'04 wrecked: are airbags diff from GM/CV airbags?

[HotrodMerc]

The sad news is, a week ago today I decided to drive our pampered '04 Silver Birch/dark nudo MM to see our daughter at college for her 21st B'day. On starting home Monday, April 8, we didn't get out of the college town before an early 20's girl turned directly in front of us, making a left when she apparently had no clue she was turning directly into on-coming traffic. I was going through a green light at about 35. When she turned we were maybe 1.5-2.0 car lengths from her. At impact the odo read 5,549 miles.

I am looking for some verification of what the body shop guy told me on Friday: the adjuster/appraiser had been there (we have a stated amount policy), and said "they are going to junk it". Then he added what I am having a hard time believing, not only that there are parts that are not available new, but that includes the airbags. I am having a difficult time believing that the Maruder airbags are any different from the GM or CV. Is that the case?

Another part he mentioned that is not available, though I guess could be found, is the front fascia. The hood and left front fender are also trashed. The body shop guy had told me it could be fixed, but that soon after the car got to his shop, was before the adjuster was there, and before he had time to look up the parts.
This is a shop owner whose cars are on magazine covers, he does high-end street rods and resto's, which is why I had the car delivered to him.
I have not talked any details with the insurance company, though the guy there said they would definitely give me first shot at buying the car back. I am just wondering about the parts situation, and whether it would be worth it to me to buy the car back from them. As of yet I don't know how much they would want. Any helpful info. any of you guys can give me would be appreciated.

- By the way, I have been a member on here since just before buying the car in 3/2004. Have not posted pics of the car because I haven't figured out how to get them from Picasa to here, even though I have been able to do that with photos of other vehicles, on other sites. I know there are some instructions on the site somewhere, havent tried them in quite a while. If anyone would give me the link to those I'll try again to post pics of before and after the wreck.

Thanks, Joe

[Comin' in Hot]

thats horrible, the bumper covers are hard to find but not impossible, the air bags pop up here from time to time, I'm sure someone here has one.

[DOOM]

From what I was told the front grilles are no longer available in silver. Ms. Denmark had a hell of a time getting one for hers when a deer hit her.

The hood is the exact same as a crown Vic or Grand Marquis.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Buy it back & fix it.

Will you have trouble getting some parts? Yes but it can be done.

That low mileage & small amount of damage - the car deserves it.

Sorry for your loss, I would have lost it on her. Can't stand stupidity at that level, won't tolerate it... :mad2:

[TooManyFords]

I have both airbags on the shelf if you need to buy the wheel and passenger fronts.

[Comin' in Hot]

I have both airbags on the shelf if you need to buy the wheel and passenger fronts.

this is why this site is great, people always willing to help.

[Curless]

So sorry for this, YES, buy it back! Way too low of a mileage car to let go. You are in good hand son this site. You can rebuild her!

[guspech750]

Fix it:burnout:




Sent from my iPhone 4S

DTR + 4.10's + Eaton swap = Wreeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom

[DOOM]

The front bumper cover and grille will probably be the hardest thing to get.

Good luck. :beer:

[RubberCtyRauder]

Front bumper covers and Marauder grilles can be found aftermarket, but fit could be slightly off, but I think it is neglible..Both will need paint and the grille will need an emblem. i would do that (use aftermarket) before totalling it. Such a low mileage marauder deserves to stay around instead of being pilfered in the boneyard. Sorry to hear of the accident..This is the same reason why I almost hate to drive mine very much or keep it forever and ever, and mine is not a low mileage, super show car. It's too difficult to get the things that mostly happen, grille and bumper cover damage. or of you need interior parts. I'm not sure about picasa that you mention, but most members here use like a free photo image place like photobucket to host photos to post here.

[Spectragod]

The front bumper cover and grille will probably be the hardest thing to get.

Good luck. :beer:

I have a cover, fog lights, brackets, grille and probably a few more parts......

I would fix it. air bags will be the same as a Grand Marq, 99, up to 04.

[HotrodMerc]

A zillion thanks to all of you who have responded to my S.O.S. post with helpful information, parts available and just encouragement. This definitely was a shock, and though there are all the things that are worse in life, as we are witnessing this Monday eve from Boston, it still is a big disappointment and presents a decision complicated by emotions. I probably will aski other questions, and of course if I decide to buy back the car, will want some parts.

Right off the bat, there are two or more road blocks in buying the car back and fixing it. One is the estimated cost of repair (even though the shop owner might do it for me for less), which is around $14K. So even if the body shop guy fixed it, and did a quality job, for $2-3K less, and I don't know that he would do that, there is still the cost of buying it back. I don't yet know how much that would be, but will know sometime this week.

Two, my wife doesn't want me to buy it back, not because she doesn't like the car but because of all that is involved(it was to be her DD, but after we bought it I talked her into continuing to drive the car she had so we could keep this one to drive on trips, etc. "later". I had decided to start driving it more, and this happened).

So, I could possibly buy it back and have it fixed for about what the insurance payoff is, or, I could just buy a newer car, such as an '11 or '12 Mustang GT. That is an idea my wife has agreed to. Or, I could use the money to fix up my '90 GT. I used to do open track with it, did Power Tour '02, lots of fun street driving, and it is languishing in the garage with a blown engine. It also needs conversion to 5-lugs, big brakes/wheels, etc.

Three, fixing the MM myself is out. I am not experienced in body repair, etc. plus have a long-term project car (Triumph TR3) torn apart in my garage, sitting beside my Mustang.

After I talk with the insurance guy and get a buy-back price, if I decide not to do it, I'll let you guys know what their price is. I will try again to post some pics of the car as it was. Tomorrow I may go to the body shop to take some pics of it as it is and try to post those.

One more Q. please: Can someone tell me if there is any reason it isn't possible/easy to siphon fuel out of these cars? I told the body shop man I would like to do that, since the car has about 1.5 miles on a full tank and my wife's Bonneville SSEi uses the premium. The body shop guy tried to talk me out of it, but then told me I could try it if I wanted to.

Thanks again for everyone's help and encouragement. I will keep you updated until this is a settled issue.

[mustang50lx]

There are a couple ways of getting the fuel out. If the car has a rollover valve it maybe hard to siphon. I usually tap into the fuel pressure port and jump the fuel pump relay or just run the car and pump out the fuel. You could also disconnect the line and jump the relay. Little bit of a pain, but fuel is too expensive to send to the junkyard these days.

If the car still runs I would buy it back in a heartbeat. A low mileage 4 valve is probably worth 2500- 3000 not to mention the other stuff on the car (Like the rear bumper cover and such.)

[HotrodMerc]

Roll-over valve: can anyone tell me if the '04 MM's have this? Since the car is in a body shop, not where I can get that involved with it, siphoning would be the easiest if it can be done. I've never done the above that Mustang50lx mentioned; running the fuel pump with line disconnected might be feasible, but I don't know if shop owner would go for me doing that. He did say I could try siphoning.

Anyone else know whether siphoning the fuel can be done?
Thanks, Joe

[Haggis]

Sorry to hear of your car got hit.

But I have to do this.....

I'll give you $8.00 for it.

[HotrodMerc]

Sorry to hear of your car got hit.

But I have to do this.....

I'll give you $8.00 for it.

Wouldn't want you to lose your lunch money. Guess you won't get the car, huh? LOL :bandit:

[Haggis]

Wouldn't want you to lose your lunch money. Guess you won't get the car, huh? LOL :bandit:

Really all kidding aside, was anyone hurt?

[HotrodMerc]

Did search for SIPHON, found answer. Will go siphon. Body shop is 35 miles from me. Didn't want to drive up there if I couldn't get the fuel out easily.

Talked with ins. guy at Hagerty. Will have a buy-back price from him on Friday. They go through some national salvage/auction outfit that I did not write down the name of, nor remember after getting off the phone.

[jon5212]

Hotrod Merc, assuming you live in Oklahoma, if the damage to the vehicle is over 80% of the "value" you will now have a "junked" title on the car. Thats per Oklahoma state law just FYI.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Did search for SIPHON, found answer. Will go siphon. Body shop is 35 miles from me. Didn't want to drive up there if I couldn't get the fuel out easily.

Talked with ins. guy at Hagerty. Will have a buy-back price from him on Friday. They go through some national salvage/auction outfit that I did not write down the name of, nor remember after getting off the phone.

Copart? maybe ring a bell? There are tons of people here that would buy almost every conceivable part of it, pednig pics of the damage. Plus I bet a member here or two or three or four might be interested inbuying the whole car if you do not want to try and fix or part out. I wish I had the space for it..my car is silver birch

[HotrodMerc]

Really all kidding aside, was anyone hurt?

You're alright Haggis. I've lurked for years on here, amusing myself reading posts from guys like you and Martyo and many others.

Thanks for asking:
My wife was hurt a little, mostly mild aggravation of her already fairly bad spine. She was in a head-on at age 7, sitting in back of a '57 Bel Air, her grandma's head broke out the windshield. But she's doing better now. I am a chiropractor, worked on her at home some and she finally came in the office yesterday. I was a little sore in neck, strawberry on elbow, but mostly extremely PO'd at the young gal who was probably on her phone, blindly following the car in front of her, making a left turn into traffic with no left turn arrow. This is a tough bite to swallow.

Life lesson learned: should have driven the wheels off of it, or much more. But that is why I drove it on this trip, to start driving it more, bad weather or not.

I probably won't take back the car and have it fixed, tho' is very tempting.
If not, hope one of you guys on here get it and do the right thing with it.
It is/was really a beautiful car. Interior was 100% nice, always treated with Zaino leather treatment. Wife's tea spilled in the wreck, but was non-sugar, and I dried it with towels we had.

Adieu, Joe

[HotrodMerc]

Hotrod Merc, assuming you live in Oklahoma, if the damage to the vehicle is over 80% of the "value" you will now have a "junked" title on the car. Thats per Oklahoma state law just FYI.

Jon, the Hagerty guy says the OK law says 60%. But the estimate is a tick over $14K, so were at 77%. I might check with the state before the Hagerty guy gets back to me on Friday. Thanks!

[HotrodMerc]

Copart? maybe ring a bell? There are tons of people here that would buy almost every conceivable part of it, pednig pics of the damage. Plus I bet a member here or two or three or four might be interested inbuying the whole car if you do not want to try and fix or part out. I wish I had the space for it..my car is silver birch

Yep, that is it, CoPart.

If anyone on here is serious enough about getting the car to give me a solid commitment, based on what number i get from Hagerty, to where I might make a few bucks and you guys, or guy, is happy with the deal you get, let me know.

I am heading off now to siphon the gas and take some pics. CoPart is going to have the car towed to Tulsa tomorrow, about 135 miles from me.

[rocky]

Yep, that is it, CoPart.

If anyone on here is serious enough about getting the car to give me a solid commitment, based on what number i get from Hagerty, to where I might make a few bucks and you guys, or guy, is happy with the deal you get, let me know.

I am heading off now to siphon the gas and take some pics. CoPart is going to have the car towed to Tulsa tomorrow, about 135 miles from me.

I'm in tulsa, if I can help with anything let me know!



Sent from my iPhone 5

[jon5212]

Jon, the Hagerty guy says the OK law says 60%. But the estimate is a tick over $14K, so were at 77%. I might check with the state before the Hagerty guy gets back to me on Friday. Thanks!

Ouch yeah that sucks. Hopefully the salvage value isn't too bad on it but seems like it'd take a lot of money and work just to get it back to the way it was. Good luck glad everyone was ok.

[HotrodMerc]

Jon, the shop owner's son, who would actually do most of the work, and the paint, told me he would fix the car for $5-6K, plus parts. But he guessed the buy-back would be $6-7K, maybe $8. I should find out on the 19th what the buy-back is, but that number is only to me. The ins. rep. said they could not offer the car to any other individual, at any price, that it has to go to Copart. Probably because of a contract to do so, I presume.

[HotrodMerc]

[QUOTE=rocky;1287676]I'm in tulsa, if I can help with anything let me know!



Rocky, thanks for the offer. I don't think there is much that will help now, without a time machine, except to help me cry in my beer. Then I can take the ins. money and fix up my '90 Mustang so I can go to Hallett with it again, and go cruising. :beer: Sure will miss that beautiful Marauder though. The wife and I were planning on driving a quite a bit in retirement, which is not far off.

I'll be up in Tulsa Friday to get some final things from my dad's estate on the river in Jenks. He had a lot of cool cars, mostly gone now. That's where my 64 continental convert has been sitting outside the last 20 yrs or so.

Thanks again, Joe

[rocky]

Love those suicide door Lincoln's!


Sent from my iPhone 5

[HotrodMerc]

My dad had several of them, gave one to each of his kids. The car was still nice 20 yrs ago. I just have not had a place to put it. Hind-sight would have me selling it when it was still good, when he moved it outside. I'm about to sell it. Might get the hood ornament off of it, LOL.

[Spectragod]

Jon, the shop owner's son, who would actually do most of the work, and the paint, told me he would fix the car for $5-6K, plus parts. But he guessed the buy-back would be $6-7K, maybe $8. I should find out on the 19th what the buy-back is, but that number is only to me. The ins. rep. said they could not offer the car to any other individual, at any price, that it has to go to Copart. Probably because of a contract to do so, I presume.

You would have to buy the car, then re sell it to a board member. I would be interested, depending on the price, I have most of the parts to fix the car.....

[rocky]

You would have to buy the car, then re sell it to a board member. I would be interested, depending on the price, I have most of the parts to fix the car.....

Yes you buy the car and you can do what you want with it. No law says you can't resell...hell he could give you the money to buy it:)
And pics of the six-4 !!!

Hope everything works out in your favor man, good luck with it all.


Sent from my iPhone 5

[LostInTennessee]

Can't someone buy it for CoPart (Bid)

[HotrodMerc]

Yes, as I discovered, and as many members likely already knew, anyone can register then bid on Copart's site. There appear to be different categories of bidders, state reg's, etc., but anyone can register and have basic bidding rights.

Yesterday, Fri., 4-19-13, I delivered all the stuff (mats, trunk organizer, owners man'l, keys, etc.) I had for the car to Coparts, and got a receipt for them. I didn't want to have any issue with Hagerty about that.

I also got a buy-back price from Hagerty: $3,750.

Seems reasonable, and tempting to do, considering the car does run, everything works on it (except left front lights, of course), and the interior is as I said previously (until some guy at Coparts, or a tow guy, put his muddy boots on the driver seat climbing over the console). It could still be a nice car.

Considering time that could be involved to resell the car, I don't plan to buy it back. I already have two cars in my 3-car garage that don't run, one of them dissassembled, and just have too many other things to deal with.

I hope one of you guys can successfully bid on it and get it fixed, if that is what you want to do. Dusty, at Dusty's Collision Center, Pocola, OK, did say it can be fixed, he just doesn't believe that parts are available. I think that he would fix it for much less than the $14,000 estimate, but as of now I don't know how much less.

There are a few pics of the car on Copart site. I have more. If anyone is interested, PM me and I can email them.

[Spectragod]

Yes, as I discovered, and as many members likely already knew, anyone can register then bid on Copart's site. There appear to be different categories of bidders, state reg's, etc., but anyone can register and have basic bidding rights.

Yesterday, Fri., 4-19-13, I delivered all the stuff (mats, trunk organizer, owners man'l, keys, etc.) I had for the car to Coparts, and got a receipt for them. I didn't want to have any issue with Hagerty about that.

I also got a buy-back price from Hagerty: $3,750.

Seems reasonable, and tempting to do, considering the car does run, everything works on it (except left front lights, of course), and the interior is as I said previously (until some guy at Coparts, or a tow guy, put his muddy boots on the driver seat climbing over the console). It could still be a nice car.

Considering time that could be involved to resell the car, I don't plan to buy it back. I already have two cars in my 3-car garage that don't run, one of them dissassembled, and just have too many other things to deal with.

I hope one of you guys can successfully bid on it and get it fixed, if that is what you want to do. Dusty, at Dusty's Collision Center, Pocola, OK, did say it can be fixed, he just doesn't believe that parts are available. I think that he would fix it for much less than the $14,000 estimate, but as of now I don't know how much less.

There are a few pics of the car on Copart site. I have more. If anyone is interested, PM me and I can email them.

You should have bought it back and resold it, as I said, I would have been willing to have purchased it. I won't waste my time with CoPart, most of the items you delivered, won't be with the car when it gets sold, seen it before.

In addition to registering, there are buyers fees, delivery (to the gate) fees, taxes, etc. fees for dealing with CoPart. By the time they add an additional 1k to the sale price and beat the hell out of the car, it's not worth it (to me at least). Glad you walked away from the crash unscathed, that's all that really matters.

[Motorhead350]

Life lesson learned: should have driven the wheels off of it, or much more. But that is why I drove it on this trip, to start driving it more, bad weather or not.
Adieu, Joe


Yup

Live For Today.

[HotrodMerc]

You should have bought it back and resold it, as I said, I would have been willing to have purchased it. I won't waste my time with CoPart, most of the items you delivered, won't be with the car when it gets sold, seen it before.

In addition to registering, there are buyers fees, delivery (to the gate) fees, taxes, etc. fees for dealing with CoPart. By the time they add an additional 1k to the sale price and beat the hell out of the car, it's not worth it (to me at least). Glad you walked away from the crash unscathed, that's all that really matters.

SpectraG, I still can buy it back. As I said above, I don't plan to buy it, but I haven't given them my definite answer and closed the deal yet. The Hagerty adjuster called me Fri. while I was on the way to Tulsa (135 miles from where I live) and gave me the price. I told him I probably would not, but asked for more time, which he had previously said they would do anyway. However, they had the car moved from the body shop on Wed., b/c they didn't want to keep paying $30/day storage to the body shop. So I did not even have a buy-back price before the car went to Copart. I would have much preferred the car stay at the shop, but it wasn't my choice, unless I wanted to start paying the storage. They don't mind giving me more time to decide now, because they aren't paying daily rent.

I know I could buy it back, and make a few bucks selling it. As I also indicated above, I just have too many other things in life to deal with for the time being. Add that She was expressing her opinion to not buy it, and it makes it more difficult to say yes to doing it.
It isn't that I would not like to buy it, take the time to sell it and make a little, it's just the time involved. I just sold a car in January to a guy in Houston. He drove up here to get it, but I ended up pulling it to Houston for him on my trailer. He paid me some for my time and trip, but it still ended up being an ordeal.

So how much would you pay me for it if I did buy it, and how soon?

As for living for today as Motorhead suggests, that may be true in some things, but on the other hand, considering where I live (rural area), road and weather conditions, the things I have to do on many short trips, there were many times that I wanted to drive it "to the city", but it made more sense to drive my truck.

Who knows, like any car, if we had used it as a DD as originally planned, it could have 100K miles on it and still be fine, or it been wrecked in the first 1,000 or so miles. Had that happened I wouldn't have enjoyed it any more, or as much, as I did, and we would have been screwed with a regular ins. policy rather than having a stated amount like we do have.

Yeah, I believe in enjoying life, and have had my kicks, but if you hadn't noticed, regardless of what we do, sometimes what happens in life depends on luck and the draw of the cards. I have seen guys who were trying their best to live life to the fullest, start out in the Daytona 500, Indy or any race, only to crash or break in the first lap. Happened with a brand new Cosworth Ford midget of my dad's, it's first time out. Driver ran up on the back wheel of another car and flipped, tore up the front end, out of race. Sometimes it is just luck, or whatever else you want to call it.

I am really disappointed the wreck happened, and to the nicest car I have ever owned. But I'm really glad, as you said, that everyone walked away with minor whiplash at the most, including the girl in the Jeep that turned in front of me. She appeared to be walking around in somewhat of a daze, maybe wondering where I came from and why I was in the space she thought she was going to drive through.

[HotrodMerc]

One other thing, you are right about Copart beating up the car. And I really wanted to keep the stuff, and probably could have. On the flip side, the Hagerty adjuster said everything that belonged witht the car should be with it. I don't think they really would do an inventory for the items I took to the car, but since I want to continue a good relationship with them with coverage on other cars, I typed up a list and had Copart sign it that all items were with the car (except leather jacket). Sadly, even though they supposedly are selling the car to make $$, they did scratch it up in the rear with their forklift, and trashed out the drivers seat, but not irreversibly so.

[Spectragod]

SpectraG, I still can buy it back. As I said above, I don't plan to buy it, but I haven't given them my definite answer and closed the deal yet. The Hagerty adjuster called me Fri. while I was on the way to Tulsa (135 miles from where I live) and gave me the price. I told him I probably would not, but asked for more time, which he had previously said they would do anyway. However, they had the car moved from the body shop on Wed., b/c they didn't want to keep paying $30/day storage to the body shop. So I did not even have a buy-back price before the car went to Copart. I would have much preferred the car stay at the shop, but it wasn't my choice, unless I wanted to start paying the storage. They don't mind giving me more time to decide now, because they aren't paying daily rent.

I know I could buy it back, and make a few bucks selling it. As I also indicated above, I just have too many other things in life to deal with for the time being. Add that She was expressing her opinion to not buy it, and it makes it more difficult to say yes to doing it.
It isn't that I would not like to buy it, take the time to sell it and make a little, it's just the time involved. I just sold a car in January to a guy in Houston. He drove up here to get it, but I ended up pulling it to Houston for him on my trailer. He paid me some for my time and trip, but it still ended up being an ordeal.

So how much would you pay me for it if I did buy it, and how soon?



PM me your #, I will call you tomorrow about the car. As far as payment, I can overnight a bank check if need be.