If you've been driving the car - it might still be 'fixable'

when they 'total' a car - it just means that the estimated damage/ repair cost is more than the car is worth - in the opinion of the insurance adjustor.

A few years ago I had a fairly decent Olds Ciera - think it was a 93? Anyway - it had been a salesman's car at my brothers company, and he got it for me as a good deal - used.

Anyway, in fall of 2000 some 16 yr old girl in a little red sportscar broadsided the passenger side rear wheel and nearly tore the trunk off. (the back window broke, I couldn't open the trunk, back door, etc. It was not even drivable, as the back wheel was bent.

this girl had two teen passengers, not one of them was wearing a seatbelt, and the driver and the front seat passenger broke her windshield with their heads. They were 'hurrying' to the high school to pick up a fourth friend! She hit my back Quarter panel so hard, she spun my larger and heavier car around 2 times! and yet, the cops did NOT give her a ticket!!??

Anyway - my car.... I had taken good care of it and knew it had been maintained well. It had low milage, ran very well and got great gas milage! it had had a few other minor 'accidents' ( a friend scraped a tree with it, my mom scraped the side of the garage with it - so both front quarter panels and the other passenger door had already been replaced) The body wasn't fancy - but it was a solid, safe and dependable vehicle!

I BEGGED the insurance man NOT to 'total' my car - most people didn't understand that - somehoe they are under the impression that totalling the car means you get a new car - NOT! but I said that there was nowhere I could get a used car that was as 'dependable' and good as that Olds, for what the insurance company would give me to 'total' it.

It was close, but he didn't total it (he said he would have if I hadn't asked him to not to). i think it was around $5000 in repairs and I had it fixed and drove it for another year or two. It had very few 'original' body parts left, but it was still a great running car. I traded it in on my van in 2002.

You might find out if the car IS repairable and driveable, and if the insurance company doesn't REQUIRE you to junk it - it might be best to fix it. Depends on how bad the damage is and if it's safe. But if you've BEEN driving it - it's probably not truly 'dead' - just expensive!

Good luck!

laura