rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 We drop off the TH tomorrow for repairs. Spent some time in it today taking out the electronics and pretty much everything else. Every time I go out there I find more damage. DH is worried that the ins will call it a total loss. I can't see that happening but what do I know. After years of working with insurance adjusters in the automotive industry, he knows more than I care to admit. He says 70% of value will likely encourage them to total it.What we don't know though is how costly rv repairs are in comparison to cars. There's no doubt they'll have to do repairs under the floor and behind walls, the tub's gonna have to come out and who knows what else. From what we can see that rotten squirrel has chewed on most every line & wire. I rolled my foam mattress topper to keep it safe and he even chewed that. Is nothing sacred???Anyway I need some reassurance that this'll all work out. We can't afford a new TT and the chance of finding another used TH like ours without a loan doesn't look promising either. Anybody have any experience with buying a totaled rv back and fixing it themselves? I've heard that just paying off the salvage to buy your rv back can be pricier than cars too b/c they bring more at auction. Yes? No? Am I over-reacting?Never thought I'd say this but I HATE SQUIRRELS! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bord1niowa......Curt 79 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Actually we did that with a 31 foot trailer. The wind ripped the awning off and did some other damage and before we knew it they totaled it. We bought it back and fixed the stuff that went bad ourselves and made out like a bandit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Channeling Brian, sitting next to me on the couch...He's been a car guy for ages and has gone to auctions, plus his father has done the auto auctions for work for 30 years and his brother has some experience as well.We actually bought a couple of popups through an auction a few years back, super cheap. One we gave to his brother - that one cost $200 and needed almost nothing. It was about 6 years old and was a top of the line unit for its time. It had minor mouse damage and just needed a good cleaning. They used it one year and resold for $2k.The other was $100 and needed more work than we wanted to put into it, so we pilfered whatever parts we could use and resold it for $200 in scrap.They totaled ours after the accident this summer. It had major structural damage from landing on its side, and a big ol' mess inside - including the flying toilet.It was a new (same model year) unit that retailed for $33k at the time. It went at auction for about $9k.Brian thinks if they total it and it goes to auction, you should be able to buy it back for $800ish. If you can do repairs yourself, he thinks you're looking at $1000ish to fix everything.Brian says it costs the insurance companies a lot to put an RV through an auction, and they don't make much profit, so they're typically eager to unload them quickly and cheaply. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thanks everyone. I can't imagine we could possibly have more than 10,000 in repairs so hoping I'm worrying about nothing. I've just been really frustrated b/c everytime I go in there I see more damage. I vacuum, clean, remove, and swear a lot but next time there I am doing it all again.DH is used to handling things himself and I know it's killing him b/c he can't get up & down to see a lot of what I'm finding firsthand. To make matters worse, we had to have my van towed home on Christmas Eve when the transmission locked up. Normally he'd have had it pulled out & rebuilt in a couple days but can't do that now either so we're down to using his truck for everything the past few months. We've faced quite a few challenges as his muscles have deteriorated. Realizing he can't physically do this job alone is just another bump in the adjustment process. Thank heavens we have insurance that says it should be covered. I'm just hoping it isn't as extensive as it seems and can at least be repaired quickly, if not easily... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gots2pitt.. Jeff 64 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 They may offer to sell it back to you before they take it to auction. If they do make sure you get a good (low) price. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Do you total replacement value with your insurance? We have it on ours and for the first 5 years if they total it they will replace it but just in the 5 years after that we are on our own for replacement. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tigger 33 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 The repair costs may be a lot higher if the place doing the repairs doesn't have any competition. The place I used to work for would bid everything really high because they are the only shop in the area that can handle big jobs. They pretty much got anything over 1or 2 years old totaled. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Dropped it off this morning. All I can say is wow. Obviously DH went into the wrong field of mechanics by working with cars/trucks instead of rvs. He said rv service hrs were costly but you could have knocked me over when I looked at the fliers they were handing out promoting the spring special for towables -$650 for a 45 point inspection, sealant inspection, check brakes & wheel bearings, operate/test slides & awning, fill ppropane tanks and de-winterize with fresh water. But wait! Don't forget to add the supreme wash for another $170.Ouch. We're gonna have to keep using the old green hose and a sponge... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tigger 33 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Dropped it off this morning. All I can say is wow. Obviously DH went into the wrong field of mechanics by working with cars/trucks instead of rvs. He said rv service hrs were costly but you could have knocked me over when I looked at the fliers they were handing out promoting the spring special for towables -$650 for a 45 point inspection, sealant inspection, check brakes & wheel bearings, operate/test slides & awning, fill ppropane tanks and de-winterize with fresh water. But wait! Don't forget to add the supreme wash for another $170.Ouch. We're gonna have to keep using the old green hose and a sponge...Only if he owned the place or worked for a better place than I did. They charged almost $100 but only paid the techs $12 to $13 an hour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Tigger, that is what I figured. The person doing the actual work is not getting the big bucks at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tigger 33 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 They did have one guy who was rumored to make much more than everyboby else but he had a lot of problems wearing holes in the knees of his leans. :facepalm:Sad thing is I got most of his work because he was slow as dirt and I got the job done right and got it out. Oh well I don't work there anymore but they did ask me to come back with a $6 pay cut from my current job. And yes they knew what I am making now before they made the offer :banghead: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 DH said they called this morning. We're waiting on the ins adjuster to okay teardown. Just going by visible damage though they're already over $4000. WDW may look at rv-ers as trailer trash but there's no doubt in my mind that this camping thing is quickly becomming a rich man's sport... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doodlebug....Cherie 461 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Wow, Pam! That is a lot already, hope they either get it fixed to your satisfaction or just total it. Let me know which you prefer and I will start paraying now! :rofl2: :heartsmiley: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Thanks Cherie. I'm honestly not sure what I want at this point... well, except a DEAD SQUIRREL!!!! :rant:We could really use the $$ but we need the TT to be able to escape even more. I know DH could call in a few favors and maybe work with friends to fix it if he had to but it wouldn't be easy for him now. Just waiting with baited breath to see what they say after the adjuster sees it and after they drop the bottom. If you're praying now, please just pray that it really is covered under our insurance. In the end we don't want another, we want this one so it doesn't matter who fixes it, as long as there's coverage to do it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doodlebug....Cherie 461 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 You got it, Pam. Praying now!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
campingpixi 11 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Okay pam prayers are sent!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Prayers and Pixie Dust.Did you ever catch that rodent thing? How do we keep it from messing up the repairs? Am I sending you a cat? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rdancemom... Pam 113 Posted February 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 LOL That's part of my prayer... that the rv dealer finds him and strings him up by his... well you get the idea. We'll have to park it in another part of the yard and I guess we'll be using every rodent repellant known to man by the time it's over. When I talked to the dealer before leaving it there, the servce guy said catching it was no big deal, they'd get him if we didn't.Now I'm second guessing everything. DH said the mechanic who called last said after the adjuster gives them the go-ahead they'll be hooking up the water & power... water??? WTF? How can they look at nearly every visible water line chewed and even think about turning on the water to test it? Suddenly I'm even more nervous than before... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
campingpixi 11 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 oh geeze that does sound a little stupid!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Maybe they mean they have the go ahead to use the water AFTER they make repairs to check for leaks? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tigger 33 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 More than likely they will use air to pressurize the system after replacing any obvious damage.At least that's the way they should do it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tigger 33 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 More than likely they will use compressed air after they fix all the obvious damage. As for your squirrel problems how is he gettin in? I'm not sure what the under belly material is on your unit but if that's how he is gettin in you might want to talk to the people fixing it about installing aluminium sheets on the bottom while they are workin on it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Pam, what dealer is it at? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
campingpixi 11 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I think she has it at this place http://www.beckleysrvs.com/ cause it's the only one near the pie buffet :heartsmiley: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doodlebug....Cherie 461 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I think she has it at this place http://www.beckleysrvs.com/ cause it's the only one near the pie buffet :heartsmiley: :rofl2: :rofl3: :heartsmiley: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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