06 GT totaled

[OregonVibeGT]

My 06 GT got rear ended last week and the insurance company is going to total it. The damage doesn't look severe I drove it for a few days until I could get it into the body shop for an estimate. My dilema is whether to buy it as salvage or not. I can buy it for about $2300. I'm thinking if all else fails I could part it out. It only has 83000 miles on it and otherwise is in great shape.

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[star_deceiver]

Any other damage?Buy it back and patch it up!!!

[kostby]

Are you dealing with your insurance company, or the other driver's insurance? If you are not at fault, your company has some interest in keeping your business and making you happy, and they'll (attempt to) recover the money from the other company once the case is closed. The other driver's insurance wants to quickly settle the claim with you for as little money, time, and effort as possible, and move on to the next claim.Are they paying for a rental while you are without a car?Did anyone in your vehicle suffer any injuries?I know it sounds like the personal-injury attorneys on TV, but especially if you or anyone in your vehicle were injured DO NOT SETTLE QUICKLY. Whiplash injuries can take weeks or months to show up and years to deal with. Be CERTAIN that they know it's a GT, not just a Base. Some claims reps are clueless.Is it paid off? How much is the insurance company offering you for it?Use one of the online used car sites to get an estimate of what it was worth before it was wrecked. Get your own estimate(s) of what it will cost to fix it from a body shop you trust, AND TELL THEM YOU WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS YOURSELF. That could save you thousands in repair costs.Realize that if you part it out, you'll still have a hulk to dispose of with when you are finished selling off the parts anyone wants. Unless you have some acreage or a farm, your neighbors will soon get tired of seeing a rusting hulk in your driveway.Will the insurance company find you a comparable car in comparable condition? Some companies will offer to do that, some just want to write checks and make you do all the work to find a replacement vehicle. The companies that do find cars use wholesale pricing to get you, in some cases, a nicer/newer vehicle than the one you had, and at a cheaper cost to them. (That's perfectly legal, by the way. If your car had an actual cash value (ACV) of $8,000, and they find you a comparable Vibe GT with comparable miles for $5,500, it's money in their pockets.)If the insurance company 'totals' it, it will have a 'salvage' title. A rebuilt car with a 'salvage' or 'rebuilt' title is worth significantly less than a clean title. If you love the car and don't ever plan to sell it or trade it in, then it might be worth fixing. You may also be able to negotiate a higher settlement based on how well you cared for the car. Good luck!

[OregonVibeGT]

Thanks for the advice. Well I'm dealing with the other drivers insurance. I'm still making payments on the car and with what the insurance company is offering me I could walk away with about 50 bucks in my pocket and no car. What a deal.

[cptnsolo77]

Sorry for your loss. I have similar damage. ( rear bumper, tailight, 1/4 panel & some hatch damage ) but the other person had no insurance. I have to make the claim under my insurance & pay my deductible to get it fixed. I dont have 500 bucks to shell out after paying for mt home & flood insurance for the house. Hope the ins company doesnt say my car is a total loss. I have 100K too. Keep us updated!!!

[ramenboy...]

wow. that's totalled?!? i agree w/star_deceiver... but also caution with kostby... don't settle right away. especially with rear end accidents... whiplash doesn't always show up right away.good luck

[tpollauf]

Apparently this insurance company isn't aware that our Vibe's are now part of an "endangered species" and once they are all off the road, they will NEVER come back Somehow buy this baby back, repair it, and drive it for another 100k miles! You won't regret it. Play hardball with these insurance idiots and get them for as much as possible. After all, you DID NOT ask for this to happen to you Keep us posted as to results and actions when taken

[jake75]

If it is totaled, why are they asking you to pay $2,300. I would think salvage yard value would be no more than a few hundred.

[cptnsolo77]

Im confused. Why do you have to buy back your car???

[jimincalif]

Good advice here. $2300 does seem high to buy it back. And read Kostby's message again and again.Also it is possible that your own insurance company might help you in dealing with the other insurance company. Even involving your insurance you should not have to pay the deductible assuming there is no question the other party is at fault such as a rear-ender.I agree if it drives fine and you don't care about resale, it might be worth fixing if you can get the buy back price way down.Good luck.

[futureviber]

my '04 got totaled by being rear-ended in January 2008. I just settled this past summer because i had a shoulder injury. My first rib was shoved up under my collar bone and the collar bone was not in the correct place. It was so painful to fix. 6 - 8 weeks of physical therapy in winter/spring 2008 and I always had some pain associated with my right arm/shoulder that finally after 2.5 years got better. My insurance company took care of everything for me as far as paying off my car (had only had for 3 months) and paying my medical bills then they went after the other insurance company (state farm - they screwed us big!) I don't know that they ever did pay my insurance company. They did send me money for 'pain & suffering' and some medical bills.Is there any other body damage? Mine was pushed into the car in front of me so there were buckles on the a bars and where the doors opened was buckled in also. The front was damaged some and the back hatch door was completely torn to crap - could see light coming through it because the metal was cut and the plastic was broken as well...Definitely find what the time frame is that you have to settle or to sue. In some states its 2-3 years or you get nothing.Hope everything works out for you!!