Marc Mastroianni saved up all his money and bought himself a 2008 Ford Shelby Cobra. Unfortunately, while diagnosing a tranny issue, a tech working on the Shelby totaled it.

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That's it no more pictures.

There are a multitude of reasons why going to a car dealership is a hassle. One, they always try to get you to buy something you absolutely can’t afford. Two, they tend to try and stop you from leaving with shady tactics. Three, their service plans tend to be giant rip offs. And four, they’re just not that nice of places. But all in all, you generally don’t think they’re going to wreck your car. Well, turns out, one Mustang owner found out that isn’t true either.

Marc Mastroianni saved up all his money and bought himself a 2008 Ford Shelby Cobra. It was his pride and joy. He loved the car, but when a transmission issue arose, he did what any other sensible person would do and he took it into the dealer to have it checked out. However, while diagnosing the tranny issue, the tech working on the Shelby Cobra totaled it.

Thankfully, the insurance for both he and the dealer was up to date, however Marc had put more into the vehicle than what insurance paid out. It’s a sucky situation, and one that’s not going to be rectified anytime soon. Hopefully Marc and the dealership can come to some arrangement. But it just goes to show why people like the Tesla model of sales and service and why dealerships are fighting it so hard.

 

Under the law the should have to make him whole again. Tell them no to the money tell them to replace it with a like Shelby with the same mods

 

http://www.courant.com/consumer/bott...16-column.html

From February 2014.

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However, his not getting properly compensated is HIS fault/situation. Sucks, but that's the truth.

There is no way, NO WAY, that I would accept anything less than a dealership, who I trusted with my car, who then killed my car due to an accident, does not repair it or replace that rarity of an item with another just like it *of my choosing*, no questions asked, or we go to court.

Period.

Not a newer one, surely, but at least the same year, make, model. Or the replacement value thereto INCLUDING all mods.

Sounds like in the *real* article that the guy was in a bad shape, and couldn't really afford that car and his other, so his life railed him into settling rather than go on to get the proper compensation.

But that's me lookin' into it from afar and a year ago.

 

The date of the article you linked is April 16, 2015

Where do you get "a year ago" from?

 

From the article:

Emphasis mine.

So it's not only here, it's everywhere, the newest stuff happens!

It was about when this happened, not when the articles come out. Says something about how this really wasn't an issue until... now...? Why now?

Anyway, movin' along.

 

Gotcha

 

one bent fender totaled it !!

 

Bent rim, possible frame damage, hood may have been damaged. There could be lots of stuff that could've been done to the car, but it's hard to tell from the picture that was posted.

I agree though, that from the picture, it looks like a bashed in fender.

I wonder what the mechanic hit or what caused the accident. There in lies the rub (pun intended )

 

absolutely Brother. It should not be the risk you take leaving your car there, It should be the responsibility they have caring for your vehicle. They want your business and your Money but if something goes wrong they want to shirk the responsibility.

 

Yah, With out additional information you can't tell what else may be wrong. I also know that when the run on cars like Roushes' and Saleens' the parts run out fast. I would hope that Shelby is different.

 

This must be a trend.

http://jalopnik.com/dealership-total...eal-1498804012

 

"accidents" if it was one happens. However like a girl's wedding ring that was not just any car. When I bout my Stang in 13 I drove the dealership nuts because I did not need the car and the key word is need. All during the long discussion of price I deliberately maintained a very bored look on my face and acted like there was nothing they could say or do to change my offer. I loved being in that position. I have never taken my ride to that dealership for any service as there is another I actually like and will buy from the next time but I might go back to the first one just to antagonize and throw out a ridiculous price just to see them crawl and beg.

 

Insurance will cover it, but very unlikely any additional mods done to the car. It's unfortunate and it sucks but most people end up losing some in a situation like this.

 

Sounds like a lot of drama to me.

 

It depends on which company the owner wants to respond. If he purses first party (his collision coverage), then generally speaking, no, they probably won't pay for any mods, and rightfully so. His company's position would be that they insured a stock 2008 Shelby...period. Therefore any mods that were done would not be covered unless he had a customization endorsement which some carriers offer.

However, if he pursued third party (the dealer's insurance company) he's under no such contractural obligation with them. Therefore he should be compensated for the current market value of the car plus a depreciated value of the mods he had if they were wearable parts such as engine upgrades, suspension, brake enhancements, etc.

Before I retired last year, the last 8 years of my insurance claims career was spent as a total loss and salvage specialist, and our position was exactly that...if we insured your 2012 whatever, your total loss settlement did not include any consideration for upgrades or mods that did not come with the car to begin with. We defined by contract that anything that altered the ride height, suspension geometry, engine/trans performance, or appearance from it's factory configuration was not covered unless by endorsement.

 

Ok, That helps. Now is it correct to assume that the idea is,
you take your insurance money, Pay off the loan, get a new loan and buy another car. I think this is the way the Insurance companies , and there by the dealer, sees it.
Does that sound right Triple black??

 

That's what most people do when they total a newer car. When there is a loan on the car, the insurance company pays the finance company directly. The only check the owner would see is the balance if he/she is not upside down on the loan. That's why I'm a strong advocate of GAP insurance.

I'd like to offer a bit of friendly and professional advice to anyone who has bought, or is buying a 2015.

If your company offers it, pay the extra premium and get replacement coverage.

Here's how it works....

The typical auto policy with collision is referred to as actual cash value (ACV). It's definition is replacement cost minus depreciation. That means if you total your new car, you get what the car is worth in the used market.

Replacement cost is exactly what it says. Some companies have restrictions like the length of time or a maximum amount of mileage you accrue before replacement cost is no longer valid. The settlement is based on what a substantially similar new vehicle is selling for at a dealer.

I'll use myself as an example. I'm insured with the company from which I retired, and I have replacement cost on my 2014 GT Premium Convertible which I bought just when the 2015's were going into production. It's good for 2 years from when I put the car on the policy or 36K miles, whichever comes first. My MSRP was just under $44K, but I got back $3750 in Ford incentives plus another $3500 discount from the dealer.

If I should total the car in the next year, my company owes me a 2014 equipped as close as possible to what I have now plus NJ sales tax. However, the chances of finding a leftover 2014 like mine would be highly unlikely. In that case my company owes me the next model year Mustang optioned as close as possible. I priced one out and and a similar 2015 would cost almost $45K. That's what my company would have to settle for. It doesn't matter what I paid for the 2014. I could have paid $20,000 and the insurance company would still owe $45,000 for the 2015.

The terms of coverage vary state to state and by insurance company, but it's worth looking into. My replacement coverage sets me back an additional $25 every 6 months. It'd be a bargain at 4X that price.

Replacement cost is not offered on leased or used cars, at least not from the company I had worked for.

 

Jonathan, your ignorance is staggering. Your comment that dealerships are not nice places in general is completely ignorant. I work in the service dept for a large 2 brand dealership. There are many good people there in both service and sales that work very hard to support their families and do the right thing for the customers. Yes you have the few exceptions here and there but you can find those people at every work place, not just car dealerships. Think next time before you decide to bad mouth all dealerships. If anything small or major like that happens at our dealership we take care of it. I know how sick I would feel if anything like that happened to my 2012 GT and I would treat any of my customers the way I would expect to be treated if it happened to me.

 

Well stated Doc. I would like to add that I too work in a Service department although I service Concert Tout lighting equipment. Most would think " OK you change light bulbs" but this industry is loaded with robotics and computers so service is very import anted. That said, when you have a problem at a dealership it is not always the dealer that is the issue. it is a complexed network of corporate relationships and contracts and policies that govern how business is done. So, I say you are correct, don't just point at the dealership, sometime there hands are tied.