Sob Story - 21' JLUD Rubicon

[needajeep]

Hi all,

Warning - this is partly a cathartic exercise and partly looking for feedback and venting. Feel free to bash me or support me as you see fit. So let's begin. I've been in a Jeep Wrangler-related nightmare for the past 5 months. I joined the JL Forum over a year ago to do my research and subsequently agonized over the trim and color for months (2021' Rubicon JLU Diesel in granite crystal metallic). Even leasing another car thinking I wasn't ready for a Jeep yet only to hate the car and dump it at a huge loss to order my Jeep. Thanks to you guys and this forum I got a great deal from Gupton Motors in TN (Dan Gupton is a prince). To say the least, I was thrilled. I received my Jeep on Friday, June 11th put 100 miles on it only to get into what I thought was a minor accident on June 14th, and haven't seen it for one second since.

The initial superficial inspection showed the Jeep would need a new steel bumper, frame ends, and they would repair and repaint the slightly out of shape right fender, hood, and 'anything else they find'. I'll spare you the excruciating details on how many times the collision shop promised the car would be ready in 3 weeks, then 3.5 more weeks, then 4 more weeks, etc. For some reason that I'll never understand (please fill me in if you know why) the collision shop has taken the Jeep apart in multiple small stages vs. doing a deep dive upfront to discover all needed repairs. The bottom line is after 3 months of BS'ing me that they've ordered all parts (which were of course all back-ordered due to COVID) they've decided that I needed a new frame because despite their best efforts over 3 months they could not fully straighten it. Why order and wait for back-ordered and very expensive "frame ends" if you couldn't straighten the frame, to begin with? Lastly, after ordering a brand new OEM frame and waiting 6+ weeks to receive it, they've now informed me that they've found two new parts that need replacing that are back-ordered (battery tray and motor mount - they should've discovered this during their initial teardown). So I'll be lucky to see the jeep again by January (7 months w/o my Jeep). Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this story and the bullets below. Thanks if you've read this far.

Random Thoughts:

• I know this is first-world problems and I should be grateful I can afford a Wrangler and weather something like this (still very angry).
• I feel like this is no longer my Jeep and do not want it back under any circumstances (it's been rotting in a parking lot for months and will have a frame swap after 120 miles on the OD).
• Any thoughts on the diminished value after this accident? I'm seriously considering selling it immediately if the insurance company won't total it. Aside from telling me how stupid that would be feel free to let me what you think. I got it for 8% below the invoice so I'm hoping that will mitigate some of the potential loss, but I haven't looked into it yet.
• Any thoughts on if I have any legal recourse with my insurance company (I have a lawyer looking into it - not holding my breath)? They won't total the Jeep because it's still too valuable vs the amount of damage.
• Any realistic suggestions on what to do? And I won't take a shockingly expensive Wrangler and turn it into a built-up rock crawler. It was supposed to be a daily for at least 1-2 years.

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[Newbalewb]

I’m not sure totaling it would be an option now if the collision shop has been slowly repairing it? Not sure about that but do you know how much the bill has crept up to? Typically needs to be around 75% of value. If you end up keeping it, diminished value would definitely be worth looking into. Sorry you’re going through this, better days are ahead!

 

[Creeker]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Not sure I would want a vehicle that someone has done all that disassembly and then reassemble. Doubt it would be like it was when it left the factory. IMHO, work with the insurance folks about totaling the vehicle. If that does not work, may be worth while to involve an attorney so that you get a new Jeep.

Life is too short to live with all the BS going on with repairing the Jeep and then getting back something that is not right.

 

[FloridaLarry]

Hi all,

Warning - this is partly a cathartic exercise and partly looking for feedback and venting. Feel free to bash me or support me as you see fit. So let's begin. I've been in a Jeep Wrangler-related nightmare for the past 5 months. I joined the JL Forum over a year ago to do my research and subsequently agonized over the trim and color for months (2021' Rubicon JLU Diesel in granite crystal metallic).

I'm not sure why its not being totaled. I hear a lot of Wranglers on this forum getting totaled with bent frame type accidents. The shop screwed you over by undervaluing the estimate up front, getting the insurance to play along. Even if the insurance company referred the shop, you still have the right to get you vehicle back in under 4 months. I would start with the shop manager. Tell him you need to get the car totaled. He can 're-estimate' the damage now that he got into it a bit. You may have to work something out about labor and parts he already ordered (even though that's his screw up).

 

[Cjanak21]

Had my 21’ JLUR for a week and a half since I took delivery. 1,000 miles got in an accident. Insurance told me where to bring it to body shop wise and had it towed there… didn’t like the look of the small express body shop and brought it to the Jeep dealership instead. First estimate was $6k, and a few weeks later it was $13k, and then $30k. Needed a new frame, new passenger doors, bumper, suspension. Jeep was worth $63k but I worked with the body shop manager telling them I wanted to get this thing totaled and I also called the adjuster at the insurance and explained that it needed a lot of work and it was never going to be the same again and I was concerned that having $30k worth of damage didn’t set off the airbags and I did not even want to drive it again for safety reasons. After he took that suggestion and the body shop manager recommended it be totaled it was auctioned off to a scrap yard and I got a nice check. Took about 3 months-ish from start to finish (July-October)

 

[ReimundKrohn]

I want to first say that I am very sorry for your having gone through the long wait and uncertainty of this repair. I would certainly have misgivings about the ability of the shop to properly assess the parts needing replacement vs repair to get you back behind the wheel.

With that said, I would add that insurance is supposed to cover repair and not replacement whenever possible. Forcing insurance companies to cover potential loss of value because you have been in an accident, or to buy out the vehicle you got in an accident and gift you a new one right off the hop is what increases insurance rates for EVERYONE.

Getting a vehicle in an accident sucks, it shouldn’t be a lottery win, and it seems we see a lot of posts from folks on this forum who want to treat it that way. It is unethical to ask a Bodyshop to help you defraud your insurance company by inflating costs of repair. They can lose their accreditation doing that; and ultimately their business.

Ethics. Morality. I know, old fashioned words. But they used to mean something.

 

[AcesandEights]

This isn't to rub salt in a wound, but who was at fault for the accident, and whose insurance carrier is handling the repair? Need to know because first-party or third-party makes a difference in the advice you get.

 

[Themistocles]

I want to first say that I am very sorry for your having gone through the long wait and uncertainty of this repair. I would certainly have misgivings about the ability of the shop to properly assess the parts needing replacement vs repair to get you back behind the wheel.

With that said, I would add that insurance is supposed to cover repair and not replacement whenever possible. Forcing insurance companies to cover potential loss of value because you have been in an accident, or to buy out the vehicle you got in an accident and gift you a new one right off the hop is what increases insurance rates for EVERYONE.

Getting a vehicle in an accident sucks, it shouldn’t be a lottery win, and it seems we see a lot of posts from folks on this forum who want to treat it that way. It is unethical to ask a Bodyshop to help you defraud your insurance company by inflating costs of repair. They can lose their accreditation doing that; and ultimately their business.

Ethics. Morality. I know, old fashioned words. But they used to mean something.

I think there is a difference between trying to engage the body shop in insurance fraud and standing up for your interests. A person pays insurance so that, in the event of an accident, they are only responsible for a set cost (deductible) to return the situation to status quo ante. Part of that should be the expectation of a certain level of care...not loss of vehicle for 4-months.

In this case either the body shop it purposely trying to slow role the repair and use incremental increases over sunk costs to get as much as the can without drawing a total determination from the insurance company, or the body shop is staffed by less than capable techs. Either way, the insurance company has been paid and agreed contractually to return the situation to status quo ante (that would include consideration of deprecated value...if in the policy) and the body shop has an expected level of performance. To me neither of those are being met (given the situation as originally explained). For the owner to stand up for his own interests in order to get the insurance company to meet their contractual obligation, and to demand a level of performance out of the body shop is not morally or ethically even a little bit wrong. It is, in fact exactly what he should be doing. If there are moral and ethical problems here, to me, they appear to be with both the insurance company and the body shop...not the owner.

 

[needajeep]

I’m not sure totaling it would be an option now if the collision shop has been slowly repairing it? Not sure about that but do you know how much the bill has crept up to? Typically needs to be around 75% of value. If you end up keeping it, diminished value would definitely be worth looking into. Sorry you’re going through this, better days are ahead!

Totalling is definitely a pipe dream as the original MSRP was $68K and supposed damages are approx ~$17K. I've heard of Jeep JL/JT's getting totaled for much less damage due to not being able to get parts. Although those actually had some miles on them.

 

[needajeep]

Had my 21’ JLUR for a week and a half since I took delivery. 1,000 miles got in an accident. Insurance told me where to bring it to body shop wise and had it towed there… didn’t like the look of the small express body shop and brought it to the Jeep dealership instead. First estimate was $6k, and a few weeks later it was $13k, and then $30k. Needed a new frame, new passenger doors, bumper, suspension. Jeep was worth $63k but I worked with the body shop manager telling them I wanted to get this thing totaled and I also called the adjuster at the insurance and explained that it needed a lot of work and it was never going to be the same again and I was concerned that having $30k worth of damage didn’t set off the airbags and I did not even want to drive it again for safety reasons. After he took that suggestion and the body shop manager recommended it be totaled it was auctioned off to a scrap yard and I got a nice check. Took about 3 months-ish from start to finish (July-October)

Wow! Yours is definitely worse than mine, at least from a visual standpoint. I'll let you guys know what the attorney says. Good luck with whatever you bought to replace this.

 

[needajeep]

Since you ask for our opinions, here you go:

First of all, I am very sorry to hear about your misfortune. Accidents are never fun. But “agonizing for months” over ordering GRAY? That says a lot right there.

I think you need a hobby.

Best of luck.

FYI - the agonizing was around Hydro Blue/Snazzberry/Nacho/Chief Blue. In the end, I wimped out and went with a tried and truly resalable color. Ended up not mattering at all. Point taken about needing a new hobby though!

 

[needajeep]

I want to first say that I am very sorry for your having gone through the long wait and uncertainty of this repair. I would certainly have misgivings about the ability of the shop to properly assess the parts needing replacement vs repair to get you back behind the wheel.

With that said, I would add that insurance is supposed to cover repair and not replacement whenever possible. Forcing insurance companies to cover potential loss of value because you have been in an accident, or to buy out the vehicle you got in an accident and gift you a new one right off the hop is what increases insurance rates for EVERYONE.

Getting a vehicle in an accident sucks, it shouldn’t be a lottery win, and it seems we see a lot of posts from folks on this forum who want to treat it that way. It is unethical to ask a Bodyshop to help you defraud your insurance company by inflating costs of repair. They can lose their accreditation doing that; and ultimately their business.

Ethics. Morality. I know, old fashioned words. But they used to mean something.

Agreed 100%. Although I do feel I should be compensated for everything that is out of my control e.g an incompetent collision shop, an insurance company that is content to ride the wave and not treat my case as anything other than just another typical case. No offer of additional rental car days, no offer to total the car not due to value of repairs but for the no end in sight timeline. If you can't get the parts and you're not lying about it, why not exercise some customer support and either total it or at least offer something that is actually helpful to me? I haven't had a car for 5 months with no light at the end of the tunnel. I've certainly paid for decades of insurance I haven't used.

 

[bjm00se]

I think when you finally get it back you should trade it in on a new one; not because of the damage it's been through, but because you won't be able to drive it and enjoy it without thinking of the stressful experience of getting it repaired.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

All colors on a Jeep are "resaleable". Every jeep has great resale. I cringe when I hear people justify their choice based on resale.

Anyway, What is your insurance company? And it seems that pehaps you don't have rental car coverage, as the expense of having one for so long would not be acceptable. Call your claims adjuster and explain the situation. Also, contact an attorney who deals with civil issues, not a personal injury one. Rights vary form state to state when it come to issues like this.

 

[needajeep]

I think when you finally get it back you should trade it in on a new one; not because of the damage it's been through, but because you won't be able to drive it and enjoy it without thinking of the stressful experience of getting it repaired.

We think alike.

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