I was recently involved in a minor accident. The brakes faded as I came to a stop sign. Pedal was to the floor and no deceleration. As I was in an urban environment and had nowhere to pull over or let gravity slow me down, I made a split second decision to make a hard right turn at the intersection, sending the car up a steep hill and hopefully slowing it down enough to rub the curb and stop or put the car into park. I was traveling about 25 MPH.
Long story long, the car didn't make the turn. The driver's side wheel hit the opposing curb and was bent almost perpendicular to the car. The wheel is cracked, and the suspension pieces are bent. The car runs excellent and shifts well. 213K miles. Everything works except for AC and CC. There is surface rust, but no structural rust. Interior is 6/10 -- mostly just faded and dirty from 30 years of use. I can probably replace the suspension pieces, but I don't yet know if the steering box was damaged or if there is any collateral damage. The car has full comprehensive insurance with a $500 deductable. I haven't submitted a claim, yet.

Need some advice as to what is my best course of action. What is the car worth if it is totaled? Should I buy it back and part it out if totaled? Should I fix it. I would probably have to scour junk yards for the pieces and replace all the bushings with new. I'm not in love with this car, so having it be a total loss would not bother me, as long as I made some money on the deal. I paid $700 for the car in non-running condition. It just needed some TLC and a good wax job.

What do you gentlemen think is the right course of action, based on your own experiences? There is an image of the damage in my public profile album. Thanks.

Todd

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Todd

1984 300SD (212K)