Stolen '09 Buddy Italia 150: RIP Peapod

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:23 am

I walked out the door on Thursday morning, clad in my commute gear only to be met with the bewildering site of an empty scooter parking spot. In the absence of a garage, an inaccessible backyard, and no way to get the scoot inside, I parked my rig next to my front steps on my walkway. That morning, I thought to myself "hmmm, that's weird." Over the next few seconds it sank in that little Peapod was stolen.

After the reality sank in, I became mighty glad that I pay through the nose for scoot insurance. My $650/yr policy included total loss replacement, which, according to my claim handler means I get the newest latest version of the Buddy 150, which according to my dealer is the 170i. My partner and I share one car and the scooter so hopefully we'll be able to get a new one soon.

Yay?

Peapod, I feel like I hardly knew ye. 2,600 miles was not nearly enough

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:24 am

Also, that is Peapod sheltering a bunny from a torrential downpour.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:31 am

bummer, I hope you had full coverage.

Quo Vadimus · Post by **Quo Vadimus** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:41 am

Reesh wrote:Also, that is Peapod sheltering a bunny from a torrential downpour.

At least she got to do some good deeds!

(And at least your premium hasn't gone to waste... though the emotional investment can't be replaced, it sounds like you'll get a sweet deal!)

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:50 am

Yes, paying the big bucks for insurance was a good choice! I remember being on the phone with them discussing my options and I just said "I live in St. Louis, I'd really like the policy where I get a new scooter if someone decides to steal mine." And that's what I pay for.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:04 am

So very sorry your scooter is gone. There is no way to spin that other than it totally sucks. But I am so glad you have total replacement! Hopefully this can have a fairly happy ending. I suggest investing in an ugly scooter cover and a Xena disc lock/alarm for the new one. MB members get a 20% discount on the alarm. At least then if someone is trying to steal it, it is not ridable and will make a loud and awful screeching sound in the process. The cover will help keep curious thieves from getting tempted.

Hope you get a new scooter soon.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:10 am

Reesh wrote:Yes, paying the big bucks for insurance was a good choice! I remember being on the phone with them discussing my options and I just said "I live in St. Louis, I'd really like the policy where I get a new scooter if someone decides to steal mine." And that's what I pay for.

Cool. I've owned a lot of motorcycles and cars over the years, some had more meaning to me than others, but they are still just an object that can be replaced. So get that new scooter, buy the full coverage, and enjoy.

jonlink · Post by **jonlink** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:18 am

Skootz Kabootz wrote:So very sorry your scooter is gone. There is no way to spin that other than it totally sucks. But I am so glad you have total replacement! Hopefully this can have a fairly happy ending. I suggest investing in an ugly scooter cover and a Xena disc lock/alarm for the new one. MB members get a 20% discount on the alarm. At least then if someone is trying to steal it, it is not ridable and will make a loud and awful screeching sound in the process. The cover will help keep curious thieves from getting tempted.

Hope you get a new scooter soon.

This is a very good plan.

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:32 am

Skootz Kabootz wrote:So very sorry your scooter is gone. There is no way to spin that other than it totally sucks. But I am so glad you have total replacement! Hopefully this can have a fairly happy ending. I suggest investing in an ugly scooter cover and a Xena disc lock/alarm for the new one. MB members get a 20% discount on the alarm. At least then if someone is trying to steal it, it is not ridable and will make a loud and awful screeching sound in the process. The cover will help keep curious thieves from getting tempted.

Hope you get a new scooter soon.

My disc lock isn't alarmed, but it will be garaged when I am home, so I'm not worried about it being stolen in the middle of the night at my house. I got a regular disc lock, and 8ft cable and heavy duty U-lock to lock it TO something when I'm not at home. I also have a new cover that I plan on tossing in some dirt before I start using it.
All this per suggestions I have received right here on Modern Buddy!
Hoping it will save my scoot from disappearing into the great beyond

Good luck with your new scoot!

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:41 am

very smart on the total replacement , good luck with the new 170

BootScootin'FireFighter · Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:48 am

sorry to hear about that Reesh. At least there's a positive outcome for you though, and the insurance company is cooperating. I went through that same thing a year ago when my wife's sweetpea was robbed. I was walking out to work when I saw that, my stomach sank. And Geico came through, then a week after the check, the cops found it. Good luck to ya, let us know when you get a new one.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:49 am

hope you get a replacement soon. I know I could not be scooterless. I only have fancy schmancy insurance on the vespa, but if I only had one scoot I would go all out. Plus my scoots live in a garage at night and during the day at my job which ever one I ride that day is parked in front of armed security

who I have given permission to taze first and ask questions later.

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:22 am

I'll be curious to see how long it takes before insurance presents me with my check.

Will they be paying off my lienholder (still have about a grand to pay on my loan)? It would be so very easy to just keep paying off the current loan than for them to pay it off and for me to have to finance that last grand for the 170.

These are probably questions I could ask my claim man, but experience has gotta count for something!

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:44 am

Reesh wrote:I'll be curious to see how long it takes before insurance presents me with my check.

Will they be paying off my lienholder (still have about a grand to pay on my loan)? It would be so very easy to just keep paying off the current loan than for them to pay it off and for me to have to finance that last grand for the 170.

These are probably questions I could ask my claim man, but experience has gotta count for something!

I believe (from my all-too many insurance claims this year) they will just send you a check and it's up to you to decide what to do. So if you buy a 170, you will just continue paying your current lienholder.

Of course, laws and such vary by state and policies by company so it may be different.

Sorry to hear about the loss. As comforting as it is to get a replacement, it's never quite the same. Or not for me, at least. Okay, I get emotionally attached. But how could you not get attached to a scoot that protects bunnies?

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:01 am

Sorry to hear bout your scoot. At least you can take heart that you'll be getting a new one soon. I frickn HATE thieves! I hope they get caught and charged with grand theft auto.

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:03 pm

ericalm wrote:
Reesh wrote:I'll be curious to see how long it takes before insurance presents me with my check.

Will they be paying off my lienholder (still have about a grand to pay on my loan)? It would be so very easy to just keep paying off the current loan than for them to pay it off and for me to have to finance that last grand for the 170.

These are probably questions I could ask my claim man, but experience has gotta count for something!
I believe (from my all-too many insurance claims this year) they will just send you a check and it's up to you to decide what to do. So if you buy a 170, you will just continue paying your current lienholder.

Of course, laws and such vary by state and policies by company so it may be different.

Sorry to hear about the loss. As comforting as it is to get a replacement, it's never quite the same. Or not for me, at least. Okay, I get emotionally attached. But how could you not get attached to a scoot that protects bunnies?

Thanks for the tips. I may call and check with them on Monday on the loan issue. That would be so very much easier than having to get new financing... that would add another few days to a week on to the scooter acquisition process!

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:16 pm

I'm not so sure how well this works out. If it is a conventional vehicle finance contract, the stolen scoot collateralized the loan, and the bank is the first leinholder. Therefore they get first cut of any payout. If it were some other creative loan based on some other collateral, or financed on a revolving charge like a credit card, you'd get the dough. But unfortunately in this case, even though you owe a fraction, the bank owns the scooter for loss purposes.

When you signed up for insurance, they most likely asked if the scoot was financed, and took down the name of the bank.

It all depends on if and how the insurance carrier notifies the lienhiolder of the total loss. The carrier should get a payoff figure from the bank, send them the payoff, then send you the rest.

Sorry to be a black raincloud, but that's how financing and insurance works. If it didn't work this way, the banks would have no leverage to get their dough on stolen or totalled cars.

Reesh · Post by **Reesh** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:40 pm

Ah, that makes sense. This is my first loan of this kind and this is my first insurance claim of this kind.

Nonetheless, very irritating that I'll have to wait for new financing for the new scoot. Very irritating indeed. Hopefully it will all move quickly... I have a hard time riding my bike the 12 miles to work when I have things to haul.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:07 pm

On a lighter note, I'll bet your finance company will have no issue with extending you equal financing on your new scooter should the existing lien have to be paid off first. It's just kind of a technical swap.