OT My Carlsson CLK after getting hit

I had a business meeting this last Friday in LA so I decided to make a weekend of it. Deciding to drive down instead of fly, I took my CLK figuring I'd enjoy some top down motoring. The meeting went well but the rest of the weekend did not. <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" /> I was driving east on Wilshire in Beverly Hills, and came to the red light at Crescent. After I realized the light turned green, I started to roll forward when out of nowhere this lady in an X5 comes barreling down Crescent. It all happened so quickly, I had no choice but to run into her. Luckily, there was a witness that was gracious enough to help out, and told me that the X5 driver was clearly in the wrong. Sorry for the off topic guys, just thought I'd share this with you. At least it wasn't my C4S <img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/clkfront.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/clkside1.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/clkside2.jpg" alt=" - " />

..Ouch Robert hope you're ok.. Well it seems only outside cosmetics..

Yikes! I'm glad you're okay, cars can be replaced - people cannot. Well at least its not the Porsche.... =(

Too bad my porsche got hit ill be posting a new topic about the story soon :::::::::: Comming Soon ::::::::::::::

are they going to repair that, or is it a total loss? I have a CLK also - 98 320 with 38K miles, Lorinser package, and 19" HRE wheels.

At least your Porsche didn't get hit. I also hope your CLK was consider a total loss and you recoup your mods. Then you can buy another Porsche. Maybe time for a GT2 to mitigate your loss? BTW, women in Beverly Hills can't drive for ****. Couple that with their use of cell phones and it's one big clusterf-ck.

The body shop is now telling me that the car is repairable! What a load! I would think that due to the loss in value that they would call it a total loss. They also are telling me that it will take 8 weeks to fix. 8 WEEKS! Any suggestions guys?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Redlinerobert: <strong>The body shop is now telling me that the car is repairable! What a load! I would think that due to the loss in value that they would call it a total loss. They also are telling me that it will take 8 weeks to fix. 8 WEEKS! Any suggestions guys?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">In CA, wouldn't damage that severe be considered a salvage title?

Robert, DO NOT HAVE THEM FIX THAT CAR!!! The damage doesn't even look that bad, but still, it will never be the same. Had a Jag XK8 conv, literally got run over by a Bronco (ie it basically monster trucked me, up the hood and over the windshield). The ins. co. would not total the car. They spent $40k and 6 months to fix it, and it will never be the same. Before they start any work, go to an MB dealer and ask what they will give you for that car once its fixed, then ask what they would have given before the accident, it'll make you cry. So make sure you get compensated for the difference. The jag was fixed BY JAG, and they would NOT even take car on a trade in.

That definately seems repairable to me. The car will be OK, but I'd want to sell it too, even though you will take a beating. Time to order a new CLK55 cab with the supercharged V8!

What is so bad that it can't be repaired? A new front bumper, new hood, new quarter and she will be as good as new. Double check the suspension and chassis for damage and if all is clear the car will be as good as new. It sucks but worse things could happened. This is minor.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by BostonMarkC: <strong>That definately seems repairable to me. The car will be OK, but I'd want to sell it too, even though you will take a beating. Time to order a new CLK55 cab with the supercharged V8!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">the CLK55 got shafted - no supercharger for the W209 model - just the carryover motor from the W208. E55 got the charger - hence the price jump to 80K.

Robert, What body shop are you using? Is it in LA? Make sure you get at least 3 estimates and use only the best body shops. Also, remember that you are entitled to a loaner car that is comparable to the CLK 430. So get a quote from some exotic rent a car place for another CLK, then multiply by 8 weeks. After adding that to depreciation loss and repair costs, they will want to total the car. If they don't play ball, threaten to sue the owner. Get an attorney to write a letter to the insurance company if they continue to be a pain in the ***. Then when all else fails, litigate and make them feel sorry that they ever ****ed with you. Will cost you some $$$, but it may give good results.

That sucks! Especially since the S-Class gets a TT V12. Of course, none of the AMG cars have manual trannys, which dissapoints me, even though MB makes a great auto. </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by lee2375: <strong>the CLK55 got shafted - no supercharger for the W209 model - just the carryover motor from the W208. E55 got the charger - hence the price jump to 80K.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

Hamann, I'm using Beverly Coach Works. They were recommended to me by BH Mercedes Benz. I understand that they specialize in MB cars. Have any experience with them? Thanks for the advise guys. Very helpful!

Could have been worse. The following was from an autospies article: Anyway, the owner of the collision repair center took us into the back of his shop to show us the brand new Jaguar sedan with the all new aluminum body and aluminum frame. It seems the beautiful big]Jag had only 150 miles on the odometer when the owner bumped]the front end of the car ( sad ). The impact was ever slight that the airbags didn't even deploy but the front end assembly would]have to be replaced. The shop personnel couldn't believe their eyes when they had removed the ugly parts to discover that the aluminum frame itself had broken completely through in sucha minor impact! The owner of the shop is used to working on a lot of expensive high end cars equipped with all the technology and improvements and his staff is rarely caught by surprise but the new Jag definitely had them bewildered as to how to fix this problem. No bolts or rivets or anything... Bottom line is that the Jaguar owner and his insurance companyare in for a shock when the true cost of the repairs is revealed and that the car's ultra high tech aluminum frame buckled like a folding lawn chair from the discount rack at K-mart. Perry

No better way to drive home the importance of looking both ways before moving on a green. Side air bags or not, your a deadman if hit square on the side by someone moving at any speed.

I have also heard that cars with serious front end damage never handle the same again, especially if the chasis is bent. You should definitely take it to a few more body shops and maybe you can convince someone to make it a total However, if there is no engine or structural damage, it may be hard.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Jeff 25: <strong>No better way to drive home the importance of looking both ways before moving on a green. Side air bags or not, your a deadman if hit square on the side by someone moving at any speed.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">True, but not if you have a welded rollcage! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Beverly coach works/craft is the best! Mike there is a great guy and helped me out immensely with my c43 amg after it was basically hit just like yours. Because of the diminished value which the insurance company did not want to cover. I ended up selling it as is on ebay of all places. Then took the check from the ins. company. I lost 8k total but if I were to have had them fix it it would be worth far less and almost impossible to sell.

definite bummer. but the car next to yours looks real bad, no too sure yours is too bad---i have had cars in worse condition than yours after a crash that was repaired to excellent condition. no doubt you will want to make sure they compensate for the market value reduction though...

Could be an ad for the benefits of leasing luxury cars. If properly repaired the leasing company takes it back at the end of the lease. Hopefully repairable to a condition that is still enjoyable buy the owner(which in this case, by the pictures, should be do-able.) No loss in value to the owner. Just the bank. I would rather have this happen to a car I was only paying half of in payments, than one I had just paid cash for, or worse financed for sixty months. PS. don't forget gap insurance.

Harold, The car next to mine - I understand that the four people pulled from it did not make it. Terribly sad.

The body work may appear to be skin deep - but that's a unibody and the frame may be slightly out of line. I've been there done that. Not all body shops have the unit that can straighten the entire frame into line. Remember the MBZ front is designed to crumple. The previous post advising setting up the sale to a dealer before the car is repaired is prudent...

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by BRUCE: <strong>Could be an ad for the benefits of leasing luxury cars. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Actually, that may not be true. Depending on the terms of a lease, the lessee can be held responsible for diminished value of a leased car that is wrecked. This happened to a colleague a couple of years ago. He had an accident in a Mercedes leased through the dealer. They claimed that the value of the car was diminshed by the accident, despite the fact that they were doing the complete repairs. They wanted something like $11K as I recall to make up for the reduced value of the car. Apparently there was language in the fine print of the lease allowing them to do so...

I would like to see the fine print. I have been a new car dealer for 18 years with many franchises including MB and I have never seen or heard of a lessee being charged for repaired body damage. Was the lease through a captive finance co. like Porsche Financial or a bank? No reputable leasing entity has such a clause.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by BRUCE: <strong>I would like to see the fine print. I have been a new car dealer for 18 years with many franchises including MB and I have never seen or heard of a lessee being charged for repaired body damage. Was the lease through a captive finance co. like Porsche Financial or a bank? No reputable leasing entity has such a clause.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Bruce, As I said it's been a few years ago, and I don't know who the leasing company was, but I do know that it was handled through an authorized MB dealer, who also handled the repairs. It's my impression that almost everyone is going after these "diminished value" claims now--car owners, insurers, etc., so it doesn't surprise me that lessors are as well, if not prohibited by state law. Certainly lease agreements vary from state to state, so it may not be an issue where you've worked, but I know for a fact it is in mine.