GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hey everyone,

I got into a crash with my 2003 pontiac vibe. It's an AWD and i think its fully geared I don't know... Its got 156k miles on it and the entire passenger side got it. I have a claim with another persons insurance and they should be paying for it. I took it to their recommended store and it is already in the shop but now all of a sudden they are saying it is a "total loss."

Basically i'm looking at 3-3.5k total costs because the parts and paint with labor are expensive apparently. The insurance decided the full repair was not cost effective and are going to give me two options...

1. i can take the car back and they'll pay me a little money or 2. they'll keep my car and give me alittle more money. I haven't gotten the estimate for how much money it will be yet but can someone let me know how much my car is probably worth. Kelly blue book put my cars trade in value at only 1444 for good condition.. but I know that only 2 of the plastic fender parts on my car alone can come up to more than that alone..

can someone give me some insight please. thanks...

Don't go by KBB. It's not always right. Find out the exact amount they'll pay if you keep the car vs if you don't keep it. The value they pay should be based on the condition BEFORE the accident, not after. I'd accept no less than around $3,000 depending on the condition before the wreck.

$1400 is chicken feed for a 14 year old car if it was in excellent condition. I got $1300 in 2009 for a 1991 Corolla with higher miles and in slightly rough condition and I kept the car since it had less damage than you're describing. It got hit on the A-pillar so the passenger side door could no longer be opened, but aside from that it was fine to drive. Being a 4 door, passengers just had to sit in the back from then on.

I got about the same from a '93 Escort that I ran into the side of a lady's car who had run a stop sign (no injuries) in 2012'ish. I stuck a new bumper and headlight on it and kept on driving it until the engine went not too long after. Then I limped it to the junk yard and got a couple hundred dollars more.

The last wreck I was in, in 2014, the insurance company for the company vehicle that rear ended me and pushed my car into a pedestrian paid $1500 to a body shop to fix my car worth $1500, a 93 Geo Metro. Looking back, I should have probably just totaled it but they didn't even ask me if I wanted to. They wanted me out of the way I guess, hoping I wouldn't sue them like the injured pedestrian was probably doing. I was completely in the clear for liability since I was at a complete stop. There was nothing I could have done to avoid it, even if I had seen the van behind me about to hit me. I would have either had to actually run over the pedestrian (which is worse) or sit there and wait to be hit and pushed into the pedestrian, like what actually happened.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

Hey the damages on my car is almost identical to your 91 corolla. my car was fully drivable after the wreck. They just found that the axle was messed up and that there was a hole in the washing fluid both which are like 500 all together to fix. They added this as a supplement to the cost before. All the cost before then was external (light fixture and the metal bumper stuff on passenger side) and some internal which was just metal that was pushed back.

They'll be giving me the exact amount tomorrow, I figured the KBB was way too low.. My car was in good condition before.

Mine had less damage, it sounds like. It had no axle damage. It got clipped at very low speed in a parking lot from an angle by a Ford Taurus.
Back in 1994, that same car got hit HARD right on the front fender on that same side, by some 1970s boat of a car, and was ALMOST totaled back then at only 3 years old. It was only a few hundred away. It definitely had axle and suspension damage and more, it was NOT drivable. It completely missed the door that time thankfully, though. Else I would have probably been injured.

OK here's the direction for you.

Price 03-05 AWD Vibe/Matrix on Autotrader with same miles and options.
Price on KBB RETAIL.

Submit to Insurance what the value of your car is.

Salsa Guy wrote:OK here's the direction for you.

Price 03-05 AWD Vibe/Matrix on Autotrader with same miles and options.
Price on KBB RETAIL.

Submit to Insurance what the value of your car is.

That's not how it works, in my experience. Maybe IF they low ball you, but I'd wait and see what their offer is first.

Hope you get a decent amount on the check.

I took it to their recommended store

That's a mistake. You can take it anywhere you want. I really suggest getting another opinion.

Disclosure, I used to work in the auto insurance claims business so my advice may be biased.

Everything they're telling you so far is correct. It's a total loss because the approximate value of the car is close to or less than the cost of repairs and they have no reason to pay more $ to fix a car over what the car is worth.

They're going to give you an offer for the cars value based on what similar cars have sold for in your area. If you agree with it, great, otherwise you'll need to provide them examples of similar cars (model year and mileage) in your area from autotrader or cars.com that are listed closer to what you believe it's worth. Or provide receipts and evidence to support why you believe the car is worth more.

Once you agree on a value, you can either give them the car for the settlement or keep the salvaged vehicle for a lesser payment and use the money to fix the car up.

The direction you decide is up to you, if you were already interested in getting a different car then giving the vibe to insurance is the best thing. If your car is in otherwise good shape and you think you can fix it on your own or at a different shop for the lesser settlement, do that.

Let us know how it goes or if you have any other questions. Good luck.

Thank you all for the advice, You've all been very helpful!

Just a quick question, lets say my car is in fair condition (little less than good)

What do you think my car is worth?

Take a photo of it and show it to a local salvage yard and ask what they typically pay for cars in that condition. That'll be your answer. If the car is otherwise good but you don't want to junk it just yet, you can always keep it for parts and junk it later yourself.

sideshowalan wrote:Disclosure, I used to work in the auto insurance claims business so my advice may be biased.

Everything they're telling you so far is correct. It's a total loss because the approximate value of the car is close to or less than the cost of repairs and they have no reason to pay more $ to fix a car over what the car is worth.

They're going to give you an offer for the cars value based on what similar cars have sold for in your area. If you agree with it, great, otherwise you'll need to provide them examples of similar cars (model year and mileage) in your area from autotrader or cars.com that are listed closer to what you believe it's worth. Or provide receipts and evidence to support why you believe the car is worth more.

Once you agree on a value, you can either give them the car for the settlement or keep the salvaged vehicle for a lesser payment and use the money to fix the car up.

The direction you decide is up to you, if you were already interested in getting a different car then giving the vibe to insurance is the best thing. If your car is in otherwise good shape and you think you can fix it on your own or at a different shop for the lesser settlement, do that.

Let us know how it goes or if you have any other questions. Good luck.

Isn't that what I said?

Sorry your Vibe was hit. Hope all are OK!

Try the NADA site: http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2003/Pon ... gon-4D-AWD

It shows the "clean retail" base price as $4,300. You'd add or subtract from that for options you have, e.g., alloy wheels, sunroof.

"Clean Trade In" base price is $2,525- this should be your minimum price.

I'd be looking for somewhere between those two numbers for a settlement. The insurance company knows it needs to negotiate with you for the value of the vehicle. They are not looking out for your interest. It helps to tell the claims agent about any recent repairs or improvements you made to the vehicle, e.g., new battery, new tires, LED lights, spoiler, hood protector, etc, that would make the vehicle worth more than a stock Vibe.

Try looking for what it would cost to replace your vehicle: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale ... ntiac/Vibe

Looks like $4k, give or take for mileage and options.

Thank you everyone for the help,

gonna take their settlement on my car and just look for another. Bye bye vibe :'(