One of my cars, basically destroyed.

[Carmine]

I'm going to be lazy and re-post what I've already written on a Ramcharger-specific website. However, glad to answer any questions here, and still looking for the help in finding other examples. As you might imagine, this has eaten time from my '66 Imperial project. :rant:

----------------

OK, I confess I haven't done a of of posting here. Quite honestly I don't post much on the internet at all anymore... But I'm hoping I'll get some sympathy by the end of this post. Let me make up for some of that by posting what I've done in the past year:

Pulled out the whole interior and cleaned it. Looked/smelled like new when done.

Got vanity tags and made up a fake license plate frame/front plate.

Had the whole thing "oil-coated" for the winter.

Otherwise the plan was just to enjoy the thing as my stock driver/cruise night vehicle. Which is what I did...

Both my wife and I took quite a liking to this thing. For cheap entertainment we'd park within sight at a restaurant and watch people get out their cell phone cameras. I'm sure it's been posted on car websites and FB quite a few times.

Then tragedy struck...

 

[Carmine]

In early April, it was struck (while parked) by a senior woman texting-and-driving, (then panicing and using the accelerator as a brake pedal) after she bounced off another car. She left the road entirely and traveled a good 200' at full throttle before hitting it right between the axles. She was driving a 2014 Buick Enclave, a good-sized truck in its own right. She survived but is still in the hospital last I heard. She could have killed God only knows who as she drove over the sidewalk and over the grass.

Last summer, the Bing camera even captured it parked in the exact spot where it was hit at my wife's work. Ironically, in a spot where no one could park next to it and bang their doors on it. This picture gives you some idea how far the Buick SUV traveled before impacting.

Here are some aftermath photos...

The impact was so hard, it pushed the truck over the curb and about 20' through some soft earth.

This aint gonna buff out.

Shattered glass hit the driver's side interior so hard as to lodge shards into the vinyl door panels and even window tint film.

 

[Carmine]

(As you may have noticed, I have a lot of other Mopar stuff around the house)

So here's where the help part comes in... As you might imagine, I'm now dealing with HER insurance company.

Because it was struck while legally parked, the loss is covered by HER property damage coverage rather than being treated as a motor vehicle, as it would have been if on a roadway.

Their first response was to value it as a "Durango" since that's the closest vehicle, in terms of function, in their opinion. Which is a fairly BS response because a $1500 K-car does the same basic job as a $60,000 Chrysler 300, so if that's their basis for value they can blow it out their ____. However, I will say their valuation of $5k isn't completely insane. I'm not looking to get-rich, just recover what would be necessary to replace it with another MexiRC of similar condition (excellent after much suspension work and other repairs I performed).

What I feel I need to make my case are two things...

1) Show that these trucks while uncommon, ARE available in the US. I have a few Craigslist ads already, but if anyone could direct my to other sources, websites, etc. it would be appreciated. I'll take screen captures and use them to show that I CAN buy another 99-01 RC in the US, so no need to offer me a "Durango" as a comparable.

2) Of course anything that may give an indication of value. For example there is a '00 RC on Craigs California for $3900, but it's a piece of crap compared to mine, then add another $1500 to ship to Michigan. I think $8500 is a pretty fair valuation, and in fact I just saw one in Colorado at that price, (near identical to mine) but forgot to screen capture it before it sold.

So anything you guys could turn up in searches would be much appreciated. :13:

 

[LocuMob]

That totally blows. Most stories involving insurance companies never sound too good for the victim. Good luck with your search for a replacement.

 

[commando1]

Holy S $#@! I never knew such a vehicle existed!
Man, I really feel your anger. I'd be besides myself.
I'll do some local searches for you.

 

[MarPar]

Holy S $#@! I never knew such a vehicle existed!
Man, I really feel your anger. I'd be besides myself.
I'll do some local searches for you.

ha! tell me about it! I took a triple take to make sure it wasn't a photochop. lol

G*****N shame what they did to the MexiRC.

regarding the insurance claim, you could subrogate it; if the woman's ins company doesn't give you a satisfactory settlement, call your agent and he'll turn the claim over to your ins carrier. you pay your deductible upfront, they go after her ins company and negotiate a settlement. you can agree to it, or reject it and they keep dancing. once the claim is finally settled, your ins company pays you back your deductible plus the settlement.

good luck, let us know what happens!! ccasion14:

 

[thrashingcows]

I've known about those MexiRC for many years...and I have lusted for one! That looked like a really clean example you had there.

As for insurance companies...we had a trip to Hawaii planed last year. Booked almost 6 months before my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Had trip cancellation insurance....well they claimed we were not eligible since my fathers condition was "pre-existing"! We are attempting to sue them now. But those friggin insurance companies are just ignorant and heartless. Hope things go well for you.

 

[cm23uoc]

They only Show their " heart " if their arrogance is dragged into the lime light of Publicity.

 

[65 500]

Damn that sucks ! I didn't know those existed either. Good luck dealing with the low-life insurance adjuster.
I'd say that people that text and drive need a bullet, but I might not be allowed to say that here, so I won't.

 

[newmexguy]

Assume you have been scanning craigslist in San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso, Laredo, Brownsville, etc. All close to the border. (within a few hundred miles in the case of Phx and Tuc)
Do know a guy who is a manager at a truck accessory place in downtown El Paso. could ask him to keep his ears/eyes open. He is an enthusiast, and is always looking for projects.

 

[Carmine]

Assume you have been scanning craigslist in San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso, Laredo, Brownsville, etc. All close to the border. (within a few hundred miles in the case of Phx and Tuc) Do know a guy who is a manager at a truck accessory place in downtown El Paso. could ask him to keep his ears/eyes open. He is an enthusiast, and is always looking for projects.

That's pretty much what I've done. However, if anyone has a good nationwide search method they'd like to share, I'm all ears. Its's tough because they get listed so many ways. Dodge ram, Ramcharger, ram charger, and then there are the ads entirely in Spanish...

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Apparently they don't have State Farm otherwise the would have to you it was your wife's fault for parking there they are like trying to reason with a 2 year old they just deny deny deny then start weasling.

 

[67Monaco]

Couple quickies.

http://dodgeramchargerforsale.com/2000-dodge-ramcharger/

http://dodgeramchargerforsale.com/2000-360-los-angeles-ca/

 

[cm23uoc]

Apparently they don't have State Farm otherwise the would have to you it was your wife's fault for parking there they are like trying to reason with a 2 year old they just deny deny deny then start weasling.

[video]http://bundy-online.blogspot.com/2013/01/no-chicken-no-check.html[/video]

Wich reminds me of the Al Bundy Episode: No chicken no check.

 

[MarPar]

That's pretty much what I've done. However, if anyone has a good nationwide search method they'd like to share, I'm all ears. Its's tough because they get listed so many ways. Dodge ram, Ramcharger, ram charger, and then there are the ads entirely in Spanish...

try http://www.searchtempest.com/

 

[Carmine]

Thanks for those search links, I was able to find a second (beater) example for sale. That helps because I'm looking to establish that these SUVs are rare, but there are examples available at any given time... And thus I will not accept the value of some sh__beater Durango.

Will keep you posted how it turns out. It is good if we all know our rights... I recall being a kid on a schoolbus circa 1988 and there was a decent, but not perfect-looking '72 Newport coupe parked in the neighborhood we ran through. One day it reappeared with brand new paint, tires and a vinyl top. Looked like new.

Then about two weeks later, it was halfway up the lawn after being legally parked on the street. Some drunk scumbag blasted it... I can only hope he ate his own steering wheel.

 

[commando1]

The best part about this posting is that I learned about these Mexi-rangos. Fascinating.

 

[68plymouth383]

Up until just a few years ago they were still building the original VOLKSWAGEN bug in Mexico. You couldn't tell them apart. You don't know whether your looking at a 68 or a 2008.......

 

[Carmine]

The best part about this posting is that I learned about these Mexi-rangos. Fascinating.

Dear sir, I take offense at the "durango" portion of your comment. This is indeed based upon a full-size Dodge truck, not the mid-size Dako-rango. Yes there is a similarity about the tail lights because the tailgate matches the mini-van profile (as does the Durango), however the tail lights are wider (to accommodate the additional width of the body vs. a minivan or Durango) and they include an amber portion, per Mexican regulations. Outside of the usual drivetrain parts, there are no Durango parts in this truck.

Harrumph.

 

[commando1]

Dear sir, I take offense at the "durango" portion of your comment. This is indeed based upon a full-size Dodge truck, not the mid-size Dako-rango. Yes there is a similarity about the tail lights because the tailgate matches the mini-van profile (as does the Durango), however the tail lights are wider (to accommodate the additional width of the body vs. a minivan or Durango) and they include an amber portion, per Mexican regulations. Outside of the usual drivetrain parts, there are no Durango parts in this truck.

Harrumph.

I sincerely apologise.