My vibe took a bullet for me...

[anchorsteam]

Well, I bought her in November, it was sweet while it lasted. Last Friday during a snowstorm, a lady swerved into my lane and hit me head on. We were both going about 25. Amazingly we are both FINE! I was really happy with this car but never knew she would save my life... And now she's totaled It's too bad because this car was basically just what I wanted. 07 vibe with subwoofer and roof rack. The accident was clearly the other driver's fault so insurance will pay for everything, but I have just 10 days until they stop paying for my rental car. Considering the time it took to search for this vibe, I really have to work on this...They are giving me $9040 for a replacement, which should basically cover the car I bought and the repair money I put into it. I don't have any experience haggling with insurance companies but the little I tried didn't seem to go anywhere.Any suggestions? I'm also wondering, if I were to buy a vibe that doesn't have a subwoofer, how hard is it to install one yourself? I really dug the premium sound.Thanks all, and glad to still be around!

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[vibenvy]

Glad to hear you and the other driver are both okay, but sorry to hear about the Vibe being totaled . Good luck in your search for a replacement. Keep us posted.

[KITT222]

At least you both were fine. A quick search of the Vermont Craigslist gives me these:http://burlington.craigslist.o....htmlhttp://burlington.craigslist.o....htmlGood luck!

[zaxellord]

I'm glad that you and the other driver are okay. Interesting that a 25 mph accident could total out your car, though

[trb]

Too bad about your car, but at least you are OK.I would make sure you get enough for a new car AND any taxes, title licensing fees and etc that you would have to pay. We pay 6.25% sales tax, that was $750 on my 2010 GT. Total other expenses was about $200, so that was $950 above the sales price. Get some ads on http://www.cars.com or autotrader that are comparable to yours year and mileage wise, see if they will agree to a price on the car, and then, if you have to pay it, tell them you need the sales tax and title/ licensing fees also in order to make you whole. That is the purpose of insurance, to make you whole, especially since it was not your fault. If anything ever happens to my car, I will pick one out online just like it, and tell the insurance company to go buy that exact one for me, tax, title, license and all. That would only be fair.Good luck on your search!

[csxt8058]

Good to know you're both ok. There was an older Vibe for sale over here in Plattsburg, private owner. I think it was an '04, but that was last week and it's now gone. Good luck with your search. JR

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by anchorsteam »They are giving me $9040 for a replacement, which should basically cover the car I bought and the repair money I put into it. I don't have any experience haggling with insurance companies but the little I tried didn't seem to go anywhere.Any suggestions? I'm also wondering, if I were to buy a vibe that doesn't have a subwoofer, how hard is it to install one yourself? I really dug the premium sound.Thanks all, and glad to still be around!The problem is if they are low balling you by $1,000 you really can't afford to sue them. Your own insurance company might be able to give you some advice. They are the one who is technically on the hook. In my long lifetime I have had two cars totaled by my children - both "at fault" though in one case it was really in part due to a faulty traffic light - you think dealing with an insurance company is bad, try dealing with a city. In each case I was more than happy with what my own insurance company gave me. In one case I am reasonably certain that the AT was about to go out. The other was a 9 year old '76 Chevette that they gave me $1,900. My memory is new car was under $3,000 (At but no a/c).

[star_deceiver]

That's quite the damage. Glad eveyone is ok!

[A Psycho Martyr]

All I coud say when I saw that pic was WOW...these things sure can take a hit, huh?Really sucks, good luck finding something that suits youas well as that Vibe did

[sideshowalan]

Sounds like a decent offer for your car, glad eveyone was OK.The car took so much damage because what it's designed to do. It takes the momentum of the other car and transmits it into the body and crumple zones and not into the occupants. That's why really old cars can take a hit and not look to bad afterwards, they transmit the force into the occupants and not into the car itself. The vibe and all other modern cars are meant to decrease injury to occupants by increasing the amount of damage absorbed by the car.

[BlueCrush]

OUCH!!! Sorry to hear, man! Glad to hear you are both ok. The Vibe has saved many lives.

[keithvibe]

Bummer. Another one bites the dust. Want mine?

[zaxellord]

Quote, originally posted by sideshowalan »Sounds like a decent offer for your car, glad eveyone was OK.The car took so much damage because what it's designed to do. It takes the momentum of the other car and transmits it into the body and crumple zones and not into the occupants. That's why really old cars can take a hit and not look to bad afterwards, they transmit the force into the occupants and not into the car itself. The vibe and all other modern cars are meant to decrease injury to occupants by increasing the amount of damage absorbed by the car.I see. Thank you for the explanation.

[Kincaid]

I'm an insurance adjuster, though I don't really handle auto accidents.Is there reason to feel that the offer on the vehicle is unfair? Seems pretty good to me for a 2007 but I've not researched the market.I do agree they should, and in fact by law might have to, pay for tax, title, registration, licensing, stuff like that.If similar vehicles for sale are advertised for more, do remember that asking price is different from selling price. Most insurance companies now use databases that are supposedly accurate, to determine actual selling costs of used vehicles. It is hard to argue with them because they have the numbers.Run yours through KBB.com and see what that says. I would think this would be your best argument for more value, if it is there.Sorry you lost a vehicle you looked hard for and were so happy with. Glad all are okay.

[Kincaid]

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »In each case I was more than happy with what my own insurance company gave me. In one case I am reasonably certain that the AT was about to go out. The other was a 9 year old '76 Chevette that they gave me $1,900. My memory is new car was under $3,000 (At but no a/c).A total loss settlement can be a great thing when it is for a vehicle that you want, or need, to be rid of. You get (approx) the value of what it will take to buy a replacement of the same like, kind and quality. If you had to sell it or trade it in, you get much less. I tried to sell the Vibe to finance my dream of getting a used last gen Mustang. KBB dealer value was $16k, private party value was $13k, and trade in was even less.So we are still a couple!

[VforVIBE]

Quote, originally posted by zaxellord »I'm glad that you and the other driver are okay. Interesting that a 25 mph accident could total out your car, thoughTechnically if they were both going 25 and they hit head on it's a 50 mph crash... and if they are saying the Vibe was only worth about 9k, so if the damage reaches or exceeds 80% of the cars actual cash value (ACV), it would be no more then $7,200 damage... when my Vibe was wrecked in a 'fender bender' it was 4k. Lucky that everyone is ok, it could have been worse.

[KITT222]

Quote, originally posted by VforVIBE »Technically if they were both going 25 and they hit head on it's a 50 mph crash... and if they are saying the Vibe was only worth about 9k, so if the damage reaches or exceeds 80% of the cars actual cash value (ACV), it would be no more then $7,200 damage... when my Vibe was wrecked in a 'fender bender' it was 4k. Lucky that everyone is ok, it could have been worse.Not entirely. Sure, if you add two and two you get four, but both vehicle can absorb the damage. If you go 50 into a brick wall, the wall isn't going to adsorb any of the damage and energy. The car itself will take it all, making a massive disaster. Now, if two movable object hit each other, energy will be divided by half, and distributed amongst both cars, with some energy burnt off by the car lifting and/or rotating. Think about it with a Hotwheels. If you roll the car at a wall, it'll hit, and deflect pretty far back. Now if you do Hotwheels v. Hotwheels, the cars may lift, and they won't be deflected as much. I was adamant about this, but after some Mythbusters-induced thinking, it made sense.

[macantley]

while the car's still at your home, pull the premium sound subwoofer and the plastic trim panel out, just goto a junkyard and buy a non-premium sound plastic cover, that way you'll already have the sub and the enclosure and cover if you buy another vibe, you can always install an aftermarket amp to power the subwoofer if necessary, and if you find one with premium sound, you can sell the parts you just saved

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by KITT222 »Not entirely. Sure, if you add two and two you get four, but both vehicle can absorb the damage. If you go 50 into a brick wall, the wall isn't going to adsorb any of the damage and energy. The car itself will take it all, making a massive disaster. Now, if two movable object hit each other, energy will be divided by half, and distributed amongst both cars, with some energy burnt off by the car lifting and/or rotating. Think about it with a Hotwheels. If you roll the car at a wall, it'll hit, and deflect pretty far back. Now if you do Hotwheels v. Hotwheels, the cars may lift, and they won't be deflected as much. I was adamant about this, but after some Mythbusters-induced thinking, it made sense. Good point - and good logic. Never thought about it that way.

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by macantley »while the car's still at your home, pull the premium sound subwoofer and the plastic trim panel out, just goto a junkyard and buy a non-premium sound plastic cover, that way you'll already have the sub and the enclosure and cover if you buy another vibe, you can always install an aftermarket amp to power the subwoofer if necessary, and if you find one with premium sound, you can sell the parts you just saved I second that notion

[GMJAP]

Quote, originally posted by zaxellord »I'm glad that you and the other driver are okay. Interesting that a 25 mph accident could total out your car, thoughHe said they were BOTH going about 25. So it would be equivalent to plowing into a parked car while going 50.Ouch!Glad that you are OK. edit - should have read farther and seen I'd already missed the discussion!