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Crashed. Buy it back salvaged or not?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by re08, Feb 12, 2021.

  1. re08

    re08 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2021
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    Location:
    Kansas City
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    Well. I now have the coveted COMPACT EDITION 2010 Prius. It's 6 inches shorter on the right side after spinning out on the highway and crashing butt-first into the concrete wall of a bridge. Better than flying

    Google photos album at photos.app.goo.gl slash UTNrokV59kft9aP77

    I'm looking for advice should I buy back my car from insurance company on a salvaged title or not. Or better stated, "What should I be willing to pay to buy my salvaged title back from ins co?"

    The insurance claim is in process, and a couple mechanics so far told me to expect it gets totaled because of the amount of crunch that went on at the point of impact, and the ominous airbag light.

    WHAT BROKE
    The back hatch and read passengerside door no longer close 'right' though they do latch shut. Rear cargo panel no longer fits flush. Broken bottom of rear right tail light. Rear right bumper support is flattened to nonexistant. Rear subfloor of hatchback area is crunched in. Seatbelt pretensioners discharged, or SOMETHING is causing airbag light anyway. Passenger door arm rest pushed in.

    WHAT'S FINE:
    NO broken glass. No battery problems. All electronics and lights work normally. Engine is fine. Original traction battery still working fine. Tires in great condition and undamaged. Spare tire never been used. NO ODB2 codes reading on odblink LX with torque pro. (airbag light makes me doubt the ldblink though, but it indicates engine RPMs properly so it's communicating with something alright) Dealership verified alignment was fine in back. Car drives straight without dragging. Airbags were not deployed. Recent new oil, headlights, wipers. Never leaked a drop of oil.

    I like my car, and am reluctant to change. Especially reluctant to spend a lot right now. I was getting ready to upgrade the nav unit until this happened.

    But I also kind of want something I can plug in at home though to offset the gas I have to purchase, and visit gas stations less. There is some rust underneath, and I can't help but fear that traction battery is gonna fail any day now as old as it is without replacement. Though I was looking forward to upgrading it from NiMH to LiPo when the time came.

    I'm fairly sure they're gonna total it. The two estimates I got came in in the $5800's. And kbb was showing $6400-$8300. I've got a $1000 deductible, so they'd spend less to cut me a check I think than to fix it.

    ...b...b...b..But it still runs.... and I don't want to have to move all my stuff to a new car if I don't have to...

    So. If they let me buy it salvaged from them for a dollar, I'd take it. If they want $5000, I'd walk. but where to draw that line? They should negotiate some right?

    It has next to no resale value at this point, but I could probably keep it for a year and sell parts off it bit by bit to save up for my next ride. I don't feel particularly unsafe given that there's at least a couple more feet between that back bumper and the back seats, which are seldom occupied.

    Deets in case they matter
    Kansas is my state, Crash happened in Missouri, no other parties involved, no injuries, Insurance is Progressive
     
  2. tonycd

    tonycd Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    80
    56
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    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    This is a much different question than buying somebody else's car with a salvage title. You know where this one's been, and you know it's mechanically sound. Also, while you don't state your mileage, don't assume your traction battery is about to fail; you see the disaster stories on the Internet, but many owners have reported seeing those batteries have remarkably long lives.

    Having the accident on the back instead of the front was a lucky break. The fact it still tracks straight is an even luckier one. You can probably get this car on a frame straightener and make meaningful improvement with the door and hatch fits without needing to spend the money to either fix the sheetmetal or make it perfect. As for the insurer, I think you have the right idea: Everything is negotiable. If they don't want much money for it, you have something to gain and nothing to lose. If they do, well, at least you had the presence of mind to ask.

    What is the figure you should be willing to offer? Only you can answer that one. I'd say only that you positively shouldn't offer more than somebody else would pay for it in its present condition. Much as you love it, there are good mechanical and safety reasons why its value just went down.
     
    Johnny Cakes likes this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Link not working for me, try to post directly in this thread? It’s easily doable. Even just copy and paste, or look for the upload button at bottom of full text editor window.
     
  4. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2014
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    Location:
    Cedar Crest, NM, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  5. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2017
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    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    lithium polymer (lipo) will last up to 250 cycle discharges, same chemistry like laptop battery technology. Nimh can last up to 2,000 times.
     
  6. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
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    ^
    That....

    If they total it you're going to have to decide whether to buy another one or fix this one.
    If they do not total it, then you're going to have to manage the repair process anyway, so either way I'd start mulling that over.

    You're not in a CARB state, and even if you were, driving an 11 year old salvage title car means only that it will be worth even less than a "clean titled" old car when you go to sell it.
    IF you drive it for another 5-10 years and if you don't have to spend money on a new head gasket repair - then the car will have saved you a ton of money over buying a new or newer model as a result of this collision - and since you know that your insurance rates are about to go up anyway (the name 'Progressive' applies to their rate increases even without a crash) now is really not the time to upgrade.

    However (comma!)

    YOUR call.
    Real World Mileage WILL vary.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    How many miles?
     
  8. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2014
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    Location:
    The Middle
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I just scrolled through the photo album, the odometer is in there. 116,000 miles.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  9. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2004
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    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Limited
    Looks like you've got an Optima yellow top and two addition circuits in there. I understand your basic plan and see the sense of it, but I don't know the best way to work it.