My insurance company is warning me they'll pay only "actual cash value" if my 1978 244 ever gets totaled.

The thing has only 135K miles, is completely rust-free, we're the second owners, and have every service record back to 1978. It's arguably one of the best 1978 240s on the road in Illinois. It's worth much more to me than anyone would pay, so I'll never sell it. I told the agent I could probably get $1500 from an enthusiast, based on what I've seen on various sites, but the average Joe here in rural Illinois probably wouldn't give me much for it.

The agent said a claims adjuster would probably not give me "what an enthusiast would pay" as the "actual cash value."

NADA.com gives "low" "average" and "high" retail prices of $1050, $1675, and $2325, respectively. But I assume this is what a car lot would charge me. I don't think I could sell it for that in the local paper.

Anyone else out there had this conversation with their insurance company?

Hey, where in Illinois are you? I am in Southern Illinois, carbondale.

Peter,
what do you use for parts source, I lived in C'dale for years, found a few good places for parts, but have since moved on, I continue to travel back every now and then for a baggel from Winston.
Brad

I use a bunch of diffrent places, Unfotinitly my favorite place closed after the owner died, did you ever use Global Auto Parts?

When did you live in Carbondale, what years

Peter

Peter,
Yes, I used Global until closed. Then followed the parts guy over to Southern Import, he was a great help. Traded with Gasoline Alley when Lenny owned it. Have delt with current owner Rhiad (sp). He has a cache of parts cars somewhere out by craborachard. Another source was a guy Jeff Wallin down by cobden, still there, has some older stuff.
St Louis has some u-pick it yards that usually have a brick or two. I now live in Omaha and use a pair of pick and pull yards in town.
Lived in little Egypt from '89 - 95. What a great time.
Reguards.
Brad

Yea what a cast of characters.

Rhiad well, thats self explanitory, if he is sober he is good, but nothing matches his accent when he says "AW Who gives a F**K"

Jeff is a good friend of mine. He is good for new and used parts, as he sells you his new parts for a little more then they cost him, and his used stuff is free unless he is really hard up for cash.

I have always called suthern Import southern Imposter, wouldn't trust those guys any further then I could throw um. I don't think the guy you knew is still there.

Globals mechanic opened up his own shop, Aces and he ia Also a good source for parts with pretty fair pricing. Jeff got all of Global's old stuff and if you wanna go through it its pretty cheap.

My favorite place of all time is Speedway auto salvage in St. Louis. The only place for cheap used parts.

Outside a tiny town (n=419) called Loda, about halfway between Kankakee and Champaign, along I-57. So, quite a ways from you. But nice to know there's SOMEONE else here in the rust belt.

BTW, my father-in-law went to SIU...I've never been down that way, but I'm trying to get a vineyard of wine grapes going, so I'm thinking about heading down and checking out some of the winearies in your neck of the woods. I'll let you know if I do.

I found a "chrome" policy for my '72 1800ES that values the car at $9,000.00 but only allows me to drive for pleasure, under 7500 miles a year.

Insuring this car is a sticky wicket.

Ask your insurance company if they have an "agreed value policy". Then you set YOUR value for the car, and they get to set your rate :)

Hi,
My experience with the insurance folks has been that an appraisal must be done on vintage cars and the car can be insured for the appraisal value. Accordingly, the premium will be adjusted(upwards). I had a few very nice 544`s that required appraisals after finding out the hard way that collision coverage doesn`t mean "diddly" on what most adjusters prefer to see as "just an old Volvo". Appraisals in my area run about $80., make sure that an appraiser is accredited & approved by your insurance co.
Good luck!
Rich