Hey everyone, I need some advice. My car took a pretty bad hit, and I’m wondering if it’s worth fixing or if it’s a total loss. Anyone with experience in this, what do you think?
Honestly, it looks like it’s done for. If there’s frame damage and the sensors need recalibrating, the cost could be way more than the car is worth.
Feels like I see this question every other day here haha.
madisonwilson said:
Feels like I see this question every other day here haha.
Yeah, it gets old real fast.
madisonwilson said:
Feels like I see this question every other day here haha.
Yeah, it gets old real fast.
For real, why do people think a forum is the best place for insurance advice? Just call your insurance company.
I had a 2022 Kona with less damage, and they still totaled it. But my airbags deployed, so that might have made the difference.
Smith said:
I had a 2022 Kona with less damage, and they still totaled it. But my airbags deployed, so that might have made the difference.
Does speed matter for airbag deployment? I wasn’t going that fast.
@MichaelBrown
It’s more about the force of impact and the angle of the crash rather than just speed.
@MichaelBrown
Yeah, I got hit at a 4-way stop. The other driver barely slowed down, and still, my side curtain airbag deployed. The damage didn’t even look too bad, but the insurance adjuster said it would cost over $20K to fix, and my car was only worth $23K. Super frustrating because I had just bought it a few months before. Hope yours works out better .
@Smith
So did they total it out completely?
MichaelBrown said:
@Smith
So did they total it out completely?
Yep, still waiting on my payout.
That’s heading straight to the junkyard.
I had similar front-end damage on an older model. No airbags deployed, and it was still drivable. Repairs cost just under $7K.
Check your car’s value. That looks like at least $20K in damage. If your car isn’t worth much more than that, they’ll probably total it.
GenesisGuruOnline said:
Check your car’s value. That looks like at least $20K in damage. If your car isn’t worth much more than that, they’ll probably total it.
I wish it were only $20K.
Here’s what you’re looking at…
- New bumper
- New hood
- Front sensors
- Paint for hood and bumper
- Radiator and hoses
- Front suspension alignment
- Shocks, struts, tires, brakes
- Both headlamps
- Coolant and brake fluid flush
- New fenders + paint
- Maybe new wheels
- Alignment for everything
- Possible frame work
That’s a lot to fix.
@CleinCaster
I think my tires are fine.
MichaelBrown said:
@CleinCaster
I think my tires are fine.
If they look okay, that’s good, but sometimes damage isn’t visible right away. Wheels can develop small cracks that cause problems later.
Edit: It’s a 2021 Elantra.
That’s a tough one. I’m surprised the airbags didn’t go off.