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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / General Car Topics / May 2004Car in accident, and might be totaled.
Hi Everyone, I'm new at this, so I can use some insite to the processes since I have no clue about the results of an accident my car was in. Although the insurance companies have been helpful, they can only slightly tell me what might happen. Guessing they can't say anything till all the paperwork is done, and the car is finally inspected. I have a 96 Saturn SL2 that was hit by a person who ran a red light. The car was being driven by my Wifey, and she's ok. The other guy was cited for a traffic violation. We don't have collision coverage, but we were told to still contact our insurance company, and our insurance company told us to get the ball rolling by filing a claim with the other guy's insurance company. Things are little slow since we were told the other party hasn't reported it yet to his insurance company. We were told that "IF" the other guy was at fault, our car would be repaired, but since it's an older car, and body work is expensive(the nose piece was torn off, front lights all broken, and hood badly dented) the car would be totaled, even though its been drivable. They said they would buy the car from under us. The car isn't worth much money wise, but it does gets my wifey to and from work, so it's worth a lot in service. I sincerely believe since the car structure looks ok to me, and no fluid leaks, a new hood, headlights, some refastening the nose(duct tape and wire ties), and a small coat of paint to cover the scratches the car is complete operatable and legal again. Might be just me, but it's mostly platic pieces and duct tape rocks. :-P We were told that we could keep the car even if it's totaled, but it would be considered a 'salvaged' car. I don't know what that would do of owning and operating it, or our cash settlement. Has anyone done this, and what were your experiences pluses and minuses? thanks, Tom ***************** Check Us Out ***************** http://www.CarFleaMarket.com We help you sell off-line as well as online. get the car repaired by the other insurance co, or take a cash settlement and repair the car yourself. if they want to total it, tell them there is no structural damage to it, and you want to keep it and some money, then fix it. a salvage title simply means the car was in an accident and it cost more to repair than the car was worth but was fixed anyway. this is to let a future buyer know the car had extensive damage/repair done at one time. I got a 93 cougar for $500 with a salvage title, put $300 in parts , and painted it, used it for 5 years, and my sister still drives it. also got a 85 Monte Carlo for $300 in 89. it was a theft recovery, but insurance totaled. replaced steering column, stereo, door and trunk locks, and bolted the front end back on. total cost of repairs was $150. used it for 6 months, and sold it to a friend. it is still on the road, and has over 300k miles on it. > Hi Everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > We help you sell off-line as well as online. >get the car repaired by the other insurance co, or take a cash settlement >and repair the car yourself. if they want to total it, tell them there is no [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >and sold it to a friend. it is still on the road, and has over 300k miles on >it. Good to hear. I just went window-shopping on ebay for parts. Someone is selling headlights for about 55 each, and whole front bumper skins for 50bucks. The bumper skin is local too, so I can pick it up. I"m sure I can pickup a hood for a hundred bucks, so it might only cost me 300 bucks in parts and shipping, and a little time. Much cheaper than replacing this car. Yeah, Yeah, most people would say why, it's only a saturn? It works. 96 seem to be a reliable year, plus I just can't let go. :( thx, tom >> Hi Everyone, >> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >> >> We help you sell off-line as well as online. ************************ Our Sites ************************************* http://www.CarFleaMarket.com - Auto Classifieds. http://www.FindMeShelter.com - Post Free Text House Ads. http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. ************************************************************************* wrote in alt.autos > Good to hear. I just went window-shopping on ebay for parts. Someone > is selling headlights for about 55 each, and whole front bumper skins > for 50bucks. The bumper skin is local too, so I can pick it up. I"m > sure I can pickup a hood for a hundred bucks, so it might only cost me > 300 bucks in parts and shipping, and a little time. Much cheaper than > replacing this car. Before buying off of ebay check the local salvage yards. They will probably carry the parts you need, and be able to give you some advice about bolting it back together. Remember most of ebay is based on bidding, thus the final price is determined by how much someone else is willing to pay.  SignatureDick #1349 Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me. To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud. ~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977 Home Page: dickcr.iwarp.com email: dickcr@comcast.net > wrote in alt.autos > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >bolting it back together. Remember most of ebay is based on bidding, thus >the final price is determined by how much someone else is willing to pay. Thanks, the headlights are buy now, and the nose was unbidded. I'm figuring that this guy isn't running around locally targeting saturns. Got a call from the appaiser, said he will come out tomorrow to take pictures. He explained I was not to ask him questions since he has not been athorized to do anything else, since the insured(the guy who hit us) has not been reachable yet. I'm thinking this is going to take longer than it should. :( later, tom ************************ Our Sites ************************************* http://www.CarFleaMarket.com - Auto Classifieds. http://www.FindMeShelter.com - Post Free Text House Ads. http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. ************************************************************************* Go to one of the pricing guides (NADA or KBB.com) and get the approximate value. deduct the salvage value (the ins. co. can give you an idea) and that's approx. what the ins. co will give you if it's actually totalled. The salvage title (afaik) is only if the ins. takes the car and resells it. >Hi Everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > We help you sell off-line as well as online. >Go to one of the pricing guides (NADA or KBB.com) and get the >approximate value. deduct the salvage value (the ins. co. can give >you an idea) and that's approx. what the ins. co will give you if it's >actually totalled. The salvage title (afaik) is only if the ins. takes >the car and resells it. I was already told, Pa is very strict and even if it's "Retained by Owner" I would need to get a new title. So it will have salvaged title. As for the recieving the difference, I think the cars value, about 2800(if I calc'd it right) can easliy be gobbled up in the 'salvage value'. So if I keep it, they might say I get only a hundred bucks. Well preparing to look for another car. Damn, car buying can be a pain. Just guessing, tom >>Hi Everyone, >> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >> >> We help you sell off-line as well as online. ************************ Our Sites ************************************* http://www.CarFleaMarket.com - Auto Classifieds. http://www.FindMeShelter.com - Post Free Text House Ads. http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. ************************************************************************* > I was already told, Pa is very strict and even if it's "Retained by > Owner" I would need to get a new title. So it will have salvaged [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Well preparing to look for another car. Damn, car buying can be a > pain. I don't think they can do this, they would be saying that the car would be worth only $100 less if written off. If they value it at 2800 the salvage value will most likely be a few hundred dollars. -- Michael Culley The repair versus salvage threshold used to be 80%: Now it is 70 to 75%, depending on the company you are dealing with. Because people used to like to sue the insurance companies for: "Diminished Value" because of the shops that did sh.t repairs, no matter how big they were, hooray for the Direct Repair Shops. The state of Pa is strict in their salvage title program, but. The car is not changing ownership, from current owner, to insurance company to current owner again. Tell them, that you are retaining a lawyer, because it sounds like you are dealing with State Farm. You tell them you want 90% of the appraised value, which is calculated by: adding the NADA book price and Kelly Blue Book price for that period, then dividing it by two. Which gives an average then adding sales tax. Tell them you'll accept that as a contract repair price, with non recourse to the insurance company. Which means: "When you accept it, you are roped into that deal, if the hood doesn't line up when you install the new one. You diagnosed the no structural damage" So you are in a word: "f.cked by your inexperience and your desire to keep your car" So, tread carefully on the waters you are. Because it's easy to sink! Just some educated advice for you, to make an educated decision. Sincerely, Refinish King PS Good luck > >Go to one of the pricing guides (NADA or KBB.com) and get the > >approximate value. deduct the salvage value (the ins. co. can give [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. > ************************************************************************* >The repair versus salvage threshold used to be 80%: > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >You diagnosed the no structural damage" So you are in a word: "f.cked by >your inexperience and your desire to keep your car" Yes, I am inexperienced, but I have a great insurance company that has been filling me in on the details and giving me a crash course in how to not get screwed by the other guys insurance company. No, it's not State Farm, Erie Enterprise Insurance is the company. They've been very polite and helpful as well, but not willing to openly discuss somethings since it wasn't till about 4 days after the accident did their customer contact them. The car has structual damage. While talking to the apraiser, we noticed there were 'ripples' in the beams that connect right and left side of the boy together. This is a welded part of the chassie, and doesn't look easily fixed. The car is old, she did her work, she protected the driver in a crash. Just said since even in perfect condition, the car isn't worth much compared to prices of newer cars. thanks everyone for your feedback, tom >So, tread carefully on the waters you are. Because it's easy to sink! > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Good luck Thanks >> >Go to one of the pricing guides (NADA or KBB.com) and get the >> >approximate value. deduct the salvage value (the ins. co. can give [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] >> http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. >> ************************************************************************* ************************ Our Sites ************************************* http://www.CarFleaMarket.com - Auto Classifieds. http://www.FindMeShelter.com - Post Free Text House Ads. http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. ************************************************************************* Time to let it go! If it were newer, a good frame technician could repair it better than new, because new has a higher tolerance than a frame book allows. But you are correct, the uni-body did it's job and absorbed the energy to protect the most valuable part. The occupant. Good luck in your search for the perfect next vehicle! Refinish King > >The repair versus salvage threshold used to be 80%: > > [quoted text clipped - 121 lines] > >> http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. > >> http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. ************************************************************************* > ************************ Our Sites ************************************* > http://www.CarFleaMarket.com - Auto Classifieds. > http://www.FindMeShelter.com - Post Free Text House Ads. > http://www.PeekABooLinks.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. > http://www.VoyeurJunction.com - Adults Only! Free Galleries. > ************************************************************************* |
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