My car is totaled

[Samantha Puppy]

I TAPPED another car's bumper and caused enough damage to my poor car ('96 Cavalier) that the insurance agency is now totaling it. We are so freakin' screwed.

[catnapper]

{{{HUGS}}} Sorry. Will they give you a check or anything for it at all?

You've been having a bad series of events lately. I hope things start looking up soon.

[Samantha Puppy]

Yeah I'll get a check for $2155 which would be used as a down payment for a new car, but we don't have the money for monthly payments for a new car right now. We just got married, we just bought a house, we don't have an extra several hundred dollars every month to pay for a new car on top of everything else we're paying for right now.

After the last 6 weeks I've had, I am surprise I'm not completely bald. I have never had a worse 6 weeks in my entire life.

<banging head on desk> We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. We are so screwed. </banging head on desk>

[Corinna]

Excuse me but you can get nice used cars for that or less. I paid 2000.00

[K9soul]

Perhaps part of the problem is that you ARE grinding it into your head that you are "so screwed." I realize that things seem awful right now, but through all the times when life has gotten rough I have learned there can be good come from anything, even if it is just learning to appreciate what you have, and what is good. Take some time out to look at all you do have, a wonderful husband, a beautiful sweet dog, your own home, stable jobs? (I'm guessing). Look at the hard times as a time to grow and become stronger.. That is the only way I was able to make it when David lost his job and was unemployed for months, and I lived with fears of losing our home. I definitely would have had a nervous breakdown if I had stayed in the mindset that we were screwed. Rejoice that no one was hurt or killed, and that all you need to worry about is replacing the car, and not hospital bills, or God forbid, funeral arrangements. It's the only way to look at things and remain sane when life is getting you down I have found.

Best wishes to you.

[lv4dogs]

Have you talked to different collision shops about getting it repaired?

My Nissan pick up was considered totaled by my insurance company (the first time someone hit me that ran a stop sign) they gave me a $1800 check, it only cost me $500 to get it fixed.
I got her fixed up & drove her for 2 months when someone else ran a different stop sign on the same road, hit the same spot on my car but this time is was really totaled. I got another check for $1600 and used that towards a new (newer, new to me) car. Which I bought for $2000.00

[Karen]

Yup - a "new" used car may be just the thing right now. Poor car! Poor you! You could probably find something drivable for less than $2,000 dollars, and keep the mindset of "It doesn't have to be beautiful, it doesn't have to last forever, it's just my 2-year car, or my one-year car" - it's a way to get around for now, until things are better.

I guess Samatha isn't willing to be a sled dog as a transportation alternative, huh? ;)

[ramanth]

Many many Hugs to you.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by K9soul
Look at the hard times as a time to grow and become stronger..

And remember it could be a lot worse. ;) You'll get through all this ok. :)

[kimlovescats]

I agree with the mindset by the other posters .... look at the good from the situation, and find you another used car for the time being. Hey, you have a new home and a new hubby, big deal if your car is "used"!! Hang in there, you'll get through this!;)

[Logan]

Just because your car has been totalled by the insurance company doesn't mean you can't still use it, I don't think. You will have a salvage title, but if you can get it repaired and you can keep liability insurance on it, why not drive it until you're ready for another one? Or, like others have said, find a used vehicle in the price range you can afford and make the most of it.

Chin up! Things will get better!!!! :)

[NoahsMommy]

"Totalled" just means it'll cost more to repair than the car is worth. That doesn't its not drivable or that you don't have any options. You can still get a car for that $2155, somehow.

I hope things get better and you feel better soon.

Hugs. :)

[Kristl]

I just wrecked my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I thought it would be totalled, but it wasn't. And it is true that you can get nice used cars for less than you'd expect. I know this is more than 2000.00, but here's an example. a '96 Grand Cherokee you can get for less than 5000.00! Mine is a 2000 model, Limited edition, and I paid $8900.00 (with my trade) which got me $4000.00, and that was a 2000 Mustang!! If you do decide to leave it totalled, just shop around. A lot of people are desperate to get rid of nice vehicles for dirt cheap, so check out bank repo's and auctions. Those type of sales are goldfields for nice, inexpensive cars! And do look on the bright side of things...

[Samantha Puppy]

Actually, it looks as though things may turn out okay. Last night, my husband and I applied for a "blank check" loan through CitiBank and were approved - we asked for $16500 and they approved us for $38700!! Anyway, I found a car at CarMax that I really like - it's a 2001 Mazda Tribute ES (the nicest "level" of the Tribute you can get) with a sunroof (important to me) and 4WD (important to hubby) for $15599 with only 35K on it. We're going to test drive it this evening and if all goes well, that'll be my new car. We'll be using the money from the insurance agency for car payments for the next 6 months and between now and then, getting our money in order and off of us so when the insurance payoff runs out, we will be able to afford the $360/month the Tribute will cost.

So please pray, send good vibes, do a car dance, whatever floats your boat and send the positiveness my way. I could *really* use a "break".

[K9karen]

Fingers Crossed!

[Samantha Puppy]

Sitting outside my house at this very moment is a 2001 Mazda Tribute ES! We got the car. :) It doesn't feel like it's mine yet - I still need to "move in" - but I love it so far. Things are going to be really, really tight around here money-wise for awhile but this may have been a blessing in disguise as my husband thinks that if we had just waited to trade in the car when we bought a new one, we wouldn't get anything near what the insurance company is offering... soooo...

... Thanks for all the good thoughts and crossed fingers!! :)