from dignity point of view: if you totaled it, you lose $3k, you can get a new perfect car, the insurance lose $17k.... whereas if you repair it, you might lose more than $3k due to resale value, you got a 'stained' car which hopefully won't give you long term trouble, the insurance only lose around $5k for repairs and maybe less...

so if i were you, i'd totaled it...

 

sorry to see.

from the picts its maybe a $13K repair. you need to be (depending on insurance) 20-25% from total value of car to be totalled so it's not enough damage i dont think. i cant tell the internals so this is just a rough guess. the damage appears to be more cosmetic.

did the airbag deploy? i cant tell from the picts.

 

I'm gonna guess $3,800 for the fit repairs. Airbags did not deploy according to the owner (this is normal when the force of impact isn't too high). looks like a hood, bumper cover/bumper bar, LF fender, and headlight foglight assemblies.

Should we start a pool?

In GA insurance companies are required to compensate you for loss of value (their estimate). They send you a check for a couple hundred.

 

It can be normal in that type of collision. If you had the chance to slam on the brakes, you may have only hit the side of the van at 25mph. That's a relatively soft collision (compared to if you hit a tree or head-to-head collision).

Even though there's a lot of financial damage to the car, but the front wasn't crushed in. That's when the airbags better go off.

 

Got a rough preliminary estimate ...$4254. They are gonna tear it down today/tomorrow then the adjuster will go back out to see if there is any mechanical damage.

According to the body shop, the frame IS bent. And will be at least 12 business days AFTER parts are in to repair.

Really sucks because we are going to Florida in 3 weeks and I really wanted to take the Fit.....not a rental.

 

That estimate seems rather low to me. I hit a deer about a year ago (https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-deer-fit.html), not a car, and my repair was about $4500 -- no frame damage in my case, so I can't believe your damage would estimate out lower!

 

my previous GE8 was totalled out due to damage to the firewall when the corner got crushed. apparently its back out on the road as a salvage.

 

that's at least $5k in damage

 

if they aren't totalling and they are fixing it stay on their ass. technology is all well and good now, but a bent frame is a bent frame. i mean i can bend a paperclip and bend it right back but it's not the same, ya dig? (bad analogy but sometimes my doors are as strong as that paperclip)

when you get it fixed, if it is indeed fixed, test drive that thing when you go to pick it up. you also need to have someone watch you drive around so they can see if it has any kind of lean and vice versa.

if it's not totalled and it's my car, that sucker better be immaculate when i take it from the repair shop.

as for the whole diminished value thing, i'd honestly start now on the insurance. if they refuse to acknowledge it exists, tell them to find you someone to sell it for $17k and you'll agree it doesn't exist.

me, i'd never buy a car that shows that kind of damage unless i want a car to go balls out crazy (er) in.....


good luck man. sucks your car got f'bombed but at least you were able to walk away from it. they can make more fits, but unless they can rebuild you and make you better, there's only one you.

 

huh, $4250 does sound very low but heck if they can fix it why not?

im glad it's more cosmetic damage than anything with the internals. i thought it suffered more on the inside.

 

I was messing around with a friend once in a parking lot and his blazer ended up in the back of my civic. The back door was in the back seat. Wasn't totalled but it was about $2-4k worth of damage to the six year old car. Frame was bent.

Shop made it look great, like nothing ever happened. However, after a while things were noticeably worse. Windows were falling out of their tracks, doors took force to pull open and when pulled made really loud noises. The first winter after the accident (I guess because the metal was cold and tightened up) was when the issues first became very noticeable.

The car drove fine but it was never the same. Good luck with your Fit. After my experience with my Civic, I would hope it's totaled at the other driver's expense and I'd buy a new car. If it's fixable, I'd be leery.

 

Earlier I said the frame was bent, but apparently the Fit doesn't have a frame. She said the unibody was "swayed". They are dragging their asses and I'm now in my 3rd rental in 5 days and still not happy

 

How the heck is "swayed" any different than bent? Likely not at all.

It's probably a bit late, but I'd be interested in getting another estimate from another shop. However, even a higher estimate may not come close to an amount needed to total it.

I feel for you man, and hope this turns out okay for you.

 

I CANNOT believe that is only 4200 worth of damages. My rear ended is nowhere NEAR as worst, and it was quoted at 6200 CDN. The subframe wasn't hit. All they gotto do is to replace the hatch, inner lower hatch frame (needs cutting and welder), a bit of pulling so that everything aligns, new bumper, new rebar, and new diffuser.

 

Up to $4975 now.

 

wow i thought the repairs would be much more. so the front end is swayed? that's the first time i've heard of that. So I take it it can be swayed back to normal? I agree with staying on their asses and making sure it's perfect when it's done.

 

Yeah, they say they are gonna "pull, square and measure" the frame or unibody or whatever its called. I have no idea what all that means. In my mind all I hear is "the frame is bent" lol. No really, not funny! I haven't even made my first payment on this vehicle and it has been gone 1 week already and at least 3 more for repairs.....gah, this sucks ass!!!

 

Thanks for sharing about this catastrophe, fit4an4ng3l. Sure do feel for you.

 

Looks like the engine bay is pretty much intact, which is a good thing. I feel your pain, having been in a rear-ender before. I'm sure it's multiplied a few times over with you, barely driven the "brand new" car of yours.

Hey, if you don't like the rental maybe you can get your own (equivalent) and charge it to the other guy's insurance. Or "just talk to my lawyer." :-) Good luck!

 

wow i feel you, except when i had my accident was more front end than the corner. my repairs cost more like 2-3K. If it was my car, i'd prob not want it anymore just because the frame is bent.