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[Hammer Down]

Add up all of your recent (last 5 years) maintenance and repair/improvement
receipts.  Then search the  SE-R classifieds, GRM classifieds and the SR2-
forum classifieds and find comprable cars and that is your value yard stick.
  Present that to the insurance company.  If they are adamant about
totalling it out, then you will have to negotiate and ask them NOT to
"salvage" the title and then take the settlement price minus the "buyback"
so that you get to keep the car..  If it is legally driveable, then they do
not have to total it via the title.  Then take the $ and fix it yourself.
Shop prices are astronomical.  You can always source good panels, prep them
for paint yourself and then pay some shop to spray it.  I even went as far
as taping most of my car off, then towed it to MAACCO and had them spray it
with a quality enamel.  The sprayers are good.  That is all they do for
hours on end.  It is the body and prep guys that are a bit on the lax
side......