It's still ongoing, but I feel close enough to the end to finally it get out and leave it here.
On December 4th, Matt was rear-ended in a 100% the other guy's fault wreck. Our insurance company closed out the file immediately.
Enter, Allstate.
The town the wreck happened in (Hanceville) has the vehicles towed themselves, so the first series of calls we had to make were to locate the car for the insurance company and have it towed to the dealership they use (Mitch Smith) for repairs. Note, they are not an 'authorized' dealership, meaning they can't inspect their own work. More on that later.
We were told it would be repaired by Dec 30th. Allstate arranged for a rental car. A week into the new year, they wanted the rental car returned. The dealership was not finished with the car, so after 20 calls back and forth to and from Matt to and from the dealership, Allstate and Enterprise, the rental was extended. After 60 days, the car was ready to pick up, so we returned the rental and the next morning, got the Forte.
It had subsequent damage from being cinched onto the tow truck after the wreck and the front end needed part replaced. Then there were gauges that needed replaced, half an hour after picking it up, we returned it (never left the parking area in fact) because the airbag light was on, even when I sat in the passenger seat.
They checked it over and a couple of hours later, sent Matt home in a loaner car.
Allstate opted to total the car on Tuesday the 16th of February. We were asked to return the loaner car. Allstate refused any more help, cut a check to Redstone and said they absolutely would not pay for another rental while we looked for a replacement car. Keep in mind, the rental and loaner cars were during the period of time we were told we'd be getting our car back, so we had not looked anywhere.
That Friday, Kurt offered us his extra car, so Matt had vehicle to get to work and back with. We started calling, looking online and cruising lots when he was home from work. Saturday the 27th, we went to Murfreesburo, TN to look at another Forte and ended up buying a 2014 Nissan Versa Note for what we owed on the Forte-so at least we are not in more debt. It's a 5 speed, very basic (crank-down windows!). The plan is for Matt to drive it for now until he finds just what he wants, then it will be my car. The van is way too much car these days and I freaking LOVE a stick shift. Plus, it gets nearly 40 MPG and only has 22k miles on it. In the meantime, it will be paid off in 2 years, so that's a plus.
So, the Forte was scrapped, we looked at buying it and having it recertified as road safe with a salvage title, but the dealership can't actually do that, we'd have to pay someone else to look it over and then repair everything that may have been missed, then pay to have it inspected again. Ad Nauseam.
We already knew the airbag sensor was bad, $1200. Bam.
In the meantime, we went to get the new car registered and found out they need a copy of the title and some other forms sent directly to the courthouse, which the dealership could not comprehend. The guy we bought the car from is out o town for a few days and has not started the paperwork. The bank they talked us into using has never heard of us, I could not even get past the automated answering system. I sent an e-mail, to which they have not yet responded. We are having the loan transferred to Redstone, I can't deal with that. our credit rating is so chewed up by buying a car 6 months ago putting a chunk on the credit card out of the blue with the brake job in December and then again this week and now transferring the loan will ding it another 30 points. The lady at the courthouse was nice, but she blessed my heart, which pretty much means, "Sucks to be you".
I called the dealership back and said they had until next Tuesday to fix this and woe unto them if I had to drive up there myself on Wednesday. The other salesman acted like I was being an idiot and making up things, then the bank called him and he clicked back over to say they were sending the forms he needs and he would take care of it right away. So, maybe it will all work out. Maybe I will get to have lunch at Omar's again next week after I chew through a small car dealership. Who knows?
I do know this much-I will not buy out of state again and I really, really hope I never have to buy another car from anyone other than Jeremy at Shaddix in Cullman because he is really nice and does not add fees or play games. He just could not find what Matt wanted in the short period of time we had to find something. And I do like the Nissan, I just could really do with it being a much smoother transaction.
UPDATE: They sent the title and all the info we needed in time to get the paperwork done, so yay!
So, fingers crossed that nothing else car-related will crop up for a while. I just want to get the little car registered by the 15th and go on with life. The crank down windows pleased Chandler quite a bit. Now we can escape if the car goes into water! Ack
