[Laxntiga]

One dark rainy night, my housemate on his way pulling out of the driveway sideswiped my Miata.


The value of the car is probably around 2.8~3k according to KBB. However, I just got off the phone with my insurance agent (Geico) and he told me usually, the insurance company pays less than KBB. Now, I just got a quote from a repair guy, the rate was “walk-in” rate for labor, I think it was $38 /hour. The insurance rate is $50+ /hour.

Using the customer walk-in rate, the repair came out to be $2.2k some.

The car is scratched from front fender all the way to where door meets rear quarter panel. A new front fender, door, and color-match repaint is in order. My housemate originally intended to just pay for damages and not go through insurance, now he changed his mind and decides to go with insurance.

Now, since we are going through insurance, I believe the repair cost will come VERY close or match the value of the car, if in deed the insurance company says it’s totaled I have 3 options:

A. Get the check for the value of my car, give my car to insurance company.
B. Get the check for the value of my car, buy back my Miata and try to sell it with a salvage title.
C. Get the check for the value of my car, buy back my Miata and get a used door + front fender, slap them on and drive with 2 diff paint colors.


Which option to go with? If I am successful in selling my car with the salvage title -> I'm getting another car (leaning towards an S14).

Also, I just put my Tokico Illuminas, Flyn’ Miata springs, and Fatcat motorsports shockmounts in. These suspension goodies cost $1.2k alone. When the adjuster comes in to see my car, do I tell them I have these goodies in there? (Wouldn’t this increase the value of my car – making it worth while for the insurance company to FIX my car?) or do I keep my mouth shut? Will they even reimburse me for these parts? I still have the receipts!

Any ideas and general point-in-direction would help me out. My housemate's insurance is State Farm, I'm still waiting for the claim number.

[soju]

I'd go with A... The Carmax approach.

Seems like less of a hassle instead of trying to sell the car or getting it repaired.

[j.k]

get rid of the car. im not a big miata fan

[v8subie]

I wouldn't consider a fender, door, paint scrape; a totaled car. All those modifications in your car doesn't increase the value of the car, in just increases the insurance bill. The more aftermarket parts, the higher the insurance bill. If your car was likely to get stolen, someone might take off whatever modifications you've done and sell it. That's one of the main reasons behind the higher insurance cost. For the sake of cost saving, I would just get a new fender and door panel, and re-paint it.

1. The cost of gas is higher than ever. A bigger engine is not a good thing, especially with a heavier car.
2. You already spent money on the Miata, why spend even more on a 240SX? Considering the drift craze is still in effect, in my honest opinion I wouldn't do it.

edit - Lakers suck...

[ihigh]

if ur gonna fix it, go to an asian shop, no labor rates =X lol
my sister got T-boned and both her door and the rear door were jammedish, u can open it but u gotta slam to close.
he charged her 650 to fix it, works perfectly like before and it was 2400 less than the white guy =X
=X

tbh iono which choice to pick

[cksdayoff]

depends which korean auto shops you go to. some will charge you out the butt. others will give you good "discounts."

[phantompc4]

I love miatas man. id say keep it. it saves gas and you worked so hard on it. you gotta keep that bond.

[vinn]

option A seems best. if ur lucky you can even find a better condition miata
B sounds kinda hard to sell with a salvage and especially in this economic recession
C sounds okay but youre going to end up with a salvage title and and to fork out money to fix it