I crashed my Genesis Ultimate. A rider tossed his Triumph cycle into my back door. Does anybody have a Monticito Blue donor vehicle?

[danenzmann]

That sounds unique. A scooter rider, fell off his bike, and the bike slid into my rocker panel and ricocheted off my rear wheel, back across the road and over the cliff.
I felt like a stunt driver. There were no cameras. The rider was definitely in pain, but survived. His insurance company, snake firm (SF), called me from Dallas a week later to tell me that my car was totaled. The car still drives like new, it just needs to be repaired. It was still in the tow yard, had been there for a week, and no adjuster has been near it. The SF help center told me that they would ship it about an hour south of me to a IAA salvage yard. I immediately called my faithful juris doctor for his advice. He told me that they are required to ship it to any shop I wanted for an estimate, so two hours later, it was delivered to my AutoNation Hyundai dealer. I will call them Monday to receive the bad news. I looked up the parts on the Hyundai parts site, and found out the seat assemblies, where the side bags are hidden, could cost 3000. The side air bags, back door and rocker panel are priced as being made out of gold or silver. But eBay and LKQ have the same parts for about a quarter of the cost of new replacements. If I have the choice, it will be used parts for me. The rest of the car has been used 56K miles, so the replacement parts don't have to be new.
My question to our forum is "Has anybody got the matching Montecito Blue rear door and rocker panel or the Ivory seats?" I am also looking for a couple of OEM 18" wheels, one for the rear and one for the spare. Does anyone online have a donor I can salvage these parts from? I need to save my car from the dreaded SF company. I have been damaged by the SF company twice before, with one crash from five years ago still not settled.

 

[arcman]

Go here: Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market Search your year, door-rear. A pop up will ask which door and if it has the screen or not. Most likely you could swap out your innards if the best deal didn't have the screen.

There's a few blue right rear doors among three pages. Don't accept the asking price. Low-ball them to start with. I picked up a part from a local yard listed at $300 for $130.

 

[danenzmann]

Thanks for the tip, you helped me locate a couple of local yards with some parts. I got the estimate from my local Hyundai Body shop and almost fell out of my chair. $15000 and the damage is not that noticeable. I am waiting for the bad news from SF (a fictional company, which should not be confused with any other company past or present, even in San Francisco). This problem has turned into my second job.

 

[greekgeek]

maybe take the $15k, do what you can on your own.

 

[arcman]

Before I bought my 3.8, I considered a salvage 5.0 that had nearly identical damage in the same spot but bent the quarter panel in maybe an inch deeper than yours. I took detailed pics to a local body shop and they quoted me around $5k. $15k is rather absurd.

I agree. If SF will write you a check... take it.

 

[tarhoosier]

Slate Firm. Skate Flegm. Shake Fart. Just workshopping this. Brainstorming session, no bad ideas.

 

[Chad86tsi]

is the Insurance agent named "Jake"?

 

[Chad86tsi]

I had an insurance total on a Tahoe. They offered me a "fair market" price on it that was kind of generous really. they looked at dealership listings with similar features at full retail and a few on craigslist listings that were all kind of over priced, then they calculated an average . I ended getting more for it than I had paid for it 6 years and 20K miles prior.

I then ended up buying it back for $495 and sold to a friend to settle some unofficial debit. I knew he'd do well with it and really appreciated the opportunity, he felt like it was a gift at that price. My friend was able to fix it up cheap and it served him well for many years, then sold it for a profit as well. Ask what buy back is, might make sense to some to fix and flip or fix and use. It will carry a branded title, but if you just plan to drive it, who cares. That does look like a cheaper fix than quoted, but the "correct" fix is to remove that whole panel, which isn't cheap at all.

 

[danenzmann]

Thanks for your responses everyone. So Far, SF advised me that they would pay me a fair price to replace the car. I accepted the total verbally, drove to a Dodge dealer 90 minutes away and bought a Parisian Grey Metallic 2016 off the used lot. When I brought it home, my wife went berserk. She loudly exclaimed that I had wrecked her blue car with ivory interior, and she hates grey cars and black interiors. She demanded that I fix HER blue car myself, and then I could keep that ugly grey car for me. It was not the happy response I was hoping for.
Later today I will be calling SF back to explain that I will accept their offer to total the car but wish to retain the salvage car for spare parts. I'm right back to where I was last week, shopping for matching parts, but down $25K from buying a replacement car.
I really do appreciate the tips. It appears I will be following the advice you have provided.
I will pay to haul the car back to my garage. In my spare time (?) purchase the parts one at a time as I can afford them. After all, I now have two $500 car payments instead of just one. In Georgia, the restraints must be OEM, documented and inspected before the car can be put back on the road. It will be a long process, so my wife may have time to get used to a grey car. I haven't been in this position before, so I'll report what I learn as time goes by.
A word of caution: avoid sliding motorcycles, they are bad for your wallet.

 

[danenzmann]

Thanks for your responses everyone. So Far, SF advised me that they would pay me a fair price to replace the car. I accepted the total verbally, drove to a Dodge dealer 90 minutes away and bought a Parisian Grey Metallic 2016 off the used lot. When I brought it home, my wife went berserk. She loudly exclaimed that I had wrecked her blue car with ivory interior, and she hates grey cars and black interiors. She demanded that I fix HER blue car myself, and then I could keep that ugly grey car for me. It was not the happy response I was hoping for.
Later today I will be calling SF back to explain that I will accept their offer to total the car but wish to retain the salvage car for spare parts. I'm right back to where I was last week, shopping for matching parts, but down $25K from buying a replacement car.
I really do appreciate the tips. It appears I will be following the advice you have provided.
I will pay to haul the car back to my garage. In my spare time (?) purchase the parts one at a time as I can afford them. After all, I now have two $500 car payments instead of just one. In Georgia, the restraints must be OEM, documented and inspected before the car can be put back on the road. It will be a long process, so my wife may have time to get used to a grey car. I haven't been in this position before, so I'll report what I learn as time goes by.
A word of caution: avoid sliding motorcycles, they are bad for your wallet.

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[CSULA21]

After seeing the pictures, I would say $15K for repairs sounds about right; there were a lot of air bags that deployed, plus damaged seats. Not the impression I got from reading the OG post.

 

[danenzmann]

Every part was over my expense account, so I accepted the total loss. I retained the car and had it towed to my hobby shop. I have a copart account so I can bid on the next one that has the same colors. I found a matching door in Florida, but won't be able to pay for it until my SF check comes in.
the Ivory seats are more of a challenge because they were not offered in all the different configurations. I may attempt to swap out the busted interior with a more popular and less expensive color if I can buy a junker with a clean interior. CoPart sends me messages when a Genesis approaches the auction block. Salvage Genesis sedans can cost 3 to 7 thousand, depending on condition. I have been outbid by accounts from all over the world. I can only guess that a salvage title in Georgia has no effect in Brazil. I saw five rebuildable cars on one carrier leave copart last week, headed overseas.
It's a global market for car parts. I don't have any idea which bids are not qualified, or are from schills. I do know I won't fix this car for nothing.

 

[tarhoosier]

This is a great story and worthy of an independent thread. Keep going with expanded comments as you go.

 

[danenzmann]

Today I had some time on my hands, so I lambasted the SF company, who have yet to send me a dime. Their courteous agent provided their standard response of "You failed to send us your license plate and all your papers." I had the mental image of Indiana Jones being questioned by the Gestapo, "Show me your papers". I explained to the agent that I refused to relinquish my license plate because it was a special military honor plate that the state of Georgia allows me to swap between cars. Their agent commented that he wasn't aware of the honorary plate allowance, but he would look into the SF procedure. He was very polite, I think even sincere. Of course, I still have two car payments due in four days, which makes me anxious to receive some cash from the SF company.
I then called my trusty local salvage yard to procure a back door and any other used parts that they would share with me. There was no blue one, but they had a gray one. I followed Arcman's instructions to not pay his asking price, so you guys saved me $100 on the door, even though I have yet to see it.
I searched for the best price on some new parts, and found the roof air bag for less than $400. I also committed to a new wheel for $300, so my payday is now expended this month. I will ask Wifey to shell out for the Ivory front seat from LKQ if they still have it. The Ivory rear seat still appears to be rare in the salvage yards, but since I can't pay for it until next payday, I'm not in a hurry. Of course, the problem with used parts is they must be purchased when they are available, or they will be gone the next week. I may have to break out the credit card so I will have the parts on hand when I attempt this repair this Summer. Wifey still hates the gray replacement, and seems anxious to have HER blue car back. Her car but my payment.

 

[danenzmann]

The SF company filled my bank account yesterday, in the nick of time to pay the rent, so that ordeal is over.
I received the rebuilt wheel and the roof airbag today. I called the LKQ yard to inquire why my online Ivory seat order errored out. He checked on it only to find out that it was a frame only. I suppose the bag was popped.
I spoke with a reputable upholstery shop about putting the existing Ivory seats back together. She said they did it every day but I would need to provide the air bag and perhaps the foam . I am waiting to receive the back door from the local yard. The agent advised me that they are having a problem with feral cats, so the back seat was no longer sellable, but the front seat was acceptable. I guess that the cats feed on the mice that live in the seats. He will sell me the seat for less than the OEM foam and the air bag, so this is the obvious solution. Now that SF has paid me, I will be able to pay for the door. I know there are a few more parts that I will have to procure, and it will be a drain on my resources, but my wife's 2010 has 178K on it and it is still ticking. These cars are durable. This may be my last car project, because the 2015 only has 56K on the odo. I will be too old to drive by the time the new one has that many miles. Her job no longer requires the long commute to Alpharetta because it's now work from home. My office moved 8 miles away, so my commute is 80 miles a week. I don't need the car, I just want the car.

I was watching the local CoPart auction Wednesday at lunch time, when a 2015 Genesis popped up on the block.
It appeared to be intact, not crashed. Nobody was bidding, so I put in an extra hundred (anticipating the SF money). If I wasn't outbid by the flurry of foreign bids I had observed on the previous lots, this could be a bargain. Minutes later, I received an email that stated I was high bidder! But that was all that happened. I called CoPart to advise them that the website told me that I was the high bidder, but the listing was gone, and I didn't even know the lot number. There was no information on their website. The CoPart agent I spoke with knew no more than I did. She stated that the seller was under no obligation to accept or even acknowledge my bid. What a waste of time. I dodged that pig in a poke.






Did anyone notice the knob in front of the console? The CoPart photos never reveal all the details, but it was listed as being able to run and drive.

 

[skipgen]

The SF company filled my bank account yesterday, in the nick of time to pay the rent, so that ordeal is over.
I received the rebuilt wheel and the roof airbag today. I called the LKQ yard to inquire why my online Ivory seat order errored out. He checked on it only to find out that it was a frame only. I suppose the bag was popped.
I spoke with a reputable upholstery shop about putting the existing Ivory seats back together. She said they did it every day but I would need to provide the air bag and perhaps the foam . I am waiting to receive the back door from the local yard. The agent advised me that they are having a problem with feral cats, so the back seat was no longer sellable, but the front seat was acceptable. I guess that the cats feed on the mice that live in the seats. He will sell me the seat for less than the OEM foam and the air bag, so this is the obvious solution. Now that SF has paid me, I will be able to pay for the door. I know there are a few more parts that I will have to procure, and it will be a drain on my resources, but my wife's 2010 has 178K on it and it is still ticking. These cars are durable. This may be my last car project, because the 2015 only has 56K on the odo. I will be too old to drive by the time the new one has that many miles. Her job no longer requires the long commute to Alpharetta because it's now work from home. My office moved 8 miles away, so my commute is 80 miles a week. I don't need the car, I just want the car.

I was watching the local CoPart auction Wednesday at lunch time, when a 2015 Genesis popped up on the block.View attachment 36148
It appeared to be intact, not crashed. Nobody was bidding, so I put in an extra hundred (anticipating the SF money). If I wasn't outbid by the flurry of foreign bids I had observed on the previous lots, this could be a bargain. Minutes later, I received an email that stated I was high bidder! But that was all that happened. I called CoPart to advise them that the website told me that I was the high bidder, but the listing was gone, and I didn't even know the lot number. There was no information on their website. The CoPart agent I spoke with knew no more than I did. She stated that the seller was under no obligation to accept or even acknowledge my bid. What a waste of time. I dodged that pig in a poke.

View attachment 36149



View attachment 36147
Did anyone notice the knob in front of the console? The CoPart photos never reveal all the details, but it was listed as being able to run and drive.

Looks like a 3.8 with the Ultimate package - the knob is for controlling the optional 9.2 inch nav/head unit.

Stock / Tech pkg is 8.0 inch.

 

[danenzmann]

Yes, thanks for your response. It certainly is an ultimate package. That would make it much more valuable to me. I would have liked to buy it for my bid price, even with bad mechanicals. Buying cars from CoPart is a risky business, but this one was like a "Barn Find". I wanted to find out why it ended up in the salvage yard. The owner's name was on an incomplete work order on the dash board so I called the phone number on the work order. It was disconnected. It's still an unsolved mystery. If I could determine what was wrong with it I could guess at its actual value. Having a complete parts car in the back yard would have been ideal for me in March. Paying too much for junk is a memory my wife will never allow me to forget. Wifey is adamant that I have way too much junk already. I probably do.

 

[skipgen]

Wifey is adamant that I have way too much junk already. I probably do.

I feel your pain!

 

[danenzmann]

I just could not contain my curiosity. The CoPart car popped up for sale again the next week. I paid their asking price, and towed it home. Wifey was very irate. I immediately changed the oil and installed a new battery. I checked all the electronic functions to verify that they worked. I drove it a half mile and returned to the shop. It was not a pleasant drive. The obvious problem was damaged wheels and suspension. I bought three new wheels and tires for~$1000. RockAuto had the wheel bearings, brakes and control arms ~$1000. So far it's so good, but I ran out of funds until payday.

 

[danenzmann]

I took two of the wheels to a rebuilder in Atlanta (a traffic nightmare for a country boy like me). One was rebuildable and the other was not. They provided me with a new OEM wheel, both for only $400. I had to break out the credit card. I searched eBay and the salvage yards for the other one. I found one on eBay from a rebuilder in NY. It was the same price as Atlanta but was like new. Two of the tires were in terrible condition and two appeared to have been replaced. The good ones were labeled BlackLion, so I tracked the source to NTB, which is now Mavis Tire. They sold the tires over the counter, but demanded cash. (Back to out of funds, again) My local tire shop installed the new BlackLions on the new rims.
This month, I have a repaired suspension and a complete set of matching tires and rims on my junkyard Genesis. I intend to keep working on it this Summer, and should have it ready to drive by July 4th. Time (and money) will tell, but it is a project that I intend to finish, unlike those other unfinished projects I have around the house.