Dealership Totaled My Car: What To Do When They Delay Payment

Car Totaled by Dealership

• 🚗 A 2016 GMC Terrain, fully paid off with 70,000 miles, was totaled during routine maintenance when a lift failed and the car fell.
• ⚠️ Thankfully, no one was injured, but the car is considered a total loss.
• 💰 The estimated value of the car is between $8,000 and $9,000 based on KBB.

Dealership's Payment Delay

• ⏳ The incident occurred two weeks ago, and the dealership is involving their insurance, causing a delay in payment.
• ⏰ The speaker emphasizes that this payment should not take weeks or months, especially for a relatively small amount like $10,000.
• 🗣️ The dealership needs to prioritize this claim and issue a check promptly, as they are 100% at fault.

Navigating the Insurance Process

• 🤝 The speaker advises against involving the car owner's own insurance, as the dealership's insurance should handle the entire claim.
• ⚖️ While not immediately recommending a lawyer, the speaker stresses applying steady, heavy pressure for a quick resolution.
• 💸 The goal is to receive the full market value for the truck, not a wholesale or trade-in value.

Next Steps for the Owner

• 💨 The owner should communicate a tight deadline for receiving the payment, ideally within the next 10 days.
• 🚗 Once compensated, the owner can then proceed with purchasing a new vehicle.
• 🤝 The advice is to remain firm but polite, encouraging the dealership to resolve the issue quickly to avoid further escalation.