Gen 2 Blown Motor: Advice

[zombiekiller]

Well that certainly sounds nice. I live in a state (Michigan) with arguably the worst insurance laws in the country, so no such thing here.

Michigan is a diminished value state.

If the dealer is stating that the blown motor creates a diminished value to your vehicle, try to get it in writing. (I.e. a one sheet that says clean trade in = 62000 - deduction for replaced drivetrain conponent = 59,700 trade-in offer.

After that, I'd open a Ford customer service ticket, email them a copy and ask for my check for 2300. Or I'd file a claim with my car insurance company requesting that they get your money for you. (That's kind of why you pay them).

Ford is liable for any financial damage you have incurred due to manufacturing defects.

Oh and get a better lawyer.

 

[Booth9999]

To me this seems like a lot of heart ache and additional money for what will essentially be the same vehicle. It seems like you just want out of the truck. The reality is it is highly unlikely that the new motor will have a problem whereas a new truck statistically will have a higher chance of problems... you could put the additional money your spending and upgrade the shocks or..... just my 2cents. Good luck which ever way you go.

 

[Tyler_GTS]

To me this seems like a lot of heart ache and additional money for what will essentially be the same vehicle. It seems like you just want out of the truck. The reality is it is highly unlikely that the new motor will have a problem whereas a new truck statistically will have a higher chance of problems... you could put the additional money your spending and upgrade the shocks or..... just my 2cents. Good luck which ever way you go.

Thanks. I’m not really concerned I’ll have another blown motor, more or less just concerned that problems will pop up down the road because of the motor switch and still not knowing the root cause and what all was affected. I could be wrong in those suspicions, however. But others on this forum have echoed that concern.

I have one more route I will try tomorrow and if that won’t work, then I’ll take it as a sign and keep my truck. At least until it was to have problems. I’m going to lower my trade in value to $60,500. I feel like that’s fair and not very far off from their offer of $59,700.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[pierceography]

Michigan is a diminished value state.

Can you elaborate on this? Do you live in MI and have you made a claim before?

I'm curious, because that has never been my experience, and generally any claims outside of a mini-tort require a lawsuit with the responsible insurance company. Additionally, the diminished value amount is extremely subjective, so even trying to prove what the number is can be difficult, let alone getting a judgement.

 

[Quaesta]

Can you elaborate on this? Do you live in MI and have you made a claim before?

I'm curious, because that has never been my experience, and generally any claims outside of a mini-tort require a lawsuit with the responsible insurance company. Additionally, the diminished value amount is extremely subjective, so even trying to prove what the number is can be difficult, let alone getting a judgement.

Proving the diminished value is not difficult at all. You have dealer tell you in writing that they would pay X for your car if it didn’t have a new motor but since it does they will only give you Y. Sounds like their offer already does that as it is.

 

[pierceography]

Proving the diminished value is not difficult at all. You have dealer tell you in writing that they would pay X for your car if it didn’t have a new motor but since it does they will only give you Y. Sounds like their offer already does that as it is.

Has anyone actually done this though? Specifically, in Michigan. Based on my (admittedly limited) reading, it seems that Michigan is one of the few states that actually does not require diminished value claims to be paid.

 

[Tyler_GTS]

I was in an accident a couple years ago and it wasn’t my fault. I tried for a diminished value claim in Tn and the insurance company bascaulky laughed in my face.

They told me since the car was repaired at an “official Lexus dealer” that they don’t pay that.

 

[pierceography]

I was in an accident a couple years ago and it wasn’t my fault. I tried for a diminished value claim in Tn and the insurance company bascaulky laughed in my face.

They told me since the car was repaired at an “official Lexus dealer” that they don’t pay that.

I've never tried myself, but I have anecdotal evidence that suggests it's difficult/impossible in Michigan, which is why I'm curious to hear from someone who's actually had a claim paid out. Even in states with diminished value laws, it also looks like it's difficult. A quick google search and the first few pages of results are almost exclusively law firms.

 

[traxem]

It’s pretty tough, but you need an expert appraisal that takes into account the accident. Costs usually a few hundred dollars. You submit the appraisal to the third party insurance company and demand payment. Michigan is a no fault state so it might be difficult, but I’m sure it’s possible.

My sister got about $7k in diminished value, and I was able to get around $5k for my mom. My sister’s claim was in WA, and my mom was in OR. It only works if the car is fairly new. If your car already has high mileage or many years of use, then an accident isn’t going to diminish the value by much—if any.

 

[zombiekiller]

It’s pretty tough, but you need an expert appraisal that takes into account the accident. Costs usually a few hundred dollars. You submit the appraisal to the third party insurance company and demand payment. Michigan is a no fault state so it might be difficult, but I’m sure it’s possible.

My sister got about $7k in diminished value, and I was able to get around $5k for my mom. My sister’s claim was in WA, and my mom was in OR. It only works if the car is fairly new. If your car already has high mileage or many years of use, then an accident isn’t going to diminish the value by much—if any.

I've never tried myself, but I have anecdotal evidence that suggests it's difficult/impossible in Michigan, which is why I'm curious to hear from someone who's actually had a claim paid out. Even in states with diminished value laws, it also looks like it's difficult. A quick google search and the first few pages of results are almost exclusively law firms.

When it isn't your fault, it is not difficult. Even if your dealer will not give you the " we'd give you X for clean, but with a new motor, we can only give you x-y" in writing.

If you take the dealer's written offer, then get a "black book" trade-in price (the blue book is not the gold standard for dealers, the black book is).

Then I would print out 3-5 raptors that are for sale with comparable mileage and options from AutoTrader, or someplace else.

Industry standard target for profit on trade-in vehicles is approx $1800. So in all honesty, if black book trade-in +$1800 is the same price as the average listing price for comparable raptors in your state, you will have a difficult time being compensated.

If you have mechanical coverage on your car insurance, this entire process becomes WAY easier, BUT, being that this was no fault of your own, even without mechanical coverage, you still have a chance at negotiating with ford/the dealer to seek compensation.

I've done this successfully in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania over the past 20 years. (about once every 7 years I seem to have the unfortunate luck of being hit by another driver in an almost brand new vehicle. the last time it happened, I hadn't even made a payment on the truck yet and was rear-ended by a drunk.)