Insane COURT BATTLE to save my rare car!

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#VINwiki #Saab #Viggen

[@AW-yv9sq]

I think this is the only story of someone winning against insurance like this I’ve ever heard of

[@flacjacket]

Rowan Atkinson won when his insurance company tried to total his McLaren F1. He told them if they wanted to total it they would have to buy him a replacement, when the insurance company found out how much the car was actually worth they agreed to pay out the largest single vehicle repair bill in history to fix it.

[@allandeyong9407]

There's a 3rd party appraiser who posts pretty frequently on Facebook about his customers invoking the appraisal clause in their insurance contracts (or hiring him to appraise after another party's insured caused their loss), and him getting their full values paid out instead of the insurance companies' valuations.

[@sallevadorradman1938]

You're probably right, but the ONE time I made an insurance claim I got 90% of my car's value and the amount I got was 600 more than I paid for the car. That being said, I miss the car dearly. The paint job was horrible, the suspension was meh. But it is was comfortable.

[@jasondavoine]

I didn't have insurance when i was rear ended other guy said was his fault Insurance didn't want to fix the car. I complained to someone higher up then bang got my car back and paid out. I then sold car double win lol

[@barrysauce]

Yes this is the best wiki story I've seen so far this is awesome so happy for the guy screw insurance companies they all suck have a beer happy Friday

[@weekendcardad1881]

Not all heroes wear capes. Good on you for fighting to save an iconic car.

[@jimmij7788]

You wouldn't be British would you?

[@willstikken5619]

Iconic?

[@hagestad]

iconic kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2qcc2Z8msyGi5Y

[@canadiansaabfreak6530]

@@willstikken5619 absolutely, the viggen was and still is a staple of the automotive scene since the 2000s.

[@willstikken5619]

@@canadiansaabfreak6530 I think you may be confusing staple with niche. I''ve owned a Saab and I can tell you they are not a staple of any car scene...

[@matthewdyer1568]

I’m always amazed when these types of situations make it all the way to court. Did the officials at the insurance company really think the difference between what the guy was asking for ($7500) and the highest valuation report any other company they asked gave ($5000 or so) was worth the risk? That $2500 gap ended up costing them well over $5k more

[@BertoD103]

Part of me hopes that the guy who made that decision isn’t employed anymore. What a moron.

[@MisterMonsieur]

The insurance company could increase their profit margins by running one less annoying ad on TV every 10 minutes. 🙄🙄

[@ajdahun]

For every case like the one just shown here, They fuck hundreds if not thousands of other clients out of cash.It’s strictly a Numbers game with them so in the long run they come out way ahead

[@ZiggyTheHamster]

I think they think you won't be quite so petty

[@joshuahudson2170]

@@ZiggyTheHamster More to the point they think most people won't.

[@EdBolian]

This is textbook strategy on how to deal with insurance appraisals.

[@CrackedCandy]

Thanks for listening to us Ed and giving us relatable content

[@jorgey4]

I actually have a hard time following this story. What on earth would the appraisal be necessary for the return of the car? Wouldn't the insurance just give the car back? Wouldn't claiming the car is worth more hurt you if you were asking for it back? Was this about a lien on the title that he still had?

[@CrackedCandy]

@@jorgey4 it's totaled, so his buy back is not very high. He is buying scrap. He was arguing the pre accident, or replacement value of a like vehicle comparable to it before it wrecked.

[@Marlow925]

fact

[@noahc6544]

@@jorgey4 it's pretty 50/50 from my experience, some insurance companies will offer to let you buy it for the amount they get quoted from scrapyards

[@jstephan03]

As a fellow Saab OG9-3 enthusiast, this story hits home. We know the value of our cars. Priceless.

[@Green2Bit]

Every single one counts. The OG 9-3s are just great

[@Chadmuska64]

Agreed! you have to see what enthusiasts are selling their cars for to get an accurate value. KBB and NADA don't know anything!!

[@garethreece]

As the previous owner of 2x NG 9-3s . I can see why he fought for his OG 👍

[@kabob21]

So you're what the meme is talking about when you run into a "Price is firm, I know what I got" guy 😂

[@jstephan03]

@@kabob21 Of course. We don't have receipts though. We have a yard full of parts cars.

[@JB-ez2jz]

These are the kind of relatable VinWiki stories I love!! Sometimes Shmee and the like talking about Bugatti and Pagani feels like a reach.

[@luichinplaystation610]

Shmee could be laundering money

[@mountainmandale1587]

I totally agree with you! Super cars aren't something for a normal working man like me.

[@bwofficial1776]

I'd rather have the average guy next door talking about fixing his weird Saab in his driveway than some billionaire bragging about his latest Lamboclarenarri.

[@iloveyourmomalot1one]

100% agree. The occasional super car story is fun. But when they have people on here talking about real cars I will watch it and appreciate it much more.

[@ATreeFrogCollective]

for real who doesn’t love a Saab lol

[@schrodingerscat8621]

The torque steer, the wind noise, the cacophony of sounds when you hit a bump, the problematic convertible microswitches, the numb handling, and of course, the never ending electrical gremlins. Such an icon!

[@chrisscott1958]

The Saab I owned had equal length driveshafts to avoid torque steer and it worked well. I would be surprised if the viggen was not similarly equipped.

[@hilanddoug]

That's one heck of a great story. Not everyone would fight that hard for a rare car.

[@tmtz383]

I think most Saab guys would do it for a Viggen

[@elfkind5590]

He probably has a tech2 to go with it. imagine if you could bring your favorite dog back from the dead over and over. That’s what it’s like for us.

[@Beegpapijimbo]

The Viggen fighter is legendary and SAAB has significantly more history in the aerospace industry than the automotive. That car being a special edition paying tribute to the jet makes it INCREDIBLY cool

[@joevarga5982]

The image rub off is bogus. Their cars are quite lame.

[@BWTECH0521]

SAAB people are generally low profile, quiet people. But we are a force to be rekoned with when we are mad!! But this guy is a true saab enthusiast, willing to go to battle with the big company. So much respect for you Nik!

[@CrossroadsRebuild]

Love this story! It’s great when the “little guy” wins against the corporation that thinks they’re just going to push you around!! And then the cherry on top is getting the car back and rebuilding it. Love it!

[@niyablake]

I love how they tried to say he is to stupid to run thus report

[@MrGhostOg]

I did this exact fight with a 2001 e55 amg about value but if you hold to value you’ll always win especially in court

[@sccarguy8242]

Yes a true SAAB story. (Someone had to do it)

[@StevoHoppa]

@@sccarguy8242😂

[@brugai8917]

my favorite part was the insurance’s attorney getting frustrated with his expertise in Saabs and Viggens. it’s delicious!

[@homeslice1958]

Now that is the definition of a stud in the courtroom. Loved the college degree reference, and fighting so hard for the value of a beloved and rare car. Well done!

[@joshuahudson2170]

The problem is stats value works until you've got a collector type car on your hands. It's like they really didn't know.

[@theetactician]

Great story. You had me at your college degree. Their attorney probably knew he was in trouble at that point. 😂 I love that they wanted to cause such a fuss about $2500 but then ended up forking out probably close to $15k when it was said and done. Safe to assume you no longer insure with them eh.

[@codybaron3721]

Yes, as soon as he said he had done a regression analysis on his data, I knew he wasn’t like me (an excel newb).

[@ysesq]

the attorney was srupid. on cross never ask a question to which you dont know the answer. a good question would be something like - have you used insurance software X to do your analysis ? so you dont have training in insurance software X ? etc etc

[@darkiee69]

@@ysesq He said it could've been his lawyer that asked that question, then it was a brilliant move to show that his client was more than capable to do the math and find the value.

[@awsomo53]

​@@codybaron3721a regression analysis is very easy to run in excel. You have two fields other than the primary key and then select the data with a regression formula and it'll spit out the equation. Plug in your variables and it'll give you the value. You can use other programs (SPSS) but excel does a good enough job.

[@jayringo77]

Love a good "stick it to 'em" story. Have a feeling someone at that insurance company at least got reprimanded. Follow up question - did you keep them for your insurance and did your rates suddenly spike after the judgement?

[@nikkrueger5734]

I switched companies right afterwards and my rates are even better now - double win!

[@chuckkrueger5537]

This is “Dad”. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone in the Company got reprimanded. Having a background in insurance, I called the claims manager, certainly they would see the light. Manager didn’t have a clue and didn’t care. So I called the VP of claims, certainly they didn’t want this kind of thing going on. He was full of bluster, arrogant, and indicated he didn’t care, tough. I called the VP of Legal, because this would go to court. VP of claims gave it cursory attention, appeared to relish going to court. I estimate the cost to settle the claim, expenses incurred on behalf of the insurance company-attorney, time of multiple personnel, travel and the like-exceeded the cost of the settlement. Not a thimble full of logic in the whole works. If I was on the board of directors of such a company, there’d be some hard questioning and changes in operations! I did give a heads up to couple of board members I knew casually, nada. Apparently, they don’t rock the boat. Not all insurance companies are like that, there are good ones out there that try to do the right thing.

[@cublicon]

@@chuckkrueger5537 Insurance companies care about volume. For every customer who wins a higher valuation in court, 100 others take the low-ball offer. So they truly do not care about the outliers. The guys who win in court are just proof that they are making a fortune on the ones who settle.

[@mph5896]

Insurance company doesn’t care about a few losses like this. Overall they bully people around and get away with it. Keeps their costs down.

[@HCG]

@@chuckkrueger5537 Please name the company so we can stay away.

[@caseyhubbard76]

This exact situation happened to me! The vehicle was a 2002 Mercedes Benz C240 with the rare 6 speed manual. My insurance company kept giving me reports of automatic cars because they couldn’t find any manuals forsale. And the few that were forsale were very expensive. At the time I had no car and needed the money so I painfully took a lowball offer just to get back on the road.

[@usaclaimsthemoon4198]

Man, this is a bummer. Sorry dude

[@furedi8067]

You can tell he cares a lot about that car by the way he's telling the story. He comes so close to tearing up multiple times, it's nice to have a touch of relatability with these stories now and again.

[@MrHamlet]

I sympathize as I ran into the same problem with my 2004 Volvo V70R which I purchased new. Took me months to convince Allstate that it wasn't a regular V70 base model. It wasn't until I hired an attorney and referred all future correspondence to my attorney that their tune quickly changed. I've since discovered there are services that help people fight their insurance company to ensure they get a proper estimate for their cars, and proper compensation based on the accident and damage. This is the quickest and easiest way to deal with the insurance company.

[@TapestryGuy]

Winning against the insurance company! Nicely done. “What makes you qualified to make a valuation on your car?” 😂😂😂

[@megatop412]

Jesus dude. I went through some crap with Allstate to save my 1998 Civic in 2010 because they had totaled it after a minor accident, but nothing like this. It ended up getting salvage titled which made the insurance VERY cheap, like $500/yr. It DEFINITELY helped that you had the academic background you did, attorneys always like to pull the "and what makes you an expert in these matters" bs. Score 1 for the little guy

[@niyablake]

Only thing better would be if won nobel prize in economics and math

[@jorgey4]

So I'm missing some context in this story because idk about what he's going through. I thought insurance can just let you have the car back? You'd be repairing the car our of your pocket?

[@megatop412]

@@jorgey4 You'd think it was that straightforward, but in my case it just felt like they wanted to total the car out so they wouldn't have to keep insuring it. I think I'm his case, it was more about the amount they were wanting to pay that he wasn't happy with PLUS he wanted to keep the car. I got a miniscule amount, which didn't matter to me since I just wanted the car back

[@RandomGuyDan]

I've owned 2 Saabs, a 1981 900T in the mid 1990's and a 2002 9-3 SE about 7 years ago. The Viggen has been on my list of cars I want to own one day.

[@bpearr8266]

Definitely get your hands on one, they are out there. I’ve seen a few for sale for under 6k

[@mattpovah5952]

I love Saabs. I have had three of them and would always have had one had they not gone under. Getting proper technical support for them has become challenging where I live. I still have my 2001 SE, but it may soon have to go. Good on you for saving this car! Viggens are great.

[@Joe___R]

They definitely didn't do their homework before asking him his qualifications. Not only has he owned fifteen other versions of that exact car, but he has two degrees that are perfect for evaluating the true value of that car. If you have cars that you truly value, it is worth getting insurance with an agreed upon value for your car. Then the insurance company can not low ball you.

[@wolfsokaya]

I hope he can put into it many more miles and have many good memories with it. Would love to have see the insurance companies guy's face in court. :]

[@ezo7490]

you can listen to insane supercar stories all day but what warms my heart are stories like these, of normal people, fighting to save an very interesting and very special normal car from hell, cheers man i wish you and your saab many many many more years of fun and stories to tell!

[@nikkrueger5734]

Thanks!

[@iFixJunk]

That's a beautiful story. I had a similar experience in 2014 when I hit a deer in my 1999 Jeep Cherokee CLASSIC (not SE, not SPORT, but CLASSIC). The first value I was given was something like $2300, then somewhere around $3000. I kept bugging them about the significance of the trim level and the way the truck was equipped, and eventually I got $4800 out of them. Which felt good because I'd bought the truck for $5500 four years prior and I'd put nearly 100k on it. *EDIT*: Thankfully I didn't have to go to court.

[@stewkeene]

God damn insurance companies, such a bunch of robbers.

[@devildog_iii3492]

Just fought USAA w my TRD 4Runner. The SAME company that evaluated this Saab was the same company that did my evaluation, it was all wrong also.. and they kept coming back at the same eval. All their comparables were $38k but the “discounted” to $31k for various reasons.. They tried to give me $31k. Book is $38k. Soon as I said I’m getting a lawyer they gave me $32k haha. I held out, got an appraisal at $38k. Finally settled at $37k. ALWAYS fight the shit insurance companies.

[@Kellen6795]

Just goes to show how far these companies will go to screw you out of your money.

[@michigan_supercars6569]

yeah, insurance companies are definitely a scam to rob you of your money

[@TokyoChopSquad]

We also had a black 93 convertible Viggen in Michigan. I remember my dad bought it in Chicago. I had some of my most memorable teenage memories in that car. First ticket too....

[@kylekennedy420]

Awesome story, wasn’t expecting the statistical analysis degree twist 😂

[@chuckkrueger5537]

Yes, as the proud dad I especially enjoyed that, the other attorney looked like he had a mouth full of cotton, the judge smiled.

[@RyanPM89]

@@chuckkrueger5537 Haha that must have been so great. This was a great story, Nik and dad!

[@endall39]

Never mess with a car guy in litigation over a car. Before I went to law school I sued a Porsche dealer for poor repair work and argued the case against the owner, who happened to be a lawyer. He ended up writing a check for the full amount.

[@ZacharyBeland]

My '03 9-3 SE Convertible is probably my favorite car that I've owned so far. It never fails to put a smile on my face, going through the gears with the top down is confirmed therapeutic. Loved this story, glad you saved your 9-3!

[@seanpittacora9668]

Saab Owner with a degree in Quantitative Economics and Statistical Analysis….okay that checks out 😂 Great story! Glad you were able to save the car.

[@DanielGomez-bn4yc]

I went through this EXACT same scenario last year with my Saab 9-3 Viggen! I was hit from behind not even moving and insurance totaled my Viggen. They tried to give me $3,900 during the time when they were worth the most. I then asked for the reasoning on how they came up with he offer it and it was the SAME 3rd party company that they used for yours, CCC. They used three standard Saab 9-3s (non Viggens) for the evaluation and I pointed that out to them. They didnt care and said they could not find any dealer listings so thats how it stands. I was floored, I knew these cars were selling for $10k+ every time on Bring a Trailer and such. And my Viggen was in excellent condition being a southern car with no rust and great paint. I decided to take the insurance company to small claims court and ended up leaving with ~$8000 for it. I was gunning for $11k, but ended settling due to it taking up so much of my time. In the end, I bought another Viggen, a 1999 Lighting Blue 3 door! I still dearly miss my 2000 Saab 9-3 Silver Viggen, but I feel better that I fought for it and it will provide excellent parts for my new Lighting Blue!

[@30YearOldBunta]

I love this story so much. I never looked at Saabs but I will definitely be looking at them differently after this. Save the cool cars!

[@boriss.861]

BRILLIANT OUT COME. WELL DONE!! A Vlog has to be done how SAAB's were so over engineered that they disregarded anything that the Finance Department said!

[@janm7611]

Thats why they went out of business 😂

[@steveh2040]

@@janm7611 And that's why they're awesome cars. Who doesn't like a good value?

[@NorwayVFX]

This generation Saab really were incredibly overbuilt, and there are just a few issues that ruin their reputation. All these gasoline engines have forged rods and cranks from factory no matter what spec and power. Cranks hold 1200hp+, engine blocks hold 1200hp+, rods hold at least 700hp, the stock pistons in the older ''T5'' cars hold 700hp+. The Trionic 7 engine management in the old generation 9-3 and 9-5 is super advanced for its time, for example with the individual cylinder knock detection through the spark plugs and people regularly run cars to 600-700hp with the stock ECU since it works so well and is fairly easy to tune yourself with free software.

[@fordmaster6975]

This is exactly what happened with my square body Ford! I got rear ended and they said it was totaled and only worth 1k. It was a near mint condition long bed extended cab 97 F250 HD, with all the add ons you could want and pearl red paint. Fought for 3 months. Gave me comps, one was a single cab short bed sold on craigslist, one was a ruined one on a wholesale lot that had to be trailered when bought. And when I gave like 30 comps they kept saying I couldn't use any craigslist ads(even though they did) or private sellers, even small car lots weren't acceptable somehow. Finally threatened a lawsuit and the main lady of the whole area calls, go through everything overnight and came back with a 10k offer and I kept the clean title. Worst fight ever, especially when that truck was how I met my wife

[@joecutro7318]

Great story! I had a similar experience with my '07 9-3 2.0t 6sp drop top. It was not a Viggen nor the previous gen of your "real-er less GM" Saab, but was in impeccable condition with low miles when someone ran a stop sign and I t-boned them. Gratefully, my insurance company didn't fight as hard and I was able to settle for $7500. I bought it back, had it saved and have driven it 50K more in the 3 years since with not a hiccup. The 6sp trans is very rare and every day (especially the rare sunny ones in Seattle where I live) I drive it I am convinced to never sell it. Way to keep the Saab wheels rolling and educate those who are blind to their value. Don't try too hard though or we won't see as many deals for future purchases. 😅

[@MassiveTrackHunter]

I own an 01 Vig vert exactly like that one. St3 kit and tune by Taliaferro. Amazing little monster. Only gonna part with it when death knocks on my door. Glad you won this one back!

[@JordansDroid]

These are the type of the VINWiki stories I absolutely love. These are the reason I keep coming back

[@XwSScout]

Saabs truly are special. On something like my 50th Saab now

[@saimk4239]

These are the stories we need more of

[@sbdrummer909]

Loving the Saab stories! The Viggen and Aero are awesome!

[@misieeek0485]

Few months ago as my 18th birthday was approaching i was looking for a true classic car - something like 70s corolla or MK1 Golf. After month of pain and disappointments i gave up on classic cars and started searching for something newer, but with sport appearance, so i can drive it for a while and change it for a classic - 90s celica, eclipse or alfa GT. But one day i found beautiful 2001 3 door 9-3 aero in black, just few kilometers away from me. I bought it next day after school, and told to myself that i won't ever sell it. That's a great story, good to hear such a nice, important car was saved from death!

[@VINwiki]

Have you ever had to fight with an insurance company over a car's value?

[@TheObsesedAnimeFreaks]

We had to fight with an insurance company and body shop over repair work that we didn't authorize, and were told that the vehicle was totaled. they decided to repair it and well uh.... yeah. between insurance, the easy settlement from the bodyshop and a few other things, we actually ended up making money on it.

[@tamsenbailey4087]

I could have practically told the same exact story, save for a few details. I was in a horrible crash in my Viggen a couple years ago. For what it's worth, that car saved my life, but was unfortunately too destroyed to be rebuilt. Insurance offered me $7,500 - which seems fair compared to the offer he got, but this was at the end of 2020, when Viggens had really started to shoot up in value, and it was definitely worth far more than that. I had a 4-door, Lightning Blue Viggen with just a touch over 100k miles on it (rather low for a 20 year old car). Because of that special, very rare trim, it was worth even more than other Viggens. But I got the same BS from the insurance company - equating it to regular 9-3s, disagreeing with my very well put-together comparison of Viggens that would be worth what mine was. I was fighting for $11-12k, but they just wouldn't come up on their offer for no justifiable reason. The main difference in my story is that rather than going to court, I (thankfully) live in a state where you have the right to hire an independent appraiser to professionally value the car, the insurance has to do the same, and they try to renegotiate value between them. If they agree on a number, that's that - I cannot argue it any further, nor can the insurance company; they have to pay out the agreed-upon amount. My appraiser knew what Viggens were, knew Saabs well, and fought for way more than I was asking. The insurance company's appraiser was a moron and could not reach an agreement with mine, so it went to an 'umpire' - where both appraisers would argue their case to said umpire - who basically acts as a judge - and ultimately makes the final decision on value. The insurance company cannot contest the figure and must pay out. The umpire handily agreed with my appraiser and awarded over $21k for the value of my Viggen. And to think, I would've settled if they'd offered $11k. Sucks to be them. A really good outcome for me, other than losing my beloved car. I bought her back from the wrecking lot for $500 and am in the process of salvaging a bunch of parts that will keep my replacement Viggen that I bought going strong. Can't tell you how surprised I was to see a VINwiki video not only on Saabs, but on Viggens specifically, and a story that almost exactly matches my situation.

[@mindyabusinesses649]

@@tamsenbailey4087 what are the damn odds of this video lmao

[@devoinregress]

Going through it right now… Family car was parked and got totaled in a hit-and-run. Really struggling to replace it in this market. It’s an old Rav4 but we really care about mechanical quality and the market seems to care about it as well. Really good examples are going for $12-13k and we were offered less than $9k.

[@tamsenbailey4087]

@@mindyabusinesses649 You're telling me! If it wasn't for the fact that I'm a nobody, I definitely would've believed that Nik here stole my story and just altered very minor details to make it his own. Or maybe he's me but from another reality (and gender-swapped) here to tell his version of what happened.

[@chadvarnell1889]

I love when insurance companies try to be cheap over a few thousand dollars and end up costing themselves more than double the total amount. Imaging how much they would save if they took a minute to realize an owner is dedicated to their car and just did the right thing. If I ever do jury duty, I want one of these cases...

[@birthdaygrave_]

I've got a 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi. Was in a fender bender about a month ago, and insurance is wanting to total the car. The damage looks fully on the front bumper, except for a little distortion on the hood, and the intercooler and radiator have been pushed in a little bit. The evaluation through JD Power only valued the car at 8k, which is a bit ridiculous considering the values these go for on Bring A Trailer. They tried to tell me they found 2 other cars within 100 miles sold in the last 18 months, but I called bullsh*t on that claim because there were only 135 Turbo X SportCombi's imported into the US. There's no way there are two Turbo X SportCombi's within 100 miles of me sold in that time. My insurance agent and I are still fighting for a higher value, but it is quite annoying to still not have any progress on the claim more than a month after my accident. Hoping for the best and crossing my fingers that the value is high enough to where I don't have to total the car. This video gave me hope that my car can have a happy ending and that I won't end up on the short end of the stick.

[@aaronburratwood.6957]

This was a good story, I enjoy them all but this was good. Stickin it to “the man” stories are always the best.

[@cameltrophy3]

This is lovely. I am an insurance adjuster and it sounds like you did all the right things. This sounds like an extreme case, but everything you said you did is the right thing to do in a situation like this.

[@bwiese5387]

Damn that guy really likes his Saab

[@towhee7472]

6:44 "I had done a regression analysis.." This is where I was like: "Huh, not your average gear-head."

[@giorgio.]

I've driven Saab 9-3 Viggens back in 2000 when they were brand new (I worked as a Saab salesman at the time). The torque steer on them at full acceleration is something! Better keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel! I now drive a 2004 Saab 9-5 with the same engine/turbo and it's a joy to drive, but it's not as fast being a bigger, heavier car. I'm glad the Saab in this story was saved and is still on the road. Nik here is right, those were the last real Saabs, even though they were built on GM (Opel) platforms (speaking on the 9-3 and 9-5 of that era). The ones that came after were really not as good, they didn't feel like a Saab should feel like. They were fine, but not Saab-like. And don't even get me started on the 9-2x, 9-4x, and 9-7x!! Thanks for the great story. I suppose the lesson here is if you drive a special car, you should have it appraised before anything happens to it and/or use an insurance company that specializes in rare, special, collector cars, albeit at a premium.

[@docrybotycki5588]

Incredible Video. Their Lawyer broke the rule; never ask a question you don't know the answer to...

[@Jasperkell]

Great story, I had something similar happen with one of my cars. It was a 1998 infiniti I30T that was turned by a person running a red light. When the insurance company wanted to settle they came back with $1200. Then I checked the cars they referenced and none were touring cars. So I asked for a 2nd evaluation and they came back with $1600 but the two they reference had problems. The 3rd evaluation they asked me for 3 examples of my car and they were all over $4500 for the same touring package and mileage, give or take a year. Ended up s3ttling at $4000.

[@paulcampagna]

Saab! I've had several experiences with Saabs value. I have had and currently have 6, all of which are rare, including 2 Viggens. (TurboX, SPG, 92x as well) Best thing to do now is get it on Hagerty at a stated value. My Viggens are at 15k value and will only go up.

[@carllinden533]

He drives it in the winter!? I need to know his secret to prevent rust. Also 251000 miles is just awesome, the car came back from the dead and really lived!

[@nikkrueger5734]

Cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed, and washed regularly. Just how I was brought up. Both of my parents drive cars they bought new in 2006 and 2007 respectively, both over 200k and both looking great.

[@carllinden533]

@@nikkrueger5734 Couldn't agree more, if they're never driven, they've basically never existed. I suppose the trick then is to get the underbody clean somewhat by hand, most car washes really skimp on this.

[@laurat1129]

@@nikkrueger5734 You can tell those of us who care about our cars here in the salty states; we're the ones at the carwash right after the snowplows.

[@ethanol6756]

I may drive an NG 9-3, but man I'd kill for a Viggen. Good on him for fighting for his car

[@EDV8ZR1]

Interesting he said it was only 1 of 2400 in the US. Also that he's had 15 of them that's interesting too.

[@lewiseig5432]

Long time Saab lover, had a 2000 Viggen convertible too. I'm in the middle of a very similar situation right now, except I was hit by a distracted driver and the rear end my 911 is wrecked. Would love to know who your attorney was, most lawyers are only interested in the 6 or 7 figure cases with major injuries

[@nixboox]

I'm pretty sure that insurance companies just cite whatever the Blue Book value is on the car and then act shocked when you tell them they quoted you the Blue Book value of the car. I had a Toyota Camry that I was driving during a very similar kind of accident and they quoted me straight Blue Book for the car when they totaled it. But I went online and got some quotes to show that the cars were selling for much more than Blue Book at that time (it still wasn't a lot) but they met my revised figure and I didn't have to go to court.

[@MassiveTrackHunter]

Had this happen years ago, offered $1500 for a minty $5k car I literally wrecked a week after buying it. Spoke with Trimbach body shop in Dayton, and Tim Trimbach put me in contact with a "pre-accident appraiser", who then came back with an appraisal of $4975. Insurance then did another and came back at $4925. Waited a week for them to decide they would split the difference at $4950.... It is all a game.

[@MontanaYeti406]

Nice to see Saab getting some love. Had a 1987 edwardian grey 900 spg. Super fun car. Hope to find another clean one someday.

[@nikkrueger5734]

SPG 😍

[@bpearr8266]

Lucky dog

[@PaulGinAZ68]

I loved my Monte Carlo Yellow 9-3 Viggen Coupe.. they were special for the time.

[@nikkrueger5734]

I love my MCY one, the kids say we can never sell it 😂

[@NorwayVFX]

I dream of owning a 3-door non convertible VIggen in either Lightning Blue or the Monte Carlo yellow. Sadly Viggens here in Norway are like $20.000+, but they are a little cheaper if imported from Sweden, and the government here recently lowered the taxes on imported vehicles over 20 years old which is perfect.

[@xdrag4854]

When ever your in a accident if you can, have your car towed to your home. If not possible at the time go to the storage lot and pay the bill and get it as soon as you can. I have learned over the years if the tow company thinks your car is totaled they will take some parts or swap parts. I'm glad everything worked out for you...

[@WTFBODY]

My hs buddy had a modded 01 9-3. It was far from perfect, but you're absolutely correct that they were a sweet little swede machine. Good work saving yours.

[@SuperApplefan1]

this guy needs to be on here more!

[@clifbradley]

Wow...for the love of Saab, I don't think very many people would be that brave to take on an insurance company.

[@nikkrueger5734]

It’s more stubbornness and stupidity but in the end it worked regardless 😂

[@LouisSubearth]

Saab owners are the only ones defending Saab right now.

[@willmill409]

Finally someone who acknowledges that SAAB existed! I watch many car channels on KZbin such as car wizard and they talk about every European brand but SAAB. I've owned many brand of euro cars but SAAB is my favorite. One you drive one you'd understand

[@cowtailcalvin]

He loves Saab , I love this story!

[@johnshaw3208]

Loved the blue Viggen with the little badge with the lighting bolt ⚡️

[@smal1393]

Congratulations! Thank you for preserving this special Saab. I owned a Saab 99, 900, and 93. The 900 saved my life when a driver ran a red light and hit me in the driver's door at 45mph. Great vehicles, until GM got ahold of Saab.

[@bryan191088]

Of course the insurance low balled on the valuation 😅😂 I also own a rare Saab. A 1991 SPG in Beryl Green. Since it’s only 1 of 109 ever made for the US market, I don’t know what I’d do if I were to lose it in an accident.

[@jeremyrigden9200]

Well done, I'm on my seventh Saab a 2011 93 Aero Griffin, I also owned Viggen, convertible Monte Carlo Yellow, stage 4 tune by Maptun, which is now in Marbella with a Great Saab owner. All the best from the UK.

[@RomainSandt]

As a Saab nut. I'm always happy to see I'm not alone

[@nickzarnetske9994]

This is awesome. I bet the insurance company paid over $15k for what they could have gotten for $7.5k or $2.5k more than offered lol. I almost bought a new 9-3 Viggen as they were being blown out by the local dealer with the new ones coming. I was a little young and it didn't work out in the end. Always loved them!

[@iloveyourmomalot1one]

At first didn't notice the grill in the thumbnail. Only saw the fender and immediately knew it was a Saab. Glad to see him win. I regret not just buying new suspension for mine. Still have it but sitting for like 2 years now.

[@ourhaus9164]

Thank god you could save it. I’ve got a ‘99 3-door LB. And have parted an ‘01 5-door out of a junkyard. Also you’ve got a flame ocher car, holyyyy crap!

[@bobmcl2406]

Straight, simple car guy story that we all can relate to. Good stuff!

[@mhagelst]

From an old Saab-employee, great story, love it!

[@scofab]

Once upon a time I had an '84 three-door 900 turbo 5-speed... this was in the very late 80s or so. Stopped in a jam in morning Minneapolis expressway rush hour traffic... the 3/4 ton Ford van behind me didn't notice and never braked until it was way too late. This encounter relocated the taillights to somewhere right behind the rear seat, but I was fine. Afterwards not only did I drive it to where I'd been going, but I drove home after. (Hand signals lol.) Insurance was worried I'd sue for neck or back injuries but I didn't have any (I did get checked out) but they did cut me a very nice check for damages and I kept the car, which I then sold for further profit to the local Saab guy, who had recently rebuilt the gearbox for me. Fun times... thanks for the story.

[@gundamfranck]

My hero!!! I love SAAB, i had to let go of my first og9-3. Still miss it, so i had to buy another one!!! Good to know there is people fighting for SAAB still.

[@samkurts1236]

The way this guy truly educates people about saab's history and the viggen is amazing

[@TheoPhilpot]

So happy to hear about another Saab being saved.

[@dkwilliams9819]

I like this guy a lot, just trying to not get screwed & lovin him some Saab

[@garfinkelc11]

enthusiasts of niche cars, especially ones that are niche even within the car enthusiast community, are just the best. Love seeing people nerd out over their Saabs, or Volvo wagons, or Mazda rotaries, or old diesel Mercs.

[@sethervin6011]

Finally a Saab guy on the channel, my favorite brand on the road!!

[@koke311]

As a Saab enthusiast and former 1999 Viggen owner , I love the story. Saab lovers are a different breed.

[@fuse8052]

Had a lightning blue Viggen come through my shop. Stack of receipts in the glove box. $16.5K in in receipts. Guy paid $9.5K for it. A few months later a guy who was a friend of a friend had bought it. Was STUPID fast!

[@danielhawkins6425]

Lawyer: "What's your qualification?" VINwiki: "I can do basic math."

[@j_mars_cars]

“I have a degree in quantitative analysis” Yep, that had me giggling 😂

[@1waterengineer]

Man it’s alway great to hear the little guy win!

[@Bimmerguy88]

Hell yeah! Good for you my man! Not getting steam rolled over by that insurance company.

[@superheatsubcool]

I snow skied out of Denver every weekend and 1 of the few cars that would pass me were Saabs, they work great in winter conditions.

[@woodysdrums8083]

Good for you!!! We all need to stand up for our rights and challenge these large companies.

[@joemurdock6032]

As a fellow Saab enthusiast and Saab driver I am glad someone else realizes what these cars are.

[@geronimotiveman6048]

Replace his face with mine, replace Saab 9-3 Viggen with 7.3L Excursion, replace $3700 with $9000 and replace $7500 with $22000 and I went through the same thing. I stuck to my story like he did and eventually they got tired of me and paid out. I did not have to go to court though. I was patient and annoying and it was worth it.

[@jasonjavelin]

Mann you bodies that attorney with your degree that is absolutely gold

[@gregoryballestero4369]

When I was like 15 my friends dad had an older mid to late 80 Saab that just looked so funky to me it was a turbo and a 5speed after my first ride in that thing I understood how cool that spaceship tall roof looking thing was by today's cars it's slow but the feeling when the turbo spools and you pinned back after that ride I never wanted anything but boost lol I pushed My dad hard to get the firs year bugeye WRX (wagon) when it came out it was the first brand new car he ever bought great car had a guy in town always hounding him to sell it by time 2018 came around the car had less than 65k on the clock (I'm curious what happened to that wrx because we don't talk anymore)

[@dedalliance1]

And this is why you insure every car you own with someone like Grundy or Hagerty, you get guaranteed value and up to 20-25% over evaluation if you want it. Why people don't do this I don't understand. If you have a car that you love and you want to keep it safe financially you really need to get good insurance and it's not really expensive, might even be cheaper. I have Grundy, 2018 GMC Sierra 3500 HD CCLB gasser bought it brand new for 41k, currently insured because of higher car market for 56k guaranteed. Have a 2014 Chevy Cruze 2.0l turbo diesel fairly rare car paid 7,600 for it currently insured for 12k dollars guaranteed value. Have a 1992 Toyota Hilux 2.4l turbo diesel imported, paid 10k for it currently insured for 17.5k guaranteed value. Even as a 25 year old male with speeding tickets and what not, total loss on my last truck (act of god though) and some little claims, still only pay $300 a month for all of my insurance. I'm not rich and can't afford to lose money on a totaled vehicle so I buy good insurance. These companies will also generally allow you and pay you to fix your own vehicle after an accident if you want to because they understand a lot of custom and modified cars will be denied by a lot of shops, and that you love your car more than anyone else so you'll fix it right. Seriously though give either one a call and get a quote you might be surprised just how affordable their insurance can be especially for the quality and perks of the insurance. I'll never go back to a big brand new insurance again.

[@leoservin4806]

Watching this while in my 9-3 Sportcombi 😂

[@volvowagon70]

Yes I too love the Saab! I had a 98 900 SE turbo, and I miss it. 2.3 turbo, 5 speed, 2 door, 18 gallon tank, and I could get roughly 500 miles out of a tank…and that was cruising over 70. I put a snowblower in the back once, and one time transported a dishwasher, and both times was able to close the hatch. Man it was quick, agile, and had awesome driving lights, and I sorely miss having rear fog lights. Plus the interior was super comfortable, except that it was beige and tan and more beige, all cloth. But where I live in upstate New York, there just aren’t any that aren’t worn out. Plus it had the sunroof. I agree with you about the snow capabilities, I would put a good set of snows on and pass Subaru’s all day in deep snow.