not. again. :o

[sxcpotatoes]

Another car totalled. Three accidents since June of last year.

1. My silver Mercury was totalled at the mechanic's after I got all new set of KYB G2/Gas-A-Just installed. Never got to drive it.

2. Brake line blew on my '88 Country Squire and I wound up rearending one of my Nephew's teachers (not badly. Broke my headerpanel & grille, just gotta replace those). Weather got cold before I got to the brake line (plus I'm lazy).

3. My '94, with 108,698 miles, air ride suspension. Replaced all the dash lights with LEDs, and the taillights.

Guy backed a Dodge Caravan out of his driveway, across a lane, right in front of me.

I tried to swerve, but ended up hitting him, taking out his passenger bumper corner and taillight, but it also took out my turn signal/cornering lamp, fender, hood, driver door, trim on rear Driverside Door, and dented and scraped the rear quarterpanel.

Pics now.



Quarter Panel



Estimate from local Body Shop: $5932.66

NADA: $2525

Nobody was hurt, and it was the other driver's fault. The guy was very apologetic, and called the police. Cops came out quickly, and I'm waiting to hear back from the insurance company on an offer or whatever they are going to say after I had the estimate faxed in.

[tyler_hubbard2003]

That sucks, I hope I don't have that kind of luck when I start driving my panthers.. Luckily they're tanks right? Hah Glad you're okay though!

[gadget73]

damn dude, luck is not on the side of your cars. At least nobody has been hurt in any of those accidents.

[Jon]

5k? they are insane... Personally id keep it, and fix it with parts from the junkyard.

Glad you werent hurt.

[87gtVIC]

I cant see any pictures but I do know body work is expensive...From what you described though it sounds like you got a low estimate. Sucks dude.

[81_TC]

The insurance company will probably just buy the car off you for what its worth.

[marquisman]

not again mang. sucks to hear about the car. atleast no one was hurt

[sxcpotatoes]

The pics were showing up, I'll try this again...


100_1176 by SexCpotatoes, on Flickr


100_1172 by SexCpotatoes, on Flickr

Yeah, it's definitely over double the total book value to even think about repairing it. The alignment is all screwed now too, I don't think they included that in the estimate either.

This one was a replacement for the first car that got totalled. Now I have to look for a used car at THE worst time of the year: Tax Return Season. Yay, everything's price is inflated by $1000 or more.

[87gtVIC]

Maybe you need a tank as a vehicle.

[1987cp]

This one was a replacement for the first car that got totalled. Now I have to look for a used car at THE worst time of the year: Tax Return Season. Yay, everything's price is inflated by $1000 or more.

Really? I'd never heard of that.

From the pics, I'd consider taking the insurance payoff minus the $100 for scrap value, tossing a fender and a door on it, realigning the suspension, and keep driving it. Cheaper and easier than shopping for another car. But then, that's if it were mine, which it isn't.

[gabegt90]

Really? I'd never heard of that.

From the pics, I'd consider taking the insurance payoff minus the $100 for scrap value, tossing a fender and a door on it, realigning the suspension, and keep driving it. Cheaper and easier than shopping for another car. But then, that's if it were mine, which it isn't.

I would have to agree with mikey cheaper. Then buyig another. Car. Plus those aeros are plentiful in the. Yards

[85crownHPP]

Sorry about your luck!!

3. My '94...Replaced all the dash lights with LEDs

How did this turn out? what type of LEDs did you use??

[sxcpotatoes]

Really? I'd never heard of that.

I've been spoiled. My dad worked at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer for 32 years before he finally retired. I used to have access to a never-ending stream of decent trade-ins and auction cars--cheap.

How cheap? Try a 1991 LTD Crown Vic LX with a heated windshield and only 87k mi (6 or 7 years ago) for only $1500 out the door. KBB value on that when I looked it up: $4000.

So yeah, I automatically see cars in terms of their auction price, not dealer, or private party value. And around tax return season, cars get stupid expensive at the auction. Some dealers will even buy up cars before tax return season, then take them back to the auction to turn a profit if they haven't sold them already.

85CrownHPP: I bought the LEDs off ebay, from a seller I had bought tail, turnsignal, & a bunch of cluster LEDs for in the doors and such off of. I think I found him thru a link or another forum member's suggestion on here. http://stores.ebay.com/warden-jp2002...9&_sc=1&_sop=1 There's a link.

I bought the 1 LED size and color coded from another seller (the bases were colored the color they shine). The illumination was great at night, but washed out horribly during the day. I drove around with my O/D off one day because I forgot how many times I pushed it and the bright light washed out the instrument lights entirely, it got dark enough to see the dash light was how I figured out. So yeah, don't count on noticing that Check Engine light if it's sunny out.

The clusters won't fit in the dash slots, of course, but the taillights rock. I had the LEDs previously in the silver car (with a sequential turn signal kit). When it got totalled I cut it out, then decided to just replace the lamps and not hack into the wiring on this car.

I still have the sequential turn signal kit around here. I should probably put it up for sale.




Thanks for all the suggestions to keep it, but I probably won't. The door hinges are tweaked, and even if I got all the parts cheap it would take me so long to actually put them on myself (or cost so much to have a pro do it) that I really wouldn't come out ahead.

Yeah, I'd possibly have some money left from the insurance cheque, but I don't have much in the car. I bought it from my brother in July and put $600 in it to replace the rotors and fix the A/C. I have $1200 in the car plus normal maintenance. The insurance company will pay me I don't know how much, and I'm looking through the forums on here wondering which members still have cars for sale. I'm kinda interested in a certain '99 someone posted, but don't know if he still has it.

[1987cp]

So yeah, I automatically see cars in terms of their auction price, not dealer, or private party value. And around tax return season, cars get stupid expensive at the auction. Some dealers will even buy up cars before tax return season, then take them back to the auction to turn a profit if they haven't sold them already.

Wow. Funky. I had absolutely no idea. Convenient for you that you've been able to get by with not paying the markup, though.

Is that at all related to why often a dealer with a stupid-high price on a car acts like you're committing high treason by suggesting they sell it to you for a more normal-sounding price?

[85crownHPP]

That's probably more due to the fact that every dollar the price goes down is another dollar 'out of their pocket'