[JRMyntz]

It was a sad day at the shop today when I raised my car in the air to find three minor dents in the aluminum floor pan on the passenger side, approximately right underneath the seat. To my knowledge from searching on the forums.. no matter the damage done to this area its considered a total loss since you have to replace the entire tub. I checked with my insurance (Victoria Insurance Group) to find out all the facts and numbers to determine whether or not its worth me making the claim for it since the vehicle isnt hindered in any way (still in alignment) and perfectly driveable, the damage is purely aesthetic.

The insurance company informs me that they disregard the NADA guide as a price point for determining value on the vehicle.. and go with a general market value replacement. My vehicle is a 2005 Laser Blue Lotus Elise, with some upgrades (which apparently can help raise the value), and 31k roughly on the clock. I'm wondering if anyone has gone through this process with a close enough case to mine that I would be able to determine what the value is that they are going to find.

Also, I am interested in knowing what the salvage value is worth. I would want to repurchase the car since its in perfectly fine condition sans the dents in the floor pan. So I would need that value to see how much I would deduct from the replacement value to determine the pocketed difference.

Hopefully someone else has experience with this and can point me in the right direction. If I start a claim to let them determine the numbers.. if its an insufficient amount than I have the option to back out.. however even starting the claim raises my rates up another 350 a half. Any advice is appreciated, thank you very much.

 

[shadowhusky]

I am pretty certain that with the damage being where you said it was it will not be a total loss.

 

[4380r]

I am pretty certain that with the damage being where you said it was it will not be a total loss.

+1. If as you describe...not only is this NOT a total loss, it's not a loss at all. My guess is that many of these cars are running around with minor dings and dents on the underbelly that in no way compromises structure, functionality, or safety.

 

[Demonized]

Might be able to get lost value from insurance, but I don't believe it should be considered totaled if the tub is not punctured.

 

[JRMyntz]

Ill bring the vehicle to work tommorow, put it up on the lift and snap shots. One dent is about 4 inches away from the mid jack point. If the underbelly tray is replaceable.. how much labor and parts cost would be involved in such a procedure. If a vehicle had a comprehensive claim from a rock putting a dent into the from clam.. rear boot.. any aesthetic piece the insurance would pick up the bill to have the part replaced. I don't see how an insurance company can say "we see your vehicle is damaged, but we are just going to leave the dents there and refuse to reimburse or repair." The only way that would make sense is if they did do a loss in value pay out. For me I would want this taken care of, as the dents werent previously there, and although arent visable from normal views.. are always in the back of my head.

 

[4380r]

Ill bring the vehicle to work tommorow, put it up on the lift and snap shots. One dent is about 4 inches away from the mid jack point. If the underbelly tray is replaceable.. how much labor and parts cost would be involved in such a procedure. If a vehicle had a comprehensive claim from a rock putting a dent into the from clam.. rear boot.. any aesthetic piece the insurance would pick up the bill to have the part replaced. I don't see how an insurance company can say "we see your vehicle is damaged, but we are just going to leave the dents there and refuse to reimburse or repair." The only way that would make sense is if they did do a loss in value pay out. For me I would want this taken care of, as the dents werent previously there, and although arent visable from normal views.. are always in the back of my head.

Would love to see the pix.

If you are planning on replacing the tub and/or the car every time you get a ding or a dent in the undertray, you're constantly going to be replacing your car. Truly, an awful lot of these cars have inconsequential dings and dents in that soft aluminum that do not rise to the level of damage Lotus refers to in writing off the chassis as requiring total replacement. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who has owned their car for any length of time that hasn't heard a stone or stick hit the tub at one time or another...sometimes leaving a mark, sometimes not.

If you look at it more from a serviceability for use intended perspective as opposed to aesthetic condition, this really is a non issue as you've described the 'damage.' A body panel is supposed to not just cover components, provide structure, BUT it's also supposed to have a certain aesthetic style and hold paint....that's why you get body work done after an accident.

An exposed surface 4 inches from the road that by design doesn't need to look good, simply function by way of structure, rigidity, alignment and safety is fully compliant with its intended purpose even with a little dent in it.

I think if I presented a claim like this to any of the insurance companies I've ever dealt with, they'd look at me like I had two heads. And if I pressed the issue for a claim, no doubt I'd wind up being dropped afterwards or see my premiums go way up.

That's something I'd be considering. It's not like this is an accident caused by another party whose insurance is going to pay, this is YOUR insurance company paying, and one way or another they will get their money back out of you.

let's see the pix!

 

[MotoGeek]

Carfax lists a $7 or $8k (don't remember exactly) deduction for having a salvage title on an 05. If the insurance company totals your car and gives you $27k, you probably don't want to buy it back for more than $20k or so.

 

[Savet]

Dumb question, but if puncturing the tub is considered a total loss....how/why do people drill the tub for things like shifter reinforcement, seat brackets, etc?

 

[lotus1day]

yeah, I would like to see those minor dents too. Difficult to imagine what kind of "dent" can transform car to salvage car. is not it floor pans function to get dents and scratches in order to protect more vital parts of the car?
pictures please.

 

[Mr.C]

I'd just forget about the dents and keep driving based on your description :shrug:
Personally I would even keep my car even if it had a small hole in the tub.
But then I also don't plan on ever selling it but to keep it until it falls apart - or a tire wall ends it's life prematurely.

 

[brgelise]

Is this post for real. I think we have an OCD member here. If you were buying a garage queen, start new, wrap it in bubble wrap and pray. These things sit on the ground! There is zero affect on the car, if that paranoid, see a dent puller to "fix " that which keeps you up at night. That would be what is done to many other "minor repairs on metal panels.:thwack:

 

[jlj3394]

If you really want to make a claim, simply write a letter to your insurer. Fax it and scan/email it so you have documentation and they know you have documentation.

Include the owner's manual and the pictures of the damage. If they deny you, make sure that you're sending a copy of their denial to your closest relative/personal injury lawyer, so they know who to sue if you're in an accident and killed.

They agreed to insure a car whose manufacturer says "damage to the tub = new tub." They agreed to Lotus' terms on that.

 

[rwbronco]

pics of the "dents?"