I've read this thread and have deepest condolences regarding the wreck. I have been hit from behind twice, at a complete stop at a light, in my Disco II. One time it was so hard it bent my trailer hitch (!) so badly it pointed down, and destroyed the bumper cover. No other damage. One time it broke the bumper cover. No other damage. Another Disco (not the one I've had since day 1 and still have) got hit, parked, in front of my house by a drunk Chevy pickup driver and the Disco was thrown uphill into the yard. It just needed some sheet metal, bumper, lights, steering links and grill. It didn't lose any fluids and was immediately driveable, though the steering wheel was upside down. The pickup bled out and caught on fire as he tried to flee. I once had to push my Disco in a blinding rain storm with my pickup. The pickup lined up with the Disco spare tire. Ugh. It bent my pickup bumper, badly. Disco was unharmed even though it was being pushed, uphill, by the back door. I saw one leave the highway (we were at a stop, and he wasn't paying attention) on a rainy day, travel down a steep median, JUMP the access road, and come to a stop in a creek. At least 200 yards of slipping and sliding, sometimes sliding sideways on a steep decline, at a fast enough speed to literally jump a two Lane road like the Dukes of Hazard. I prepared to go help when I saw him backing out of the creek. He calmly drove back up to the access road though I'm sure his shorts were brown.

Our trucks fare poorly in modern crash tests because the frame is so stout. Disco I's have an even stouter frame. As long as you don't run into a concrete column they tend to inflict more punishment than they receive.

I hope you get yours fixed or get another. Safe vehicles. Your accident proves it, again.

 

Yeah I swear by older 87-04 Land Rover's! Sure they're quirky, but when the poo hits the fan being inside one is a rather safe place to be.

I put a lot of time into that D1 getting it all mint condition inside, and heck I just installed an ARB bumper on the front last weekend. I looked at some D1's for sale around here on CL and OMG 4K for a trashed interior, beat up exterior. Mine is nothing like that! I'll keep mine and just park it in the garage facing out, and go sit in it's museum quality interior and drink a cup of tea vs seeing it tossed to the wolves at some local pick n pull lol.

If they total it I will of coarse buy it back, but we'll have to see what goes on in the next few days. I'm preparing for the worse....

 

Alot of people who buy them now buy them as a beater. Ruins the brand.

I sure hope yours makes it.

 

Yeah I do see a lot of beaters on CL for 4K...

Sure don't mean to be derailing this thread, but I got a quote for 4300.00 to fix it.... Of coarse the body shop was using LR Dealership prices. I told em about Atlantic British, and Rover's North, but they didn't really listen to me on that.

So not really looking good as of right now. After everyone took pics I drove it home and removed the rear bumper as it's still my vehicle, and the only frame damage I have is one of the bumper mounts is bent. Besides that nothing else is damaged. I will buy it back if they go the totaled route, but I will fight em tooth n nail over the salvage title crap as it's not that it can't be fixed, but more that they just don't want to put the $$$$ into it to fix it. We all pay insurance and by dang I haven't had an issue in nearly 20 years, not to mention this wasn't even my fault, so I think they can pay 4300.00 to fix my darn LR so that I can pass this great vehicle onto my daughter and maybe even her kids some day!

 

"but I will fight em tooth n nail over the salvage title crap"


I do not believe you will have any say over that. I went through this with my daughters car. The process is dictated by federal law. If the car is "totaled" it forever carries a salvage title. Good luck with it, but don't be disappointed if they will not issue a non salvage title, once they have issued a check for repair. It is a fraud prevention issue.

 

I know the law varies by State, but when you get the insurance estimate you should tell the rep. that you want to buy it, and ask that they deduct the purchase price from the insurance proceeds. That increases the chances of retaining your good title (because there is no change in title and it is more like a traditional repair claim). That may or may not work, depending on the company.

"The amount of damage needed to declare a vehicle a total loss varies by state law, and ranges from 50 percent to 95 percent of the car’s value. In “total loss” states, each insurer decides when to declare a total loss."

I know it is both a safety and an economic issue, but on older cars (Discos) and yours in particular, it is probably, usually, an economic one.

Of course, that won't help the carfax report.... but you are planning to keep it anyway.

AFAIK, insuring a salvage titled car can be more expensive and the payout less...

 

Just want to be sure I am getting this straight...

I am driving down the road, come to a stop and get rear-ended. We determine the other driver is 100% at fault. I go to a repair shop and get an estimate for damages. Total comes out to $4000 in parts/labor. (hypothetical).

My understanding is the other driver's insurance simply cuts me a check for $4000. Period. No ifs ands or buts.

From what I read, these posts make it sound like, if my car's value is only $3500, then the repairs are more than the car and they'll want to call my car totaled and I lose the title (get a new salvage title) if I accept the money?

PLEASE tell me that is not so. Regardless of what my car is worth, if another driver hits me, they should simply pay me to restore the car to it's original condition, regardless of value.

 

Sadly that's the way it works.

No insurance company cares that your vehicle has safely transported you and your family for a decade or more, been lovingly waxed, had thousands in parts put on it, or whatever. They say just get another car.

 

Charlie, so you are saying that if the cost of repairs is more than the vehicle worth, they only pay up to the vehicle worth? Ok, fine. But if the car value is low, like $4,000 and you happen to need $4000 in repairs, you can't collect the $4k without calling the car a total loss? Seems odd that if a car is worth $1000 and you bust a $1000 HID headlamp, obviously the car is not totaled. Would that force a salvage title?

 

It depends on the State but yes, generally. That's why it is so absurd and why I fear ever being hit. Then if you bought that car from the insurance company for salvage value it would be worthless to anyone but you, unless they believed your story, I guess.

Here is a good explanation.