Hi,
I got rear ended in an accident in Canada and the insurance declared my car to be totaled. I have an 04 Civic LX w 165K on it.
They offered me 2 options - one is take 6.4K and surrender the car or take 4.9 K and keep the car. However, if I keep the car , I cannot drive it legally unless I pass a structural inspection. To clear the structural inpsection, I may have to spend about 3 grand. What option do u suggest?
I was thinking whether I should keep the car and try to sell it for atleast 2 thousand without doing any repairs or sell to a US buyer. Car will be given a salvage title. After repairs, it would be considered rebuilt or reconstructed.
What car/mileage can I get if I am willing to spend 10K?
Thanks

 

I wouldn't mess with trying to fix the frame on a car that old. They're usually never the same again and really it's a lot of downtime because it will take the bodyshop forever. With a rear ended car, though, you should be able to part out a significant amount to make up the $1500 difference in insurance. Engine bay is ok, no? Though to do this you have the time, space, ability to transport a disabled car. The real question is, is it worth your time?

For what its worth, My other car, a mint 2002 parked on the street, got rear ended this past spring by some stupid lady texting at 40mph. So I just went through all these different options. Unfortunately, we were visiting friends in another state and I didn't have a great way to get the car back and was busy with my job, so I just took the money and bought a new car. I probably could have come out ahead if i had parted it out as the engine was just rebuilt and the AWD drivetrain had LSD differentials, etc that I could have sold, but it just wasn't worth the hassle to me at the time.

Not that I bought a Fit, but you can get a new one for about $15k with 0.0% financing if you hit a dealer special.... not a bad deal, you'd only be looking at about $300/mo for 2 years.

 

With rear end collisions... I would say let the car go and take the 6.4K. But pictures might help.