So this is backwards... W123 280E

Having to park cars you care about on the street sucks. I actually had the opposite opinion from the other posts about which car was damaged worse. The Mercedes should be an easy $200 junkyard fix (as long as the front fender isn't too hard to get off), but the Alfa looks like it would be cheaper to start over with another one if you want it to be perfect.

I have actually thought about getting a w123 to replace my Alfa, I drove one once and it was really nice, and Im starting to get tired of my Alfa, its fun, but I cant do electrical work and it has a couple things in that area that need help (including non functional high beams, which along with the horrible headlights and my bad night vision make it so I have to avoid any roads without streetlights after dark). Right now the whole rear suspension and transaxle are out of my car to replace the broken throwout bearing, along with the driveshaft support bearing and various rubber pieces.

I'm not overly concerned with the way my cars look, Maybe I can just find some Verde flares and be done with it on the Alfa.

I am just curious if the insurance company will value both at ~$1000 and total them both? :( To most people, both are "just old cars"

I scored really great deals on both of them, deals that would be very hard to replicate.

Oh. Regards to W123 vs the Alfa:

I wouldn't trade the Alfa for the W123 for MY daily driver. But then again, my priorities are likely different than yours.

For a cruiser for my wife though, I really do like the W123. I might try to get the power up closer to the euro cars, but it will remain mostly stock.

Lame. An appraiser won't be out for 2 or 3 more days. I guess that is what I get for going with a cheap insurance company.

A mercedes fender is a real paint to get off. They used seam sealer and that stuff sucks bad to get off. Did I ever tell you about the 3 hours I spend pulling a fender for my car, the hardest 40$ I have ever spent.

benzbaron wrote: A mercedes fender is a real paint to get off. They used seam sealer and that stuff sucks bad to get off. Did I ever tell you about the 3 hours I spend pulling a fender for my car, the hardest 40$ I have ever spent.

That isn't what I want to hear :(

Maybe the 123 is different than the 107 but I had a hell of a time getting a used fender off of the parts car. It took me and the seller 3 hours to get the fender off. We used 2 heat guns to soften the seam sealer, then used spatulas to scrape it back. The stuff was around 1 inch thick near the front of the fender.

Sign up to mercedes EPC(euro parts catelog) so you can see the diagram of what you are against. The EPC is free but you have to give them a Visa card so I guess spambots or whatever doesn't infiltrate the sight.

Here is a link.

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/disclaimer.jsp

Thanks Mr. Baron.

I'm very scared that the insurance will total them both and try to value them around $1000 each. Granted, that is ~what I paid, but replacement value is far different than the "lucked into a killer deal" price that I paid for either.

Does anyone know how insurance companies determine the value of older cars? I looked at the NADA Guide website and it shows a low retail of $5,750 for the Alfa and $3,925 low for the Benz.

But those prices seem WAAY out of line with what the Milano and 280E generally trade for.

I would be surprised if they totalled the Alfa but I doubt you will be as lucky with Mercedes.

Appraiser will be out at 0800 tomorrow morning.

I'm terrified.

Good luck though, maybe you do get someone who likes old cars.

Appraiser came out yesterday. Said it would be next week before I hear back from the adjuster.

:(

Neither car totalled.

Just waiting on the checks to arrive to I can go to the body shop.

Yay! Happiness and fun for everyone

Awesome news.