daughter was in a accident, how does totaling a car work? UPDATE

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Jumpem

Lifer
Sep 21, 2000
10,757
3
81
why are you getting your daughter a 15 year old car with nearly 300k miles on it? Honda or not, its old, and by todays standards un safe.

Shouldn't you be looking at cars around 7 grand? The previous car had a loan, why the sudden change?

I'll never get why people buy their kids shit unsafe cars. Hell shes safe because the first one wasnt so bad.

This. I don't want to spoil my kids when they are that age, but I think I will lease them something new, reliable, and loaded with all of the modern safety features.

Last week a teenage girl here died when her 1996 Neon broke down on the highway at night. No lights were powered, and she gott rear ended in the middle lane.
 

Ryan

Lifer
Oct 31, 2000
27,519
2
81
This. I don't want to spoil my kids when they are that age, but I think I will lease them something new, reliable, and loaded with all of the modern safety features.

Last week a teenage girl here died when her 1996 Neon broke down on the highway at night. No lights were powered, and she gott rear ended in the middle lane.

That has nothing to do with the vehicle and everything to do with her stupid fucking parents not teaching her to pull her car off to the side of the road.

Even a modern car would be demolished if rear-ended by another car going 80mph.
 

Jumpem

Lifer
Sep 21, 2000
10,757
3
81
That has nothing to do with the vehicle and everything to do with her stupid fucking parents not teaching her to pull her car off to the side of the road.

Even a modern car would be demolished if rear-ended by another car going 80mph.

I agree she should have started pulling to the side as the car lsot power. My point was that a modern car won't sudenly die driving down the highway.
 

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2004
3,432
3
81
I agree she should have started pulling to the side as the car lsot power. My point was that a modern car won't sudenly die driving down the highway.

I can't say that for sure. Obviously when a car dies on the highway u coast to the side. New car or old car if it died and still in the middle, it will get smashed. My 05 died on the highway once due to a bad crank sensor. That can happen to any car brand new or not.
 

Railgun

Golden Member
Mar 27, 2010
1,289
2
81
I agree she should have started pulling to the side as the car lsot power. My point was that a modern car won't sudenly die driving down the highway.

If by die you mean loss of power, I disagree. Mine did just that yesterday. 2012 Mini JCW. And I did exactly that...took the opportunity to get my ass off the road while still moving.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
126
I agree she should have started pulling to the side as the car lsot power. My point was that a modern car won't sudenly die driving down the highway.

A modern car certainly can quit suddenly in the middle lane...
 

Spades45

Member
Dec 15, 2012
44
0
61
www.fatwallet.com
My daughter was in a accident 2 weeks ago, her fault. her matrix got fucked up but the pickup she hit had zero damage. cops were not called so no accident report. I Filed a claim with state farm and had the body shop come out and tow it to their shop. They called me back the next day and said the damage was $6,200 bucks. ouch...

car is a 2004 matrix and according to KBB worth about 7k. she owes 5K on it.

So my question is if the state farm decides to total it, what does that mean for her? does the car get junked and they pay her like 4K or something stupid?

Its my first time dealing with this so just wanting to know more about this process if the car does get classified as totaled.


****UPDATE 24 Jan*****

Got a call from the state farm total loss center. so yea they are totaling the car. I left my notes at work so off the top of my head it works out something like this.

NADA list it at 8100 (state farm uses the top rating for the car value)
-1200 for high mileage
-500 for no power windows/power locks
-500 for deductible

+400 for taxes
+50 for title swap

-5100 to credit union for pay off

something else i don't remember

all in all im getting a $1,700 check.

Guy at work is selling his 97 Honda civic coupe dx with 275K miles for $1500 so guess what car my kid is getting....

Now its a waiting game to see how much her insurance is going up or if they knock her off my policy.

[IM G]http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z215/kb0ogt/20130111_172818_zps2e8dd861.jpg[/IMG]

how exactly did she slam into the front of his truck with the side of her car?

also, Matrixes are somewhat rare, go on CL and find real world examples of their prices so get some more money out of the insurance company.

also, before you grab that TWO DECADE OLD civic, check the IIHS. please, for your daughter's sake.
 
Last edited:

CA19100

Senior member
Jun 29, 2012
634
13
76
Yeah, I'd definitely avoid a 97 2-door Civic. The Coupes (even the recent ones) have always done poorly in crashes compared to the 4-door models. I've watched the exact model you're considering lose control on a highway and hit a guardrail straight-on at about 40mph. When I went to assist, both occupants' legs were pinned by the whole dashboard being pushed in by the impact. I couldn't do anything but watch them scream and wait for the rescue personnel.

Car safety has come a long way even since then. I wouldn't get anything more than 10 years old.
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
how exactly did she slam into the front of his truck with the side of her car?

also, Matrixes are somewhat rare, go on CL and find real world examples of their prices so get some more money out of the insurance company.

also, before you grab that TWO DECADE OLD civic, check the IIHS. please, for your daughter's sake.

Try spinning on black ice; you have no control over the direction/speed of your vehicle.
All you can do is ride it out and hope that you do not hit anything or nothing hits you.
Eventually, you will hit a non ice surface.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
About not calling the cops, I thought it was (usually) required if one or more of the cars could not be driven away from the scene. Whether that was caused by a safety concern (hanging panels, etc.) or it simply being mechanically inoperable doesn't matter.
 

sze5003

Lifer
Aug 18, 2012
14,304
675
126
When I was hit in this shitty city, I called police and they would not come out if no one was hurt. They said go to the district station and file a report if you want. When I went that, they basically said did you get the persons info, yes, ok call the insurance.