Crap - Car Stuff

[bikerboy337]

Got rear-ended last week, and pushed into the car in front of us... didn't look to bad, but we were hit at about 20mph (we were stopped on the highway) by a much larger SUV (we have a small hatchback).

Long story short, my car is worth about $12k now (its a 2012 Mazda), we just got the estimate and over $8k damage... not enough to total it, but enough that now I've got a nasty accident on the carfax and lack of confidence that all will be well for another few years...

ugh...

[AngryScientist]

how much is the insurance company going to give you?

take the repair check and use it for a downpayment on another car, sell yours to a scrap yard for as much as you can.

that's what i would do.

no way i'm putting $8k worth of repairs into a car worth about $12k, that would be a bad move.

time to move on.

[MattTuck]

Agree. Is it paid for out right? If not, it's a little more tricky, but still. It's a lost cause throwing that much into it at that value.

[FlashUNC]

Congrats, you've won the gift of car shopping.

[cdn_bacon]

Pass GO, collect $200 go directly to automall.

I got clipped Jan 1 this year (week ago) going to get some takeout at 6pm. $7500 in damages on our leased vehicle. (of course it had to be the newer vehicle) Insurance deemed me not at fault. repairs are being done now using all original hyundai parts. Everything was covered including our kids seats ( fortunately was just me in the car).

not sure what will happen come lease end but for now I'm very lucky to have the coverage that I have.

Doesn't your insurance deem you not at fault? or is it because you weren't "in control of your vehicle" hitting the one in front.

[AngryScientist]

Insurance deemed me not at fault....

I'm very lucky to have the coverage that I have.

.

if you werent at fault the other guys insurance paid for your car, no?

[rcnute]

Make sure they pay for diminished value.

Ryan

[kramnnim]

Don't most repairs end up costing more than estimated? Surprised they don't just total it...

[soulspinner]

Don't most repairs end up costing more than estimated? Surprised they don't just total it...

you are right, once they start taking things apart, they find more things, and youve totalled it.

[cdn_bacon]

if you werent at fault the other guys insurance paid for your car, no?

that is correct. deductible was covered as well.

[jlyon]

you are right, once they start taking things apart, they find more things, and youve totalled it.

They all quote too low on the original estimate hoping some will take it and walk away.

SO find a car dealer you like with a body shop have them pull it apart get the estimate up and then they will total the car.

Leave the car with the dealer as a trade in and use the money to get a new car.

[kramnnim]

Guess it might depend on the insurance company, but don't they normally have their own adjusters to come up with the estimates? (which they then have to amend as more damage is found)

[sitzmark]

Ins cos have their own adjusters/appraisers. Typically they will estimate a cost for repair and if you select a repair center from their list of "approved" providers, they will cover any additional (related) repairs not itemized in the appraisal.

When you figure the cost of parts and paint, $3k-$4k is basically what it costs to replace bumper covers and minor "finder bender" work these days. If they "total it" they'll take the vehicle and you just get a check. You can generally negotiate a buy-back of the vehicle with a salvage title. Pretty much the end of resale value forevermore.

If you're not looking at frame/unibody alignment and it is simply replacement of crunched parts and paint (and the vehicle has been previously reliable) repair should be your most cost effective route. That said, if you were prepared to make a bigger investment in another vehicle anyway, you can leverage the repair funds and damaged vehicle to get into something else. If your damaged vehicle has the right undamaged parts you might even come out ahead by parting it out, but that takes a lot of work on your part.

Never fun ... Best of luck getting to the end game you want.

[shovelhd]

You are ok. That's what matters. The rest is just aggravation.

[batman1425]

When my wife totaled her car last year the Ins Co had their own adjuster make the assessment. Car was brought to a dealer in the area the Ins Co had an arrangement with, they did the estimate, and the adjuster determined the total vs. repair quote. In our case the repair was 8k, car value was 9k. They totaled it, and wrote us a check for the adjusted value of the car.

We could pick which place was going to do the estimate, but it is semantics as it had to be one of a handful of partnered shops in the area (read: they all worked for our ins. co. in some way).

[Ken Robb]

I would think that an insurance company whose client rear-ended another car would be thrilled to pay almost ANYTHING for property damage to settle the claim before the victims developed medical problems.