1981 528i Salvage Value ????

["blockboyz" <blockhead@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone,

I was recently rear-ended while driving my 1981 528i, and now find myself
negotiating back and forth with the offender's insurance company about the
settlement.  My car is (was) no show car, but a daily driver in average
condition, but it never ran better.  It is the typical early 5-series with
sunroof and 5 speed, leather interior, etc.  Some minor rust, but nothing
serious.  188,000 miles, burns and leaks no oil at all.   Anyway, the two
estimates I got to repair the rear end damage were in the neighborhood of
$2700 to $2900, which include some replacement of most of the exhaust
system as it was trashed when her car nose dived under mine....ouch.

Well, the insurance company is saying that my car is/was only worth $1500
and that is all they want to give me for it.  And they would take my car,
too.  Supposedly I could go out and purchase a similar vehicle for that
amount....

Two questions:  Anyone venture a guess as to what the "salvage" value is of
my car, generally speaking.  The car does not look totaled, and still runs
and drives okay, albiet a tad loud w/o any exhaust.   Is a salvage value of
$300 about right, or is that too high/low???

Second, how should I try to reason with these people?  I have looked for
similar 79-81 528i's to determine fair market value, and the ones I have
run across are priced anywhere from $2500 up to $6000, and these cars are
getting harder and harder to find.  I have tried to explain the difference
between a 528i and a later 528e to these people, too.  Not only that, but I
have honestly not found ANY 528i's in Indiana that are for sale ( I live in
Indiana).

Obviously it looks like I am not going to be able to get my car repaired
correctly, and I am not going to get enough of a settlement out of this to
be able to truly replace my car.  

Any suggestions or advice from those of you who drive older BMWs would be
appreciated....

Steve Block
Warsaw, Indiana
1981 528i bruised and battered
1983 320is bmw backup...

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