Clayton, so glad to hear you are OK other than a bunch of stiches. It could have been worse. It was a strange feeling on Sunday knowing that you had been in a wreck but no one knew how you were.
FYI, how much the insurance will pay on the claim for your XJ has nothing to do with who's at fault for the accident. Don't sweat it. They'll total it, figure a value, deduct your deductible, and deduct what salvage bids they get on the vehicle for you to buy it back. You'll get a check and the vehicle. All the reciepts from the work and parts you bought will make a difference in the value. A buddy of mine rolled his very well built YJ on the trail and he gave them all the reciepts and he got enough from the insurance to buy a new buggy. Like a dummy, when I rolled my XJ I didn't give them any reciepts and just got regular value for it. I still came out good, though, since I rebuilt it.
Bummer to have to do all the work again, that was a clean rig.
You're the man Rich, thanks for that extremely valuable info which made me feel A LOT better. Talked to my insurance adjuster today and even before she took my statement she said the other guy is majority at fault. Since I only had liability my insurance will only end up paying my medical. The other party's insurance, from what I understand, will handle all the vehicle business and when all is said and done if he is the most at fault then I think they reimburse my insurance for my medical and whatever they paid and hopefully reimburse me for what I payed out of pocket; hospital, tow, and meds.
I loved your buggy Rich, glad I got a taste of it in camp!! You weren't too bad either, :viking: haha!! Guess I have some choices to make. I am waiting for all this to play out but am playing with some ideas.
1) Chop up mine and make a buggy. I think I can save about half or so of all the doors. The roof would come off as well as all the pillars and the hatch. Cage, some overhead protection and something similar to what Jes did to his front end, which I really dug.
Pro's: Light, probably cheap, easier on some levels: maneagability, packing, working on it, dont have to worry about cleanliness too much, harness' for all accupants. It'll still be my ole cherokee, same color, I wont have such seperation anxiety and wont have to bond to another one. Wont have to disassemble EVERYTHING, sell or keep parts. I imagine a combination of Jes' rig and a wrangler.
Con's: Not a DD = have to get a beater for that, no biggie I guess. Limited weather protection, but its a buggy so... have to really take into account the conditions, dusty!! Wont be that great for my overland/adventure trips or road trips to other states; but if I can seal it in somehow...
2) Take EVERYTHING off/out/apart and apply to another cherokee/ZJ carcass or equivalent.
Pro's: Another cherokee/ZJ that is sealed from weather and that would be a great driver and road trip king. ZJ would be a a little bigger interior wise, room for a cage and roomier for me
Con's: WORK WORK WORK. would have to bond to it cuz my old one and I are tight. Time
3) Sell to blondejohn or disassemble myself (more likely) and part out for $$ on a new one built already
Pro's: easiest, less time consuming, new rig. Possibly a more roomy ZJ, maybe one with beafier axles and all the harder more technical work done for me
Con's: still have to take everything apart, and find buyers for all things. Have to find one for the right price, would have to bond make it my own, might have to make if a DD, if not then would have to have enuf $$ left over for a comuter.
Any insight would really help.
