Stolen A6
03-25-2016, 12:55 AM
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Stolen A6
Someone hit my read bumper &, of course the insurance company covered it. I even took it to the shop they recommended. Long story short, my car was STOLEN from the body shop. The police hold out little hope that it will be found. The shop's insurance company is Liberty Mutual- for whom I have filled out an affidavit- which I mailed yesterday. Should I retain a lawyer? Is there a snowball's chance that they will offer me high book for my 2013 with only 21,000 miles? Loved that car . . .
03-25-2016, 06:48 AM
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Sounds like an inside job...
At this point - I'd wait and see what the insurance offers you; if the offer is too low - counter offer. If it is still too low for you - consult with a laywer though I doubt the expense of a lawyer would really help you gain more money.
Now if you wanted to sue the body shop for negligence - well that's a whole different issue. However, I think that you'd still be facing Liberty Mututal since they would probably be representing the shop since your suit is related to the theft of the vehicle.
Someone correct me if I am wrong
At this point - I'd wait and see what the insurance offers you; if the offer is too low - counter offer. If it is still too low for you - consult with a laywer though I doubt the expense of a lawyer would really help you gain more money.
Now if you wanted to sue the body shop for negligence - well that's a whole different issue. However, I think that you'd still be facing Liberty Mututal since they would probably be representing the shop since your suit is related to the theft of the vehicle.
Someone correct me if I am wrong
Last edited by McFuzz; 03-25-2016 at 08:34 AM.
03-25-2016, 06:53 AM
#3
I would make sure your insurance company is involved. Talk to your broker and see what they can do. Most of all, hang tough. Don’t accept the first offer from the body shop’s insurer. Demand more and perhaps threaten to go public if needed. A lot of TV stations these days have consumer advocates – I’d threaten this if the insurer and the body shop don’t offer you a good deal. Finally, a lot of businesses will offer a “good will” payment to someone like you in addition to what their insurer will pay.
03-25-2016, 10:30 AM
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Stolen A6
First, I appreciate your thoughts about keeping my insurance company, Progressive, in the loop. As a matter of fact ,"Flo" wanted the $500 deductible since the car had been repaired! I replied that since I had never seen my repaired car I was not willing to assume that it was repaired to my specs.
Also, the comments about an inside job. It's interesting that you say that because about a week prior to the loss, the body shop had called & requested my spare key since they had "misplaced" the original. I said that I would only surrender the other key if the body shop was willing to have the local dealer re-code 2 sets of keys. This they agreed to do.
Being a suspicious old phart, I checked with Audi who said that the body shop had neither ordered a key nor had made an appt. for the re-coding. I included this info in the police report. I stopped in at another body shop & the owner laughed & said I'd never see the car again because it was probably on a container ship bound for Russia.
Sorry to rattle on but I do appreciate your input. Thanks
Also, the comments about an inside job. It's interesting that you say that because about a week prior to the loss, the body shop had called & requested my spare key since they had "misplaced" the original. I said that I would only surrender the other key if the body shop was willing to have the local dealer re-code 2 sets of keys. This they agreed to do.
Being a suspicious old phart, I checked with Audi who said that the body shop had neither ordered a key nor had made an appt. for the re-coding. I included this info in the police report. I stopped in at another body shop & the owner laughed & said I'd never see the car again because it was probably on a container ship bound for Russia.
Sorry to rattle on but I do appreciate your input. Thanks
03-25-2016, 11:04 AM
#5
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Wow, that's some crazy story.
What made you chose that body shop? I've only ever used the same body shop the dealer uses.
Were are you located? Name of the shop?
What made you chose that body shop? I've only ever used the same body shop the dealer uses.
Were are you located? Name of the shop?
03-25-2016, 03:43 PM
#7
Sorry to hear that OP - I know what you're going through. My first new car was a 1990 Nissan Maxima SE. In 1993 I spun out on a snow-covered Mass. Pike and hit a guardrail and needed body work on the driver side doors. My car was also stolen from the body shop - also an inside job according to the cops. Unfortunately it was found and I got it back. The entire Bose stereo system and CD factory CD player (rare and expensive on a car back then) were ripped out. I recall getting a check for around $5k as the Bose components were ridiculously expensive to replace. The car was never the same after that.
I hope that they don't find your car and you get a good settlement for it from the insurance company. Good luck.
I hope that they don't find your car and you get a good settlement for it from the insurance company. Good luck.
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03-25-2016, 04:36 PM
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STOLEN A6
The plot thickens: received a letter from Anchorage Police that they had recovered my car but they want to keep it for "evidentiary purposes." And thanks for the suggestion but I don't have Audi Connect. BTW, FIX is the body shop that both Audi & Progressive recommended. After reading the experiences of others on the Forum, I'm not sure I even want my perfect car back. Thanks for your feedback & I'll keep you posted. Could be a cautionary tale. . .
03-25-2016, 08:00 PM
#9
That is pretty crazy. I talked to my brother in law who was a cop for 20 years in Arizona.
New Audi (VW for that matter, but Audi more so) are near impossible to steal because of the immobilizer. VERY suspicious that the key happens to go missing being the only thing that can really start the car with it's chip. I don't know a ton about cars but I'd see if there is any way to tell if the car was driven off (car keys: sue the **** out of the shop, they are corrupt) or towed (probably no keys, but these cars a hard to steal with a tow truck.)
If somebody has the means to tow your car away (Quattro requires a flatbed), then they have the means to have it never show up again.
The fact that police found it leads suspicion that the shop didn't know what they were doing and handed the keys off...not thinking you'd catch on to them "losing" them.
New Audi (VW for that matter, but Audi more so) are near impossible to steal because of the immobilizer. VERY suspicious that the key happens to go missing being the only thing that can really start the car with it's chip. I don't know a ton about cars but I'd see if there is any way to tell if the car was driven off (car keys: sue the **** out of the shop, they are corrupt) or towed (probably no keys, but these cars a hard to steal with a tow truck.)
If somebody has the means to tow your car away (Quattro requires a flatbed), then they have the means to have it never show up again.
The fact that police found it leads suspicion that the shop didn't know what they were doing and handed the keys off...not thinking you'd catch on to them "losing" them.
03-26-2016, 03:00 AM
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That is pretty crazy. I talked to my brother in law who was a cop for 20 years in Arizona.
New Audi (VW for that matter, but Audi more so) are near impossible to steal because of the immobilizer. VERY suspicious that the key happens to go missing being the only thing that can really start the car with it's chip. I don't know a ton about cars but I'd see if there is any way to tell if the car was driven off (car keys: sue the **** out of the shop, they are corrupt) or towed (probably no keys, but these cars a hard to steal with a tow truck.)
If somebody has the means to tow your car away (Quattro requires a flatbed), then they have the means to have it never show up again.
The fact that police found it leads suspicion that the shop didn't know what they were doing and handed the keys off...not thinking you'd catch on to them "losing" them.
New Audi (VW for that matter, but Audi more so) are near impossible to steal because of the immobilizer. VERY suspicious that the key happens to go missing being the only thing that can really start the car with it's chip. I don't know a ton about cars but I'd see if there is any way to tell if the car was driven off (car keys: sue the **** out of the shop, they are corrupt) or towed (probably no keys, but these cars a hard to steal with a tow truck.)
If somebody has the means to tow your car away (Quattro requires a flatbed), then they have the means to have it never show up again.
The fact that police found it leads suspicion that the shop didn't know what they were doing and handed the keys off...not thinking you'd catch on to them "losing" them.
Two RS6's were stolen from a store near my house this week. Apparently the thieves broke in during the night, found the safe that holds all the keys, and broke in to it. Then they took the two RS-keys and disappeared with the cars.