Car Advice

[Anonymous]

Just walked out to find that my parked car has been side swiped in a hit and run sometime between last night and this afternoon. My car is 19 years old (bought it brand new my senior year of college). Both doors on the driver side will need to be replaced and possibly the side mirror. What's the likelihood that insurance will not want to repair it given how old it is and just total it? It's not a fancy car so I recognize that it's worth pretty much nothing at this point to anyone other than myself. We are in the midst of a couple investment home renovations and so I have no desire for a large car payment or putting money down on anything. Would leasing a small car for a year or two make sense until we get over this hump? We live in the city and park on the street so that might not be good for a leased car.

[Anonymous]

Not sure about how insurance would handle it but I would definitely not lease a car that I had to park on the street. If they do total it, what about getting an inexpensive car at CarMax?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure about how insurance would handle it but I would definitely not lease a car that I had to park on the street. If they do total it, what about getting an inexpensive car at CarMax?

Op here - that's what I thought. Ughh. I tend to keep cars for a long time and also have had to put a lot of money into my car over the years. My fear with purchasing an inexpensive used car is that it will be right at that point where it starts needing many of the types of repairs I just recently got past with my car. Additionally because I keep My cars until they basically can't be kept anymore, I would ideally like to really like my car. Now I realize financially speaking I may not have that luxury right Now but I would ideally want to like a car that I was driving for the next 10+ years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure about how insurance would handle it but I would definitely not lease a car that I had to park on the street. If they do total it, what about getting an inexpensive car at CarMax?

Op here - that's what I thought. Ughh. I tend to keep cars for a long time and also have had to put a lot of money into my car over the years. My fear with purchasing an inexpensive used car is that it will be right at that point where it starts needing many of the types of repairs I just recently got past with my car. Additionally because I keep My cars until they basically can't be kept anymore, I would ideally like to really like my car. Now I realize financially speaking I may not have that luxury right Now but I would ideally want to like a car that I was driving for the next 10+ years.

Buy a new Toyota and you'll be set for another 20 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure about how insurance would handle it but I would definitely not lease a car that I had to park on the street. If they do total it, what about getting an inexpensive car at CarMax?

Op here - that's what I thought. Ughh. I tend to keep cars for a long time and also have had to put a lot of money into my car over the years. My fear with purchasing an inexpensive used car is that it will be right at that point where it starts needing many of the types of repairs I just recently got past with my car. Additionally because I keep My cars until they basically can't be kept anymore, I would ideally like to really like my car. Now I realize financially speaking I may not have that luxury right Now but I would ideally want to like a car that I was driving for the next 10+ years.

You don't have to buy brand new if cost is prohibitive, but a 2-3 year old car will be cheaper than brand new, and at that age they're very basically new.

[Anonymous]

What is the currnet Blue Book value of the car (if it wasn't smashed up)?

[Anonymous]

Buy a brand new Chevy Spark or Cruze for about $17k. Your payments will be under $200/month:

https://www.koonschevybuickgmc.com/new-inventory/index.htm?make=Chevrolet&model=Spark

Parts are cheap, and the cars are solid (in particular the Cruze). They sell at a loss because they help pump up GM's average fuel economy ratings and GM offsets that with their highly profitable SUVs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the currnet Blue Book value of the car (if it wasn't smashed up)?

I need to look it up but I honestly expect it will be like $0. I own a 2000 Mazda protege ES.

[Anonymous]

A car that old is probably worth less than the cost to paint it so don’t count on them repairing it. File a police report, make a claim against uninsured motorists and expect them to tota the car.

[Anonymous]

It will definitely be totaled. Chevy makes crap cars, just buy or lease a Corolla.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy a brand new Chevy Spark or Cruze for about $17k. Your payments will be under $200/month:

https://www.koonschevybuickgmc.com/new-inventory/index.htm?make=Chevrolet&model=Spark

Parts are cheap, and the cars are solid (in particular the Cruze). They sell at a loss because they help pump up GM's average fuel economy ratings and GM offsets that with their highly profitable SUVs.

Ok here - i will look into it. I can't say that that car excites me but again our finances don't afford me that luxury anymore. We have two kids under 4 so I thought my next car would at a minimum allow three to sit comfortably in the back which I dont have now. A few months ago I saw the Kia Stinger parked at my office garage and got all teary-eyed. Clearly this is not a family car and at $50k wasn't happening at all but I did dare to dream that if my car held up another 2-3 years....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A car that old is probably worth less than the cost to paint it so don’t count on them repairing it. File a police report, make a claim against uninsured motorists and expect them to tota the car.

Op here - that is my fear. Sigh. I filed the police report this afternoon. I expect statefarm will be in touch on Monday to start the assessment process. Do you think they will even send me to a garage or just call it totaled right off the bat.

[Anonymous]

Typically if repairs are 75% (ish- depends on state) of the car’s value the insurance company will total. Based on your description of the damage, it seems like it will be totaled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the currnet Blue Book value of the car (if it wasn't smashed up)?

I need to look it up but I honestly expect it will be like $0. I own a 2000 Mazda protege ES.

It takes less than 2 minutes. Look it up, post the value, and also tell me how many body panels are damaged and I"ll tell you if they will total it or not.

Usually a sideswipe is at least 3 -- both doors on that side, and the quarter panel before/after the doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A car that old is probably worth less than the cost to paint it so don’t count on them repairing it. File a police report, make a claim against uninsured motorists and expect them to tota the car.

Op here - that is my fear. Sigh. I filed the police report this afternoon. I expect statefarm will be in touch on Monday to start the assessment process. Do you think they will even send me to a garage or just call it totaled right off the bat.

If it’s not drievable the adjuster will come out to appraise, and yes they can total it without sending it to a shop.