Still waiting on Verizon Wireless to cough up the surveillance video. The local manager is sympathetic but all he can do is request it from the central facility in NJ. They aren't' being responsive.
I spoke to the cop on the case again a couple of days ago. I told him that I was disappointed in the response and getting impatient to see the video. I insisted that he contact the NJ Verizon people directly and put the power of an "active police investigation" behind it. I can only paraphrase his response as a "shrug". And the kicker here now is that because it's an "open case under investigation" I will not be allowed to see the video. It's against policy. He will not show me the video even though I am the one that asked the guy to get it for me.
I also told him I wanted to see the city traffic cam video. I explained that the car couldn't just vanish and I would have a better chance of picking it out than anyone. I have no idea which cams they looked at or the search radius. I know it must be recorded on one or more cams so it pisses me off. I won't be allowed to see those either. It's against policy.
Meantime, I am driving around town handing out flyers, talking to folks, posting on-line, putting my sidewalk sign out everyday, searching Craigslist, eBay and Facebook for any parts that may pop up, etc.
It's not a big surprise, but I know there is no active investigation. Oh sure, It's logged as stolen and they will "keep their eyes open" which is just another way of saying they will let me know if they happen to stumble over it. Meanwhile my offers to assist are flatly denied.
Still hoping for something from the video but that has always been a slim chance. I'm frustrated and losing hope with each passing day.
[This message has been edited by Rsvl-Rider (edited 11-26-2021).]
I hate to say this but welcome to the harsh world of modern day police investigations.
Depending on where you live but in more and more areas a car disappears or a house gets broken into they file a report and let the insurance pay for it.
I don’t blame the cops as most are under staffed and they are often loaded down dealing with murders, drug over doses and domestics that could result in either of these.
Many departments are not backed up by their city government's and even if they catch the guy the car is already stripped and they have to charge the guy then he is let go and never shows for court..
This is not a commentary on your car as this applies to many and most vehicles today.
With all nasty things that are going on a Fiero be it yours or mine is small change.
My grand mothers house was broken into. They got some major things that belongs back to my Great Great Grand Fathers guns. They were valuable. We even had a good idea who did it but with no proof there was little that could be or would be done.
It suck but real life is not like CSI.
I really hope you catch a break as I am afraid much of this is in your hands.
Just look at all the smash and grabs going on and the cops just watch. The government is destroying law and order in this country. If you do something to protect yourself then you are the one arrested.
Following copied from various web sites. Good luck on your search.
Car insurance does cover a stolen car, but only if you have comprehensive coverage. If you do, you're covered for the outright theft of your vehicle, as well as damage to your vehicle that occurs during a break-in. You'll be paid up to the actual cash value (ACV) of your car, minus your deductible.
File a stolen vehicle report to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV maintains a database of stolen cars and can help the police recover the vehicle faster if somebody comes in to register the car under their name.
If your claim is successful, many insurance carriers use the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle to determine your payout. The total will also depend on the terms of your policy. An adjuster from the insurance company determines the vehicle’s value based on its age, make, model, and normal wear and tear. This will also account for upgrades you have made, such as premium seats or wheels, but not accessories you can remove, such as a premium stereo or music player. When the adjuster has come up with a value for the car, you'll usually receive a check for that amount minus any deductible that you have on your policy.
Following copied from various web sites. Good luck on your search.
Car insurance does cover a stolen car, but only if you have comprehensive coverage. If you do, you're covered for the outright theft of your vehicle, as well as damage to your vehicle that occurs during a break-in. You'll be paid up to the actual cash value (ACV) of your car, minus your deductible.
File a stolen vehicle report to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV maintains a database of stolen cars and can help the police recover the vehicle faster if somebody comes in to register the car under their name.
If your claim is successful, many insurance carriers use the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle to determine your payout. The total will also depend on the terms of your policy. An adjuster from the insurance company determines the vehicle’s value based on its age, make, model, and normal wear and tear. This will also account for upgrades you have made, such as premium seats or wheels, but not accessories you can remove, such as a premium stereo or music player. When the adjuster has come up with a value for the car, you'll usually receive a check for that amount minus any deductible that you have on your policy.
If it gets to this hopefully you had an agreed value policy with the insurance company not the ACV coverage of a standard insurance policy.
And I placed a sign on the street for any commuters that may have seen something.
I'd respectfully suggest a much larger sign, if that is ok with the business there. A standard 60" printer would let you make a life-sized banner that would really get people's attention.
I'd respectfully suggest a much larger sign, if that is ok with the business there. A standard 60" printer would let you make a life-sized banner that would really get people's attention.
The 36" x 24" signs in the A-frame are the largest allowed by the city. I could easily make a life sized banner on my 64" HP Latex 360 printer but displaying it there would be a problem.
The 36" x 24" signs in the A-frame are the largest allowed by the city. I could easily make a life sized banner on my 64" HP Latex 360 printer but displaying it there would be a problem.
Yes, I own a sign shop.
To quote a former Mayor of San Diego: "Have you had enough government yet?" Methinks if you threw caution to the wind and displayed the life-sized sign anyway, the Police would issue you a ticket faster than green grass through a goose.
Our cars call for agreed value insurance as that is the only way to really get a true pay out on a car our are with little hassle.
If you just go by what the insurance company provides most times it will never meet the values we have in the car.
Many companies with agreed value also offer to increase the insured value automatically to keep up with increased values.
If you have a modified car only agreed value will provide you with secure coverage.
Really the best investment is to just buy liability and put the saved premium into your pocket for a rainy day. You can buy a new Fiero every five years for what the insurance companies charge for comp and collision. Or did you really think the insurance companies are losing money from your policy?
Such a nice '88 I really hope you find yours in optimal condition.. they're much much harder to buy in quality condition than they were just a couple of years ago. Relatively cheap cars or not, a nice Fiero draws a lot of attention.. a real pro just drags them up on a trailer and drives off, unfortunately.
My brother-in-law walked up on someone trying to pry the locked door open on his aero coupe a few years back.. dangerous world we live in!
Glad it's just the car and you weren't hurt in the process~
[This message has been edited by Steel (edited 11-28-2021).]
Really the best investment is to just buy liability and put the saved premium into your pocket for a rainy day. You can buy a new Fiero every five years for what the insurance companies charge for comp and collision. Or did you really think the insurance companies are losing money from your policy?
Well if you do your home work you will find one policy does not fit all.
If I owned a daily driver work in progress $3000 Fiero your plan would be fine.
In my case I have a low mile Fiero I bought new in 1985. It is clean enough I can polish the under side of the car. I show it and drive it for pleasure only not daily driving. If I were to sell it I would get at the high end on price due to the condition, modifications and rare parts I have collected over 35 years.
Might not too I use collectors insurance as it fits my use well and it is a fraction of what you pay for collision. In fact it is very much in line with liability.
I am covered to the point I could buy a low mile 88 GT or even upgrade to a C5 or C6 corvette easily should something happen.
I don’t but fixer up cars and move on every 5 years. I generally buy and stay with most cars long term. I also go for better condition cars as restoring them anymore can add up to as much or more if you do it right.
If you have a car of decent value collectors insurance is a great option if you do not daily drive. If you don’t have much invested then liability is fine.
I think I am about $550- $600 a year for coverage around $16,000.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 11-28-2021).]
I work in the antique/classic car business and talk to people often when something bad happens to their car, because the insurance company wants to give them $6,000 for their $18,000 car because they didn't have the proper insurance, so please allow my two cents...
quote
Originally posted by hyperv6:
Our cars (any old specialty car) call for agreed value insurance as that is the only way to really get a true pay out on a car our are with little hassle.
If you just go by what the insurance company provides most times it will never meet the values we have in the car. (or what the Fair Market Value is to replace it)
If you have a modified car (any old specialty car) only agreed value will provide you with secure coverage.
Correct, and I added bold to elaborate.
quote
Originally posted by reinhart:
Really the best investment is to just buy liability and put the saved premium into your pocket for a rainy day.
If you have "regular insurance" on a "low-value" Fiero that might make sense for some, but for all the people out there who have Fiero's worth $10k to $20k (or any nice old car) it is HIGHLY recommended you have antique/classic "agreed value policy" so in the case of a total loss you get handed a check for the full amount with no hassle.
quote
Originally posted by reinhart:
You can buy a new Fiero every five years for what the insurance companies charge for comp and collision.
Again, that might work on a "low-value" Fiero but not on a low-mileage or desirable Fiero in superb condition, because those examples cost over $10k nowadays and less of them are available over time (just like any old car) and inflation doesn't help matters.
quote
Originally posted by hyperv6:
I think I am about $550- $600 a year for coverage around $16,000.
That is expensive, who is that provider? You might want to shop around, generally speaking a specialty car "agreed value policy" for $10k is usually around $125 to $150 per year, so a $20k policy should be no more than $300 per year.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 11-28-2021).]
I work in the antique/classic car business and talk to people often when something bad happens to their car, because the insurance company wants to give them $6,000 for their $18,000 car because they didn't have the proper insurance, so please allow my two cents...
That is expensive, who is that provider? You might want to shop around, generally speaking a specialty car "agreed value policy" for $10k is usually around $125 per year, so a $20k policy should be no more than $300 per year.
To be honest it is likely less. I changed companies not long ago and the wife pays the bills. I just know the total coverage. With prices rising I want to keep pace.
I know when I made the change it cut my cost by something like 2/3.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 11-28-2021).]
I have "agreed value' insurance liability and collision) on my Meras with Grundy Worldwide. The total "agreed value" for the vehicles is about $100k and the policy is right around $1k per year. That is more than a bit lower than the previously quoted cost of insurance in this post. I am quite happy to pay this amount for the stated coverage and it is actually less than what I am paying for insurance on a four year old Kia Rio that one of my sons drives.
People that think they're getting a "good deal", do you really think the insurance companies are losing money on your policy?
There are only three states between you and your insurance company: 1) It's a zero sum (which is impossible due to administration costs). Over the life of your relationship you receive back exactly as much as you pay in. However even in this case, the insurance company loses money because it has to pay administrative costs, salaries, etc. So State 1) is impossible in the real world.
2) You are coming out ahead. You receive back more in beneifts than you pay in premium. If you really think it's you that's coming out ahead, then you must believe the insurance company is losing money. Insurance companies don't lose money or they would close their doors.
3) The only remaining possiblity is the insurance company is coming out ahead. You are not getting a good deal statistically (based on net of premium minus payouts over time).
Now if you are extremely risk averse then you don't mind losing money for "peace of mind". e.g. You know you aren't going to get back what you paid in but you sleep better at night knowing if something happens to your car you'll get $X back.
The "value" of your car is irrelevant. You can insure a $1000 for a stated value of $100,000. The insurance company just charges you more. Everything is just based on statistical modelling. Liklihood of expected claims.
One gotcha you're probably not aware of is that if you insure based upon an agreed upon value which is higher than the actual replacement value and you get into a major accident, you're not going to get a replacement car, you'll just get your otherwise totaled car repaired. So if your Fiero is worth $8000 and you settle upon an agreed value of $20,000, when you get into a $10,000 accident where the car should be totaled, instead of cutting you a check for $8000, they'll spend $12,000 to repair your collector car. The end result is you are driving around in a car that's been repaired and has much lower collector value due to the accident (frame damage, non-matching VIN stickers, etc. Had you insured for the replacement value, you'd have a accident free replacement Fiero in your garage. i would bet a signed dollar that there is no diminished value clause in your agreed value insurance policy, so you won't get any money back for your repaired car's loss of value. Then to add insult to injury, they'll just raise your premium for having a claim.
People that think they're getting a "good deal", do you really think the insurance companies are losing money on your policy?
There are only three states between you and your insurance company: 1) It's a zero sum (which is impossible due to administration costs). Over the life of your relationship you receive back exactly as much as you pay in. However even in this case, the insurance company loses money because it has to pay administrative costs, salaries, etc. So State 1) is impossible in the real world.
2) You are coming out ahead. You receive back more in beneifts than you pay in premium. If you really think it's you that's coming out ahead, then you must believe the insurance company is losing money. Insurance companies don't lose money or they would close their doors.
3) The only remaining possiblity is the insurance company is coming out ahead. You are not getting a good deal statistically (based on net of premium minus payouts over time).
Now if you are extremely risk averse then you don't mind losing money for "peace of mind". e.g. You know you aren't going to get back what you paid in but you sleep better at night knowing if something happens to your car you'll get $X back.
The "value" of your car is irrelevant. You can insure a $1000 for a stated value of $100,000. The insurance company just charges you more. Everything is just based on statistical modelling. Liklihood of expected claims.
One gotcha you're probably not aware of is that if you insure based upon an agreed upon value which is higher than the actual replacement value and you get into a major accident, you're not going to get a replacement car, you'll just get your otherwise totaled car repaired. So if your Fiero is worth $8000 and you settle upon an agreed value of $20,000, when you get into a $10,000 accident where the car should be totaled, instead of cutting you a check for $8000, they'll spend $12,000 to repair your collector car. The end result is you are driving around in a car that's been repaired and has much lower collector value due to the accident (frame damage, non-matching VIN stickers, etc. Had you insured for the replacement value, you'd have a accident free replacement Fiero in your garage. i would bet a signed dollar that there is no diminished value clause in your agreed value insurance policy, so you won't get any money back for your repaired car's loss of value. Then to add insult to injury, they'll just raise your premium for having a claim.
If this is what you think that is fine but it is not the whole story.
#1 my cost is $285 a year. This not only covers my liability but also the value of the car should it be stolen, lost in a fire or totaled.
#2 the value of my car generally has increased more than $285 per year.
#3 if it is in a crash and not totaled I only expect them to pay what it cost to restore the car back to what it was.
#4 few coverages cover diminished value. On older and restored cars it is much less an issue as most of the cars have been apart and restored. Also in cases of collector cars demand for a car is greater than the number of cars out there so most people buy based on their own inspection. Car fax really does not her restored cars.
#5 if stolen or totaled I am not out my full investment. I am also not stressed out looking for my car that is gone either. If it is found great if not I have enough to replace it.
To me that couple hundred dollars is a good investment just as health insurance. My buddy was going to save money and skip his insurance. Then he had heart surgery.
Look for what you pay or a little more for liability only I get full coverage for my car on the collectors insurance.
While I don’t know your cars condition keep in mind mine is better than new. It is worth enough to protect.
If this is what you think that is fine but it is not the whole story.
#1 my cost is $285 a year. This not only covers my liability but also the value of the car should it be stolen, lost in a fire or totaled.
#2 the value of my car generally has increased more than $285 per year.
#3 if it is in a crash and not totaled I only expect them to pay what it cost to restore the car back to what it was.
#4 few coverages cover diminished value. On older and restored cars it is much less an issue as most of the cars have been apart and restored. Also in cases of collector cars demand for a car is greater than the number of cars out there so most people buy based on their own inspection. Car fax really does not her restored cars.
#5 if stolen or totaled I am not out my full investment. I am also not stressed out looking for my car that is gone either. If it is found great if not I have enough to replace it.
To me that couple hundred dollars is a good investment just as health insurance. My buddy was going to save money and skip his insurance. Then he had heart surgery.
Look for what you pay or a little more for liability only I get full coverage for my car on the collectors insurance.
While I don’t know your cars condition keep in mind mine is better than new. It is worth enough to protect.
Your points #1-2 have nothing to do with what I said. It's irrelevant if your car appeciates or depreciates. Under a normal actual value policy the premium will just increase or decrease to move with the car's value. Other than an unexpected occurance of hyper-inflation between when you paid for the 6 months and when the 6 months ends, it has no bearing. If there is hyper inflation, then you would get a good deal. However, expected inflation is obviously priced into an insurance policy and no one writes more than 6-12 month policies.
#3 Of course all they will do is pay to repair the car (not replace it) if repair is less than the value of the car. That's nothing special. I was referring to the "Agreed upon value" guys. They're really getting the worst of two worlds. Their "collector car" is totaled but they end up with a horrifically scarred up car with frame damage and non-matching numbers in their garage after paying the premium of a $20,000 car with a car that's really worth $8000 for the previous 10 years. Speaking specifically about Fiero's every low mileage "collector car" I've seen is accident free. Have yet to see a <5000 mile 88 GT (or even a 20.000 mile 88 GT) that's been wrecked. I guarantee you it would lose well more than 30% of it's value if not way more. These are the guys that are getting the "Agreed upon value" policies I'm assuming. I don't think there are many 84 SC owners with 180,000 miles getting $20,000 "agreed value" policies. Or if I'm wrong please speak up.
Yes in the event your car is stolen AND NOT RECOVERED you would get the "agreed value". This is a horrifically small probability. I would bet nobody that has one of these policies even drives the car other than to an occasional show or the like (probably trailered there in reality). In fact I believe most collector policies require the car to be garaged and only driven to shows or on an occasional weekend. So basically your extra agreed value only kicks in in the one in a million chance a thief breaks into your garage and steals your $10.000 Fiero (and that it's never recovered).
If the car is recovered then the damage is repaired just like a collision and "agreed value" is again irrelevant.
The OP's car was stolen from his place of business. I do not believe his driving pattern would even allow a "collector policy" or an "agreed policy".
And honestly how many other Fiero owners have reported a stolen car in the last 10 years? This is the first I've seen. It's literally a one-in hundred thousand (one in a million?) event.
Your points #1-2 have nothing to do with what I said. It's irrelevant if your car appeciates or depreciates. Under a normal actual value policy the premium will just increase or decrease to move with the car's value. Other than an unexpected occurance of hyper-inflation between when you paid for the 6 months and when the 6 months ends, it has no bearing. If there is hyper inflation, then you would get a good deal. However, expected inflation is obviously priced into an insurance policy and no one writes more than 6-12 month policies.
#3 Of course all they will do is pay to repair the car (not replace it) if repair is less than the value of the car. That's nothing special. I was referring to the "Agreed upon value" guys. They're really getting the worst of two worlds. Their "collector car" is totaled but they end up with a horrifically scarred up car with frame damage and non-matching numbers in their garage after paying the premium of a $20,000 car with a car that's really worth $8000 for the previous 10 years. Speaking specifically about Fiero's every low mileage "collector car" I've seen is accident free. Have yet to see a <5000 mile 88 GT (or even a 20.000 mile 88 GT) that's been wrecked. I guarantee you it would lose well more than 30% of it's value if not way more. These are the guys that are getting the "Agreed upon value" policies I'm assuming. I don't think there are many 84 SC owners with 180,000 miles getting $20,000 "agreed value" policies. Or if I'm wrong please speak up.
Yes in the event your car is stolen AND NOT RECOVERED you would get the "agreed value". This is a horrifically small probability. I would bet nobody that has one of these policies even drives the car other than to an occasional show or the like (probably trailered there in reality). In fact I believe most collector policies require the car to be garaged and only driven to shows or on an occasional weekend. So basically your extra agreed value only kicks in in the one in a million chance a thief breaks into your garage and steals your $10.000 Fiero (and that it's never recovered).
If the car is recovered then the damage is repaired just like a collision and "agreed value" is again irrelevant.
The OP's car was stolen from his place of business. I do not believe his driving pattern would even allow a "collector policy" or an "agreed policy".
And honestly how many other Fiero owners have reported a stolen car in the last 10 years? This is the first I've seen. It's literally a one-in hundred thousand (one in a million?) event.
Like I said if you have a car not worth $285 a year that is fine.
"These are the guys that are getting the "Agreed upon value" policies I'm assuming. I don't think there are many 84 SC owners with 180,000 miles getting $20,000 "agreed value" policies. Or if I'm wrong please speak up.
Yes in the event your car is stolen AND NOT RECOVERED you would get the "agreed value". This is a horrifically small probability. I would bet nobody that has one of these policies even drives the car other than to an occasional show or the like (probably trailered there in reality). In fact I believe most collector policies require the car to be garaged and only driven to shows or on an occasional weekend. So basically your extra agreed value only kicks in in the one in a million chance a thief breaks into your garage and steals your $10.000 Fiero (and that it's never recovered)."
As an owner of an 86 chop with an LT1 swap I have an agreed upon value policy.(over 20k) The cost of the labor to build the car again is the value of the policy not matching vins or the like. You are pretty close on the restrictions of the policy. The one in a million chance is not so true. I drive my car to shows and on weekend trips. It gets parked at hotels, restaurants, stores ect while I am out. That is when I would worry about it getting stolen or in an accident not when it is garaged.
"These are the guys that are getting the "Agreed upon value" policies I'm assuming. I don't think there are many 84 SC owners with 180,000 miles getting $20,000 "agreed value" policies. Or if I'm wrong please speak up.
Yes in the event your car is stolen AND NOT RECOVERED you would get the "agreed value". This is a horrifically small probability. I would bet nobody that has one of these policies even drives the car other than to an occasional show or the like (probably trailered there in reality). In fact I believe most collector policies require the car to be garaged and only driven to shows or on an occasional weekend. So basically your extra agreed value only kicks in in the one in a million chance a thief breaks into your garage and steals your $10.000 Fiero (and that it's never recovered)."
As an owner of an 86 chop with an LT1 swap I have an agreed upon value policy.(over 20k) The cost of the labor to build the car again is the value of the policy not matching vins or the like. You are pretty close on the restrictions of the policy. The one in a million chance is not so true. I drive my car to shows and on weekend trips. It gets parked at hotels, restaurants, stores ect while I am out. That is when I would worry about it getting stolen or in an accident not when it is garaged.
If you would speak to those of us paying for collector policies are this.
#1 these are not daily drivers. But then again I have driven to events hours away and never trailered either.
#2 Theft is the least of our concerns. We are more concerned about getting totaled in a crash, losing the car to a garage fire, vandalism.
#3 our insurance generally covers more and is the same or cheaper than regular liability. So why not get better coverage if we meet the conditions.
#4 the cars are garaged because they are generally worth garaging.
The deal is this there is a wide range of Fiero’s out there. On the web they all look good but in person some would be hard to for me to part out while others are like new.
If I owned a beater or one in great need of work yes I would only have liability. But if my car is of top value be it a Fiero, Vette or Trans Am I will insure it for what it would cost me to replace it or repair it.
Look I am far from rich but $285 is not going to break me or change my life if I do not. If anything I will be paying that much to pay for liability.
The same for my home I carry enough to cover my home to replace it not just get by.
My daily driver is my truck that with me working from home is still low miles. To be honest my Fiero this summer may have seen as many miles as my truck. Besides my truck is much more comfortable to drive around town and much easier to get good parts for it since they still make them.
My car is of condition that I show it. I show it mostly at large Pontiac events and even won best of show awards at the Pontiac and large regional event with a Fiero. It has been loaned out to GM to show at their events and even been on display in the Summit Racing Retail store.
I need protection in these places and if something should happen I can have the car restored or replaced. If I’m going to pay this much for liability and still use it this way why not get the better coverage for the money.
The car has parts that are prototype and rare parts you just don’t see or find anymore. My car is my hobby not a daily beater.
If you have something of value then it is worth protecting.
You do carry insurance on your house and health too? At least for yo
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 11-30-2021).]
Originally posted by hyperv6: If you have something of value then it is worth protecting.
You do carry insurance on your house and health too? At least for yo
It's not really the value of the item that matters, it's more about your financial situation and how much money is "chump change" for you.
If you have a $20k Fiero, and $20k isn't much money for you, then don't get full coverage. Save your money, because on average, the house wins, and the player loses. If something happens, just take out $20k from your piggy bank and get another one.
Also note that insurance companies pay out in money... it can't bring back special one-off prototype parts, so there's no protection for those.
It only makes sense to pay for the cost of insurance when the loss of something would cause financial hardship, else it's wasted money.
I have insurance on my house, but that is only because I could not afford to rebuild it if it burns down. However, if I were fortunate enough that rebuilding a house would be a trivial expense, then I would skip the insurance.
[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 11-30-2021).]
It's not really the value of the item that matters, it's more about your financial situation and how much money is "chump change" for you.
If you have a $20k Fiero, and $20k isn't much money for you, then don't get full coverage. Save your money, because on average, the house wins, and the player loses. If something happens, just take out $20k from your piggy bank and get another one.
Also note that insurance companies pay out in money... it can't bring back special one-off prototype parts, so there's no protection for those.
It only makes sense to pay for the cost of insurance when the loss of something would cause financial hardship, else it's wasted money.
I have insurance on my house, but that is only because I could not afford to rebuild it if it burns down. However, if I were fortunate enough that rebuilding a house would be a trivial expense, then I would skip the insurance.
No it is about if you can for a minimal amount of money protect your investment by taking $286 a year out of my piggy bank to protect my $20k investment it is a smart investment as that is a low capital protection. Even the rich guys insure their Ferraris or Impalas.
As for the one off parts yesterday they can’t pie replaced but what I spent on them can be recovered.
Again if I can pay the same price to protect my investment and my liability for the same or less price vs just liability why would I not do that?
Even a local collector here that could afford his collection ten times over insures his collection and building. Several of his cars are worth over $3,000,000.
Most people piss away more than $285 on lottery tickets, cigarette’s and beer.
Do Fiero’s get stolen from this post yes. Do they suffer accidents and damage. We have a ton of post for that too. Do they burn well it like the media says but yes they do. So they get hit in floods ask the guy in Michigan. Tornados we got post on that too.
If you can protect your investment or replace it for a minimal cost it is a good idea to do so Ex specially if liability is included.
Like I said if you have a car not worth $285 a year that is fine.
I'm not going to pay $300 for a one-in-a-million probability. Do you also have lightning insurance in case you get struck by lightning you get $10,000 extra?
Let's do a simple example. Suppose I have 3 Fieros. Suppose they're worth $5000 but if I pay an extra $300 a year I can get agreed upon coverage for $20,000 for each Fiero. Okay that's now $900 / year to do that with all 3. And 5.5 years of no accidents and I can buy a replacement for one of my Fieros in uncrashed, unrepaired, like condition and that's ignoring the interest which would probably cut it down closer to 5 years.
It's not even about can I afford $300, it's is it a smart decision? And for the most part it isn't, at least for someone that isn't hyper risk averse. If you stay up at night thinking about one-in-a-million bad things that might happen to you and if this help you sleep then knock yourself out.
Let’s get back to the topic and leave insurance debates for some other forum area. Any word on the search for your car? What plans are in place if you can’t find it? Replacement?
Let’s get back to the topic and leave insurance debates for some other forum area. Any word on the search for your car? What plans are in place if you can’t find it? Replacement?
Thanks.
Not much to report. Still no video to look at. I asked my cop contact some pointed and direct questions about the investigation a few days ago. I guess he couldn't supply the answers and told me the case had been forwarded to the Regional Auto Theft Task Force. Sounds impressive right? It's just one guy in the Police Dept, but he is a detective. It seems the guy I been talking to was a "report taker".
I had a long talk with the new guy and gave him some details that the other guy had never put in the report. (Kinda pissed me off). Anyway I told him I would still insist on seeing the video that the previous guy had told me I would not be allowed to see. The detective said there was no rule against it and I could go and see it with him when (if) it ever comes in. (I'm really not liking the first guy now) Apparently they are not able to compel them to supply it it a timely manner (if ever). I suggested that the car may have been shipped out but was told that due to extreme port congestion and currently skyrocketing shipping rates this was an unlikely scenario. It's more likely it went to a chop shop. Personally I think it would be hard to make any money on stolen Fiero parts. I'm not sure where they find their customers but I scan Craigslist, Facebook marketplace and Ebay everyday.
Anyway, he was quite sympathetic and told me he would review the case, make sure it received new emphasis, and call me the next day. That would have been yesterday, but no call. There are no other cameras near enough to be useful so I know now that without that video there is nothing left to do but wait for someone to stumble over it someday.
In a somewhat bizarre side note... I had put a sign out on the sidewalk right after the theft. ( I posted a picture in this thread) Night before last I was bringing it back in ( I don't leave it out overnight) when I noticed someone had placed some squares of red duct tape on the sign. One on the car image and one on the date. When I turned it around to see the other side I saw a large red arrow in the same red duct tape pointing down the street. On the chance someone is leaving me a clue I drove the street up and back that night and searched all the parking lots. Last night Jenny and I walked the street looking for any more red tape (breadcrumbs) but found nothing. Very strange...
As it happens, a Fiero acquaintance I had met several years ago heard about the theft and contacted Jenny. He has an 86 GT with a 3.4 and a Getrag 5 speed he has been thinking about selling. We saw and drove the car last night. It does have some issues but the price was right and we made the deal. Just need him to smog it now. It's not a replacement for the stolen car. I still have my stock 80K mile 87 GT that is my daily driver. This new car will be Jenny's replacement for the Formula she had before it developed rod knock and we had to get rid of it. She has a heavy foot and loves a driver's car. She has a 45 minute commute, so she will have a blast with this one.
[This message has been edited by Rsvl-Rider (edited 12-02-2021).]
It sucks that you’re having to deal with this, but it sounds like at least there’s a bit of a silver lining. I’m still hoping the car will turn up intact.
I have a suggestion regarding what I would try myself to obtain the video. I'd send the business with the video a certified letter stating I am going to file a legal case against them for aiding and abetting a criminal by protecting the criminal activity and criminal's identity by not providing the video to the police investigating., and I am notifying them to preserve any video footage from that day. If they don't want to get involved in a legal case they can turn over the video to me. Then I'd send another certified letter to the property owner that I am planning to file a legal case against them for negligence by allowing crimes to occur in their lot and not protecting the vehicles parked there not detering criminal activity and refusing to provide to the police if I don't get a copy of the video in the next week. Most likely this is all I'd need to do to get some action.
Then if the business owner turns it over himself or the property owner pressures the business to provide the video I got it. If they don't I can file a small claims case against the businessy owner and file a subpeona for evidence from the business that has the video. The business would be legally compelled to provide the video in a timely fashion (a few weeks max). Even though I likely don't have much of a case against the property owner I'd try to argue in court that his refusal to cooperate with law enforcement in a timely fashion kept me from possibly getting my car back in one piece. Regardless, I can still get the video although it might cost $50 or whatever the small claims fee is.
I had a similar situation where an accident I was involved in was recorded by a businesses camera. It would and did clearly show the other party was at fault. They weren't going to turn the video over to me until I let them know that I would be subpoenaing the video from them which would be more costly for both of us and they gave me the video the next day.
Not a lawyer and so I don't give legal advice, just a suggestion as to what I'd do at this point if it were me.
I was thinking of another way we should be protecting these cars: some sort ion tracker. Apple has the key tags so I am sure android has something similar. Maybe adhering those things somewhere inconspicuous so you could track them like a phone or computer or car keys. This is definitely and after the fact thought so I apologize it not being helpful in this instance.
I was thinking of another way we should be protecting these cars: some sort ion tracker. Apple has the key tags so I am sure android has something similar. Maybe adhering those things somewhere inconspicuous so you could track them like a phone or computer or car keys. This is definitely and after the fact thought so I apologize it not being helpful in this instance.
I mentioned them earlier and they are called TILE. They operate over Bluetooth and only have a range of 400' but if you put out a stolen car notice all of the 100,000 Tile users with the app will be notified when they go by location of your tile/car and report it to the police or yourself. Not foolproof but inexpensive and better than nothing. This info certainly doesn't help the man who lost his prized 88 to a criminal but it is helpful to others. As time goes on the chances of recovery of a stolen vehicle are less but you never know. The question to be asked is what does a criminal do with a very noticeable Red 1988 Pontiac Fiero?
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: They are called TILE. They operate over Bluetooth and only have a range of 400' but if you put out a stolen car notice all of the 100,000 Tile users with the app will be notified when they go by location of your tile/car and report it to the police or yourself. Not foolproof but inexpensive and better than nothing.
What if the criminal is one of those Tile users? This will only help the criminal to find the device & destroy it.
In a somewhat bizarre side note... I had put a sign out on the sidewalk right after the theft. ( I posted a picture in this thread) ..
Here's another idea that would give you a LOT more visibility: since you have a Sign Shop, set up Four signs instead of your One. On the first 3 post 1/3 of the car on each in order (front, middle, back), making the Vehicle picture essentially a 3-panel sign, spaced a bit apart, each the maximum size the code will allow. On Panel Four you could put your contact info. I think it would take several days for the Sign Police to decide they didn't like that, even though each individual sign would be satisfying the law. Of course, you'd want to let the property owner know what you were doing, perhaps saying you'd just keep the 4-panel sign up for a week. At least it would get you some more exposure.
What if the criminal is one of those Tile users? This will only help the criminal to find the device & destroy it.
Funny you mention this, after my previous post I read a news story last evening about car thieves that are using Tiles and AirTags to track high end auto to steal. Kind of scary.
I have Datatag gel all over the panels of my vehicles. The problem is this only helps if they locate pieces to identify if they are from your car. I think I’m going to used the based protection approach…remove the fuel pump fuse each time, an alarm maybe, in sight of people. Things like that.
This thread made me opt to not drive my '88 this past weekend. Every year around this time I take a little trip and spend a few nights but have to park my car in a parking lot that's a block away, not lit and to my knowledge has no cameras. Decided against it, the car means more to me than the agreed upon value I have it insured for. So I drove my brand new Cherokee instead.
I hope you find your car. Lots of good suggestions, GPS on the vehicle makes the most sense but definitely comes @ a premium and which to choose from I'll have to research.
Making a cross country trip for Christmas, will keep my eyes peeled. It's a needle in a haystack but you never know~
I was thinking of installing something like on my Fiero. Thus if it ever got stolen; I'd be able track it. I think Samsung has something called a smart tag that does the same; I don't know an Iphone.
The best thing you can do is make it difficult for someone to steal.
The most effective item has always been a hidden kill switch. The best I have seen are magnetic ones where you place a magnetic switch in the dash and put the magnet over it.
Generally if they can’t start the car fast or easy they will not take the tin3 to look for the switch.
As for the fuse idea it is ok in a pinch. Same for the coil wire you just pull the coil wire and take it with you. That way you don’t have to crawl under the dash. Sure they could use a plug wire but few will take time to look and most will not drive on a dead cylinder.
