NHTSA Complaint #10294096 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ 600

AT APPROXIMATELY 1:45AM ON JULY 4, 2009 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 65 NEAR MARSHALL, ARKANSAS I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION (IN THE INSURED VEHICLE A 2001 S600 MERCEDES-BENZ) WITH A COW THAT RAN ONTO TO THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND STATE FARM. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR STATE FARM APPROVED AUTO REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA, STEVE'S BODY SHOP, WHICH IS NOT A CERTIFIED MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY. DUE TO STATE FARM'S REQUIREMENT THAT I LEAVE THE CAR AT STEVE'S BODY SHOP, A NON-MERCEDES CERTIFIED REPAIR FACILITY, THE CAR TOOK OVER TWO MONTHS TO REPAIR AND WAS REPAIRED INCORRECTLY DUE TO STEVE NOT BEING A CERTIFIED MERCEDES MECHANIC/FACILITY. WHILE DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON (IT HAD NOT BEEN ON PRIOR TO THE CRASH), THE RIGHT SIDE HEAD LAMP WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND WINDOW DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, THE ABC HYDRAULIC WAS NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THERE WAS A DENT ON THE TOP OF MY CAR. NONE OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS EXISTED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. I TOOK STEVE'S AUTO BODY SHOP'S REPAIR ESTIMATE TO A CERTIFIED MERCEDES MECHANIC WHO THOROUGHLY REVIEWED AND RESEARCHED THE REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, THE PARTS USED, THE COST OF THE PARTS, AND THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. AFTER REVIEWING THE ESTIMATE THE CERTIFIED MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE AMOUNT STEVE CHARGED WAS IF NON-MERCEDES BENZ AFTERMARKET PARTS WERE USED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE ASSUMPTION MADE BY THE MERCEDES CERTIFIED MECHANIC PROVED TO BE TRUE. AFTER BRINGING THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF STATE FARM THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY REPAIRED. INSTEAD THEY ARE TRYING TO TOTAL MY VEHICLE AND PAY $9200 AS SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIM. THE AFOREMENTIONED AMOUNT IS MORE THAN $12,000 LESS THAN THE MARKET VALUE OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE CAR IS NOW UNSALVAGEABLE AND HAS BEEN UNDRIVEABLE FOR 5MONTHS. *TR