Originally Posted By: The Critic
The damage may appear minor because the vehicle has not been disassembled. Underneath the bumper cover, there is likely additional damage.
If the ins company had proceeded with the repair, once the shop starts, they could be stuck with paying for repairs that exceeded the value of the vehicle.
Right. I've recently come to understand that's why they generally deem it a total loss at 70-75% of pre-claim value so as to allow for a 25% buffer in the initial (i.e. pre-teardown) estimate.
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Just curious, can you keep the car once the insurance company has labeled it as totaled?
Yes. I'd seriously considered this for about a week.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
How is the hood underneath?
I'm far from knowledgeable about body work, but it appeared completely fine to my critical eye.
Originally Posted By: BISCUT
I can only speak of my geographical area....
There are plenty of body shop guys who would do that kinda fix on the cheap. Sub par parts and quickie paint job you'd be around 1k. Not that i've seen all the damage but guesstimate....
This is almost exactly what I'd originally envisioned having done, but later decided against it simply because of the current unknowns (i.e. what other damage
might be discovered during teardown).
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
The car isn't worth much, plus it needs a new hood, new quarter panel, new headlights, bumper. etc.
My original thought was that they wouldn't attempt to replace the hood, but rather adjust/bend it. My rationale is that it isn't creased nor really even chipped anywhere. Neither front fender sustained any damage despite the somewhat misleading picture of the front driver side corner where the parking light housing is dislocated from the fender.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
...Looks like you rearended some one or got backed into in a parking lot?
My wife rear-ended a 2002 Altima while sliding on black ice at night.
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Fix it with junkyard parts - looks like you can get away with a bumper, grill, and LF headlight assembly. Hood looks fine to me. 182K miles is worth fixing IMO - looks like a nice car.
That was precisely my original assumption.
Originally Posted By: supton
I wonder what it would cost to buy back...
I'm not certain, but I'm suspecting a relatively high salvage value. In fact, I'm convinced that, because a vehicle's salvage value is part of the total loss determination, that a relatively high salvage value is really what drove it over the edge into total loss determination. More on this below...
Originally Posted By: css9450
Is there more damage along the side? I see a mirror that looks like its hanging.
Right you are! A keen eye you have! Yeah, about 2 months earlier, my wife thought it'd be cool to whack it off while backing it out of the garage. Duck tape had been holding it on right up until the wreck. In fact, a mere 3 days before the wreck, we bought a roll of white duck tape with the intention of replacing the silver stuff that was both unsightly and losing its sticky from the wet winter weather. Procrastination paid off this time!
Originally Posted By: Doog
That car is trashed...looks like one of my daughters did it..
They have a special knack for doing $5000 worth of damage at 10mph. I think it is a gender trait inherited from their Mother.
I nearly spit out my drink when I read this!
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Who is totaling it? Your insurance or another party's? If your insurance totals it and cuts you a check, will they raise your rates going forward to recoup what they paid out?...
My insurer (Progressive). Surprisingly, it was deemed as a "no-fault" despite my wife hitting the back of the other car with the front of our car. While our policy "forgives" one small accident and one large accident, we've been advised that this claim counts against neither, much to my surprise and joy.
Originally Posted By: Trav
That kind of a hit will total many an 05 or 06 for insurance purposes.
Incredible.
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
What is your deductible IF they did fix it? If $500 then i would say do the work yourself or get someone locally (moonlighting body man)..to fix it for cheap
Yes, $500. I'd originally seriously considered it, but later "chickened out".
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
This is why it doesn't make a lot of sense to put a ton of money into an older car, one small hit and your done. The insurance company doesn't care if you just spent $2,500 on a new transmission or $1k on suspension work. The junk yard guys will love you though!
Yeah, they'll love the front and top engine work I just did (i.e. belts and seals). By the end of next month, I bet it'll be on a cargo ship bound for an overseas country with some super cheap body work labor and aftermarket parts and its subsequent "retirement career" in said country.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
The salvage value on that is going to be high, it's probably going to cost you a bit to keep it.
Agreed. While I don't yet know what the insurer's buyer is paying for it, I estimate they're paying about $1500 for it, particularly if it's going overseas to be repaired with cheap labor.