Book value

[VeggieBullet]

SOS here!
This is sad..
Last night we got our truck towed home.
While the tow truck was unloading our vehicle by accident it HIT the front end cap of our 1973 AS 31ft!!!!
It seems like their insurance will take care of the issue but: how can do we get an appraisal of the damage? also looking online we can find a real book value for the trailer.
Not to go against any members on the forum that are in the insurance field
But we got burned before
Any suggestions?
Will try to post pics of the damage tomorrow.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

SOS here!
This is sad..
Last night we got our truck towed home.
While the tow truck was unloading our vehicle by accident it HIT the front end cap of our 1973 AS 31ft!!!!
It seems like their insurance will take care of the issue but.
How can do we get an appraisal of the damage? also looking online we can find a real book value for the trailer.
Any suggestions?
Will try to post pics of the damage tomorrow.

Post the pictures.

We can then help you.

BUT, keep in mind that different dealers charge different prices for parts as well as labor.

It's extremely difficult to quote a price on an Airstream trailer, unless it's gone over "in person". Other wise, it's a guess.

Ball park, segments cost anywhere from $1000.00 to $1200.00 each, to replace, plus freight charges.

Andy 12.7

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Post the pictures.

We can then help you.

BUT, keep in mind that different dealers charge different prices for parts as well as labor.

It's extremely difficult to quote a price on an Airstream trailer, unless it's gone over "in person". Other wise, it's a guess.

Ball park, segments cost anywhere from $1000.00 to $1200.00 each, to replace, plus freight charges.

Andy 12.7

thanks Andy
We will be posting some pics tomorrow.
There is 2 segments damaged .
The truck hit the lower segment of the front end cap on the roadside but the impact also caused the next upper segment to bent as well.
Man this is not even funny

[perryg114]

It is worth more than Andy's Estimate. I would insist that it be put back to factory original specs which means pull the lower skins in the front and buck rivet the new panel in there. They may also be able to push out the dent in the adjacent panel. Lowball would be $5000 for that trailer and if it is in really good condition probably $10-15k. If you bought it cheap and put a lot of money into and you have proof of that they will consider that in the net worth of the unit.

Perry

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by perryg114

It is worth more than Andy's Estimate. I would insist that it be put back to factory original specs which means pull the lower skins in the front and buck rivet the new panel in there. They may also be able to push out the dent in the adjacent panel. Lowball would be $5000 for that trailer and if it is in really good condition probably $10-15k. If you bought it cheap and put a lot of money into and you have proof of that they will consider that in the net worth of the unit.

Perry

Perry.

I did not provide a "trailer estimate", but I did provide a "repair cost".

Depending on who did what to an older Airstream, it could be worth $100.00 on up to at least $100,000.00. (Movie people, etc).

Personal inspection is the only real way to establish a price on an Airstream, and then, only if the person also knows the product.

Insurance companies adjusters and/or appraisers, don't have a clue.

Andy

[perryg114]

What I was trying to say was the trailer is worth significantly more than the repair bill so it won't be totalled.

Perry

[VeggieBullet]

that's the whole part that we are trying to figure it out.
An adjuster and/or appraiser will probably use the "book Value" of the trailer to determine if the trailer will have to be totalled or not. Now where we can get that info? I couldn't find anything online. Nada goes only as far as 1978.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

that's the whole part that we are trying to figure it out.
An adjuster and/or appraiser will probably use the "book Value" of the trailer to determine if the trailer will have to be totalled or not. Now where we can get that info? I couldn't find anything online. Nada goes only as far as 1978.

All you really need to do, is to report the loss. You, at this point, don't really need to know it's value, since it will not do you any good.

You don't care where they get their information, "UNLESS" they want to total the trailer.

Then, you can ask for and get, from them, where they got their information.

With that, depending on what they say, can be challenged in many different ways.

Your responce to them, again, will be on what they do or don't do.

Having been on that side of the fence with the oldi Insurance division of Airstream, quit worrying.

Surprisingly, when an insurance claim gets difficult, is when the owner tells them "what to do", before they do anything.

See what the adjuster or appraiser says, and go from there.

Dealing with an insurance company is really easy, once you know how simple it can be.

Again, start by turning in the claim, period.

Post what happens from them.

Andy

[VeggieBullet]

These are the pics right at the moment of the accident.
Will be able to post daily pics also.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

These are the pics right at the moment of the accident.
Will be able to post daily pics also.

Check the interior for damage as well.

If so, what exactly is damaged?

Andy

[VeggieBullet]

I didn't even think about that! The space between the outside and inside skin is not that big and the possibility of interior damages is something that I did not have under consideration.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

that's the whole part that we are trying to figure it out.
An adjuster and/or appraiser will probably use the "book Value" of the trailer to determine if the trailer will have to be totalled or not. Now where we can get that info? I couldn't find anything online. Nada goes only as far as 1978.

The "book value" for our 1974 is $500. Unless you and your insurance company have an agreed value policy, anything more than about $350 will total it. You MIGHT get a little more, if you can show recent receipts for the work you've done to it.

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by overlander63

The "book value" for our 1974 is $500. Unless you and your insurance company have an agreed value policy, anything more than about $350 will total it. You MIGHT get a little more, if you can show recent receipts for the work you've done to it.

If that is the case we lose big time.
But we all know that you can't get an AS for less than 2K and most likely it will be totally gutted.
Where did you get the book value from?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

If that is the case we lose big time.
But we all know that you can't get an AS for less than 2K and most likely it will be totally gutted.
Where did you get the book value from?

Books for the older models are useless.

All you need is an "appraisel" from someone that is very experienced with Airstreams.

They all have an intrinsic value, that can be increased based on a "visual inspection".

Other than that, it's guess work at it's wildest.

Andy

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Books for the older models are useless.

All you need is an "appraisel" from someone that is very experienced with Airstreams.

They all have an intrinsic value, that can be increased based on a "visual inspection".

Other than that, it's guess work at it's wildest.

Andy

Hi Andy.
We found no internal damage on the AS.
So it seems like just the 2 panels will need to be replaced.
I'm having a hard time with our local dealer to get an estimate without towing it there and we currently don't have a towing vehicle.
Any estimates of how many hours of labor on replacing them?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

Hi Andy.
We found no internal damage on the AS.
So it seems like just the 2 panels will need to be replaced.
I'm having a hard time with our local dealer to get an estimate without towing it there and we currently don't have a towing vehicle.
Any estimates of how many hours of labor on replacing them?

Any estimate that we can provide, is not going to do much good in Florida, or wherever you will have the trailer repaired.

Dealers can charge whatever they feel like, so to speak, for materials and labor. Prices are very different from different dealers.

You should find a Airstream dealer that has replaced many exterior pieces of sheet metal on an Airstream, and go from there.

After you receive an estimate, I would be happy to tell you if it's fair or not.

Again, providing an estimate without personal inspection, opens a door for challenge.

Andy

[VeggieBullet]

thanks Andy.
this is really funny because the dealer said " Airstream doesn't stock vintage trailer parts anymore, there is a dealer in California that we work with to get the parts..." and then is $120 per hour on labor.
But again they won't provide an estimate with pics only. They want us to tow the trailer there.
I understand the fact that providing a written estimate without seen the trailer it can not be accurate in a 100%.
But just wondering are we talking about 10,20 or between 30 to 40 hrs?
Have no idea about this repair in particular but I know that everything is time consuming while working on an AS so I won't be surprised if you tell me that half trailer has to come out to repair this.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

thanks Andy.
this is really funny because the dealer said " Airstream doesn't stock vintage trailer parts anymore, there is a dealer in California that we work with to get the parts..." and then is $120 per hour on labor.
But again they won't provide an estimate with pics only. They want us to tow the trailer there.
I understand the fact that providing a written estimate without seen the trailer it can not be accurate in a 100%.
But just wondering are we talking about 10,20 or between 30 to 40 hrs?
Have no idea about this repair in particular but I know that everything is time consuming while working on an AS so I won't be surprised if you tell me that half trailer has to come out to repair this.

First of all, Airstream still has all the sheet metal for your trailer, and still does back to the 1969 models.

I will provide prices to you, based on our published prices and with no guarantee because the damage was not personally inspected.

The lf quarter panel # 13, $ 350.00
The lf segment panel # 11 350.00
220 olympic rivets @.60 132.00
1 tube Vulkem sealer 9.95
Sales tax ???????
Labor total 11.5 hours @ ???????

The labor hours are listed in the Caravanner Insurance flat rate manual , that I wrote and was published and used starting in January 1970.

Keep in mind, that a dealer is free to charge his own parts prices as well as the number of labor hours, and at his labor rate, plus freight, unless he makes a huge purchase or brings the parts in a trailer from Airstream.

All of this work can be done from the outside, even if the entrance door is locked. There is no need to have access to the inside of the trailer.

Andy

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

First of all, Airstream still has all the sheet metal for your trailer, and still does back to the 1969 models.

I will provide prices to you, based on our published prices and with no guarantee because the damage was not personally inspected.

The lf quarter panel # 13, $ 350.00
The lf segment panel # 11 350.00
220 olympic rivets @.60 132.00
1 tube Vulkem sealer 9.95
Sales tax ???????
Labor total 11.5 hours @ ???????

The labor hours are listed in the Caravanner Insurance flat rate manual , that I wrote and was published and used starting in January 1970.

Keep in mind, that a dealer is free to charge his own parts prices as well as the number of labor hours, and at his labor rate, plus freight, unless he makes a huge purchase or brings the parts in a trailer from Airstream.

All of this work can be done from the outside, even if the entrance door is locked. There is no need to have access to the inside of the trailer.

Andy

Thanks again Andy.
Just wondering about the panels #.
what # the one on the bottom be? is that the #11 or #13?
Thanks

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

Thanks again Andy.
Just wondering about the panels #.
what # the one on the bottom be? is that the #11 or #13?
Thanks

The quarter panel is on the bottom.

The segment is next to the window.

Andy