Mercury Marauder Total Loss and then Stolen into [Archive]

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akr619

10-19-2017, 11:46 PM

Well guys, it's been a depressing couple of months so far.

I had a totaled Marauder from Hurricane Irma and when I tried to claim it they were giving me 7,200 for the car.

I was going to get it repaired but Insurance claimed it as a total loss, I cannot buy the car back because it had a lien so my plan was to get it towed back home and get it appraised since I talked to an experienced appraiser who knows the value of this car and unless you want to get a 160k Marauder for 4,500 or a 57k Marauder for 12,500 it will be hard to find a replacement especially going forward.

I spent hours on autotrader, craigslist going through different cities from Atlanta, San Antonio, Miami, South Carolina etc and it is hard to find a decent Marauder unless you are willing to pay premium to a car dealer. I think the offer the Insurance is giving me is unfair but obviously they are in the business of saving money so I wanted to get a little bit more out of it.

https://i.imgur.com/wv7imdH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3VsUJ2k.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ZOfhGEU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DN2A6Bo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uT4rGxC.jpg

When I was going to pick up the car from a shop in Orlando, mostly everything was stolen. I have side trims, spoiler and the trunk organizer, subs, amps hell even the rearview mirror, battery and airbag were all stolen.

https://i.imgur.com/rjEtz3P.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/w8B4Ght.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QY7Dgu6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/a94JgMi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9cC38FS.jpg

My car wasn't perfect but it did what all Marauders do and I've had a few car people asked me about it. People who know about the car always strikes me a conversation about it. They all know what it is and they always tell me how nice it is.

The people I've met during me owning the car was StLuty from Jacksonville Florida who was ex-Navy and was a phenomenal guy, I am not sure if he still has a Marauder but I need to get back with him as he was truly very kind. I also met a Navy SEAL in Tampa who owns a Marauder in California, he has since changed units and moved to Virginia but he would call me Marauder East. He saw my car one day in the parking lot and was wondering who owned it and being a Marauder owner himself, he knew not a lot of people owns such car or even know what it is.

Anyways, I wanted to post this just to look back at memories I had with the car, I wanted closure and just can't keep this to myself. I've met great people with it and sadly this was the tragic end to this awesome car.
I'll never see her again but I will forever remember her.

Below is a video I made of her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQBYVUQY1ww&t=125s

Gryphonzus

10-20-2017, 03:46 AM

Sorry for your loss. I hope you get a good settlement. Good luck!

Catfish

10-20-2017, 05:54 AM

Sorry to hear this. Keep your head up and you'll be in another Marauder soon. I know it's not the same; but I've seen some nice GMs on Jax CL lately. Some with low mileage too. Might be a good replacement until you find the right MM.

sailsmen

10-20-2017, 06:09 AM

Make sure they include the sales tax on the settlement amount.

Lycaon

10-20-2017, 06:32 AM

This is terrible, I'm so sorry this happened to you

acurtis30

10-20-2017, 07:35 AM

Hey do you have anything left like the motor of any of the hoses from under the hood heater core hoses ,ac lines ect if so please let me know.

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tbone

10-20-2017, 08:22 AM

Get the lien paid and buy the car back. I don't get it.

junior

10-20-2017, 09:29 AM

Get the lien paid and buy the car back. I don't get it.

Too late for that, didn't you see the pics? There is nothing left.

akr619

10-20-2017, 09:36 AM

Get the lien paid and buy the car back. I don't get it.

I dont have the money to buy the lien, the insurance wouldnt issue a payout unless they get a clean title.

akr619

10-20-2017, 09:36 AM

Hey do you have anything left like the motor of any of the hoses from under the hood heater core hoses ,ac lines ect if so please let me know.

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Sorry man I dont, but while searching for marauders I see a lot of car parts all over Florida, maybe text one of those.

akr619

10-20-2017, 09:38 AM

Thank you for all the kind words.

justbob

10-20-2017, 09:56 AM

acurtis30

10-20-2017, 10:29 AM

Okay thanks

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Agent2006

10-20-2017, 11:15 AM

%^&$ thieves...

here's one that looks like it may be OK-I saw it on ebay, might be able to get it for your budget...at $5900 at the moment....76K on the odometer...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-Mercury-Marauder-/401425817087?hash=item5d76d7dd ff:g:P9EAAOSwkBZZn2jj&vxp=mtr

mm svt

10-20-2017, 11:48 AM

I agree with bob, the shop it was at. Also sounds like you have two claims for the insurance to consider

akr619

10-20-2017, 12:14 PM

I agree with bob, the shop it was at. Also sounds like you have two claims for the insurance to consider

Yeah im hoping the insurance comes through with the theft claim, they stole most of my stuff that wasnt part of the original claim.

tbone

10-20-2017, 12:38 PM

Too late for that, didn't you see the pics? There is nothing left.

It can easily be fixed. You don't junk a MARAUDER for this....Didn't YOU see the pics?

PLUS IT'S A RUST FREE FLORIDA CAR. So you buy a truly totaled one for cheap and swap the parts in a weekend. Done.

tbone

10-20-2017, 12:42 PM

I dont have the money to buy the lien, the insurance wouldnt issue a payout unless they get a clean title.

So you owe more than it is worth? Then the bank will come after you for the balance unless you have gap insurance. You should still be able to buy the car from the insurance company after the payout. The insurance company can't withhold a claim because you owe the bank money for the car in excess of what they are paying out. That's between you and the bank.

Why is there a pic of the rear with a mushed bumper and intact tail lights and then one with no bumper or tail lights at all?

GreekGod

10-20-2017, 12:48 PM

I suspect the shop that was storing the car was involved in the theft.

Did you make a report to the police?

Was the car stored in a locked area at the (body?) shop/impound?

=

NorthShoreChiMM

10-20-2017, 01:36 PM

I suspect the shop that was storing the car was involved in the theft.

Did you make a report to the police?

Was the car stored in a locked area at the (body?) shop/impound?

=

Definitely make a report. As somebody said this person was there for a few hours. Has to be one camera that spotted him. Check cameras across streets, etc

Mike D Mechanic

10-20-2017, 02:18 PM

Shane your MM took storm damage they sure get totaled easily. Did this shop work with ins co on repair costs and help get it totaled so they could steal parts? Such insult to injury with the stripping. Definitely call police and make a report! way your car was stripped they took time to remove parts so not to break them. I bet inside shop job. everyone that works there should be interrogated!

Granddaddy Marq

10-20-2017, 02:24 PM

Dibs on the floor mats! The thieves won't that smart they left the floor mats.

jmsa540

10-20-2017, 03:29 PM

name of shop?

stevengerard

10-20-2017, 03:30 PM

akr619

10-20-2017, 06:29 PM

to take all that off would take hours, they knew what they were doing as they took most of the MM specific parts. Left behind, floor mats, passenger side airbag and the deck lid panel. That sucks, wonder if the body shop did it or someone at the shop knowing it was going to get totaled anyway.

They also took the battery.. so it is very suspect. I will be working with the USAA investigative. I want to make sure they are fully involve if they want to go further. Also the lien was 5k the total pay out was 8.9k so I wasnt upside down. I always go for the GAP if its available. My cheap LX sport didnt qualify for it.

I have the police report information, I will talk to USAA again, I called the guy in-charge of it today and yesterday and left a message. so I need to contact them. I dont want to name the Shop name as I dont want a witch hunt, its a small time shop and there were no cameras.

Svashtar

10-20-2017, 07:49 PM

SOB’s! I hate to generalize, but I’ve been to 6 body shops in the past 40 years and in every case there were thieves working there, taking whatever they could out of or off of the car. The last time my right front quarter panel had minor damage, and the guy tells me, “you know your trunk is locked and the key you gave me won’t open it?” Yeah, I know *******! Why are you trying to look in my trunk?

Bob’s right and they took their sweet time stripping the car, so hope you can get something out of the body shop. Really sorry for your loss.

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jmsa540

10-21-2017, 07:28 AM

I suggest you do name the shop, you're not doing other marauder owners a favor if you don't.

Who would want to take their car there to get it worked on? Get my point?

Joe Walsh

10-21-2017, 08:13 AM

Body Shop was involved and they knew exactly what they wanted.

Someone working there has a friend with a CV who wants a Faux-Rauder....at your expense!

Mr. Man

10-21-2017, 09:42 AM

Wtf?? I would also be looking for an insurance check from that shop the car was sitting at! Somebody spent an awful long time stripping it!

As for the insurance company, never ever settle for their first "offer"..

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk+1 on this. Don't forget to include lawyer costs in your settlement with the shop, they usually take about a third.

akr619

10-21-2017, 10:56 AM

Name of the shop is CM Autowerkz and the shop does not have insurance for theft from what the owner told me.

tobiasg1995

10-21-2017, 11:35 AM

No wonder they stripped it, they rebuild and sell retired cv's. Whoever did it knew the value of the mm parts. Look up their website. Any legitimate business will have theft insurance. Do not let this go keep after them.

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CoreyM75

10-21-2017, 11:52 AM

CoreyM75

10-21-2017, 11:58 AM

And on the drivers floor there is a nightstalker sticker, which the cm autowerks people love to plaster all over the cars they sell. The floor mats aren't Marauder mats, they are flaps mats.

Bondfreak13

10-21-2017, 12:31 PM

So Why was the Car totaled? the Front and rear bumper had some damage but that's nothing that a little paint can't fix. Was the car flooded for something?

The striped car has a cvpi passenger door panel, cvpi steering wheel and no exterior pictures of the car. The center console area doesn't have the black vent for the ac.

there is one exterior picture of the car and it looks to have the correct rear panel with the tinted reverse lights. but rear rim deferentially isn't Marauder. Who strips a car then takes the time to replace the stuff they took?

CoreyM75

10-21-2017, 12:58 PM

So Why was the Car totaled? the Front and rear bumper had some damage but that's nothing that a little paint can't fix. Was the car flooded for something?

there is one exterior picture of the car and it looks to have the correct rear panel with the tinted reverse lights. but rear rim deferentially isn't Marauder. Who strips a car then takes the time to replace the stuff they took?

That's my point. No one that strips a car puts a door panel back, and certainly not a cvpi one or puts a steering wheel back. Out of all the striped marauders on iaai.com and copart.com over the years I can't think of one that had parts put back in it.

This is hinky.

the fat bastid

10-21-2017, 01:14 PM

I'm going to be the first to say it, this feels like a troll job. The striped car has a cvpi passenger door panel, cvpi steering wheel and no exterior pictures of the car. The center console area doesn't have the black vent for the ac.

Cm autowerks flips crown Vic's, they wouldn't store a car while waiting for an insurance inspection. This seems fishy.

On the exterior shot of the rear it has a non-marauder rim on it. but it wouldn't be the first time i've seen a wheel stealer put crap wheels back on the car, i think it is sometimes easier for them to do that then use cinder blocks or if they only have one jack or something.

stevengerard

10-21-2017, 02:38 PM

well clearly the second pics are taken in a different location so that does bring up the question why was it moved and when

akr619

10-21-2017, 03:23 PM

well clearly the second pics are taken in a different location so that does bring up the question why was it moved and when

the pics from the second one is in Orlando.

As for the nightstalker stickers, I was given those by the owner like a year ago? and I never had use to put the, on. I have no idea if that was a CVPI door panel or why they would even bother putting one. The wheels on the stripped car are mustang wheels and they only had 1 lugnut in it.

akr619

10-21-2017, 03:25 PM

The door panel on the pic is a marauder one, the floor mats are aftermarket from ebay, I took all my marauder stock ones and put it on top of the reserve full size tire in the rear.

sailsmen

10-21-2017, 03:49 PM

Why is the White Vic in the back ground stripped? Is it at a strip chop?

ARodmarauder

10-21-2017, 04:27 PM

The door panel on the pic is a marauder one, the floor mats are aftermarket from ebay, I took all my marauder stock ones and put it on top of the reserve full size tire in the rear.

The door panel is not a marauder one. Is just a plain charcoal one from a crown vic

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akr619

10-21-2017, 04:37 PM

Why is the White Vic in the back ground stripped? Is it at a strip chop?

yeah that is a shop that flips crown vics, you can easily find his website online.

i had no idea thats a CVPI panel, thanks for the info.

CoreyM75

10-21-2017, 07:22 PM

the pics from the second one is in Orlando.

As for the nightstalker stickers, I was given those by the owner like a year ago? and I never had use to put the, on. I have no idea if that was a CVPI door panel or why they would even bother putting one. The wheels on the stripped car are mustang wheels and they only had 1 lugnut in it.

That's not a Mustang rim, it's from a CV LX or a MGM LS from 2003/4/5 commonly found on the HPP cars.

akr619

10-21-2017, 07:50 PM

That's not a Mustang rim, it's from a CV LX or a MGM LS from 2003/4/5 commonly found on the HPP cars.

I cant wait to speak to the investigator.

Svashtar

10-21-2017, 10:40 PM

Name of the shop is CM Autowerkz and the shop does not have insurance for theft from what the owner told me.
Tough ****. Then he’s got a personal problem.

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robertmee

10-22-2017, 05:32 AM

Two different license plates from the video and the stripped car? However, the tag 456LA is registered to an 03 Marauder in Florida.

RubberCtyRauder

10-22-2017, 06:27 AM

That steering wheel photo isn't even a Marauder steering wheel..there is no stitching around the inside portion of dia. that's a cvpi or other steering wheel with airbag removed

Svashtar

10-22-2017, 09:13 AM

Why would someone go to the trouble to post about their stripped MM, but then post pictures of a stripped CVPI?

I don’t get it...

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justbob

10-22-2017, 10:07 AM

Attention?

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robertmee

10-22-2017, 11:42 AM

Didn't all MM's come with dual exhaust? Look closely at the bumper picture of the stripped car. On the passenger side is that a dual tip single exhaust peeking out.

OP, are you sure the body shop isn't trying to pull a fast one on you? Seem's awful weird all these inconsistent parts. I don't think personally the OP is trolling us, but that the body shop is playing some shenanigans, due to the license plate being for a MM.

MERCURY 2003LSE

10-22-2017, 01:10 PM

How come in his picture of a stripped MARAUDER there is no dual meg pipes sticking out ???
I say it is a crown vic

RubberCtyRauder

10-22-2017, 01:24 PM

How come in his picture of a stripped MARAUDER there is no dual meg pipes sticking out ???
I say it is a crown vic

could be cut off, megs are worth chopping. something still is amiss here with tbe inconsistencies...get settlement $, strip car in mean time , sell parts after all done. ..i dont know.

jmsa540

10-22-2017, 02:28 PM

Wait..so is this thread going the opposite direction?

stevengerard

10-22-2017, 02:36 PM

That steering wheel photo isn't even a Marauder steering wheel..there is no stitching around the inside portion of dia. that's a cvpi or other steering wheel with airbag removed

no stitching - good eye, but heck, how about no controls for cruise, stereo and fan/temp

NorthShoreChiMM

10-22-2017, 02:43 PM

There’s got to be a vin somewhere proving it is or isn’t crown vic/marauder.

CoreyM75

10-22-2017, 03:21 PM

Or get members from the site to give them a discount or free deal on parts to convert Crown Vic. Stuff like that's happened before.

CoreyM75

10-22-2017, 03:23 PM

no stitching - good eye, but heck, how about no controls for cruise, stereo and fan/temp

If you look at the airbag area, there isn't the two plug connectors for the steering wheel controls. Just the two airbag connectors. It's a Cvpi non cruise control clock-spring.

RubberCtyRauder

10-22-2017, 05:29 PM

Wait..so is this thread going the opposite direction?

who knows where it is going, we got garbled info, pics of two cars in two locations, a shop that knows panthers..we all have our opinions on it now that it is out for display

robertmee

10-22-2017, 06:02 PM

If you look at the airbag area, there isn't the two plug connectors for the steering wheel controls. Just the two airbag connectors. It's a Cvpi non cruise control clock-spring.

Is it possible the shop put that on in order to roll it out of the way with steering?

MERCURY 2003LSE

10-22-2017, 07:43 PM

If you look at this photo look at the front fender tire gap it is so high even with stock grand marquis rims looks like no motor in the car .
Look through the front window ?

akr619

10-23-2017, 03:12 AM

Two different license plates from the video and the stripped car? However, the tag 456LA is registered to an 03 Marauder in Florida.

i changed to the thin blue line plate when it finally came out, that plate came out like 1-2 years ago.

akr619

10-23-2017, 03:15 AM

thats a marauder i posted, why in the hell would I post a stripped crown vic for fun?

akr619

10-23-2017, 03:15 AM

and i dont know why theres crown vic parts on my stripped marauder... whoever swapped and changed out the parts and god forbid lets not talk what i would do to that prick, i couldnt care less. ill give you guys update when i finally talk to the investigator. i just want to get this over with, its not worth the stress and its painful each day.

akr619

10-23-2017, 03:18 AM

Attention?

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I have far better things to do nor im neither 12 to post for "attention"

justbob

10-23-2017, 04:03 AM

I have far better things to do nor im neither 12 to post for "attention"

Then explain to us the reason for posting pics/video of two obviously different cars???

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crownvic97

10-23-2017, 06:46 AM

Well, this escalated quickly.

Svashtar

10-23-2017, 08:04 AM

Well, this escalated quickly.

Well, no, actually it took a few days and started with folks looking carefully at the pics of the “stripped” Marauder.

I can only assume based on the pics that the body shop took the time to remove all the MM parts, then bolted on a bunch of CVPI parts to hide the extent of the theft. (Something car strippers do generally...?)

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akr619

10-23-2017, 11:05 AM

Then explain to us the reason for posting pics/video of two obviously different cars???

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you word that as if im doing it on purpose, im posting it because i canr keep it inside. now im sorry if its two "obviously different cars", it is not, im sorry if it appeared that way. when i got there that was the marauder ive found and when i left it there it had marauder parts in it. i should have took a more detailed photo or took a video onstead and im not trying to be smartass

stevengerard

10-23-2017, 11:10 AM

go back and photograph it again with the VIN so you have proof it was your car an it was stripped

akr619

10-23-2017, 11:21 AM

go back and photograph it again with the VIN so you have proof it was your car an it was stripped

i wish i lived closer, dunno if copart can do it for me. i really should have took a video and got the vin and a picture of the vin. phone tag with the insurance is so annoying and straining and frustrating. its 4 weeks and counting now.

akr619

10-23-2017, 11:23 AM

go back and photograph it again with the VIN so you have proof it was your car an it was stripped

its the same car, i recognize the engine. i popped the hood to check if the engine was there and it was there. i just dont know how the steering wheel and door panel got swithed i may need to talk to the cops. omg this is such a f**** up situation.

robertmee

10-23-2017, 01:35 PM

its the same car, i recognize the engine. i popped the hood to check if the engine was there and it was there. i just dont know how the steering wheel and door panel got swithed i may need to talk to the cops. omg this is such a f**** up situation.

Don't know about door panel but if car was moved after being stripped the shop may have thrown on a cv steering wheel so they could steer it as they pushed it out of the way. I'd be going crazy wanting answers so I feel for you.

Agent2006

10-23-2017, 02:37 PM

akr619

10-23-2017, 04:49 PM

I'll just say this - sorry for your loss. If you take the $7500 then minus what you owed -that's what you have to look for a new one, or get a new loan.

Once you got the $7500 the shop can strip it out or do what they want it's between them and the insurance agency. Maybe take the money and let the insurance company go after the shop rather you spend time/money. Good luck. I can't imagine the insurance agency is going to settle for a $200 hulk when they could have sold all those parts to copart as an auction car.

This is one of the issues why this makes this issue such a f**** up and complicated one, the most they can do is deduct the salvage fee (what the $$$ would be if I were to buy it back) to the amount they will pay me. But I am hoping that they do not do that, it is still an on-going string of back and forth negotiations.

CoreyM75

10-23-2017, 05:54 PM

This thread is a train wreck.

MMBLUE

10-24-2017, 08:57 AM

I live close and can put eyes on it if you'd like.

mm svt

10-24-2017, 09:21 AM

I live close and can put eyes on it if you'd like.

I think someone should stand up to these people. How did the car end up in their possession anyway? did they just take it? Seems like they stole the car and stripped it before it was claimed for flood loss.

Charlie Costell

10-24-2017, 01:26 PM

When my wife got hit in her vette 5 years ago, I had the car towed to my house and placed in my garage so this crap could not happen. Of course, it was a total, but still it was a bargaining chip with the insurance companies. Thank God we did. I know some folks do not have a garage, but tow it to a buddies property for safety. Insurance companies travel to anywhere the vehicle is at. Just my .02 worth.

88LTDCV351

10-24-2017, 01:31 PM

Everytime me and my brother have accidents and they tow our cars to some lot somewhere, the trunk is always mysteriously popped and contents missing. When we complain to the office, its always they feel insulted and nothing was caught on their cameras.

tbone

10-25-2017, 07:05 AM

Svashtar

10-25-2017, 07:19 AM

You live in Californication. :rolleyes:

Yep; the body shop guys don’t consider it stealing. They’re fixing the car so by rights everything in it is theirs. Since they’re fixing the body, I consider myself lucky if they don’t steal the tires and rims and anything bolted to the engine.

Last time they were so intent on stealing the $1.25 in change out of my center console along with a $4 Office Depot calculator out of the front map pocket, that they left a brand new large craftsman screwdriver under the front seat. Good trade.

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GreekGod

10-25-2017, 08:19 AM

... Any legitimate business will have theft insurance. Do not let this go keep after them ...

Maybe in Ohio, but not in Michigan

When I worked at a Ford body shop in the '70's, we had customers cars wheels stolen

We had to tell them it was not our responsibility, and they had to see if they had insurance coverage on their cars

=