# Bush hog damages camper



## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Wet ground and muddy boot bottoms factored this crash with my bush hog and my 2006 camper. The insurance adjuster said it can all be fixed. There has been no dollar amount put on the damage yet. I don’t know if the slide out works or not or if the frame is bent. The camper got shoved 8 feet sideways and into my barns corner post. 
Can this really be fixed as good as new? There’s a lot of damage here. Take a look at the pictures on this photobucket link below.

Tractor crashes RV pictures by fastback4 - Photobucket


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## Gerry (Jan 24, 2011)

*RV damage from tractor*

Well anything can be fixed but will you be happy seems the question. Around here ( Oregon ) there are a number of shops that specialize in RV damage repair and I'm sure there are shops where you're at that are trustworthy also. I would have several look at it in detail ie underneath and do frame measurements to determine what needs to be done. Your insurance company will of course be involved and my guess is it's likely to be a total but only time will tell. It may make it even more painfull that it's your doing but we all have done these kind of things so my advice is to jump through the hoops and let this work out, hopefully to your satisfaction. Good luck and let us know how you come out.


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## RVadventurer (May 4, 2011)

I would say it's a total loss. I am sure it could be fixed, but the insurance company is going to look at from a repair vs actual value stand point and I bet replacement will be cheaper. 

If I were you I would actually push for them to total it. A repaired camper is always going to be a repaired camper and that will greatly depreciate its value if you ever want to sell or trade it in


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

I will be getting this camper to a repair shop maybe this week. The ground is still to wet and soggy to pull this camper across my front yard and onto the highway.


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Monday the 23rd my insurance agent and the repair shop are having a meeting to determine if my camper is worth fixing..I'll report when i hear something....


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Ok. I have an estimate. $7,000.00 to repair my 2006 24 foot SunnyBrook trailer with a 12 foot slide-out. All parts will be OEM parts. My agent says the value of my camper is $13,000.00 and will not be a total although i owe $6,000.00 on it. My agent did however point out that there is damage to the interior wall on the right rear side where the camper hit my barn that has not been included in the estimate because the damage was noticed after the estiment was written. I have a big issue with why my bench dining room seat came loose from the wall ( 1" gap ) and the pull-out does not extend or retract evenly anymore. My agent says i should talk to my estimator and see if he will agree that there are further damages needed to be added to the estimate and if the new figure totals $8,000.00 dollars then my agent will total the camper. So here is what i've been offered so far.
1) Let this body shop fix the camper at the original estimated price.
2) Take the $7,000.00 and the camper and try to sell the camper as is...Any buyers out there?
3) Get another $1,000.00 added to the estimate and let my agent total the camper. Do i get the camper also if it's a total?


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## Gerry (Jan 24, 2011)

*to total or not*

The first thing you need to do is get the estimater back to agree on the total amount of damage including the newly found damage. Only then will you know where you stand for whether to fix or total. That should include a thurough inspection underneeth for frame damage.
If the trailer is declared a total the insurance company becomes the owner after paying you for it's loss minus any deductable just like a car that's totaled. Chances are the bank or whoever loaned the money has the title so the insurance company would probably make the check payable to both of you, it's standard procedure. The insurance company then may sell it back to you if you can agree upon a price otherwise they would probably auction it off. Unless you are skillfull making the kind of repairs needed you are probably best walking away in my opinion. While it may be possible to repair I would think any damage involving a slidout would be very very difficult to repair and get to last. Good luck and let us know how you come out, Gerry


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Thanks Gerry. My wife and i soon will speak to the adjuster and request a new estimate be written to include the interior walls damage and any frame damage. By the way i am not skillfull enough to repair this damage.


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## Gerry (Jan 24, 2011)

*re settling insurance claim*

One thing that I forgot, and it is important, realize that the insurance company, if it is to be totaled, never repeat never, gives you their best offer off the batt, but instead will ''lowball'' you to see how cheap you'll settle. One of the adjectives I've never seen used with insurance companies is generous. It is your job to search the internet to find as best you can how much your model of trailer is worth, with the understanding that asking price is seldom the sale price unless it is a very sought after unit, which is rare. But if they offer $7000 that means they will be prepared to go higher but you must hold their feet to the fire. Expect a hassle. Sorry I don't have better news but you can do it. Again good luck and if you don't mind let us know the outcome, Gerry


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

This Friday the 27th my wife and I will speak to the repair shop working on our camper and yes he is prepared to include further damages in another written estimate. If we don't get to the dollar amount that will total my camper should i ask the repair shop if they would be interested in buying my camper from me?


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## RVadventurer (May 4, 2011)

Gerry is correct, after the insurance company pays the money out for a total they own it. I would definitely point out the additional damage and get that factored into the cost of repair.

I do have to disagree on one point. If the cost to fix is going to be 7K it will be a waste of time to try and negotiate a higher price... It would be one thing if their client hit your camper, but in this case, their client is also the owner so they have nothing to loose, you cant sue yourself. They will not come up a single penny over the actual cost of the repair.

If this were my camper and the cost came in at even 5 K less then I owed on it, I would pay the balance off and walk away. A repaired camper with the extent of your damage will be a nightmare down the road... May never track properlt behind your truck again, may leak, may be difficult to level on site etc.


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

After the repair shop listened to all my other concerns regarding the integrity of my camper and future problems unforeseen, he agreed to re-write the estimate and make the camper a total loss according to the dollar amount my agent set. The adjuster agreed that the furniture coming away from the wall was a strong indication the shell of the camper shifted hard to the right and back again due to the sudden impact hitting my barns corner post. My barn is 80 years old and made of hardwoods. He agreed that he could not guarantee the frame was not bent, the roof would not leak nor could he assure the camper would track correctly after repairs. We will finalize the paperwork after the holidays. Thanks to all for some good reading materials prior to my negotiations.


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## Gerry (Jan 24, 2011)

I hope that this doesn't discourage you from buying another RV but gives you the incentive to look for another perhaps with knowledge gained from the first. Best wishes Gerry


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

*Another RV in the future?*

We may look at the 24'-28' Class C Mecedes Benz powered RV's that we have heard mentioned here and there. We will be towing our 20' pontoon fishing boat and from what i've heard a gas powered 24' - 28' Class C cannot compare to a turbo charged diesel for power and performance. As always, you get what you pay for......


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## Gerry (Jan 24, 2011)

*new MB RV*

That sounds interesting but being a MB owner myself I can tell you they don't have any reasonably priced parts but they do make some well engineered vehicles. I have always wondered why nobody makes a C class MH with a Cummins motor.


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## RVadventurer (May 4, 2011)

Other thing to consider is service... My Brother borrowed a VW Rialta for a cross country honeymoon last year and had some problems in transit, he was unable to find an RV center that would work on it. Might have the same trouble with a MB.

The Diesel will give you more torque out of a smaller motor, but usually are slower on the highway and really slow down in the mountains. Last year while headed up to MT Rushmore my Triton powered class A easily passed a few diesels that started out in front of us. The motor you speak of I believe is the 24J which puts out 188 hp and 280 ft lbs. vs the triton in mine which is 310 hp and 425 ft lbs. The diesel will get better fuel mileage by 5-6 mpg, as long as you don't tow a car behind it, but diesel also costs more on the gallon.


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Now we've turned our focus towards truck campers as we already own a Ford f-250 diesel truck...


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

Aha! I see your post about the truck campers. I think you only have to worry about GVWR with the weight of a truck camper on your truck bed. See my comments in that other post.

Two things. Chrysler motors was supposed to be the domestic distributor of the MB van you guys were talking about as a Class B/Small C. The chassis is called Sprinter. If you purchase a rig with the Chrysler model of that vehicle wouldn't that help with the price of parts since it's from a domestic company, Chrysler? Something to think about, but towing a party barge might tax it a bit. It's a diesel motor and gets great mileage as an RV compared to others, but I'm not so sure it can tow a lot of weight. It may support the GVWR and CGWVR but that doesn't mean it will get up or down a hill comfortably.

The second thing is that for a truck camper I was able to legally change the GVWR of my '06 F250 and upgraded the suspension to an F-350. This can't always be done but if you PM me we can start that conversation on how to do it. I was able to go from 10,000 GVWR to 11,500lbs gaining 1,500 lbs overall and 900 lbs on the rear axle where the camper would be carried. Put in the hardware for the camper option and you might be able to pull it off.

Like many will say, you'll be cramped in a camper and have more room in a Class B, even more room in a Class C and the best in room gained in a travel trailer or 5th wheel which your truck should be able to handle better than a camper. Again, let me know if you want more help with this. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Since you have plans for a boat, I can see trying to stick to a camper. But in some states you might not be able to drop off the camper and leave it alone as you try to launch the boat. This means the camper is still on the truck with you try to slide the boat in the water. I hope you have four wheel drive.


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

Hello all. Wanted you to know that our insurance company declared our camper a total loss and they would be sending a check to us in the near fututre. Thank you all for your time and help........Tom


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

Well, now you can start with something new. Not necessarily a brand new rig, but one that is new to you. Now to go search for something new.


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## RVadventurer (May 4, 2011)

Keep us posted on your search:thumbup1:


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## clarkgriswold (Sep 14, 2011)

*I can relate.....*

On top of an 'odd' shake-down outing for our new-to-us RV, high winds from the remnants of Lee came through our area the other night. I think our blog says it all. :10220:

I'm pretty curious at this point if ours will be totalled by the insurance.


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