Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim B.
The car is certainly totaled, BUT you can fix it yourself.
If you have collision yourself on the car, and you like the car, let the insurance company total it out and settle, but YOU BUY t6he salvage (junked carcass) back off them.
Under NO circumstances let go of the title, to ensure your continued possession of the car AND have to have had to "buy back" the car by signing off the title, and getting back a NEW SALVAGE title with the trashed car, as done in some states.
Then have it hauled to a safe place, put a tarp over it, aqnd start looking for a parts car - I suspect the front end even off a sedan would work - or buy a used front end off a junkyard parts car hit from the rear or the aide,.
Note - I have been out of the Insurance adjusting arena for a long time ! Since 1971 - BUT I think this path may work - my advice is without warranty or recourse, but likely the pathway to save it is there, as the principles remain in place, but may or may not be followed where you are today.
Good luck, hope both you and the Kia occupants are not hurt at all. But realistically at least, in the next few days, the Kia occupants may claim soft tissue or neck/back issues, sometimes they take a few days to begin to manifest. But your insurance will cover that, up to your policy limits anyway.
I think you are at fault technically, but stopped at a green light??????!!
Sheesh, there may be some comparative negligence, if that is proved, Maybe 80% your fault and 20% the Kia driver's. (Or some5thing) Depends on what the laws are in your state, and whether they follow the comparative negligence rule.
Good luck Colin, though.
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I've done this a couple of times.
The car is certainly totaled.
*If* the hit was high enough that the bumper supports are still undamaged, the car is easily repairable.
You can pull out the inner fenders, and replace the radiator support, then all you need is new sheet metal and trim.
Yes, the sedan will give you all the parts you need.
The insurance companies will total the car, but you have the option to take the settlement check, less the salvage value of the car (which should be around $1K) and keep the car. In this case, the title will remain unbranded, but you will likely see a Carfax entry disclosing the accident.
If you can find a car that has been rear ended, or has suffered a major driveline failure, you may get lucky and pick it up for less than a grand.
Strip the damaged parts off the car, have a body shop pull the innerfenders and make sure the frame is straight, and weld in a new radiator support, and the rest is just a simple tranfer of the parts.
Easy peasy.
Too bad your so far away, I'll be picking up a 95 wagon soon with a rear end hit that would be a perfect candidate for fixing your car.
Jim