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Old 02-17-2007, 11:27 PM   #1
J. Steinbeck
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Default A horrible, horrible, evening.

Hey everyone....

Before I explain my situation, allow me to tell you a little about myself.

I wanted a WRX for a long time, and after I finished with my master's degree and found the job I wanted, I finally went searching for one. I spent months searching for the perfect used WRX. After looking high and low, I finally found an unmolested, unwrecked, and unmodified 2004 wagon with right at 60K. I've owned that car since October, and I have absolutely loved it.

But on to the issue at hand...my wife and I are currently in Tennessee visiting my parents (I live in Georgia), and a few hours ago we went out to run a couple of errands. It has been flurrying all day, and roads have been getting slicker by the hour. Logically enough, we decided we better get back to my parents house ASAP.

We were within two miles of our destination when a car came over the crest of a hill towards us. They were losing control, and managed to slide into our lane. They hit my car in the driver side front, and in the process tore off my front bumper, ripped up my hood, tore up the driver's side fender, slid down the drivers door, hooked and ripped up the skin of the driver's side rear door, and thoroughly dislodged and cracked the rear bumper cover.

Thankfully, my wife and were okay. I jumped out of the car to check out the other people, who also seemed fine. I was, however, greeted with this horrible statement: "Dude, I don't have insurance, I don't have a driver's license, and this isn't even my car!"

****.

The 18 year old kid who was borrowing the car (a ragged out 80's Crown Vic) said the actual owner MIGHT have insurance, but wasn't sure. The police will let me know soon. I have full coverage, though, so the car is going to get fixed either way.

Anyway..... I have started this post to ask YOU fine people what you would do in MY situation. I figure my options are as follows.

1) Once the car is fixed, try to resell and get what I can out of it (I would do this on the principle that I do not want a previously wrecked car)

2) Keep the car, and be happy with it. (Provided that it runs well, and the repairs were done to a high standard.)

Thankfully I paid cash for the car, so there is no loan to worry about paying off. I paid $14,000 for the car, though, so it's hard to tell what kind of loss I can expect. (It now has 67K on it.)

I apologize for the looooong post. I just had to relieve stress somehow, and maybe get some opinions from knowledgable people.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:31 PM   #2
Vahnatai
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Get it fixed, drive it for a little bit, and then make your decision based on how the car is afterwards.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:35 PM   #3
lucien2
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It really depends, for me, on whether there was any mechanical and/or frame damage. Given how pristine the car is mechanically, I would keep it in a heartbeat if all it needed was cosmetic repair. Fenders and skins and paint an such, well, heck, it's a daily driver, right? no biggie, no effect on the buying criteria. But if it was hit hard enough to bend axles or control arms, or the frame needs straightening, then I would consider selling it.


The problem is........it might not be up to you. That is a LOT of body damage, $$-wise. If there is no mechanical damage, it might not be totalled. If there is, the sucker could be a goner. How hard were you hit?
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:38 PM   #4
J. Steinbeck
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Ohhhh... I thought I would share one more detail of the accident that you might find amusing.

As we were standing there with the police waiting for the wrecker to come, a WRX Sti rolled up to the scene. They stopped about 50 yard short of the scene, yelled "oh no!" out the window, and then sat silently for about 2 minutes. Then they proceded to turn aound, and start doing fourwheel, um, "burnouts" in the snow. While the cop was standing there.

After we watched this display of retardation that only East Tennesse inbreeding could produce (I have the right to say this, as this is where I was born and raised), the passenger began yelling obscenities and some inaudible jibberish about Hondas out the window. The car then drove off, as the policeman stood there with his mouth agape, in utter disbelief. Since the snow was really begining to pile up, no chase ensued.

The universe no longer makes sense to me.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:38 PM   #5
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One thing that never seems to get figured into the equation is that once a car is wrecked, even a little, it's resale value goes through the floor.

A car can be fixed in many cases and be as good as new but try and trade it in and you'll see what I mean.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:39 PM   #6
Tragedy
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Wow, that sounds like a lot of damage. Are you sure it's not totaled?
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:41 PM   #7
J. Steinbeck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lucien2 View Post
It really depends, for me, on whether there was any mechanical and/or frame damage. Given how pristine the car is mechanically, I would keep it in a heartbeat if all it needed was cosmetic repair. Fenders and skins and paint an such, well, heck, it's a daily driver, right? no biggie, no effect on the buying criteria. But if it was hit hard enough to bend axles or control arms, or the frame needs straightening, then I would consider selling it.


The problem is........it might not be up to you. That is a LOT of body damage, $$-wise. If there is no mechanical damage, it might not be totalled. If there is, the sucker could be a goner. How hard were you hit?
It was a pretty hard smack. I'll have to look at it in the daylight to see if the engine cradle was bent. It may very well be totaled, but I'll probably have to wait until later this week before I hear back from anyone about it.

Oh well.....
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:41 PM   #8
575rider
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You say you don't want a car that's been wrecked, well neither does anyone else so your resale on it just went out the window.
It sounds like it will probably be totaled out with all that damage. You'll get a check and search for a new one. If it is fixed, it sounds cosmetic and no frame or suspension damage so keep it and drive it. There is a thing called uninsured motorist that is part of your insurance, the car will be fixed no matter what. You could go after the kid legally but he probably doesn't own anything so you'd just waste money on attorneys fees. Your insurance will press charges against him to collect what they have to pay to fix your car.
Be happy you and your GF aren't hurt.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:42 PM   #9
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Oh jesus man. You've told your insurance company all of this? In the end they may actually get everything out of the driver if the other guy doesn't have insurance. But it will be a long while.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:42 PM   #10
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i agree. once it's fixed, see how it is... since this was the car you decided to choose. if it works out alright, then keep it. if it just doesn't seem the same. i would sell it and look for another wrx you can enjoy.

sorry to hear that happened to ya. its tough, i know. glad everyone was alright, thats the most important thing. cars can be replaced, lives can't.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:43 PM   #11
lucien2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Steinbeck View Post
It was a pretty hard smack. I'll have to look at it in the daylight to see if the engine cradle was bent. It may very well be totaled, but I'll probably have to wait until later this week before I hear back from anyone about it.

Oh well.....

I feel your pain, and you're being a good sport about it. There's a lot of truly horrible things happening to people around the world these days. In the long run, something like this isn't a big deal.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:44 PM   #12
J. Steinbeck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DSycks View Post
One thing that never seems to get figured into the equation is that once a car is wrecked, even a little, it's resale value goes through the floor.

A car can be fixed in many cases and be as good as new but try and trade it in and you'll see what I mean.
Oh yes... I used to work in car sales, so I am painfully aware of this. If I do get rid of it, it will be through a private party sale. I plan to document the damage and repairs through photos. I may show the documentation to potential buyers if they have questions, and let them decide what the car is worth.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:45 PM   #13
TheMatt
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Take that prick to court
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:47 PM   #14
lucien2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMatt View Post
Take that prick to court
He's likely judgement proof, from the sound of it. And anyways, that's the insurance company's job, not the owner.

Hopefully the police gave him a nice parting gift for not having a license.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:49 PM   #15
J. Steinbeck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 575rider View Post
You say you don't want a car that's been wrecked, well neither does anyone else so your resale on it just went out the window.
It sounds like it will probably be totaled out with all that damage. You'll get a check and search for a new one. If it is fixed, it sounds cosmetic and no frame or suspension damage so keep it and drive it. There is a thing called uninsured motorist that is part of your insurance, the car will be fixed no matter what. You could go after the kid legally but he probably doesn't own anything so you'd just waste money on attorneys fees. Your insurance will press charges against him to collect what they have to pay to fix your car.
Be happy you and your GF aren't hurt.
Yeah... he was 18, obviously didn't have much, and claimed he was on his way to pick up his baby. There's no point trying to squeeze juice from a dry turnip, right? I won't pursue anything, but it's hard to tell what the insurance company might do.

Thanks for the quick responses and thorough input from everyone. I already feel a bit better knowing that some of you wouldn't feel too bad about having a repaired car.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:54 PM   #16
lucien2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Steinbeck View Post

Thanks for the quick responses and thorough input from everyone. I already feel a bit better knowing that some of you wouldn't feel too bad about having a repaired car.

yeah, a new fender isn't any different than a new water pump, as far as I'm concerned. Wait for it.......
























wait.....























It'll buff out! (Seven years here and I FINALLY get to say that!)
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:56 PM   #17
DSycks
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I agree that going for the guys throat would be all but pointless.

Mr. Steinbecks insurance company will take care of that on his behalf anyway.

My concern at this point would be how the insurance company is going to treat Mr. Steinbeck. No matter what, once they find that the cash comes out of their wallet their attitude will change from helpful friends to their own interest. They will low ball and fidget and play it off and or try like the dickens to minimize the issue at hand.

I say put a hit out on the other driver and sell their kidneys, heart, lung and liver to fund your new car purchase. If your lucky you may actually get a lightly used STI out of the deal.
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Old 02-17-2007, 11:59 PM   #18
lucien2
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ya that works too
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:02 AM   #19
aznkukuboi
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OH wow that must have sucked.
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:04 AM   #20
Bboy AJ
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What'd the police do with the kid?
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:16 AM   #21
SubIELove
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I wrecked my jeep, there was alot of body damage but everything straightened out. The passenger door (passenger side got hit) was a little hard to close for a few weeks but now is fine. You car has pretty much the same damages mine did, except for the rear half of the car. If your suspension or drivetrain was undamaged i doubt youll have any problems, i sure don't. I think its worth it to keep the wagon, check out how everything is after it being repaired, and if its fine keep with it. Hope everything works out. Best of luck to you.
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:24 AM   #22
MikeBuzzsaw
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMatt View Post
Take that prick to court
Yes, take him to court. You shouldn't pay for damages, nor your insurance.
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:29 AM   #23
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total bummer . . . repair it and see if it is still up to your standards
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:52 AM   #24
SoCalTxn
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Well since everyone is OK and the car is no longer unmolested...let the mods begin....
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Old 02-18-2007, 12:54 AM   #25
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Picture?
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