You run a higher risk of your house being broken into (especially thanks to bump keys..look them up.) than your battery blowing up. But if you're that concerned put a smoke detector in your garage and rig an alarm to sound inside. But seriously...bump keys are scarier.....

 

man thats horrible, deffinatly talk with a lawyer about goin after optima. keep us updated on what happens.

 

So begins my day. *sigh* I'm going to be on the phone or running around all day. I have to call the ins company and tell them I will let them know when they can pick it up. I need to get in touch with optima. I have to set up an appt to talk to my lawyer. OMG. I just don't wanna deal with this. I just wanna drive my truck

 

wow thats crazy

 

Be sure you document and record everything. Take notes of who you are talking to, what time you spoke with them, anything that might be of interest later. You have to be diligent. With so many different people involved someone is bound to say something that can help your case. Keep what number was dialled, who transferred you to who. Everything. If all else fails, the lawyer may need this to make a case. Hopefully it gets resolved before that but you can't bank on it.

 

CRAP!!!!! I just saw this thread. Very sorry to see those pics. I hope every thing turns out ok for you.

 

That sucks man. Hope you get it all straigtened out. Last fall we had a battery on one of our lawn mowers blow up. Luckily there wasn't any damage.

Back last august my mom got into a crash and her car is still wrecked cause the insurance company won't give her what the car is worth.

 

I finally talked to my insurance claim adjuster and made my point known that I want a 2003 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 with less than 30k. I have to go get a bunch of papers notarized and faxed. Optima Claims Rep is next on my list. Thanks for the advice, I'm going to start documenting everything. If I can't straighten this out through optima and esurance, you can be damn sure I'm getting a lawyer involved. I already agreed to have a point of origin test done by a forensics specialist. My adjuster told me from the looks of things it was either the battery, the efan controller+the battery, or bad wiring harness+battery. So maybe I need to find out who makes that controller as well, give them a call. He has all the pics I posted up for you guys. About 60 in all. I'm going to be taking more pics today.*sigh* I still can't believe this happened, just my luck. It's God's way of saying stay out of community college and don't try to better yourself.

 

Before it is hauled away, remove all your personal items from the cab. I've been to a bunch of junkyards where you could find any and everything left inside vehicles, including paperwork with bank account numbers and social security numbers with names and addresses too.

After my first Ranger was totalled, I took all my personal items but didn't think about taking parts (I hadn't learned about modding yet). Now I kick myself so not taking parts. So, if the company offers you the chance to keep the truck, you might find it worthwhile to keep it and gut it bit by bit. At least the bed of the truck is ok.

 

That's not the God I know...did you mean Allah? God didn't do this to you. Stuff happens man. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. You're going to get thru this. That totally doesn't stop it from sucking right now, but it will get better.

 

[QUOTE=crawly1025]I think everyone should drive with their headlights on today in memory of his truck. [QUOTE]

ok sounds like a plain to me.

 

[QUOTE=4BangenRange][QUOTE=crawly1025]I think everyone should drive with their headlights on today in memory of his truck. a plain? A plan? A plane? No, it's Superman...

 

my g/f came to the parking lot as soon as I told her my truck caught fire. I had EVERYTHING out of that truck in ten minutes lol. The tool box, stereo equip, head unit, cb, all paperwork. It's actually kinda scary how fast I dismantled it.

I need to remove the bumpers and all the nitty gritty stuff now.

 

Could I make a shout out for the the grab handled A pillars and your console?

:hope:

 

lol as soon as I figure out if they're letting me keep it or if I have to buy it back you guys will have first dibs. I talked to the adjuster and he said it's a total loss. So I dunno what's gonna happen.

 

Stuff happens man. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. You're going to get thru this. That totally doesn't stop it from sucking right now, but it will get better.

I totally agree.

My headlights will be on for your truck today bud. It was a good looking ride.

 

Ahh. USAA gave me the option of getting money for the vehicle, and keeping the junker. At the time, my parents were not fans of me leaving a smashed up vehicle to rot in front of the house, so I let the insurance company take and sell it.

 

boy nothing like voltures picking the bones dry.lol
and it took no time for it.lol
now the question you have to ask yourself is what am i getting next?

 

 

Let the insurance company know that you plan to "pursue" this with Optima and you have hired a lawyer. That way they will make damn sure to keep the vehicle secured until all physical evidence has been collected by all parties invloved. However, I doubt it will go that far. You're talking about a truck of relatively low value (yes, it's low value to the insurance company) that has no injuries or deaths associated with the claim. It's not worth their money (or yours) to have it picked apart and tested by a forensics team.

Now to me (just from looking at the pics), it looks like the fire originated between the battery and the headlight...possibly in a wiring harness. The battery damage appears to be more from fire/heat damage than from an explosion. It's possible battery failure (such as a cracked case) could lead to the same result by acid dripping onto a wiring harness, melting away the insulation, and causing a short. Batteries do fail & explode, but it is rare. Something like that is typically caused by a short. Forensics would take MUCH more detailed pics (and gather wire for testing)which would help prove a point one way or another, but I'm working with what you posted.

Good luck to you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Long Day......

I go to my parents house to remove some stuff. I go down the driveway and it's gone. GONE. I totally flipped out. I was trying to call the insurance rep for three hours with no success. He later told me he was "in a meeting". I had enough. I reported the vehicle stolen and gave my lawyer all my insurance and claim information. Within ten minutes of talking to the cop and my lawyer I got a phone call. "Hi this is Dewayne with Esurance, your truck will be dropped off first thing tomorrow morning, no charge. Sorry there must have been a misunderstanding." Apparently he mistook me for another 23 y/o punk. F* that. After he said that, I was amazed. This was after ten nasty voicemails suggesting I get a lawyer involved and informing him I reported the truck stolen. The release form was on the front seat, blank, when the rollback showed up. OMG.

I informed my lawyer of the Optima situation. Within minutes Joan Derr from Optima called me and took my information and said they were going to be working with my insurance company. She said they needed to do their own investigation of the vehicle as well before they incur any cost.

So right now, I'm truckless. After all that b/s I still have to get a permission to consent information form notarized so he can file an official statement. In all of the phone tag matches and fits of rage, I lost track of time and didn't get this done. I have to get this before we can go any further on the claim.

The insurance adjuster said the amount of damage is less than the total loss mark. BUT, he also said they don't like messing around with fire damage(as bad as it was). Liability issues or something, so a couple months later when something else goes wrong they'll have to pay out again. It's possible to keep the truck and take the check. That's what I want to do. They're not gonna give me enough to purchase another truck exactly like mine. Even with that money, I'd have to pay off the loan to get the title to give to them and I'd be stuck with 12g's. Screw that.

 

dang dude....glad they got the truck back to you........do you not have a rental policy with your insurance? if you do make them give you a 4x4 ext. cab truck to drive....my insurance will give me something equal or better than what i wreck....

 

I didn't include rental coverage, although it shouldn't matter. This isn't my fault. WTF??? My g/f asked me about that and I hadn't even thought of it.

 

so wait... your insurrance company wont give you enough to get another truck exactly like yours??? or are you saying, after loans are paid, you wont have enough to get another truck like yours with the money that's left?

 

I won't have enough money to get another truck once I pay off the loan. I think I'd make out better if I kept the truck, parted it out, took their check, and go w/o a vehicle for a month til I get some parts sold.