Live with the dent?

[azucena]

Someone backed into my 2006 minivan with 100k miles.  Estimate is $850 to replace the front bumper which is cracked on one corner.  His insurance company is going to write me a check.  I'm tempted to just live with the dent and put the money into savings.  Kbb says the trade-in value is about $5k.  Driving around with it unfixed doesn't bother me, and I'm planning to drive it until it needs too much work.  I wouldn't expect it to have much trade in value left at that time anyway.  Curious what YMers think.

[Deleted]

Will it impact the integrity of the bumper? That's my line. If it impacts safety, fix it. If it's cosmetic I live with it. 

[Deleted]

What oped said. I had someone use my car to stop their motorcycle when they took a corner too fast. Dumbass did more damage to his head and helmet than my car. His insurance checked my bumper out and gave me a check for something, I forget how much. Check went into the bank. I had scrapes from multiple incidences of backing into fences that it wasn't even worth it. DH's cousin owns a body shop and said the same thing.

[azucena]

No impact to safety. It's a crack on the corner along the top where it meets the other panel.  Big enough that I noticed it as I walked up to the van and had an 'aw crap' moment, but the vehicle appearance is far from perfect. It's 10 yrs old already

[milee]

Live with the dent, pocket the $850.

[milee]

FWIW, I take the same approach with my 2006 Mercedes ML with just under 130,000 miles on it.  If something causes a safety issue, it gets fixed.  Small, cosmetic things... meh.  At the age that your vehicle (and mine) is, small cosmetic things do not impact the value and the cost to fix them is disproportionate to the vehicle's value.  I have several small dings and scratches - especially on the rear bumper where I've had an oops with a trailer - and just don't worry about them any more.

A few months ago, I thought this lady was going to add some interesting scratches, but she managed to back out without adding any more "color" to my car:

[wmpeon]

Keep in mind that your car's value is not 5K, it is $4150 because you have $850 damage to your car.  This is important to keep in mind should you total your vehicle tomorrow, or want to trade it in at a later time.  That's not to say you shouldn't take the money and run, I just think you should consider this as one consequence.  

Are there any body shops around that could do the repair for less than $850?  That way you fix the problem, and still come out ahead. 

[milee]

Jan 18, 2017 20:06:57 GMT -5 wmpeon said:

Keep in mind that your car's value is not 5K, it is $4150 because you have $850 damage to your car.  

Not really - not on this age vehicle.  For vehicles over a certain age and mileage, the value calc isn't really that detailed.  As long as it runs, has no major damage and has decent tires and working AC, this sort of stuff bottoms out around $5k.  It can be in perfect cosmetic shape and maybe someone would give you an extra couple of hundred, but probably not.

If you have a late model, newer vehicle, then the value is definitely impacted for damage on almost a dollar for dollar basis.  But I really doubt the value of a 10 year old minivan with 100k+ miles varies much even if it has a little minor body damage; it's somewhat expected at that age vehicle.

[mollyanna58]

So what if the value did decrease to $4,150.? The OP will have $850. in the bank, so everything's even.

[justme]

Plus if it gets totaled in the same spot they'll never know. Lol.

[Tiny]

LOL! Your vehicle has been customized!     I hope that indicates that if it was my vehicle I would not fix the cosmetic damage.  

I'd just add that you might want to consider the effects of water/ice in regards to the bumper damage - if you live someplace cold and the vehicle lives outside year round - water MIGHT make the damage worse (as in frozen/thaw cycles).   I cracked a taillight on a car and it was fine all summer and fall - but it didn't survive being un-garaged /outside all the time  for an exceptionally cold, wet winter.  the freeze/thaw cycles and the water retaining shape of the tail light made the crack worse and water got into the housing and fogged the taillight.    Luckily a replacement assembly was found at the local junk yard for $100 and a relative with a garage full of tools and old cars - replaced the taillight for me.  The dealership had quoted me $500 for the replacement part and another $350 in labor...  and this was about 15 years ago...   If that winter hadn't been so gosh awful (haven't had one like that in years) and if I could have garaged my car - I think I wouldn't have had a problem with the cracked taillight.

[tskeeter]

Jan 18, 2017 17:29:15 GMT -5 azucena said:

Someone backed into my 2006 minivan with 100k miles.  Estimate is $850 to replace the front bumper which is cracked on one corner.  His insurance company is going to write me a check.  I'm tempted to just live with the dent and put the money into savings.  Kbb says the trade-in value is about $5k.  Driving around with it unfixed doesn't bother me, and I'm planning to drive it until it needs too much work.  I wouldn't expect it to have much trade in value left at that time anyway.  Curious what YMers think.

Just drive it.

A year ago I hit a patch of ice with water on top going around a corner.  The van ended up on top of a well solidified snow bank.  Damaged the sheet metal of the front fender, the driver's door, the rear door, and the rear fender.  The estimated cost of repairs was $4K.  Since the van had well over 150,000 miles on it, I decided not to bother with an insurance claim (the insurance company would have considered the car a total loss), or with fixing the car.  The passenger door now sports a small sign informing passers by that the dents are worth more than the car.  If I smash in the other side of the car this winter, I can double the value of the car!

[lund]

Unless it impacts safety or will get worse during inclement weather, I would drive the car as is.



tskeeter, If you smash the other side and fill her up, will the value triple?

[Deleted]

I'd have only one caveat and it doesn't seem to apply to older cars.  Years ago a clerk-typist (yeah, it was THAT long ago) in my department was driving a newish car with some minor body damage that she didn't get fixed because she couldn't afford it.   A year or so later someone ran into her car and their insurance company was really trying to lowball her on the claim because it already had prior damage.  Their contention, and I could see their point, was that they weren't going to pay for pre-existing damage. 

And milee is right about resale value- Dad just sold the car my late mother used to drive.  It wasn't that old and it was in very good shape but he said the multiple places he took it were interested only in the odometer reading.  I hope that goes for me, too- I'm selling a 2007 Altima and it's got some bike-rack scrapes on the back. 

[azucena]

My last 3 trade-ins have had close to 200k miles each so were worth about $1k a piece so while I understand the point about the decreased value but am not bothered by it.  Thanks for the responses.  It's interesting to look around the parking garage at work or most anywhere else for that matter and see rows and rows of shiny 0-4 year old vehicles.  I think there was a real shift after the cash for clunkers program, and most people can't stand to drive something a bit older and more 'worn in'. 

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2017 8:59:13 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

I drove my nice shiny brandy new F-250 XLT to a project meeting one day, and while I was there a hellacious hail storm went through.  The size of dimes through quarters, and it went on for at least 20 minutes.  What a racket.

When it was over and I went outside to survey the damage I saw that many cars (with very slanted windshields and/ or rear windows) had their windows blown out.  I fortunately escaped that, but my nice shiny hood was pelted with little indentations.  Luckily, the acreage on that hood is such that they had to use a good gauge of steel on it that didn't leave terrible welts, but still.

I decided not to file a claim, figuring that between the deductible and the claim ding on the insurance file I'd rather live with it.  It was only really noticeable from the cab of the truck anyway.  

Ten years later, I'm glad that was my choice.  I don't even notice the dents.  

Same thing happened to my F250.  I just took the money.  I sold the truck a couple years later and the buyers still paid top dollar for it. 

[tskeeter]

Jan 19, 2017 3:45:04 GMT -5 lund said:

Unless it impacts safety or will get worse during inclement weather, I would drive the car as is.



tskeeter, If you smash the other side and fill her up, will the value triple?

Not quite.  But with the rebuilt alternator I put in Tuesday, it would.

[andi9899]

Jan 19, 2017 8:59:13 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

I drove my nice shiny brandy new F-250 XLT to a project meeting one day, and while I was there a hellacious hail storm went through.  The size of dimes through quarters, and it went on for at least 20 minutes.  What a racket.

When it was over and I went outside to survey the damage I saw that many cars (with very slanted windshields and/ or rear windows) had their windows blown out.  I fortunately escaped that, but my nice shiny hood was pelted with little indentations.  Luckily, the acreage on that hood is such that they had to use a good gauge of steel on it that didn't leave terrible welts, but still.

I decided not to file a claim, figuring that between the deductible and the claim ding on the insurance file I'd rather live with it.  It was only really noticeable from the cab of the truck anyway.  

Ten years later, I'm glad that was my choice.  I don't even notice the dents.  

Since it's weather related an not chargeable, I would have filed it an pocketed the money. But that's just me.

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2017 12:58:25 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

Jan 19, 2017 12:50:28 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Since it's weather related an not chargeable, I would have filed it an pocketed the money. But that's just me.

Yes I could have done that, but I didn't want the "ding" on the insurance record.

Oh.  I missed you didn't file a claim.  Comprehensive claims don't change your insurance rates, which is good because I hit deer a lot.

[andi9899]

Jan 19, 2017 12:58:25 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

Jan 19, 2017 12:50:28 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Since it's weather related an not chargeable, I would have filed it an pocketed the money. But that's just me.

Yes I could have done that, but I didn't want the "ding" on the insurance record.

The "ding" in this instance wouldn't have really been a "ding" in this instance.

[andi9899]

I will say that not all comp claims are non chargeable anymore, but weather and glass ate still protected. Collison with animals too, but who knows what will happen in the future. There used to be so many non fault losses that insurance companies are charging for these days.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jan 18, 2017 20:21:56 GMT -5 milee said:

Jan 18, 2017 20:06:57 GMT -5 wmpeon said:

Keep in mind that your car's value is not 5K, it is $4150 because you have $850 damage to your car.  

Not really - not on this age vehicle.  For vehicles over a certain age and mileage, the value calc isn't really that detailed.  As long as it runs, has no major damage and has decent tires and working AC, this sort of stuff bottoms out around $5k.  It can be in perfect cosmetic shape and maybe someone would give you an extra couple of hundred, but probably not.

If you have a late model, newer vehicle, then the value is definitely impacted for damage on almost a dollar for dollar basis.  But I really doubt the value of a 10 year old minivan with 100k+ miles varies much even if it has a little minor body damage; it's somewhat expected at that age vehicle.

When my 13 year old car was totaled (damned uninsured driver who did an illegal turn), the crack that I had in the bumper DID diminish what my insurance company paid out to me.  Like the OP, I didn't repair my car when it got rear ended, and I received a check to fix it.  The crack in the bumper was subtracted from my payout, even though it had happened several years earlier.  As I remember, what was subtracted was about the same as the check I received to repair it....about $600, and it was clearly written out in the payout as to why I received less.  I got around $4000 for my Mazda.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jan 19, 2017 13:12:19 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I will say that not all comp claims are non chargeable anymore, but weather and glass ate still protected. Collison with animals too, but who knows what will happen in the future. There used to be so many non fault losses that insurance companies are charging for these days.

Unfortunately, I had a car stolen about 9 months after I bought it new.  My insurance dropped me after they paid out.  The car was locked, and parked in my parking space at my apartment.

I called my agent after receiving the notice (it came from the company, not my agent) and he told me he tried to argue with the company, as me having a car stolen was in no way my fault.  They wouldn't budge.  It was the first time he had seen a policy dropped for a theft.

So it does happen.

[wvugurl26]

Jan 19, 2017 13:12:19 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I will say that not all comp claims are non chargeable anymore, but weather and glass ate still protected. Collison with animals too, but who knows what will happen in the future. There used to be so many non fault losses that insurance companies are charging for these days.

Me getting tboned by a deer was listed on my letter dropping me. Too many claims was the reason and the deer was included on the list. I had to scramble like mad but I ended up with State Farm for way less money and better coverage.

[andi9899]

Jan 19, 2017 13:25:19 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jan 19, 2017 13:12:19 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I will say that not all comp claims are non chargeable anymore, but weather and glass ate still protected. Collison with animals too, but who knows what will happen in the future. There used to be so many non fault losses that insurance companies are charging for these days.

Unfortunately, I had a car stolen about 9 months after I bought it new.  My insurance dropped me after they paid out.  The car was locked, and parked in my parking space at my apartment.

I called my agent after receiving the notice (it came from the company, not my agent) and he told me he tried to argue with the company, as me having a car stolen was in no way my fault.  They wouldn't budge.  It was the first time he had seen a policy dropped for a theft.

So it does happen.

Yeah. I couldn't believe when they started doing it. It's ridiculous IMO. It's all actuarial stuff that my mind can't grasp. Underwriters don't have to explain that stuff to my insureds though. They also don't have to lose income because of their decision to cancel either.

[mollyanna58]

It depends on the carrier and state. Comp claims, even glass and weather related, can raise your rates in NJ.