In late December, my nearly new 2004 VW Beetle was involved in a wreck. I have been involved in a dispute with the insurance company since January over the car's status and its value. I purchased the car in late October from Carl Gregory Volkswagen in Columbus, Georgia. I have no complaints about the salesperson, I was very happy with him and I was very happy with the car. My dissatisfaction began with the actions of the dealership's manager, Kevin Braggs, following the wreck.
Before the end of December, I contacted Kevin Braggs at Carl Gregory VW and told him the car was in a wreck and the insurance company might contact the dealership. At that time, I had some additional questions about repair issues. I commented to Mr. Braggs that I hoped the insurance company would repair the car, rather than totaling it, because I did not believe there was enough damage to total the car. He said he would respond to the call from the insurance company. Mr. Braggs told me that my car was worth between $16,000 and $17,000.
In early January, the insurance company decided to total the car. I began pricing replacements and I visited the dealership and spoke with Kevin Braggs. I asked him about substitution of collateral to replace the car. At that time, Mr. Braggs told me that 2004 Beetles are hard to find, but a new 2005 comparable to my 2004 would cost at least $18,000.
I am in disagreement with the insurance company over the amount they offered for my car. It is too low. I am unable to accept the insurance company's offer because it is well under the car's value and it would leave too much owing. The insurance company refuses to repair the car, although repair is possible.
After my second conversation with Kevin Braggs, I received the insurance company's appraisal report. The insurance company only asked two dealers for quotes on the car's value, one was Carl Gregory VW. Kevin Braggs reported that a car with mileage identical to mine was worth only $13,900. His quote was considerably lower than the one provided by the other dealer. Mr. Braggs' low quote apparently contributed to the decision to total the car.
I contacted Kevin Braggs by email to get an explanation for his actions. Mr. Braggs did not respond to my email. After several days with no response to the email, I returned to the dealership to discuss the problem with Mr. Braggs. I found Mr. Braggs' behavior during the conversation extremely odd. He refused to let me speak, he interrupted and cut me off me off each time I tried.
Mr. Braggs told me that he did not respond to my email because he had no intention of doing anything about the problem. He offered contradictory stories about the call he received concerning the car's value. At one point during the conversation, Mr. Braggs told me he was asked to provide a value for a car like mine with average mileage and in average condition, rather than a car in new condition with extremely low mileage - as mine was.
So, he gave a lower value because he was not given accurate information about the car. Later in the same conversation, Mr. Braggs told me: 1.) he receives several similar calls asking for car values each day and 2.) he was not aware someone had called about my car because he receives too many calls to remember them and 3.) he could not remember any call specifically.
The dispute with the insurance company is on-going and I plan to get an attorney to deal with the insurer. More than two months after the wreck, I still have no car. It appears that Mr. Braggs wanted to sell me a new 2005 Beetle. I believe Mr. Braggs provided a low value for my car hoping the insurance company would total it so Carl Gregory VW could sell me a new, more expensive car.
To date, I have seen nothing from Mr. Braggs to make me believe otherwise. During our last conversation, he did say he would look for a 2004 similar to mine, but not surprisingly I have heard nothing from him.
On top of all of this, I received a tax bill from the state for the taxes Carl Gregory VW collected when I purchased the car.
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