An Accident With Our 1996 850 Turbo Volvo Wagon -- A not-so-pleasant experience with Carl's Towing and Body Shop from Dayton, Ohio!!

Hi folks -- it has been a long week, especially for my wife Kaye. On Monday around noon Kaye was involved in an accident that was not her fault near the corner of SR 725 and Lyons Road in Centerville/Washington Township Ohio. Essentially what happened was that an 81 year-old man ran a red light just as Kaye and another driver were moving into the intersection from the South to the North. Maybe the old man stepped on the accelerator rather than the brake, but whatever the case he struck the driver's side front of the Volvo and pushed our car into a 2009 Pontiac Vibe that was in the far right lane. Thus the black Volvo was now trapped in a kind of "V." Kaye was OK, although she did hit her head on the driver's side window, but after being checked out was declared OK by the EMTs.

The flat-bed tow trucks came, pulled apart the cars, but the story was only beginning.

I had our car towed to Carl's Body Shop on Wayne Avenue in Dayton. The next day appraisers came out to look at the car. Although the old man was clearly at fault and got a ticket, for whatever reason, our insurance company, Allstate, was chomping at the bit to get involved. And involved they became, giving us a very low-ball estimate and declaring the car a total loss! At least the old man's insurance company gave us something more fair in terms of damages. So I can't even trust our own insurance company in these matters. It seems that everyone wants to nick or cheat you.

Then the fun began with Carl's. Joe, the guy we had in charge of estimating the damages, is perhaps incompetent. Or may be they wanted the car after the decision to total so they could either fix it up or sell the car for parts -- and this car was immaculate an the damage not very severe at all. The problem with their comments was that I simply know too much -- too much about the availability of parts for the car, too much about parts costs. We still need a definitive check on body alignment, but the cost of replacing two fenders, a front bumper, a set of left lights, etc. should not be that much. In sum, there was perhaps shady deal going here and we stopped it. And so should you if you get in that situation.

The final straw with Carl's centered on the keys to the car once we decided to have the car taken to another place. Point blank I asked where the key were before the tow truck came, and it was said with the car. But, no, they were not, and thus I had another trip to make before it was all over. And I must respectfully say that I cannot recommend anyone to take their vehicle to Carl's Body Shop!