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Just got hit by a town plow, not a happy camper. Very minor damage to the car which is good as parts are hard to find. Looks like just the fender and parking light. I have some spare lights and if the fender can't be banged out a bit, I know I can get another from a local junkyard cheap.
My biggest fear is insurance. The office assigned to us filled out a report but did not YET assign fault. He said he'd call if he decides either of us is at fault. The report doesn't have any diagrams or anything, just says snow/wet/daylight. Insurance these days tends to total cars pretty easy and then even if you buy it back you end up with a salvage title and have to get it reinspected. From what I've heard, you even have to get it towed to motor vehicle to get it inspected. What a pain.
You don't have to get it towed to the motor vehicle department in some states, but can only drive to/from inspection. Some places you can have an inspector come to your house.
Not likely your car will be totaled for a lamp and fender even on an ancient car though. If the front end is shifted or something, then possibly.
Here they require it to be towed. What happens is they flag your title Salvage and you are forced into a re-inspection. Until it's inspected it can't be driven. And I think your title forever says salvage. Car drives fine, but I'll get it up on a lift this week and check it out more closely to be sure. Just not happy about the hassle.
If the repair estimate was high enough to total a car vs the retail value, I would just not let the insurance company total it, especially if it is just cosmetic. I recall when they were totaling out 80-90's model Mustangs like mine with only a dent on the fender and maybe a broken headlight since the retail cost to repair was over $1K and the car was worth about that much. Car was perfectly fine to drive. I would tell them to cut me a check for damages that are less than the total amount so I could repair it myself with a $75 fender and $25 used headlight, plus a couple hundred for paint. Saves them money and saves me hassle with a title. No way they would total my car unless it caught fire and burned up.
Also, in Texas we have a cosmetic total option specifically for this case. As long as it is drivable and street legal - lights and everything, it can still be driven without the dents repaired.
Hey, that's interesting about TX! I've never heard of the cosmetic option. This fender had already been dented, and I'm pretty sure I can pop some of it out from the back. I know I can get junkyard fenders for $40, and I have spare lights in the basement so that's not an issue either.
I was so upset when it happened that I wasn't thinking clearly. I should've just realized I could fix it myself for under $100 and told the guy I was all set. Instead I went off on him and he was the one that called the cops. But being a town employee, maybe he had to file a report no matter what. My car is the same vintage as yours, so retail value is pretty much nil. But it's all I have and I happen to like it a lot.
The officer hadn't assigned blame when he released us but did mention perhaps it was just an "accident" after all so with any luck he'll say no fault/weather related and it will all go away. I put a call into an attorney friend yesterday but haven't heard back. It's been years since I've even been stopped for a minor infraction and the laws have really changed, so I'm clueless - and a little freaked out!
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