I am having trouble uploading pictures but while driving home from picking my car up from its second state inspection since I've owned it, and it needing absolutely nothing in 10,000 miles, a deer ran into the driver side of the car causing substantial damage to the front fender and the rear fender ( somehow the door was spared). The car just turned 45K miles and still looks and smells new. Please tell me that they won't consider it a total loss.

 

Very sorry to hear. It sounds as if you’re fine.
Good luck on the process:-(

 

If it gets totaled, that'll be the first time a deer killed a Jaguar!

Seriously, I'm glad you're OK. You might want to see if there are any 2008 XKs for sale with similar miles and condition to determine value, so your insurance company doesn't "low-ball" you and try to total your car.

Did the deer survive?

 

The deer had to be destroyed at the scene by the responding officer.

 

Just hoping they don't total a car like this because of dented fenders regardless of age.

 

the age of unibody vs body on frame... many pros and cons.

 

Unfortunately the value of the car may not be worth fixing by the insurance company. I suspect you might have to have the front and rear fenders replaced and if so that would most likely total the car. I see present market would be between $5K-$15K so anyway in between they would total it. Sorry for your accident. Good luck

 

Where are you getting those values? I think they're too low. Cars.com lists ten 2007 and 2008 XKs with under 40,000 miles with asking prices ranging from $14,500 to $27,988, of which five are over $20,000. Some are very low mileage and look like new.

Of course, value varies geographically for common mass-produced cars, but in the case of a relatively rare vehicle like a 2008 XK you may have to search nationwide to find a comparable replacement.

If the insurance company decides to total it, you may want to buy it at that totaled price and have it repaired at your expense. But before doing so, make sure that you know how much that repair will cost - and add 20% as a cushion for hidden damage.

 

Yep sorry It was $14K-$16K with KBB for dealer price in very good condition.

 

It is nothing short of a 'bummer' when something such as this happens. Luckily you were not injured as encounters with deer can be more than tragic.

The front fender would seem to be a no brainer in that it can be replaced and painted easily. However, the rear is part of the body itself and, if to be replaced, would require special expertise by a qualified body shop that works with AL. If the damage is very minor there it might be possible to do a dent repair. Keep in mind that AL does not have metal memory so can't be 'pounded' back out as it forms micro fractures when bent back into place. Since the rear quarter fender is part of the body structure micro fractures compromise the integrity/rigidity of the vehicle.

Of course not actually seeing the damage only you know if any of that applies. My hope is that it is on the very minor side.

 

If the insurance company decides to total it, make sure you note any additional special equipment you have on it (adaptive cruise control, tracking headlights, &c.). Should net you a better payout, if it goes that route. Sorry for that disruption an accident causes...

 

The insurance will try to total your car. This is because they can recoup costs doing this - your car has substantial value in parts, so salvage operators will offer good money for it (2-3K). At the same time, insurance adjuster will use lowest value to "estimate" your car's value. More so, due to COVID used luxury car market crashed.

You need to come up with list of comparable cars from January 2020 time frame and argue that this is the value of your car. You have to get body shop quotes and insist that this what is true cost of repairs is. Without this, insurance will estimate car value at sub $10K with $7K repairs and write it off.

 

This is exactly what I'm afraid of. Unfortunatelyunately the rear fender has substantial damage. I will try to get pictures loaded.
It literally took me a year to find this car in this condition. I will never be able to replace it for what the payout would be. The claim is already in and I'm just waiting to hear from the adjuster. I will update when I hear.

 

When my first 944 was totaled by a Geico insurer they took care of me.
It is a harder battle if you've got something above market.
My advice? Start looking at what you might buy and have that as a reference.

 

The the rear damage...

 

Here's why KBB and similar value guides aren't accurate for low-volume production cars like our Jaguar XKs. Although it was written in 2014, the analysis is still valid today.
Is Kelly Blue Book Accurate? - Your Car Angel - Your Car Angel

You can contest the value determined by your insurance company. The best way to do that is by paying a recognized automobile appraisal company for their appraisal of your car immediately before the accident based on recent photos of your car, service records, and written statements from witnesses like your friends and neighbors. I've done it successfully using a company that I found online and it was well worth the cost.

P.S. This is the company I used years ago. Although I had a positive experience, I noted that there are some negative reviews on the internet.
https://www.autoappraisal.com/?gclid...SAAEgILDfD_BwE

 

There is hope.

This is the problem I tried to warn us on. Our cars are worth far more than the ins wants to pay for. Moreover they force you to sell cheap.

Here is how you can fight back. The first trick they will use is tell you it cost $30k to fix the car. And by law (they created) if the repair cost exceeds 75% of value- you must sell!.
Lets save your car. All you have to do is find someone who can reasonably fix this car. Important details, Go look at current retail examples of your car, in the same condition, say that its $15k. (forget blue book nonsense- you wont be buying a car using blue book).
All you have to do is keep your repair bill under $11k. That may mean you working out an arrangement with the repair shop that you will pay $2k separately yourself.

This method is your best bet- if you take their settlement, its going to be less than what they would have given you to repair. Plus if you buy that car back from them, they will never insure it. Crooks!

 

Why did God create insurance companies? To make used car salesmen look good.

 

God did not create ins companies, these are the goons who sell protection from acts of God...... unless he is in cahoots with them.

 

I am so sorry to here this. When I owned my 2005 xk8 I ran into a deer doing 60 mph. It destroyed the left fender, hood, and drivers door. Deer hair everywhere. I am real lucky it did not go thru my windshield and take me out. My insurance paid for the damage. It costs around 8K to fix it. Boy what a hassle. I had a good friend fix it at his body shop. He never did get the paint to match. But it is long gone by now. Good luck. The insurance company will try to screw you. Someone ran into my Lexus LS 460. His insurance paid for the repair but I had to fight them for a check for the diminished value. Asked then for 10k but sent me a check for 3.5k. Bend over.

JDog