Total the car or not

[roxs12ems]

I am the victim of a hit and run that has left my car pretty F*#&ed up. I will need a new front and passenger side fenders plus all the plastic in the wheel well. Here is my dilemma.
The car is fully insured but 10 yrs old with 175000 miles on it. I cant really afford a new one right now. Do I let the insurance total it out and pay me a few grand, then keep the car and fix it on the cheep
or do I have them fully repair it if they will?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

I am the victim of a hit and run that has left my car pretty F*#&ed up. I will need a new front and passenger side fenders plus all the plastic in the wheel well. Here is my dilemma.
The car is fully insured but 10 yrs old with 175000 miles on it. I cant really afford a new one right now. Do I let the insurance total it out and pay me a few grand, then keep the car and fix it on the cheep
or do I have them fully repair it if they will?

Is the frame bent?

What type of car is it?

Some are valuable as parts, but it takes a while.

If you are in a financial position to fix it on the cheap, you have options...

 

[about_average]

If they total it they own it and you have to buy it from them. Whether it's worth it or not would depend on how much they'll sell if to you for.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

If they total it they own it and you have to buy it from them. Whether it's worth it or not would depend on how much they'll sell if to you for.

Only if you sign the check.

 

[LIVINRFANTASIES]

Most importantly what kind and model of car is it. With that many miles on it and almost all cars having a flimsy subframe chances are it will be totalled and only worth parts.
We need to know how bad the damage is and the make of car to even give a general answer. The most important thing is did it screw up the suspension and steering?

Chinese fenders and inner fenders are not expensive if you have a friend do the repairs and rattle can spray it.

Keep in mind there are salvage yards and some are "Pull-a-Part" where you remove your own parts at a reasonable cost.

 

[Hard_Rom]

A NA car with 175000 miles is not worth it.
A Japanese car might be.
A European car definitely is.

Let insurance company decide. If they total it and you have access to cheap repairs (DIY, wreckers, buddies) then buy it back and fix it with insurance payout. You must have access to cheap knowledgeable auto repair if going outside insurance.

Popularity of the car will decide if wreckers have parts.

Frontend? Are we talking suspension or drivetrain parts?

Cars are never the same after a big repair. Expect every light bulb in the car to die within a year at random times.

 

[lovetoread]

I opted to let Geico pay for the repairs. Mine is over 9 years old but I cant get a new one now.

 

[thør]

I opted to let Geico pay for the repairs. Mine is over 9 years old but I cant get a new one now.

Did the lizard hand deliver the check?

 

[Doom_Guy]

Yeah, not only should you total it, but you should also take a sledgehammer to your car and then set it on fire just for fun.

 

[bronzeage]

I am the victim of a hit and run that has left my car pretty F*#&ed up. I will need a new front and passenger side fenders plus all the plastic in the wheel well. Here is my dilemma.
The car is fully insured but 10 yrs old with 175000 miles on it. I cant really afford a new one right now. Do I let the insurance total it out and pay me a few grand, then keep the car and fix it on the cheep
or do I have them fully repair it if they will?

Take the money.

Your only hope of repairing this car for insurance payout is what is called a "contract" repair. This is where a bodyshop locates a car identical to yours, but is totaled with damage on the opposite side. The salvage yard brings the entire car to the shop, and all the necessary parts are taken off an put on your car. This can reduce the cost of parts up to 75%. Fifty percent is most common.

This all depends on the right car being available. This is usually done when the insurance check is not enough to pay off the loan on the car.

It's called a contract repair because the bodyshop agrees to fix the car for a set price and cannot exceed that price.

 

[lovetoread]

Did the lizard hand deliver the check?

Damned straight he did. That accent is to die for.

 

[RoryN]

I am the victim of a hit and run that has left my car pretty F*#&ed up. I will need a new front and passenger side fenders plus all the plastic in the wheel well.

I'm 60-75% sure you don't want to repair this.

10 yrs old with 175000 miles on it.

Now 100% sure.

 

[Doom_Guy]

Is this one of those shitty 120-horsepower 4-cyilinder four-door sedans that looks like an electric razor and is made mostly of plastic?

 

[nerfhearder]

Insurance fraud is a bitch. Just sayin.

 

[LIVINRFANTASIES]

Is this one of those shitty 120-horsepower 4-cyilinder four-door sedans that looks like an electric razor and is made mostly of plastic?

That's 99% of the cars on the road today. The only difference in a Cadillac and a Prius are the payments.

What's most important is how many cup holders and is the GPS a good one.

 

[Doom_Guy]

Did the police catch the person who hit-and-runned you?

 

[someoneyouknow]

All this demonstrates (aside from the person who hit you being an ass by running) is how worthless insurance is. You've been paying insurance for years and now, when you need it most, they flip you the finger.

Whatever insignificant amount they're going to give you won't begin to make you whole again and absolutely, 100% guaranteed you'll have to shell out more of your own money despite having paid those leeches to do their job.

 

[nerfhearder]

All this demonstrates (aside from the person who hit you being an ass by running) is how worthless insurance is. You've been paying insurance for years and now, when you need it most, they flip you the finger.

Whatever insignificant amount they're going to give you won't begin to make you whole again and absolutely, 100% guaranteed you'll have to shell out more of your own money despite having paid those leeches to do their job.

What's the insurance company doing wrong in this case?

 

[someoneyouknow]

What's the insurance company doing wrong in this case?

If they claim the car is totaled they'll give about $50 for whatever's left meaning roxs will have to foot the bill to get any car worth driving.

Had roxs not been pouring money down a black hole all this time they would have had the money to replace what the coward stole. Even if the police catch the criminal and the insurance company makes them pay, roxs won't see a penny of that money to reimburse them for what they had to pay to get a replacement car.

The insurance company leeches off people coming and going.

 

[nerfhearder]

If they claim the car is totaled they'll give about $50 for whatever's left meaning roxs will have to foot the bill to get any car worth driving.

Had roxs not been pouring money down a black hole all this time they would have had the money to replace what the coward stole. Even if the police catch the criminal and the insurance company makes them pay, roxs won't see a penny of that money to reimburse them for what they had to pay to get a replacement car.

The insurance company leeches off people coming and going.

So you're must making it all up.

 

[MrHotnspicey]

Insurance companies

I think you will find your insurance company will treat you very fairly. Contact
the used car manager of the dealership near you, that deals with your model
of car. Describe your car to him, ( year, make, model , and miles ), He will be
able to give you a very accurate price of what it will take to buy a comparable
car.
Surely your car is paid for, hopefully you will be able to replace it with a comparable
model with less miles. I don't think you should repair a 175000 mile car. Just too
many miles.

 

[nerfhearder]

I think you will find your insurance company will treat you very fairly. Contact
the used car manager of the dealership near you, that deals with your model
of car. Describe your car to him, ( year, make, model , and miles ), He will be
able to give you a very accurate price of what it will take to buy a comparable
car.
Surely your car is paid for, hopefully you will be able to replace it with a comparable
model with less miles. I don't think you should repair a 175000 mile car. Just too
many miles.

Pretty much. The miles wouldn't be so bad for a truck or van but a car is worn out by then. A good dealer knows how to work it all to everyones advantage like any good dealer does no matter what they sell.

 

[Doom_Guy]

Like I said, smash your car to pieces with a sledge hammer, and then set it on fire just for fun.

 

[nerfhearder]

Like I said, smash your car to pieces with a sledge hammer, and then set it on fire just for fun.

I've heard of places you can go to do stuff like this.

 

[Doom_Guy]

I've heard of places you can go to do stuff like this.

Sounds like a blast!