Damaged Car Options

[anarchy]

Long story short:
Got in a car accident, insurance company estimated my car value at $6,000 and cost to repair at $3,600.

They want to repair and not write it off but I chose to settle instead.

I'm now left with a car with a damaged hood, bumper, headlights and my engine was pretty fucked (from previous incident).

What options do I have with my car? Try and sell it for parts on Canada Trader? Have it towed to Pick a Part for parts there? Any suggestions on how to get the most for what's left?

[G-ZUS]

The engine is fucked? Theres another member on here selling his for parts, or you can part it out or fix it. Did they write it off?

[anarchy]

No they wouldn't write it off.

Told me my car was worth $6,000 and damage was estimated at $3900 initially. They wouldn't write it off unless it exceeded $6,000.

I told them they haven't even checked under the hood yet so they had me bring it back to the body shop and brought an inspector to reassess it.

The body shop re-estimated it at $4400 but the insurance company LOWERED their estimate to $3600! They knew I was looking to settle rather than repair and this would result in a lower settlement.

Anyways, pretty choked about that but $300 isn't a big deal. In all I have no intention of repairing my vehicle and will use the settlement to purchase a different one.

That's why I'm wondering what I should do. Should I get it towed back to my place (no garage) and hope to sell it to someone looking for parts? Or better off selling to a junk yard and be done with it?

[krusso04]

parting it might take a while and if you dont have a garage then... unno haha, but i just dropped a car off at pick and pull and got $150.00 if that helps you out.

[anarchy]

Originally posted by krusso04
parting it might take a while and if you dont have a garage then... unno haha, but i just dropped a car off at pick and pull and got $150.00 if that helps you out.

That does help, thanks!

$150 is kinda shitty though haha. I figure my I can still sell my stock rims and rubber no?

[sugoi240]

If the car can be fixed and running properly, why not get insurance to spend more money to fix it all up, then sell it after?

Insurance companies are just damn cheap, f%$# them all!

And you can choose your own repair place.
You don't have to go to their bargain bin repair shop.
Get 3 repair estimates from 3 different places, and the middle
cost is usually the fair costs of repair.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by anarchy


That does help, thanks!

$150 is kinda shitty though haha. I figure my I can still sell my stock rims and rubber no?

Well I'm sure you can sell it for more than $150 privately.

Throw an ad up and sell as is for $1500 obo. :dunno:

[lint]

Originally posted by max_boost


Well I'm sure you can sell it for more than $150 privately.

Throw an ad up and sell as is for $1500 obo. :dunno:
then some beyond csi wannabe will pull up this thread and offer $125 CASH money

[Weapon_R]

Best option would be to throw it up for $1000 like Max said and wait to see what you get. Someone might have some spare parts to put into it and get it going again.

[hampstor]

Originally posted by anarchy
No they wouldn't write it off.

Told me my car was worth $6,000 and damage was estimated at $3900 initially. They wouldn't write it off unless it exceeded $6,000.

I told them they haven't even checked under the hood yet so they had me bring it back to the body shop and brought an inspector to reassess it.

The body shop re-estimated it at $4400 but the insurance company LOWERED their estimate to $3600! They knew I was looking to settle rather than repair and this would result in a lower settlement.

Anyways, pretty choked about that but $300 isn't a big deal. In all I have no intention of repairing my vehicle and will use the settlement to purchase a different one.

That's why I'm wondering what I should do. Should I get it towed back to my place (no garage) and hope to sell it to someone looking for parts? Or better off selling to a junk yard and be done with it?

The initial damage appraisal was for $3900, you had it re-done and it came to $4400, and you were paid out $3600 - is this right?

Assuming the above is right: when the insurance company settles with you to pay out instead of repairing, it's not uncommon that the adjuster deducts the profit they expected the shop to make off the parts - that's why you didn't get $4400 paid out to you. Had they gone on the original $3900 appraisal, you could've got less than $3600.

As weapon r and max suggested, throw it up for a grand as is. If you are patient, you could always part it out - you'll usually get more money if you do that. Out of curiosity, what vehicle is it?

[911fever]

part it out. If it's a Lude, it's not going to be worth much repaired.

[anarchy]

Thanks for the input guys.

It's a 97 Lude, and yes, original body shop estimate was $3900. I asked them to re-assess as they didn't even check under the hood yet, and when they did, the autobody shop re-assessed it at $4400 while the inspector himself lowered it to $3600. The reasoning that they gave me was because the body shop felt the bumper should be replaced whereas the insurance company felt it could simply be repaired, thus the difference.

Had I settled on the original assessment, I would have received $3900 minus $500 deductible. But since they reassessed it at $3600, I get $3100 after my deductible. Like I said, $300 difference which isn't a huge deal, but kinda sucks.

Anyways, I don't have a garage so don't really have the option to just have it sit around in front of my house and part it out, so I'll probably just list it up here for $1500 obo and see who wants it.

Just to note, it still runs. The engine will need to be replaced at some point because I believe there's a piston loose but it still runs. But because I didn't drive it for a week or so the battery was dead and I couldn't get under the damaged hood to boost it, thus having to tow it to the body shop.

[anarchy]

Originally posted by sugoi240
If the car can be fixed and running properly, why not get insurance to spend more money to fix it all up, then sell it after?

Insurance companies are just damn cheap, f%$# them all!

And you can choose your own repair place.
You don't have to go to their bargain bin repair shop.
Get 3 repair estimates from 3 different places, and the middle
cost is usually the fair costs of repair.

The reason I didn't have insurance repair it then selling it was because the damage from the accident is mainly the hood, bumper and headlights. But there is engine damage previous to the accident, so even if they repaired it cosmetically, I still wouldn't be able to sell it for much given the engine needs to be replaced sometime soon down the road.

I figured I'd take the cash settlement of $3200, plus whatever I can get for it in it's current status and call it a day and look for a new vehicle.

[Team_Mclaren]

pics? how fucked is it?

i thought when they pay out the car it becomes theirs?

[hampstor]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
pics? how fucked is it?

i thought when they pay out the car it becomes theirs?

That's only the case in a total loss/written off - they paid him the cost of repairs instead of the value of the vehicle.

But yes, pics! I might be interested. depending on mileage and condition of the damage. Would you be able to scan/send me a copy of the damage report? :D

[tom_9109]

Originally posted by sugoi240
If the car can be fixed and running properly, why not get insurance to spend more money to fix it all up, then sell it after?

Insurance companies are just damn cheap, f%$# them all!

And you can choose your own repair place.
You don't have to go to their bargain bin repair shop.
Get 3 repair estimates from 3 different places, and the middle
cost is usually the fair costs of repair.


Averaging 3 quotes doesn't give you an accurate cost to repair. Some shops write really high because they're busy and don't want the work at that time, sometimes they write really low because they wanna get it in the door and then get a supplement approved by the insurance company. If you really want an accurate estimate, go to one reputable shop or appraiser and have then talk you through the repair and why they make the choices. It will give you a very accurate cost to repair.

[anarchy]

Yeah exactly what hampstor said. If they wrote it off then they pay me out for the value of my car minus my deductible, and the car is theirs.

But they wanted to repair it so I had two choices: repair it or take a cash settlement for the cost of the repairs. I chose the latter.


I'll try to drop by the shop later and snap some pics of the damage. I don't think it's too bad other than the hood of course.

PM me if you'd like pics please and I'll email it to you.

Hampstor - I got your pm so I'll email you pics as soon as I get them.

Thanks for your help everyone!

[anarchy]

I was able to snap some pictures of it today so PM me with your email address if you're interested in seeing what it looks like.

I've also listed it in the marketplace:
http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&postid=2929306#post2929306

Thanks again for the feedback guys.