1998 4Runner SR5 totaled. Did I get a fair settlement?

E

Eligain

New member
My 1998 4Runner SR5 in excellent condition with low low miles was totaled by a driver running a red light. After some haggling, the insurance's settlement offer for my car is $11,170. It was in excellent condition with only 35000 miles on it! It's the SR5 model with all the premium options. Does that sound like a fair offer for my 4Runner in the condition it was in for a 1998 with only 35000 miles on it?
 
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That would be an amazing price if it had more miles. I think you would be hard pressed to replace it at all, but colorado prices seem higher than elsewhere.

You could get a really nice 3rd gen for that, but it would have more miles. Sorry for your loss. I'm really attached to me 3rd gen.
 
Me personally I would argue and try and get a little more. It's not your fault they ran the light and destroyed your car. They should pay, that's my opinion on it. You're going to have a very hard time replacing your truck with one that's almost exactly the same.
 
Unner said:
Me personally I would argue and try and get a little more. It's not your fault they ran the light and destroyed your car. They should pay, that's my opinion on it. You're going to have a very hard time replacing your truck with one that's almost exactly the same.
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Their first offer was only $7200! That is an average of the various "book" values adjusted for the low milage. The next offer from them was $9800 using comparables for sale in my area. Now they are up to the $11,170 that they got with comarables and they are now not budging. They are saying that this is their final offer.
 
You could always tell them that you want them to find a comparable for sale with the similar mileage and condition, buy it themselves and deliver it to you. Your time is worth money, having to shop around compare, etc.. I doubt they could find one and then you push for extra given that fact. Your well beyond the small claims limits so threatening a law suit is not to your advantage. Best of luck and sorry for the loss.
 
That sound about right to me. You could argue that the truck was rare with that few miles on it, but they're going to just tell you you should have had agreed value insurance on it that would have covered the difference in book value and what you felt it was worth.

You might be able to beat them upon for another grand or so, but I'd say you're getting pretty close to the upper limit for a 17 year old SUV that was produced in large quantities, even if it was in mint condition.
 
That is a very good pay out in my opinion. I totaled my first 4runner about 3 years ago. It was a 97 with only 115,000 miles on it and I got around $7000 for it. I paid $6800 for it so I was happy. Granted, it was not in very good condition for the mileage. I bought my current 4runner with 180,000 miles on it and it was in way better shape, both mechanically and cosmetically, than my first one.

Im sorry for your loss though. I don't think I've ever heard of a 3rd gen 4runner with that few miles before.
 
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take it and get a nice one with a few more miles on it, and either save the rest of the money for gas or go all out on tires a lift and armor.
 
My my. I just totaled my 97 with 163k and they gave me $7k less other things. I bought it for $6500 4 years ago with 122k. These are the trucks to own.sorry for your loss, glad you're okay. F the abs, but find me a safer, more affordable, long lasting vehicle? Found a cl. Deal for $6k wit 158k that is not nearly as nice as what I had( lift, scratches, wrecked, & a dog carrier). See if you can buy that back
 
Post some pictures. How bad was the wreck? I inherited my grandpa's truck and it was totaled in a fire. I always regret not keeping it and fixing it.
 
JBurt said:
Post some pictures. How bad was the wreck? I inherited my grandpa's truck and it was totaled in a fire. I always regret not keeping it and fixing it.
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It's completely totaled. I was T-boned by a SUV that ran a red light. Frame is completely bent, axel broken.
 
BrianSD_42 said:
Take it. I think that's really high.
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I agree. Just my opinion and what I've seen and gotten for the accidents I have been in, that seems very reasonable. Two things I'm thinking here, you said your grandparents 'gave' it to you, so not to say you should just lay down and take what the insurance co offers but I think you fought enough for it. Also, I'd say you're about 90% of what you should get for it. You're going to go through hell and back to get the other 10% and that is justice for you and your grandparents, however, somethings in life just aren't worth the hassle. You'll be ripping your hair out by the end of this if you go for the rest of the money you think it's worth.
 
bummer

it sucks, especially since you got it from your grandparents... but you are ok, that's the main thing, the truck did it's job.

what's steve miller's line? "go on take the money and run!"
 
JoeBand said:
you are ok, that's the main thing, the truck did it's job.
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I meant to also mention this. A lot of us take this for granted until we get older and realize how dumb stuff we did as teens was (that is completely unrelated since this was not your fault). Just saying, it could have gone a lot worse.

JoeBand said:
what's steve miller's line? "go on take the money and run!"
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Oh the memories of this song. I haven't listened to it in a long long time. Am I the only one that tries to clap at the same time as the song?
 
Something else is you could buy it back. Someone might pay good money for an engine and transmission with so few miles
 
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