I'm going with in the U.S. there isn't much drama.
Has anyone bought back their vehicle after being totaled?
- Thread starter A_A_G
- Start date
Yes a 90 Festiva that I rolled in 96. Can't remember the exact details but I think the buy back was $400-500 and got $2500-3000 back. Jacked the roof back up and tar'ed in a new windshield. Somehow it passed MO inspection. 6 months later Dodge Ram backed out and totaled it again. Made a lot of insurance money off that car. Didn't buy it back that time.
I had this happen in March to my '96 Maxima. Someone sideswiped me on the freeway, crunched the passenger side front fender with some scratches / paint rub-off on the bumper cover, also a side marker light.
Insurance company did a virtual inspection (due to COVID) where I shot pictures of the damage from several angles. They totaled the car over what was a very minor repair, but obviously this is a 24 year old car, so I expected that.
They sent me the damage estimate which included my payout with them taking possession of the vehicle and a separate payout for me keeping it. The difference was $176.00. The price was ridiculously fair I felt, so no need to negotiate or argue. That was an easy decision, I kept it and pocketed $1700.
I sat on it a few months till a local junkyard got in an appropriate year Maxima that was the same color as mine. Spent about $40 at the pull-a-part junkyard to get a replacement fender and side marker. Replaced the parts in about an hour and a half.
I had to mail in my license plates & title to the county clerk and file for a salvage title before the insurance company would send me payment. In KY, once you get the salvage title, you repair the vehicle, and file for a "rebuilt" title, which involves sending in supporting documentation (parts & labor receipts and such), along with an inspection from the county sheriff. Once they approve it, you get sent your rebuilt title which you can take to the county clerk to get your plates.
Insurance company did a virtual inspection (due to COVID) where I shot pictures of the damage from several angles. They totaled the car over what was a very minor repair, but obviously this is a 24 year old car, so I expected that.
They sent me the damage estimate which included my payout with them taking possession of the vehicle and a separate payout for me keeping it. The difference was $176.00. The price was ridiculously fair I felt, so no need to negotiate or argue. That was an easy decision, I kept it and pocketed $1700.
I sat on it a few months till a local junkyard got in an appropriate year Maxima that was the same color as mine. Spent about $40 at the pull-a-part junkyard to get a replacement fender and side marker. Replaced the parts in about an hour and a half.
I had to mail in my license plates & title to the county clerk and file for a salvage title before the insurance company would send me payment. In KY, once you get the salvage title, you repair the vehicle, and file for a "rebuilt" title, which involves sending in supporting documentation (parts & labor receipts and such), along with an inspection from the county sheriff. Once they approve it, you get sent your rebuilt title which you can take to the county clerk to get your plates.
AutoMechanic
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Personally I never have because I have never totaled a car or even wrecked one. Oddly enough reading this thread my friend totaled his today some lady pulled out in front of him he was going 45 in a 45 zone it’s a 2017 Camry he plans to buy it back just the airbags deployed so he has to have those fixed along with the whole front end he knows it is totaled because when he called his insurance to report it they told him they don’t fool with airbags so it was automatic totaled. They will get him a price once they evaluate the total damage and everything. He is going to have me fix it if they will let him pay an individual to do it it has to have a radiator and probably new motor mounts and probably some other stuff. I’m not doing the air bags he is going to have those done at my dealership body shop.
What is involved hinges on a number of thing,s including why its damaged, what state you are in, the year model of the car and whether or not its financed.
A reasonably large insurance company probably has a flat rate from the auction.
Last few years been payed out $10-15K?? thanks to Oklahoma hail season lol
IIRC 4-5 of my cars last few years have been "Totaled out" by my insurance company. In all instances, They offer me a $$$ settlement I choose to keep car option VS them taking it to the insurance auction. Like mentioned above its only a few hundred $$$ most cases it makes more sense to just keep the car. Best part is got to keep them all with CLEAR titles !!!
It does pay to have full coverage for things like this
Dave
IIRC 4-5 of my cars last few years have been "Totaled out" by my insurance company. In all instances, They offer me a $$$ settlement I choose to keep car option VS them taking it to the insurance auction. Like mentioned above its only a few hundred $$$ most cases it makes more sense to just keep the car. Best part is got to keep them all with CLEAR titles !!!
It does pay to have full coverage for things like this
Dave
My daughter's 18 yo boyfriend totaled his BMW 740 wagon. It's probably a 2001 or so with 250k on it, but it ran and drove beautifully. Anyway, it was totaled out and he bought it back for about 300 bucks. They paid him out a few thousand, I think. He's currently putting a new radiator, front fascia, and headlights. He'll probably put a couple thousand back into it. He just loves the car and it has too much life left in it to be put out to pasture for such light damage. Plus, he's learning a great deal while tearing the front end down and putting it back together.
I'm no BMW fanboy but it looks like a 740 wagon to me. My father in-law had a 740 IL. This looks like a wagon version of it.WOW !! He has a one of one BMW 740 wagon ??
Dave
A friend bought a beautiful 2000 Silverado new. 2 years ago a car lost control and smashed into his left fron fender and pushed him into the guardrail, smashing the right fron fender. Hood, grill, etc gone. He bought it back and got a full front end off a Tahoe or something, same year and color.
He put it back together and it is still in service. Looks great. I forger the dollar figures, but it worked out for him.
He put it back together and it is still in service. Looks great. I forger the dollar figures, but it worked out for him.
WOW !! He has a one of one BMW 740 wagon ??
Dave
He just told me it is a 540 wagon, 2001. I hope that give you a woody.
Yes basically that's how it works. Had a drunk driver rear end me. Insurance totaled the car out, but I bought the car back and knew a body guy who fixed it for way less than the insurance estimated. I ended up pocketing the difference which was about 1k. He just did the repair at his home garage so he didn't have body shop rates. I had to get it inspected afterwards. It was at a state police location. Basically the state police just went through the whole car and looked it over and then approved it. Drove it for a few years afterwards til it blew a head gasket.
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