Cars, again - total loss/salvage?

[cael]

Ugh, sorry for more car threads. Waiting until tomorrow to hear from a total loss rep at my car insurance to tell me my options. Apparently since the cost of repairs would be over a certain amount, the insurance company has deemed my car a loss.  My husband lost his mind and called me freaking out because he got a voicemail saying we had to go to the shop to get our things out of it before they bring it to the junkyard.

I've never dealt with this... the car still runs fine, the front bumper is dented in and has a piece cracked out of it (small piece), hood is a little misshapen, and the headlight is smashed, but the car is in otherwise great shape for being 16yo with 205k miles. I refuse to let it go. The claims guy doesn't really know the details on our options but he said one option is to get a salvage title for it from the DMV and then figure out what needs to be repaired to get it back on the road. The total loss rep who should contact us tomorrow should be able to give me better details but in the meantime of course my head is spinning trying to plan out several different paths this could take.

Any insight on my options here? They can pry this car from my cold dead fingers. not to mention having to buy a new older reliable car would put my house fund back several months probably, and we really can't go without 2 cars for any extended period of time.

[chiver78]

whoa.....what happened to your little red zippy car?

[Deleted]

You should be able to buy it back from the insurance company.  They just want to get whatever they can out of it by sending it to salvage for $500 or whatever they're getting paid.

My last car was a vehicle like this.  It was "totaled" in an accident for a dented rear passenger door, scrapes on the bumper and a broken tail light.  The junk yard replaced the tail light and resold it.  It didn't even end up with a salvage title. I drove it for 3 years with the dented door until ex really did total it.

[obelisk]

Contact the insurance and ask what would it cost you for a salvage title.  Just do the bare minimum fixes for it to be safe on the road and drive it 'til the wheels fall off.
I would have the existing shop and another shop quote you on the minimum fixes.

[cael]

Chive, it was my old car luckily, not my zippy little red one! DH rear ended someone last week.

Thanks for the bit of hope MPL. I would always see cars with salvage titles for sale on autotrader and wonder what it meant, guess I'm gonna find out! I'll see what they tell me tomorrow. The whole "come get your stuff out before it gets junked" message really freaked us out! I just need 2.5 more years out of this car... we're very attached to it too.

[cael]

Jun 3, 2015 14:13:48 GMT -5 obelisk said:

Contact the insurance and ask what would it cost you for a salvage title.  Just do the bare minimum fixes for it to be safe on the road and drive it 'til the wheels fall off.
I would have the existing shop and another shop quote you on the minimum fixes.

That's what I was hoping I could get done, minimum needed to safely drive it. The shop it's currently at is pretty good and I've had work done there before, but yeah, I may see if I can get another estimate somewhere else. My mechanic doesn't do body work, but I'm sure he'd be happy to give me some names of places he trusts.

[andi9899]

Ask your agent if there is a surcharge for a salvage title. Some companies either won't insure a car with a salvage title, or will surcharge it. Find out what the state requires to get the title changed. My state has a bunch of requirements and people generally just let the insurance company have it instead of jumping through all the hoops. Also, remember that salvage vehicles may not be as safe as others. The air bags may not work again and there could be other things too. I say let the insurance company have it.

[mollyanna58]

You have the option of keeping the car, but the insurance company will pay you less; they will deduct the salvage value of the car.

Example:  the car needs $6,000. in repairs.  The book value of the car is only $5,000.  You have a $500. deductible.  If the insurance company totals the car and you sign over the title, the insurance company will pay you $4,500.   They will then scrap the car, and get paid $400. by a salvage company.   You have the option of keeping the car, and get paid only $4,100.  ($5,000. value - $500. deductible - $400. salvage.) 

The DMV will have to be notified that the car was deemed a total loss, and a salvage title will have to be issued.  This protects the next person who buys the car, so they know at some point the car was damaged enough to be considered a total loss.

Will the amount paid be enough to fully repair the car?  No.  Will it be sufficient to repair the car enough that it is safe to drive? Maybe, if you are willing to leave in some of the dents and damage that does not affect driving.

[obelisk]

For replacement parts for an older vehicle, buy used parts from ebay or a junk yard.  Used hoods are pretty reasonable if you don't mind a color contrast.  I wouldn't worry about the bumper from your description.

[Deleted]

Growing up, my stepdad had a side business of buying cars that were totaled, fixing them up and reselling.  Needless to say, my brothers and I all drove salvage titled cars.  I think my first 2 or 3 were. 

[cael]

I seriously doubt the damage is enough that airbags wouldn't work (they didn't even deploy), it's basically one corner of the front bumper and that headlight. The hood could probably be banged out to be straight enough, the deformation is barely visible and not super crunched up at all like some cars you see - I doubt it's even at the level of needing a new hood.

Found on the MA rmv website.. "Passenger vehicles ten (10) or more model years old at the date of the event which caused the vehicle to be declared a total loss are exempt from the Salvage Title process. These vehicles will carry a Reconstructed Prior Salvage brand." I have little to no idea what this means but the car is 16yo... time to do some reading.

[yogiii]

Sorry about the car, but someone should def be giving you a YM gold star

[Deleted]

It doesn't sound like it would even be issued a salvage title.

[cael]

Yeah I was surprised... unless there was a crapload more internal damage that wasn't visible from just the front bumper, I didn't think the repairs cost would be so dire. The car drove fine for the one week between the accident and when we dropped it off yesterday. I know the car is probably only worth $1500 or something and that's probably why they're totaling it, but still. UGH.

[cael]

So I stopped by the body shop on the way home and they basically told me that's it, it's over, car won't drive again. I kept saying "but it drove fine!" and they basically said yeah, it did before they tore it apart to get an estimate of how much all the repairs would be. Isn't insured right now, isn't driveable, and the loss rep from my insurance co. would talk to me about what we will get for it. I basically burst into tears and left the office. Am I completely screwed? Should I have been given the option to *not* have it totally taken apart beyond the point of being driveable? It sure doesn't look un-driveable, they just took the headlight out and the plates off from what I saw but I didn't look carefully since I was bawling like an idiot.

I don't even know how we'll survive the rest of the week on one car, let alone several months until I have enough cash to buy a reliable older car again... eff me, right.

Ugh, going for a run. Cannot even.    (thanks for allowing me vent, DH can only take so much of me yelling like a lunatic. )

[mroped]

It is the shops business to make it drivable again. They shouldn't have torn it apart if they weren't sure they can put it back together. But I believe that is a line that they feed you because they might have eyeballed some useful parts there. I wouldn't leave it there at all. At my own expense I'd move it elsewhere just in spite. They are just being asses to you.

Id tell them :" I brought my car working, I want it working!" The insurance co pays them for the estimate.

[wyouser]

There are a lot of folks around here that will keep their totaled car if its still functional. The owner should have first dibs on keeping the vehicle. The insurance company will have a salvage offer from whomever buys the salvage from them. If you keep the car they will subtract the salvage amount from the check they give you. Here,( Wyoming) you would be able to continue to insure the car for liability. And yes, check around for used parts to make sure you comply with state laws on functioning lights and signals. Rules on driving cars after they have been totaled (salvage title) will vary from state to state. Just check the rules where you are.

[cael]

Thanks guys. I kind of feel it's insane to not give the vehicle owner the chance to retain it in the condition it was in when we brought it to them... I'll see what the person who calls us tomorrow has to say. My dad got all blustery and told me to call and withdraw the claim and make them put the car back together. I just might do it depending on what they tell me tomorrow.

[alabamagal]

Did you have collision on the car?

One good thing about not having collision is that it is up to the owner to deal with the car.

When my son was in accident in car that didn't have collision. The car was towed and then it was up to us to deal with it. Since it was hit in the side there was a lot of damage. We just called up the salvage guy he picked it up and sent us a check for $400

[Value Buy]

Jun 3, 2015 14:09:22 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

You should be able to buy it back from the insurance company.  They just want to get whatever they can out of it by sending it to salvage for $500 or whatever they're getting paid.

My last car was a vehicle like this.  It was "totaled" in an accident for a dented rear passenger door, scrapes on the bumper and a broken tail light.  The junk yard replaced the tail light and resold it.  It didn't even end up with a salvage title. I drove it for 3 years with the dented door until ex really did total it.

Yes, we did it a few years ago.
Unfortunately, do not have another accident unless it is the other guy's fault, as they will not repay on the car a second time, after being totaled out.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Welcome to this month's club of "WTE! I wasn't planning on replacing that car for years!!!"

[cael]

LOL    My husband is at the body shop this morning yelling at them (well, probably not yelling, probably blustering and being irate wondering why he dropped off a running car and now is being told it doesn't run) We'll see where it goes.

I'm guessing I did(do?) have collision... I really should know my policy better than I do, huh.

[whoisjohngalt]

Didn't read the thread...

When it happened to me years ago, they just gave me a check for my "totaled" car and I kept driving it for another few years.

and it kept being insured by the same insurance company, so it's not like they didn't know.

I did have collision on it, though

ETA: oh and it was missing a part of the front bumper, I never fixed it but it was in MD, so no annual inspections and no one really cared

[cael]

So DH talked to the body shop, who did admit to him yes, they could put it back "together" and make it road safe again. (why no one could've told me that yesterday I have no idea..) He also spoke with the total loss rep who will be calling me with numbers to keep the car, or numbers to not keep it. Basically at this point it seems we will have the option to keep it and drive it still.

Lena, that's kind of how I thought this worked - they give you the money for totaling it and you can't make claims on it anymore, but you can still drive it. Although at this point I'd be happy not being given anything (or even paying my deductible...) to be able to keep driving it. My $900 deductible wouldn't buy us a new reliable enough car, probably, so I'd happily pay it.

Our friend told DH if we can get a junkyard headlight, the kids at the shop at his tech school can do the work for us. Literally that's all it would need to be road safe.

[CarolinaKat]

Jun 4, 2015 10:13:30 GMT -5 cael said:

So DH talked to the body shop, who did admit to him yes, they could put it back "together" and make it road safe again. (why no one could've told me that yesterday I have no idea..) He also spoke with the total loss rep who will be calling me with numbers to keep the car, or numbers to not keep it. Basically at this point it seems we will have the option to keep it and drive it still.

Lena, that's kind of how I thought this worked - they give you the money for totaling it and you can't make claims on it anymore, but you can still drive it. Although at this point I'd be happy not being given anything (or even paying my deductible...) to be able to keep driving it. My $900 deductible wouldn't buy us a new reliable enough car, probably, so I'd happily pay it.

Our friend told DH if we can get a junkyard headlight, the kids at the shop at his tech school can do the work for us. Literally that's all it would need to be road safe.

DH has crashed multiple cars has caused several car crashes. He ALWAYS gets the freaking headlights. I have found some aftermarket headlights online that were very reasonable (free shipping too). 

[cael]

I'll check it out, thanks!

[tskeeter]

Jun 3, 2015 14:38:02 GMT -5 cael said:

Yeah I was surprised... unless there was a crapload more internal damage that wasn't visible from just the front bumper, I didn't think the repairs cost would be so dire. The car drove fine for the one week between the accident and when we dropped it off yesterday. I know the car is probably only worth $1500 or something and that's probably why they're totaling it, but still. UGH.

You are right.  Because the car is worth so little, the repairs to put it in a before accident condition (new fender to hold the headlight, new hood, new bumper, new grill, paint, and miscellaneous items, plus the labor cost remove and replace the parts, plus the labor to paint the new parts to match the rest of the car (a real problem with older cars with faded and oxidized paint)) would cost more than the car is worth.  By my estimate, you'd have about $1K in parts, alone.  Then, maybe, another 15 hours of labor at about $100 an hour.  So, something like $2,500 to repair your $1,500 car.

But, if you were to fix just enough on your own to get the headlight pointing in the right direction and pass any safety test that might be required, you might be able fix it up enough to drive for another couple of years for about $500.  Maybe less. 

[tskeeter]

Jun 4, 2015 10:25:43 GMT -5 cael said:

I'll check it out, thanks!

CK makes a good suggestion.  When I got too close to the pickup in front of me and needed a headlight assembly, the dealer wanted something like $350.  The junk yard didn't have one, but ordered an aftermarket headlight for $80.  The same price they would charge me for a used one.  Then I found some on the internet for $25 or $30.

For a car like your's, junk yards are a real friend.  When I needed a boot for a tie rod end on our 2007 car, I found you couldn't buy just a boot.  The dealer wanted to sell me an entire power steering rack assembly for $1,500.  Because I only wanted a boot and they didn't have to gaurantee that the power steering rack didn't leak, the junk yard sold me a power steering rack for $40 and I was able to salvage both boots.  

[cael]

Whoops, just lost my post. Anyhoo, junk yard will definitely be my first stop to look for a headlight. Body shop should be calling me soon about picking the car up! Didn't sound like they were going to give me any trouble about putting it back together. We're only getting $300 less for keeping it than we would have if we'd let them salvage it. I was surprised the car is still valued at $2700... guess these Camrys really can take a beating and run forever.

Just have to get hold of one more guy at the insurance co. to make sure the car's still insured the way it should be, and we should be good to go! What a pain in the rear end. At least we can have the car back. Now I just need 2.5 more years out of it, lol.

[andi9899]

Jun 3, 2015 16:19:16 GMT -5 cael said:

So I stopped by the body shop on the way home and they basically told me that's it, it's over, car won't drive again. I kept saying "but it drove fine!" and they basically said yeah, it did before they tore it apart to get an estimate of how much all the repairs would be. Isn't insured right now, isn't driveable, and the loss rep from my insurance co. would talk to me about what we will get for it. I basically burst into tears and left the office. Am I completely screwed? Should I have been given the option to *not* have it totally taken apart beyond the point of being driveable? It sure doesn't look un-driveable, they just took the headlight out and the plates off from what I saw but I didn't look carefully since I was bawling like an idiot.

I don't even know how we'll survive the rest of the week on one car, let alone several months until I have enough cash to buy a reliable older car again... eff me, right.

Ugh, going for a run. Cannot even.    (thanks for allowing me vent, DH can only take so much of me yelling like a lunatic. )

Why would they tear it apart? Body shops are supposed to give "conditional" estimates without tearing it apart. It's conditional because until they tear into it, they don't know exactly how much damage there is. And why can't they just put it back together exactly how they tore it apart? Did they damage something in the process? If so, they need to fix it free of charge. I would talk to the adjuster and file a complaint if the body shop doesn't make it right. I would also never use that shop again.