Totally agree about the mechanic thing. My old car wasn't even luxury, just a quirky older model, but insurance initially said no to a claim because they didn't get why a certain part mattered. Luckily, my mechanic was great—he took some pics, wrote a clear explanation, and after a bit of back-and-forth, insurance came around. Definitely taught me it's worth being persistent and having someone who can clearly explain stuff on your side...and maybe bringing donuts to the shop every now and then doesn't hurt either, haha.
"Definitely taught me it's worth being persistent and having someone who can clearly explain stuff on your side..."
Couldn't agree more. A lot of insurance adjusters just aren't familiar with older or specialty cars, so they default to denying claims they don't fully understand. I've had similar experiences with my classic—had to get the mechanic to literally walk them through why a rare carburetor mattered. Pics and clear explanations are key...and yeah, donuts definitely grease the wheels a bit, haha. Glad you got it sorted!
Yeah, the donut trick's a classic move, haha. Had a similar issue with my old VW bus—adjuster had no clue why original parts mattered. Curious, did your mechanic charge extra for dealing with insurance directly? Mine did...
Haha, mechanics charging extra for insurance headaches sounds about right. Mine didn't charge extra exactly, but he definitely made sure I knew how much of a "favor" he was doing me. Ever had a mechanic guilt-trip you into tipping...?
I've never had a mechanic guilt-trip me into tipping, but honestly, I'm not sure I'd see it as a guilt-trip even if they hinted at it. Mechanics probably deal with insurance headaches all the time, and I imagine it's pretty frustrating. Maybe they're just venting a bit? Still, tipping mechanics isn't something I've considered before... is that actually common practice? I'm new to this whole insurance thing, so genuinely curious if that's expected or just an occasional courtesy.
