in before the event leading to the claim. Any remaining MB approved warranty would also be relevant. If the insurers argue about dealers' margins ask them for a suitable alternative source for a replacement. My son achieved a significant improvement when he wrote off his W210 320cdi saloon in the snow a couple of years ago, but half the trick is not to be in a rush to settle.

Bonne chance

 

[Deleted member 37751]

When I disagreed with an insurance claim, I told them to go out and buy me a car the same as mine and drop it off at my door.

A cheque more to my liking came in the post a week later.

 

[longhoughtonlad]

If you have a good relationship with a (or more ideally several) local concessionnaires ask them for a written quotation to supply a similarly specced replacement, with an indication of how long it may take to obtain. The idea of insurance is to put you in the position you were in before the event leading to the claim. Any remaining MB approved warranty would also be relevant. If the insurers argue about dealers' margins ask them for a suitable alternative source for a replacement. My son achieved a significant improvement when he wrote off his W210 320cdi saloon in the snow a couple of years ago, but half the trick is not to be in a rush to settle.

Bonne chance

WELL SAID

 

[raymont]

Look at the used car finder on MB web site to see if you can find something comparable and, as long as it supports your case, send a copy to your ins co.

Same for Autotrader.

 

[steve333]

Ok, my CLS500 was written off 2 weeks ago, no injuries so no worries.
Admiral are D##king around with offers.
Car was a Mercedes approved vehicle 1 year ago pretty well specced @ 18k, they have offered 14k, up from 13k.
I've sent my invoice and screen shots from Mercedes approved site with quite similar vehicles at more than that, no difference.
They have send me a glasses guide valuation at 14.5k (retail) and say they will offer no more than the 14k already offered..

Any proper tips gentlemen?

Where do I go from here?

Thanks, Colin.

Hi Colin,looking at what cls 500's with average milage/good specs are going for on autotrader i have to be honest & say 14k is a reasonable offer(there are a number of facelift 2007's with the 388bhp engine going for around £15k),unfortunately big v8 petrol engined car prices are dropping rapidly with the price of fuel at the moment.

 

[Aerialmark]

Ok, my CLS500 was written off 2 weeks ago, no injuries so no worries.
Admiral are D##king around with offers.
Car was a Mercedes approved vehicle 1 year ago pretty well specced @ 18k, they have offered 14k, up from 13k.
I've sent my invoice and screen shots from Mercedes approved site with quite similar vehicles at more than that, no difference.
They have send me a glasses guide valuation at 14.5k (retail) and say they will offer no more than the 14k already offered..

Any proper tips gentlemen?

Where do I go from here?

Thanks, Colin.

Would it be worth going to an insurance loss adjuster,we did this when we claimed for a problem we had in our conservatory and even with the cost of the loss adjuster we still did better than doing it ourselves. Its just a thought good luck

 

[Silver CL55]

Thanks, I've found that out myself actually.
The difference is mine was bought from a main dealer with a 2 year Mercedes Teir 1 warranty (1 year remaining), had keyless go, bi-zenons, and air suspension,shouldn't that make a difference?

Hi Colin,looking at what cls 500's with average milage/good specs are going for on autotrader i have to be honest & say 14k is a reasonable offer(there are a number of facelift 2007's with the 388bhp engine going for around £15k),unfortunately big v8 petrol engined car prices are dropping rapidly with the price of fuel at the moment.

 

[steve333]

Thanks, I've found that out myself actually.
The difference is mine was bought from a main dealer with a 2 year Mercedes Teir 1 warranty (1 year remaining), had keyless go, bi-zenons, and air suspension,shouldn't that make a difference?

Not sure about the warranty side of things Colin but the options only seem to make a difference when your buying the car!

 

[grober]

I would ask them if they have included the remaining year of Mercedes tier one warranty in their valuation- bet they haven't. Taking into account the car is a year older than when you bought it, falling market values as mentioned and possibly the extra mileage its done [ you did not say how many miles you have done since getting the car ?? ] you might get another £500-£1000 if you are lucky.

 

[steve333]

I would ask them if they have included the remaining year of Mercedes tier one warranty in their valuation- bet they haven't. Taking into account the car is a year older than when you bought it, falling market values as mentioned and possibly the extra mileage its done [ you did not say how many miles you have done since getting the car ?? ] you might get another £500-£1000 if you are lucky.

Maybe mb would let you transfer the remaining warranty to the replacement car?

 

[A210AMG]

What do you think it was worth.

The options make little difference second hand (more to go wrong in my book especially air suspension)

Am I reading it correct you paid £18K and have had the car 1 year and now got an offer of £14K

Sounds pretty good to me?

What year and what miles?

 

[Silver CL55]

Kinda what I was thinking really.

I would ask them if they have included the remaining year of Mercedes tier one warranty in their valuation- bet they haven't. Taking into account the car is a year older than when you bought it, falling market values as mentioned and possibly the extra mileage its done [ you did not say how many miles you have done since getting the car ?? ] you might get another £500-£1000 if you are lucky.

 

[Silver CL55]

'05 52k miles

Yup, 18kGBP, done 6k miles, offer is 14kGBP.

I'm not desperately unhappy with the offer, just trying to wring some more out of them, looking for the best techniques, tips etc.

Colin.

What do you think it was worth.

The options make little difference second hand (more to go wrong in my book especially air suspension)

Am I reading it correct you paid £18K and have had the car 1 year and now got an offer of £14K

Sounds pretty good to me?

What year and what miles?

 

[steve333]

What do you think it was worth.

The options make little difference second hand (more to go wrong in my book especially air suspension)

Am I reading it correct you paid £18K and have had the car 1 year and now got an offer of £14K

Sounds pretty good to me?

What year and what miles?

Airmatic is standard on the cls 500 & i've not heard of any issues with it from any member owners.

 

[A210AMG]

^ Just had a quick Autotrader search,

Some crackings ones for £14K (even CLS55's and one 500 on 26K) so I think even more so £14K is a good offer.

Try to get another £500 by asking about the warranty but if you actually wanted to sell the car I doubt you would get anymore in the real world.

Seems like a lot of choice and lots with 'great specs' and thats a 2 minuite search

 

[John]

I paid £17k for mine nearly a year ago and now understand it would be closer to £13k so the offer seems reasonable.

However, I understand trying to get more from blood suckers...

 

[Silver CL55]

Still arguing, but I've replaced it with a.......

05/55 CLS55 AMG in double black, wooooow.
Can't wait to get home and see it, back in the AMG club at last.

:bannana::bannana:

 

[steve333]

05/55 CLS55 AMG in double black, wooooow.
Can't wait to get home and see it, back in the AMG club at last.

:bannana::bannana:

Thats not a bad replacement for the cls500

 

[John]

No - quite an improvement.

Every cloud and all that.