[W126 Coupe] I'll be needing a new hood...

[Dick Spellman]

Hi Paul.

That sure is a bummer!  I usually rant and rave about the SUV's with their
higher stance which causes considerably more damage to a passenger car,
increases your risk of severe injury, causes terrible glare from the high
position of both tail lamps and headlamps and most significantly gives you
the feeling you are driving behind a wall of plywood where your field of
view is completely obstructed...blah de blah blah blah.

First there is the question of how much under hood damage you
received...enough to take out the condenser and radiator, headlamp or two,
hit the drive pulleys or worse run solidly into the block itself changing
the alignment of the engine, transmission.  Why not get a body shop to just
tell you the details of damage assessment before calling the insurance
company.  Then you will no how much the job will set you back.

With the insurance co., there is also the very real possibility that the
damage will exceed the value of the car in which case it's totaled and you
get a check, the insurance company gets the car and you get the surcharge
for n years.  I'd check things out on your own first with a bodyshop
assessment if time permits.

Really sorry to hear about your SEC.  Best of luck!!!

Dick
btw: I am repairing on my own the 86 300SE Euro (my winter driver) where my
oldest son hit a dear and I went through the same issues you face except I
have no worries of recourse from the dear or it's clan.  But, the insurance
co would have caused me far more harm ($$$) had I filed a claim.