Daughter's 88 Firebird got hit the other day: She was driving down a row in the college parking lot, and someone backed out without looking. Damage was a rubber 'mark' on the driver's fender, massive crunching of the passenger door, and a small crease (under 1") on the leading edge of the passenger quarter. State Farm has already stated they (their driver) accepts responsibility for the accident. They sent an adjuster to the house today (I'm not home) who told my wife the car would probablly be totaled. If they want to total it, what are my options? Car is still quite drivable, only really needs a door on the pass. side, figure I can get one from a parts yard not too much. If they "total" it, does that mean they buy it or have a new title re-issued for the car as a 'wrecked' car? I've never been thru this, please advise! Thanks guys!

You should be able to take a cash settlement and keep your car. I don't know how title laws are there, but You shouldn't have the do anything title wise, Go get the parts and fix it and keep driving it. Make sure you have no damage in the cowl area(around your hinges) or you may not be able to get another door to fit.
Lyle

Sid,

Call them and see what options you have. In NY, if the car is totaled, you can keep the car, but you have to buy it back at what they would get for it at the local junk yard. The title will be labeled as a wreck, at least that's what happened to my car. I just called the Insurance company, they gave me all the prices (money I would get for it being totaled) and the price I would have to pay from that total amount to keep it. I decided to keep it untiled it was almost undrivable, so the junk title didn't bother me.

Fred.

you should be able to buy it for the salvage value. (They would actully just deduct it from your claim check) since title never transferrs, I don't think you have to worry about a salvage title. If you didn't buy it back, then the title would transfer to the insurance company and the new owner would get a salvage title.

My boss ran into a guy with his '93 Saturn. Messed it up fairly bad, but he wanted it fixed. (It was the other guy's fault.) They paid him enough to get a new hood and front bumper, but made him sign off that they would never pay on this car again. The state won't issue a salvage title over here, so once your car is totalled, that's it. You can buy it back for $100, but there's no title on it.

This just happened to me. My daughters 92 Camaro was rear ended and pushed into a truck. The ins company wrote an estimate and said it was totaled, they offered $4550.00, or $4400.00 if I want to keep the car. Of couse I kept it, but for $150 bucks I have a complete running (shes still driving it until I buy something else) 70,000 mile engine, trans and everything else with a PERFECT gray interior. I got the check last week and the title doesnt change.Ron

Sid, buy it back and fix it. Since you won't surrender the title, no salvage title. Go to www.thirdgen.org to find parts, lots of third gen parts in Md. Rick Eckenrode has a 88 I think IROC, he might know where to get parts too. Good luck

If they won't let you buy it back without a salvage title, keep pictures of the damage so that someday when someone sells it you can show buyers why it was totalled by the insurance co., so they don't "imagine" something worse and shy away.

Sid,
If you do decide to take the money and keep the car, dont let them talk you into the "salvage" title deal. My wife's Riviera had some minor damage when a truck hit her and they tried the same thing. I found out that the salvage title deal does not apply to cars over 7 years old in Maryland. Had to argue a bit, but got the money to fix the car and no salvage title.

Sid, buy it back and fix it. Since you won't surrender the title, no salvage title. Go to www.thirdgen.org (http://www.thirdgen.org/) to find parts, lots of third gen parts in Md. Rick Eckenrode has a 88 I think IROC, he might know where to get parts too. Good luck

Sid;

PM me if you'd like more info, this is what I do for a living.

You have 2 yards in your area that are 3rd Gen HAVENS for parts.

Albright's Auto Parts
Mars Used Auto Parts

Both are back on Baron Road, behind Nazarene Camp Church Road. Mars has TONS of 3rd gens!

Thanks guys!!! State Farm was (IMO) very fair, offered us $1620 with her keeping the car, said we keep the title as is, and that's what we're going to do. Poor car is so rough however I'm thinking that once my refi comes thru, I'll just help her get another car anyway. I've been wondering how healthy the 2.8 is in that car, as it has a mysterious intermittent coolant loss, and the coolant occasionally turns reddish brown, I"m guessing a blown head gasket. But it still gets about 25 mpg on the highway, and seems to run OK. We'll see.

Thanks for the tips & advice!