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Wrestling with GEICO and Koons Body Shop
William Sundwick
This is a No Good Deed
Goes Unpunished (NGDGU) story. One sunny, thoroughly pleasant, Sunday
afternoon in October, near the end of the fall election campaign, I was eager
to get my Arlington Dems canvassing commitments behind me. I had signed up for
a three-hour shift that afternoon, showed up at the staging home, collected my
turf map, clipboard, pen, and (I thought) my handout materials. It was the same
routine I had followed the day before, from the same home base. I checked
Google Maps for directions to the turf neighborhood, threw everything in my
car, and headed out.
Reaching the neighborhood, not unfamiliar to me in North
Arlington, I found a parking space on the street.
As I collected my clipboard, turf map, and began to walk toward
the first door on my map, I realized that I FORGOT the handouts! I would have
nothing to leave at most of the houses (canvassing always seems to find the
bulk of voters not home, or just refusing to answer their door). I knew going
back would delay my mission. But, after evaluating how long I thought it would
take to cover the turf, I decided to do it anyway to collect my packet of
handouts.
That was my fatal error. The delay was long enough for me to
feel rushed, and embarrassed, when I retraced my route back to the base. Also, it
used up battery range on my Chevy Volt EV, something which inexplicably still
causes me anxiety (it shouldn’t, as the Volt has an “auxiliary” gasoline engine
which extends range to 200+ miles). In any case, I impatiently set out again
for the turf neighborhood following a slightly different route. The sun was
getting lower now. It was the 4-way stop at Little Falls Road and Harrison
Street that got me.
I was southbound on Harrison. I stopped, let the car to my
right, heading northeast on Little Falls, proceed through the intersection.
There was a second vehicle behind that one, a late model Toyota Highlander
(bigger than me). Its driver had the bright sunlight obscuring her view to her
left (me). Virginia rules of the road, which I have always followed, allow for
only one car at a stop sign at a time. If vehicles are queued up at the sign,
they must advance only to the sign, not proceed into the intersection without
stopping. The Highlander behaved as if it were in tow behind the first car and didn’t
stop. But I had proceeded into the intersection after that first car. Collision
resulted: Highlander front bumper connected to Volt front passenger door and
right front wheel well.
Speeds probably
didn’t exceed five miles per hour. There were no injuries, no air bags
deployed. But, lots of damage to little Volt, very little to big Highlander!
As we moved out of the intersection, we became aware that a
witness had also kindly stopped to assist. This was good for me, not so good
for the other driver. As I tried to reach somebody at GEICO, the witness (an
attorney with the firm of a family friend) said he “saw it all” and called the
police. But they would not send a car. I needed a tow, the Highlander did not.
We were all very polite. I made sure the other driver was all
right. Her husband then arrived. After we exchanged information, including a
business card from the witness, they all drove away. I called my wife, then waited
for my tow.
GEICO has a desk at Koons Body Shop in Falls Church, within
easy walking distance of my house. But it was a Sunday afternoon. So, I rode
along, filled out a form, sealed it with my keys in an envelope, dropped it in
the after-hours slot. I collected my canvassing materials, walked home, then took
them all back to the base in our other car – no canvassing from me that bright
October Sunday!
Next day I was contacted by Koons and my GEICO insurance
adjuster. By Tuesday, I walked back to Koons, picked up my estimate -- $9000 (Yipes!).
I had a $500 deductible, and the adjuster initially indicated a shared
liability, meaning I would be out the $500. GEICO allows me $900 for car rental
while my vehicle is being repaired. The adjuster did some math in his head
estimating how many days that would last. Seemed like I had plenty of time, he
thought. He was wrong.
The next serious miscalculation was caused by my own
vulnerability in this stressful situation. The Enterprise rental agent managed
to sell me a $20/day insurance policy for the rental car. After my experience
of the last two days, I felt I couldn’t say no – despite her assurances that
the decision was mine, entirely optional. Also, my GEICO adjuster failed to
calculate fees and taxes added onto the per day Enterprise rental (which he
also underestimated). That $900 allowance would only last a month. I didn’t see
my Volt again for seven weeks.
Costs were mounting fast. The first break in my favor came
when I insisted that GEICO contact my witness – they had not done so
previously. This resulted in the liability adjuster (the other driver was also
insured by GEICO) declaring the liability to be entirely on the other driver.
Victory! Now, the $500 deductible, at least, would be against her policy.
Witnesses are good.
I was left to struggle with Koons Body Shop. Why was it
taking so long? Well, they said, the parts had to be shipped piecemeal. Many
front suspension components were needed. This took time. But my $900 rental
allowance would be running out soon, not to mention the daily rate insurance
that I was paying.
All the parts were received and installed, including a new
battery for the electric drive. But then the system had to be fully charged (it
doesn’t come that way, apparently). This led to another delay when Koons
couldn’t seem to charge it. They towed it to Koons Chevrolet at Tysons Corner,
where a certified Volt technician could give it a try. But I knew from previous
service experience there, the circuit-riding Volt technician is only at their
dealer two days per week. When he arrived, he was able to charge the vehicle. Koons
Chevy then towed the still unassembled, still unpainted car back to the Body
Shop in Falls Church. When I complained about the delays, that I was now paying
a daily rate for my Enterprise Ford Fusion Hybrid (economical, yes – but not
zero gas like my Volt), Koons offered me a “loaner” (technically another
rental, but free). I accepted.
All this time, I had been unable to speak with the Koons
estimator who failed to return any of the phone messages I left her. She was
“very busy” said her manager, and updates on the status of my car were not
forthcoming.
While waiting for completion of all the work on my Volt, I
will admit to enjoying that loaner. The Ford Escape with the optional “big”
EcoBoost engine was a blast to drive! Of course, the penalty for that fun
driving was reduced fuel efficiency compared to the Fusion, but it was just
temporary.
One day, returning from an errand on Lee Highway, I was
felled by one of those “traffic calming” protruding curbs. Both left tires destroyed!
Perhaps this wouldn’t have happened on a car I was more familiar with. It
happened to me driving a loaner. I had
long suspected that someday I would be caught by those fiendish safety features
Arlington traffic engineers were installing around the county.
I called AAA for a tow to the AAA Service Center not more
than a block-and-a-half from Koons Body Shop. They accommodated me with the
cheapest tires that would fit, no alignment. I was still out $380. I read the
fine print of my “rental” contract only after the tires were already installed.
It said I was supposed to return the car to Koons after any such incident –
they wanted the money for repairs!
In the end, there was no additional cost to me for violating
the terms of my contract. I believe I had extracted enough contrition and
apology from the Koons Body Shop manager that he felt he couldn’t lean on me.
So, after seven weeks, I finally reclaimed my beloved Chevy Volt. It appeared
none the worse for wear. I was out only about $1100 for an accident that was
not my fault, but which would have been truly catastrophic without the
insurance coverage.
The whole experience did enlighten me about new car choices when
I start shopping again later this year. I learned that bigger cars crush
smaller cars in collisions. I learned that fun-to-drive dynamics may come with
a penalty in fuel economy. But despite the greater fuel efficiency of that
rental Ford Fusion Hybrid, and its safety advantage, I’m not too thrilled by
big cars. Give me small and maneuverable over hulking tank or limo, any day.
These things I’ve learned. But, venturing out by car to do
good works. That remains sacred.
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