Series insurance value

[slorocco]

Ok to make a long story short, my wife was hit head on this afternoon in the 81 Ser III 88. Everyone is ok no injuries. The little suzuki car that hit her is probably totaled. Speed was about 25 mph. The 88 got damage to the front bumper, left front wing and lights and the a-bar with off road lights that was mounted on top of the bumper.

I'm curious about valuation of the 88. Hoping the insurance company doesn't do something stupid like try to total the rover. This is a very clean 88 with a Marsland Galvy chassis, all new interior seats, new tires, a decent paint job etc.

So... how to ensure they insurance company gets an accurate or realistic value.

Second question is where should I sent them for parts. My first resource would be to sent them to our hosts but to be perfectly honest, I don't like the idea of plastic outer wing skins on my rover, and some parts are listed as no longer available. In my opinion plastic wing skins would de-value the truck.

To add to the complexity of working this out, wife and car are in wyoming, i'm in maryland

[Alaskan Rover]

Getting an accurate blue-book on a fairly restored series rover is rather difficult because it is so subjective. Series Rovers, like Unimogs and HMMWVs are really in a class completely by themselves when it comes to comparison with mere SUVs. In terms of ruggedness and longevity they are superior to nearly any 4 x4 built...anywhere. They are far superior to the following vehicles: Toyota Land-Cruiser FJ-40s, late sixties Ford Broncos, International Scouts and Jeep CJs and Wranglers, and the host of sundry standard, run-of-the-mill SUVs that populate the roadways. In my opinion they are equal to Unimogs and HMMWVs in ruggedness.

And yet valuations of Series rovers continue to run the gamut....mostly due to lack of knowledge about the make. I've seen them go for as little as $1200 for one that was actually a really good runner with straight body/frame (RIDICULOUSLY low...a robbery!) all the way to $87,000 for a fully restored 100 point Pebble Beach Concours mid-sixties shortwheelbase (sold to a Saudi prince).

I have no idea what equipment your rover has nor really anything else to go besides the new Marsland galvi frame.

Here's what I'd do, then: Go to Ebay....type in Series III land rover, then click on "Completed Auctions" to the left. This SHOULD bring up a list of past ebay series rover auctions. Find rovers that best fit your rover's condition and options package and try and get a median price of rovers in similar shape with new galvi chassis.

From many ads and rovers I've seen...IF no major dents, good paint job, refurbished interior, new tires, and mechanically sound shape....I'd say a VERY ballpark figure would be from as low as $10,000 to as high as $20,000....with optimum being around 15 K or so.

Personally, I think they should rate a lot higher than those numbers.

plastic fenders?????? I wouldn't even think of putting plastic fenders on a Series....that's nothing less than a sacrilege!!

Not sure about Wyoming, but there are quite a few places in Montana that have like a dozen Series rovers in their back fields/lots etc in various states of disrepair.....you should be able to find a clean, unbent used fender with not too much effort...same with another bumper.

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[slorocco]

Nothin fancy on this one. Hard top(not safari top), with tailgate and lift gate. Truck is in very good condition with recent paint. and restoration before I bought it last year. Has new seats all good glass and sliders. The only rust on the truck is a little rust on the steel pieces on the bottom side of the bonnet. No fancy options on it, no winch, no overdrive. bone stock 2.25 petrol motor, with weber carb conversion.

The accident was the other drivers fault. I could easily fix this thing if I were out there. My concern is that the repairs will have to be paid for by the other drivers ins company, which means an estimate from a body shop and all that nonsense.

[o2batsea]

Dan, try giving Ike at Pangolin a call. ISTR that he has a bunch of S3 wings. 2A wings, fagaddabadit. Sorry to hear of the accident. Is the truck drivable? I would be checking out the suspension and frame too, but you know to do that.

Wyoming? are you all planning on a second honeymoon to Yucca Mountain?

[slorocco]

Yeah right, second honeymoon. She lives out there now. I just hauled the 88 out there around july 4th. Truck is driveable. She had someone pull the left side of the front bumper off the tire and drove it home. Said it seemed to drive just fine. Wish the truck was not 2000 miles away.

Thanks for the tip to call Ike. I'll give him a shout.

[o2batsea]

She lives out there now. How's that working for you?
Hey you know you're like 6 hours away by road but only 2 hours by boat away from my place on the Eastern Shore.

[slorocco]

How's that working for you?
Hey you know you're like 6 hours away by road but only 2 hours by boat away from my place on the Eastern Shore.

Well you know... There's a reason we're 2000 miles apart :p

I'll have to see about a stealin a boat and making a run across some time.