Any tips on getting a decent payout from my total loss CLS500?

[silver CL55]

Ok, my CLS500 was written off 2 weeks ago, no injuries so no worries.
Admiral are D##king around with offers.
Car was a Mercedes approved vehicle 1 year ago pretty well specced @ 18k, they have offered 14k, up from 13k.
I've sent my invoice and screen shots from Mercedes approved site with quite similar vehicles at more than that, no difference.
They have send me a glasses guide valuation at 14.5k (retail) and say they will offer no more than the 14k already offered..

Any proper tips gentlemen?

Where do I go from here?

Thanks, Colin.

 

[Frontstep]

See the link below as guide.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/motor-valuation.html

 

[MERCSPORT]

You might have bought your car just before the new-shape CLS was released, this may be one of the causes to a low payout??

If im wrong someone please correct me

 

[jberks]

My understanding is that you can accept their offer or if it's unrealistic then simply refuse it and tell them to find you a comparable replacement vehicle. As you both know that they can't, they'll then get more sensible (unless they can).
The ombudsman's paper is interesting and they have a point as the asking price is rarely the price paid but in my experience, Parkers and Glass's is equally unreliable.
If you can't get what you want for what Parker's is quoting, I'd start with plan A above and if they still don't play ball, you're left with proving that Parkers is wrong. The only way I can see of doing that is by approaching numerous dealers, offering them the figure you've been offered and if they refuse, ask them to put their refusal in writing together with the minimum they'll accept (which they may do if they could get a sale out of it).
Equally you may find that if you approach a dealer with your story and they know they'll only get what you've been offered, they may be able to get nearer your price than you expect. Remember, every dealer works on a different margin. e.g. Some build something in to for overvaluing a trade in etc.