Dealing with insurance/totalled car

[Shran]

Need some input so I can avoid getting screwed for my car that got totaled.

What happened is my Malibu got rear ended last week. Other driver was 100% at fault. The car still drives fine but the frame is bent behind the rear tires. Just looking at the car, if the trunk latch wasn't bent so that the trunk doesn't close all the way and two big holes in the rear bumper, it doesn't look bad. But straightening everything ended up being more than it's worth so they are going to total it.

Clean retail is $3750, trade in is $2175. I paid $3100 for it and owe about $1000. What I need to know is how much I should accept from the other guy's insurance for the car. I'm also curious to know about how much I should expect to be able to buy it back for...if the price is right then I will do that, fix the trunk latch and keep driving it.

 

[snoopdoggie]

I've been able to buy back two total losses for $250 each. One had a value of $2200 and I don't remember the other but it should have been a little less than that.

 

[adsm08]

I wouldn't take less than 2750, I'd be trying to get 3K. As for the buy back, I think its supposed to be 10% KBB value.

 

[mjonesjr]

You should accept no less than clean retail on it.

 

[Shran]

His insurance called earlier today. They told me that if I give them the car they will give me $3750 for it (exact clean retail price.) If I buy it back they want to give me $2500. The guy was really pushing hard for me to keep it. I told him I'd have to think about the situation. I think if I could buy it back for 10% ($375) and get a check for $3375 I would do it. Otherwise I am going to swap the tires for some crap ones (they only have 4000 miles on them) and junk it. I can pay off my loan and have $2700...I know I can find another, better car for that or less.

Just pisses me off because I spent over a year looking for a blue Malibu, I find a really nice one, and it gets totalled.

 

[adsm08]

eh, take the money and run. thats more than I would have expected to get out of them.

 

[Tdbo]

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