imported_prynce_qt

My 2002 Civic Si-G with about 145,000km on it was hit behind a few weeks ago. The who back was severely pushed in, regretfully did not get any photos. Any ways, the other guy was totally at fault. A car stopped on a rainy day to turn left into a gas station. The guy infront of me stopped suddenly and I stopped suddenly but we both fully stopped. The guy behind me was late or didn't stop at all and ran fully speed into my back and I got pushed into the car infront of me. Long story short, the guy only had a G1 and the cop said he was at fault of both cars.

I called my insurance and a brought it to the Honda dealer where I purchased it with the insurance company's consent. They estimated $4000 repair.

Now 3 weeks later and I'm about to pick it up, they said the total came upto $7200 and the insurance company, TD insurance, authorized that amount for repair.

Now I know the car was damaged pretty bad but was still drivable for the weekend I had it before going to the body shop. With that much in damage, and I haven't seen the repair docs yet, there is a lot of damage that I probably couldn't see that they fixed, should of it been a write-off? Even though they said they fixed it, can I get the insurance to buy it back because I don't feel too good driving a car with that much in damage and that really kills the resale value of the car now and it wasn't my fault. I know TD is not paying for it, but rather going to the other guy's insurance to pay for it. Is there anything I can do?

Is there a law in Ontario that if the repair cost is x% of the cars value they will call it totaled? I'm sure what they get from junk yard + the $7200 repair cost can pretty much cover the cost of the car in the first place.

Any advice would be great. Thanks.

89SIHATCH?

first yes they do a % of the car value to tel if the car is to be written off or not. if they estimated $4000 and the total is now $7200 ask to see the documents, if not who cares the other guys insurance is paying for it. as for it being written off that is a good excuse for the bodyshop to get you in the door. they quote $4000 so its not written off, the insurance says ok fix it, the tear it apart and repair/ paint it send them the new bill of $7200 (which is most likely over % to write it off) and someones gotta pay it(insurance) now your stuck with the car that was pretty much written off.

if the dealership does the repairs at there own onsite body shop it is vary rarely used parts as this is why the cost is so much from OEM parts and as it being a 2002.

i would get reciepts and documents from the dealership/body shop and get it all sorted out. also speak to who ever is dealing with the calim from the insurance company.

personally IMO if you dont feel safe driving it, sell it. no point in driving something you dont feel safe in. alot of the time when a vehicle has been in a really bad accident , no matter how good it was fixed it will always have on going problems.
only thing tho is the price on the vehicle may be decreased.

Cynikal.Mindset

yea, sell it...have fun sellin a car thats been in a fairly major accident...just keep it, I'm sure its safe and the work is warrantied anyways

imported_kungfugrip

isnt there a rule that if ur car is 4-5 yrs or newer and the damage is under like 10k they cant or wont write it off? that what i heard anyway...

Gallagher

my cousin just got into an accident with her 2006 Acura RSX Type S. Thing took a beating, not sure if it is a write-off yet.....front and back damage, she was stopped on the QEW because of traffic and the guy behind her wasn't paying attention (cell phone) and hit her back going 80km/h and she went flying into the truck infront of her.....lots of damage

imported_mikepasini

dude, with 7200 you could of found yourself a nice shady shop that could of linked you a sick interior and exterior and repair your **** for the same money... honda charges like twice as much!!!!

imported_truluder

from $4000 to $7200 means after the tear down of the vehicle. i work for a honda body shop. And they could of been aditionals aswell. the way it works to write of the vehicle is 3 or 4 more of the passenger compartment have to be damaged very bad. and the other thing is....ur civic is worth about $15000 (ballpark amount) the damage done is $7200. now the way insureance companies work is...inorder to write the vehicle off it has to be like 70-80% of the vehicle book value pending on who u are in insured with, some insurance companies go up to 90% of valus when a car is 3 or 5 years old. so thats why your vehicle was repaired. what i would do is get the workorder/insureance estimate to find out what was changed...and if they put oem, aftermarket, or used parts on.

imported_Team Rukus

I worked at a honda onsite bodyshop and here is the deal.

1. it is not rare at all for them to use used oem parts. matter of fact its like half the time or more they use used oem parts (ie. quater panels, rear ends, etc).

2. you screwed yourself over the minute you brought it to honda. 1 the car has now a permanent record at honda which means you can never sell it to even close to the price you want to get. 2 the damage will get a permanent record in the mto aswell.

3. just because its 7 grand from a 4 grand figure doesnt mean jack. you dont have to worry about that. for all it is its just labour that added itself into this price.

4. honda labour rates and parts prices are different compared to other bodyshops so what honda charged the insurance company doesnt mean it was a write off.

5. no honda dealer would be stupid enough to under estimate something so severe and then raise the estimate 3 grand more. they will immediately be taken off that insurance company's good books and a note will be passed around to other insurance company's aswell. (which means their business will drop really fast).

6. the minute you accepted to fix the vehicle you have no control. the second you signed it and they started on the vehicle it was to late. the insurance company will never take the car back unless you go through courts in which case they still have a 90 percent chance of them winning.

7. i recommend just keep the car and drive it. and no the car wont be "unsafe". its fine. you just got it fixed through a honda dealer if something was to happen down the road like the whole rear end flying off (worst case scenario) the honda dealer will settle with you privately and the insurance company will also give you compansation because it was recommened by the insurance company to go there.

imported_truluder

and if there are any worries...the job should of life time warrtny on it...check the bill....or go to the honda dealer it self

imported_prynce_qt

Ok I got the car repair paper. A lot of labour cost and some outrageous cost for some parts. Now here's the kicker, they put on some aftermarket spoiler that resembles the OEM but is heavier and thick. They have to put new springs in the truck so that the lid would lift when the trunk is released which I found out the next day. The rear bumper is a remanufactured bumper, therefore was repaired and now reused at a dealer cost of $300. My passenger door opens with a POP sound and has to be closed harder so that it would lock in place, very annoying when you gotta try 2-3 times to get it closed from the inside because its harder to pull the door in. What am I gonna do now? Do I have any power over the insurance for this? I pay for insurance for a HONDA and I get aftermarket and repaired parts and a not so good repair from the dealer.

Team Rukus: Most things on the car was existing, including the rear quarter panel that was severely damaged. They also did not use OEM parts, mostly aftermarket stuff.

marker

Read the fine print in your insurance contract. Unless your vehicle is new or nearly new, they do not have to use new or OEM parts to fix your car.

Your car being a 2002 model is far from being considered "new". They have the option and the right to use aftermarket replacement parts or used parts salvaged from other wrecked cars.

The only thing you can argue about is quality of repair, that is, reasonable fit and finish of whatever parts they did end up choosing to use. However, even there, you won't be able to insist on absolute perfection.

Nova_Dust

^ True.

Cars not considered new will be repaired to its condition prior to accident with equal or approved equal parts.

So, if you had an used steelie that got damaged, you will get another used steelie on it.