digitalwanderer

I am just besides my self right now pissed off after spending way too long on the phone with the insurance company/Nissan dealer. My wife had a spin-out and hit the curb during a snowstorm a couple of weeks and a half ago and they STILL haven't ordered the parts to repair it yet!

The problem is the front wheels. Both were scraped up on a curb in the accident. The original estimate was to replace both of them, but now the insurance company is only offering to pay for repairs to the wheels.

I'm not comfortable with that, I just don't see how you could "repair" them as good as the original. I can't see the balance ever being quite right again.

Anyways, it's $127 per wheel for the repair job as covered by the insurance and if we want new ones Nissan is saying it's $800 per wheel....but I've found one already for only $345.

The help bit I'm looking for; am I just being an *** about not wanting a refurb and wanting new wheels? I'm not usually this picky, but this is my wife's Z we're talking about!

Also, if anyone has any recomends for cheaper wheels please post...it'll be much appreciated.

(Sorry I haven't posted here in a while, I've just been having fun and busy...hope all are well. )

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Ask the insurance company if the will settle for a cash payment. If yes, take the cash and do what you wish.

digitalwanderer

That's where I'm at right now. The insurance company is basically saying they'll pay for $126 for each one, I just gotta find some wheels now.

Unfortunately the rest of the repairs are dependant on getting the front wheels since they'll need the new wheels on it to align it, and it's already been in the shop for almost 3 weeks and I am SICK TO DEATH of walking the kids to/from school 'cause my wife has to steal my Pathfinder to go to work in.

<sigh>

I know I'm whiney and I'm sorry, I really do appreciate the help and input...It's just that I wasted most of my morning getting aggravated on the telephone with people about this and I feel like I'm boxed in under a time pressure to get this done.

</sigh>

F-word it, I should just go buy a bloody beater this afternoon so I have some wheels and quit worrying about how long it takes to fix the Z. We were planning on picking up a third vehicle this summer anyways so the Z can ride out the winters in the garage, I've changed my mind and decided the Z ain't a good winter car.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Your responsibly is to pay insurance premiums. The responsibility of an insurance company is to frustrate and aggravate you as much as possible until you give up and throw in the towel.

BTW you can shop for OEM wheels on eBay.

Wired 24/7

iTrader: (2)

No, you're not being an ***. You should get new wheels to minimize problems with the repaired ones.

Obviously OEMs are rediculously overpriced from the dealer, but as mentioned, you can try to find them from various other sources. I think your stubbornness is that you want to find wheels for $126 each. If I were you, I'd spend a little more, get some decent quality wheels that your wife can live with. I'm not sure which oem's you're talking about - 17s or 18s. But in the case of 17s, if the tires are fine then finding same-sized decent wheels for $150 - $200 each is totally doable (and you can probably reuse the tires?)

So basically, I'd look into OEMs if you can, but if you have trouble finding them, just bite the bullet and spend a little bit more to buy other rims.

Edit +1 on buying a beater for the snow. Preferably AWD like a WRX with snow tires or something...

digitalwanderer

We're thinking of an older Jeep with a removable hardtop, my wife used to have one back in school and loved it.

My wife just got back from playing good cop with the insurance/dealership and she is now cool with the refurbs. My brain hurts.

NismoNitsuj

iTrader: (1)

Okay...I dealt with this all the time in claims.

You CAN in fact repair wheels to OEM or better spec. It's a process called reconditioning, and people do it every day. Basically, what they do is add new metal onto the damaged area, grind off the excess, polish, stress-test, and then return to you. Sometimes, it's not even your wheel that you get back, but one that may have had less damage than your did. Trust me when I tell you that what they're doing is completely legal and is not just another way to save a penny here and there.

However, their job is to indemnify you and your car. So, if they do NOT return your car to pre-accident condition with the repairs, you can THEN go after them for new wheels. And sometimes it'll get to the shop and they'll want to give you new ones if they're way bent outta shape.

Don't go for cash settlement, because if any supplementa repairs come up...and they will...your insurance company may not pay for those.

digitalwanderer

Thanks, that actually makes me feel a lot better. That's pretty much where we're at right now. Our agent allayed my wife's concern about the refurbed wheels by pointing out they were guaranteeing it to pre-crash condition, so if we were unsatisfied with the repairs we could come back later and get it taken care of since he'd have something tangible to show his company.

I just hate all the headaches, I really do.

Thanks for the info about refurbing though, I'll let y'all know how it turns out and post up some close-ups of the refurbs.

NismoNitsuj

iTrader: (1)

No problem, I was number one in customer service in my branch for just that reason. I don't like overcomplicated jargon, and neither should you.

digitalwanderer

Just got the Z back home, she's in the driveway and we're all very happy about it....


.....well, 'cept the fact that she still needs a little bodywork....






....and the wheels they "fixed" don't match the rear ones, they're the wrong color.

They're like a very rough grain metallic silver, where the rear/original ones are a very fine pewter color. Even the dealer agreed they weren't right.

I'm going to contact my insurance company next and see what the what is.

yeperra

iTrader: (1)

What insurance company do you have?

digitalwanderer

State Farm

EDITED BITS: I called their claims dept and am playing phone tag with "Team2" there. They're going to have someone in management call me back tomorrow.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Don't drive the Z in the snow with OEM tires!

digitalwanderer

Change that to "don't drive the Z in the snow!" and I'm in agreement, we're picking up a beater this summer to drive in the winter from now on and the Z gets to rest the season away in the garage.

digitalwanderer

State Farm is sending an estimator out Monday to see if I'm lying about the wheels matching, we'll see what happens after that.

digitalwanderer

Victory is sweet!

The nice State Farm inspector came out and inspected and agreed with us that it wasn't acceptable, he made some phone calls for about 15 minutes and gave me a supplement to our original estimate and had the head office cut us a check for $1,414.39 to replace our front wheels with.

Thank you so much for all the help, 'specially you NismoNitsuj. Your words really calmed and reassured me when I needed it.

I think I'm gonna go open up a new thread with all my questions about buying new rims for our Z.