ZAP got Totaled. Now What?

[Puppyjump]

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My ZAP got totaled by a guy in a perking lot. My ZAP was parked and a caddy was parked 30 feet in front of it. He backed up and about 10 feet away he went full throttle and his caddy crushed the ZAP front end, then he sped off. The sudden rearward push to the ZAP opened up some sort of clearance in the drive train gearing or mounts because now there is a loud clunk noise when the ZAP is driven forward and then the throttle is relaxed.

The whole event was captured by the parking lot cams and I got a copy of that video. It shows the caddies rear tires are spinning and burning rubber as he hits my ZAP, and then burn rubber again as he speeds away. This along with a witness allowed me to contact the driver who said he thought he had hit a curb. So now the insurance companies are involved.

I wonder what compensation I can get? This is a one of a kind ZAP that has many mods along with 200 hours of engineering and fabrication time. Screen shots added. The 2008 ZAP sold for 12.5K, but my mods added another 8K to that cost, 5k of which is a Lithium battery pack that I installed 2 months ago. Will they take a reduced value from the base 12.5K and try to offer me say like $6K?

I've attached screen shots from the video. Note that the San Jose Police simply refused to come to the scene to do an accident report, even though I described the extent of the damage and that it was a hit and run. They said I had go to the downtown office during normal business hours to fill out a report--which they make you do yourself

[Rassy]

Sorry to hear that. i would say get them to replace it with a stock Zap in good condition and to let you keep the wrecked one for all the enhancements. You know you could never find an equivalent one, and you are right, they will balk at paying you what you have in it.

Good luck anyway.

[fizzit]

What a jerk! Is the footage on youtube???

[DAND214]

Hit a curb? What kinda crap is that. Spinng tires in reverse and hit a curb, so he burns out, WHEN he saw it wasn't. Or he knew what it was and was aiming at it.

Video, with a witness should make a good case of, intentional damage. Not an accident.

Can you put it up on youtube?

Good luck.

Dan

[biohazardman]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Hah, read that somewhere once. Looks like it's good you were not in there. You can probly buy it back from the insurance company for cheap after they total it. Then you can recover the lithium as well as anything else of worth you find. Buy a cheap new donormobile and your set to start on the latest incarnation. At least that's what the voices tell me. The more incarnations the better things get. I think that's how it werqs. I usually need three to get it right. Good that you had witnesses/people that care to help out. Hope things werq out on a positive note.

[SamTexas]

Sorry to see such a nice vehicle damaged. Glad you're not hurt. I hope the insurance company will do the right thing for you.

[Lessss]

He was likely paid to do it.

[liveforphysics]

With every project, after completion, you learn a number of things you would do differently if you could do it a second time.

Hopefully this should give you the $$$ to get the chance to re-do it even better than before.

I know what you're feeling though. It's awful to have so many hundreds of hours into something to get it how you want it, and have someone destroy it.

[Hillhater]

I hope you had informed the insurance company of all the mods and additions you had made.. !
Insurance co's will jump on any non-standard modification to avoid a payout, and certainly wont pay for anything they were not advised about.
If you still have access to the vehicle, i would remove everything you have added ( especially the Batts) ASAP, before the Insurance rep calls by for an inspection.
ALL insurance companies are B**st*rds !

[dogman]

Might still be okay, if you can document your costs. Your time won't be paid for I bet. Definitely try to buy back the remains, or at least get the battery from the wrecking yard. Might be good to start picking out a lawyer to help if needed.

[Lessss]

Yank the batts and put in dead ones.
Yank any mod not documented with insurance.

[MikeB]

The whole event was captured by the parking lot cams and I got a copy of that video. It shows the caddies rear tires are spinning and burning rubber as he hits my ZAP, and then burn rubber again as he speeds away. This along with a witness allowed me to contact the driver who said he thought he had hit a curb. So now the insurance companies are involved.

I wonder what compensation I can get? This is a one of a kind ZAP that has many mods along with 200 hours of engineering and fabrication time. Screen shots added. The 2008 ZAP sold for 12.5K, but my mods added another 8K to that cost, 5k of which is a Lithium battery pack that I installed 2 months ago. Will they take a reduced value from the base 12.5K and try to offer me say like $6K?

They can offer you $6k, but given the video, you'd be foolish to accept. I'd demand at least $30k, and threaten to show that video to a jury. Your 200 hours are worth something, and you can't just go to a dealership and replace that vehicle. The other driver is legally liable for 100% of the damage he inflicted, and the insurance companies know that. They are going to try to talk you down, negotiate a settlement to stay out of court. But if you insist on going to court, using that video as evidence, that's your leverage to push the settlement back up where it belongs.

And if the video appears to show malicious intent, you might even ask for punitive damages. Add $100k to your demands, saying that you think the damage was deliberately inflicted and not an accident. Given they way he burned rubber trying to leave the scene of the crime, you know he wasn't trying to be ethical. Again, you're going to have to make that argument to a jury, or at least threaten to do so. But if the video makes the case for you, then you're in a position of strength. Ask for $130k, and settle for half that when the negotiations are over.

Edit: you probably should consult a lawyer before you take a stronger negotiating stance. I'm not a lawyer, and your local laws may differ.

[Toshi]

How did this ever turn out? Repair? Total loss + salvage title? Did you negotiate with them for the value of the mods? Did you buy back the hulk? What are you in now?

[ohzee]

Last visited:
Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:40 am

Original poster hasn't been back on here since the date above . At least logged in or with that account.

[neptronix]

Maybe he got rammed by a caddy as well

Who killed the electric car.. and it's driver..

[StudEbiker]

I hadn't seen this thread before today, but looking at the pictures of the video I was left wondering if the ZAP! was parked in an approved parking spot. Definitely won't help the case if it wasn't.