1st Gen. Lunch Table - General Discussion

Lmao, nope. They dissolved all of their field adjusters and handle their claims 100% virtually. We have to video chat with adjusters to review damages...

 

I've had zero issues with Progressive, even when I had to claim.

 

The bottom three that I listed are the ones that argue the most with manufacturer guidelines for repairs and also refuse to use OEM parts. The would rather source aftermarket or used parts, even used welded on panels that most manufacturers do not allow.

If you went with their preferred shop then you wouldn't had had any timeframe issues as the shop is contractually obligated to write an estimate based on their guidelines. If you chose your own shop then that's where it's gets a lot more difficult. It's better for you to choose your own shop.

 

Mine is only $300 more for a new Tundra than the 23 year old Tundra I’m driving. I believe that’s due to all the safety features on the new one.

 

I always choose my own shop, and I make sure the shop is a dealer, and I call the dealer in advance to make sure they only use OEM parts at their body shop by default. The two times I had my Camry in for service, one after Young Thug rear-ended me and another guy (thanks, Jeffery!), and another time when a UGA professor from Alabama tagged my front passenger corner, I used Toyota South Atlanta, and was generally happy back then. USAA had a rental in my hands within an hour, and a check to cover the repairs faster than I could blink. I didn't need to lift a finger either time, and got genuine parts. No questions asked. That dealer has changed hands since, at least once, and definitely does things diff't now from what I hear, but USAA was awesome.

I've heard way too many horror stories about Allstate for home and auto that you couldn't give me their insurance, for free. No thanks.

State farm is who I had as a kid, and they were good (or so I thought back then) But after getting my license suspended as a teen, too many points in 12mos, then again in 18mos, they wanted me to do SR-22 or whatever which was going to cost $550/mo in 30-years-ago-dollars, so we shifted to Progressive who only wanted $275/mo. I never had issues with Progressive, but I've heard stories about them in the last 10yr or so also which had me lifting an eyebrow.

 

State Farm used to be top tier until they changed CEO's a few years back. Then their customer care dropped drastically.

Dealerships get you OEM parts because the manufacturer will pay the difference within a certain percentage to give you those OEM parts instead of what the insurance company approves for. Non-dealer repair facilities do not have that option unfortunately, so you get what the insurance company is paying for. Even with the dealer it's not 100% guaranteed because it depends on the cost margin. If they approve a $45 aftermarket fender but the OEM fender costs $200, then you would unfortunately get an aftermarket fender unless you paid the difference. Most other insurance companies give us a margin where we can "match the price" to use OEM parts instead and keeps the customers happy, but it's not always a guarantee.

 

Yup, Progressive used OEM parts for the claim I made. Vehicle only had like 11000 miles on it. It was a good while back though. I'd guess at 2008 ish.

 

Things have changed a lot since then with insurance companies. Even more so post-covid.

Most insurance companies will only approve for OEM parts now on vehicles less than 2 years or a certain mileage limit.

 

In New Hampshire you have the right to get OEM parts on request under their state law.

 

I carry the same coverage on our gx460 to the tundra. And I also add aftermarket coverage as well. I have more money into this truck than I’m willing to admit and I’d rather not completely lose my ass.

 

After all that, they still didn't get the toe correct. The car tracks straight but the steering wheel is slightly cockeyed. I even left a note on the dash for the tech saying as much. He must not have set the steering wheel or locked it when he adjusted the toe. It's off just enough to piss me off. I hate that place.

 

USAA has gone downhill in the last 5 years. I’ve had them (past tense now) for 20+ years. They were practically white glove experience when filing a claim. Now? Get in line. Random contacts giving you inaccurate or no information. Low ball offers on damaged or totaled vehicles. Dragging their feet to move through the claim process. They have sucked the last two times I’ve needed them. So I dumped them and have the same coverage for half the price. If it’s gonna suck anyway, I’ll pay half as much. Homeowners is equally as expensive with them, half price for same coverage with Allstate. And I know Allstate sucks, but USAA sucks now too.

 

@KNABORES - thinking about same. Who did you go with?

 

gen 1 (grey) TRD SC for 5vz in TX

 

Switched to a combo home / auto plan with Allstate through our credit union when we bought our house.

 

“Can’t wait for you to be under me again.” -My truck

 

I pay about $2k/yr with Amica to fully cover both best gens.

 

Can vouch for that

 

NJM is good but it's not available everywhere.

 

Honestly, they all suck to different degrees. It's just choosing which suck you want to go with and what's worth the price.

My list of good VS bad was more in line of how they handle repairs and approvals for repairs instead of customer service or pricing (I'm not on that side of it). USAA is much better at approving manufacturer guidelines without a hassle than Allstate or the others and do go to bat for the customer in the case of a subrogation. They waive more deductibles than any other insurance company, but I have heard complaints of their customer service dropping pretty low. Even dealing with their repair facility phone line is a nightmare because no one answers the phone.

I think that customer service has dropped low in most service industry jobs either way

 

This is the biggest problem, I think. Agents working the cases are too disenfranchised to give a shit.

I will acknowledge, in the last decade, USAA's pricing has definitely become much less substantially alluring as it was, to the point it's barely competitive. When you combine that with the universal decline in service quality from everyone, I think that's a hard pill to swallow for anyone who was with them in their heyday, before shareholder profitability in insurance industry became more important, it used to be "how can I help my paying customer?", now it's "what can I do to help my shareholders?"

Naturally, everyone wants awesome service combined with lower prices. That's what USAA was 20 years ago. I haven't had any issues with them when we've needed to call and use them, with exception of the roof claim we filed recently, the agent on the other end setting up the claim was a f'n moron that took 45 minutes. Sadly, our neighbors hit by the same storm and also USAA customers, were on the line with USAA at the same time, same day, and their claim was done in under 10 minutes. It all depends on who you get.

Their claim got approved, $12.5k in damages toward a new roof. Ours was approved, for $950 in damages which is lower than the $1,500 deductible. Same builder, different floor design, but same roofing materials, same storm, etc.

Flashback to one of the hurricanes that hit 10ish years ago, and damaged our (once again, near-identical) 2nd story decks. Support beam across the long end of the deck farthest from the deck on got waterlogged on both our decks, theirs was sagged to the point it cracked in half and the deck was ready to come down. USAA adjuster approved us to get a new deck, we paid deductible, denied theirs, they paid over $8k.

But what I'll say in all cases is this: We had a claim created in under an hour all those situations, without lifting a finger, an adjuster was out within 72 hours, and we had a response within 5 business days of the claim. Even after a hurricane. We didn't have to lift a finger, and we had a check ready to be in-hand, mailed next-day, to pay for the work. Contrast that with our other two neighbors who also have roof damage from said storm. The ones on the other side of us filed their claim 4 months ago with Allstate and STILL don't have an adjuster assigned.

Until we have a major problem, we intend to stick with USAA for auto, home, and supplemental life. If we ever bailed, I'd probably go back to State Farm, who I used for bundled renters/auto before getting married and the wife and I merging under USAA for everything.

 

Y'all thought I was kidding when I said Everytime I walk past this poor truck it gets worse...

 

That's it, there. The person makes the company and the company policies help it along. I speak to countless adjusters from multiple insurance companies and the vast majority are monotone Ogres just following a script without any gumption to go "above". I've been hung up on, transferred to other lines when the phone rep doesn't want to handle the task, yelled at, provided false names/numbers by employees of these companies. It's baffling. Even in my own building the customer service changes drastically depending on who you get to help, which in turn changes each persons perspective on the company and the process.

Experience dictates perspective.

 

RAD welder! I have an old Onan gasoline powered Lincoln arc welder (lincoln dc-225/3-AS) I haven’t used it in years. I think it’s from the early 70’s? It’s pretty darn heavy. My buddy and i once tried to pick it up off the floor of my shop so that we could set it on a couple blocks off wood. We spent a good few minutes of lifting and the best we could get is was about 3” off the ground. It’s gotta weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 500lbs. Anyhow, it lays down VERY nice weld beads. I’ve used it many times on projects where there was no accessible power. I would use an engine hoist to set the welder in the back of my jeep CJ7 and drive it to wherever metal needed to be stuck together. One time the horse got loose in the barn and broke off one side of the exhaust manifold. I found a replacement manifold and cobbled together a new exhaust and muffler. I was thinking about keeping the “true duals”, but i’m hoping g that my 2 into 1 will be a more stout setup.

 

Another season, another layer of packaging tape over the headlight

 

That Reminds me of this picture. The small footprint would be handy!

 

This is the year i crack this hole.


Got some new construction going on down the street, so i oughtta be able to pack it full of pine.

 

Quick question on diffs. The 8.4 is the same between all the 1st gens, right? Like if I bought a locked 4.56 for my 02, it would fit in a sequoia axle? I'm pretty sure the guts swap between all 8.4s, but figured I'd ask.

 

Yes