Honestly, dealership quotes always seem a bit inflated to me...like they're pricing in the free coffee and donuts. 😂 I went independent once and got a noticeably higher valuation. Insurance grumbled but eventually accepted it—worth the hassle, IMO.
- Dealerships definitely pad their quotes a bit—it's part of their business model. They bank on convenience and the assumption that most people won't shop around.
- Independent appraisals usually come out ahead because they're not tied to selling you anything extra. Had a similar experience with my Audi S7; dealership gave me a valuation that felt suspiciously low. Went independent, and the difference was enough to make insurance balk initially, but they eventually caved.
- Curious though, did your insurance push back hard on accepting the independent appraisal? Mine dragged their feet for weeks, claiming they needed "additional documentation." Wondering if that's common or if I just got unlucky...
Yeah, dealerships always seem to lowball—especially if it's something older or niche. Had a similar headache with my '68 Mustang. Dealer appraisal was laughably low, so I went independent and got a number that made way more sense. Insurance didn't outright reject it, but they definitely stalled, asking for extra paperwork and even photos from specific angles (seriously?). Felt like they were hoping I'd just give up. Eventually they accepted it, but only after I hinted at getting legal advice involved. Seems pretty standard for insurers to drag their feet when the valuation jumps significantly...guess they're betting on people giving in out of frustration.
"Insurance didn't outright reject it, but they definitely stalled, asking for extra paperwork and even photos from specific angles (seriously?). Felt like they were hoping I'd just give up."
Typical insurer tactics, unfortunately. Went through something similar when I had my older Volvo appraised independently after a minor collision. The dealership valuation was absurdly low—honestly felt insulting given how well-maintained the car was. Independent appraisal came back significantly higher, and of course, insurance started dragging their feet immediately. They requested documentation multiple times, claimed they lost paperwork once (conveniently), and kept pushing for more detailed images. It wasn't until I firmly mentioned escalating to the state insurance commissioner that things suddenly moved along smoothly.
For anyone dealing with this nonsense, I've found keeping meticulous records of all communication helps immensely. Emails are your friend—phone calls can be conveniently "forgotten" by insurers. If you're clear, direct, and document everything thoroughly, they're less likely to stall indefinitely.
Yeah, insurers can definitely drag their feet sometimes—seen it plenty. But honestly, they're usually just ticking boxes to cover themselves legally. Photos from weird angles might seem silly, but you'd be surprised how often those random shots clear things up later. Still, you're spot-on about documenting everything. Emails are gold if things get messy... phone calls vanish into thin air when you need them most.
