Ram Daddy

I`m surprised they are offering to give you anything for "diminished value"...consider yourself lucky to get anything without a fight.

Don`t worry about a "body shop" guy taking off your bed...that`s what we do.

Like was prev. said , let the shop do the repairs they way they see fit...would you like someone showing up at your work telling you how to do your job?

It sounds like it`s at a good shop from the way they want to do the repairs.

Good luck to you.

Mocho

You mean you don't get people telling you how to do your job and breathing down your neck when your trying to work? Don't know what it is about my line of work, but everyone thinks they know what they are talking about and knows more then me, yet can't do it themselves

Grit Dog

Yeah, I'm not sure why Cromulus is so paranoid about having the truck painted. As said, I'm surprised the ins company is giving any "diminished value" payment anyway. I'd consider that my money for my time/trouble to get the truck in and repaired. It's a dent for crying out loud. Pound it out, replace the panel, whatever, paint it and be done with it.
Any decent shop will make that repair the best looking part of the truck. May have to actually dumb down their work a bit to match the factory, no extra charge orange peel!

cromulius

Just to clarify it was my insurance that said I should be compensated for diminished value not the insurance company of the person who hit my truck. That argument is about to begin.

Ram Daddy

Good luck....diminished value is the 4 letter word in the insurance world

No one want`s to admit to it...and there`s no REAL way to get a realistic number. If a veh. has some minor damage and is repaired correctly , who says just how much (if any) less it`s worth than the same veh. that`s had NO damage?

Now major repairs , and shoddy repairs are a different story. It`s still hard to come up with hard numbers , but it`d definately going to be worth less than a non-wrecked veh. , but who says how much? There is no magic number.

I do hope it all works out for you....

cromulius

Just to keep everyone posted here is where im at. I am going to take the truck in next Monday just because I have not had time. But I insisted on an hd truck for a rental and told them I will most likely be hauling a trailer to the dump and loading the bed with misc items. The insurance agreed that I am intitiled to a diminished value payment and that we will appraise for an amount as soon as repairs are made. I found there are independent companies out there that do just that so I may consult them if I think the insurance is low balling. I know I would rather be buying a pristine truck opposed to one that had been repaired. I'll let everyone know how this pans out incase someone else comes to this same situation and thanks again for the advise guys.

cromulius

Now that my truck is in the shop they gave me a short bed 4x4 6.7 to use in the meantime. First impression is under hood looks a little scary to try to work on compared to my 5.9 and the trans slows you down a bit when you let off the go pedal which is good for towing but not good for mpg empty. It is faster but mine is a long bed and alway has a toolbox and grill guard along with misc. amount of tools in the box.

Mocho

I will tell you right the 6.7 auto tranny SUCKS. With tow/haul on, and EB brake coasting to a stop the truck downshifts and jerks so hard with a trailer behind. I absolutely cannot stand it. It's still an auto that has NO clue what gear it should be in

Trust me, it's not an "upgrade" your 5.9 is a lot better

cromulius

Ya there is no way I am trading my 5.9 for the emmision packed 6.7. On a side note I did notice and notify the repair shop and the insurance adjuster that the bed appeared to be pushed in compared to the other side being flush with the cab. This was the area that the insurance appraiser removed the visible damage with the rubbing compound. Does anyone know if it can be bent out or will they have to get a new bed?

cromulius

Here is an update if anyone has some advise on this one. Before they removed the bed the body shop showed me how the whole bed was set probably a 1/2" toward the passenger side from when the guys put the b,w in. I am debating whether to just pretend I did not kow this and leave it alone or remove the b,w and put a plate gooseneck over it and have the boday shop put the bed where it is supposed to be. The body shop seemed to think they did have to remove the bed for the b,w install and now that he showed me that I remided me that when you look inside the bed it is a little off center of the ribs in the floor. Any thoughts?

CD in NM

The OTHER GUYS adjuster is only taking care of the other guy, and at the cheapest level possible if they can get away with it.

If it were me, I'd take lots of pics to have them if needed at a later date, then I'd go to a Chrysler body shop and get an estimate. OEM is how your truck was BEFORE they hit it, OEM is how your truck should be after. Then go to other body shops and get estimates, make sure they understand OEM parts only. You also should be compensated for the LOSS that will now happen to your value because it was in an accident.

YOUR insurance company will work to see that you get what is due to you, they will cover the repairs, you do not need to sign off on anything other than the repairs, get an attorney to get you compensated for your other value loss if need be. Make sure you let the other side know your plans, you might be real suprised as to what they cough up then. Also, if you decide to allow them to manipulate you with their process, make sure you arrance for the ESTIMATE to be just that, an estimate, once you get things apart there may be more parts needed and they should be open-ended about a final cost until the job is done.



CD

Mocho

I have a B&W in my truck to, and you DO NOT take off the box to install it. There is no reason to touch any box mounts to install it. I would get the box put back in the factory location, how do they not know the accident didn't move the box?

Ace

Because pointing to the hitch is a more convenient explanation.

cromulius

What the guy was saying at the body shop is either way they have to remove the box to blend the paint around the back of the cab and once you put it back on it pretty much has to go where it was because the three points on the hitch(ball, safety chain hooks) will keep it from being adjusted. It would only pivot which makes sence to me. Another question for y'all is if you have a b,w is it centered on one of the ribs on the bed floor? Mine is off by I guess a 1/4" or 3/8" and that is about the same as the bed is off. I spoke to the hitch installers and he said if the bed is off from the factory then they install the hitch and it will be off center so I guess that makes sence if they do not remove the bed because otherwise I would assume they would just put the bed back on centered. So it makes sence that they did not have to remove the bed. We'll see what the bed looks like when the body shop looks like when they put it back on. I did sign the agreement saying they could use non oem parts where available and that made sence to me cause I assumed some parts are probably better aftermarket. Now they will ask me to sign something to say the works is satisfactory when they are done but I dont know if I'm comfortable with that because I probably wont see every little thing if the initial inspection.

rockcrawler304

Make sure to look at it in good sun light and take a friend or two with you to go over it. Every extra set of eyes will help.