A Dilema
Last Wednesday I was on my way to work in my beautiful--near mint condition--2001 Mazda Protege MP3 (only 1500 ever made). I noticed a pedestrian waiting in the center lane for a chance to cross my lane. I checked my rear view mirrow and saw that the next car was about a block behind me; so, I decided to stop and let the pedestrian go. I gradually come to a complete stop, nice and slow deceleration, just like pulling up to a stop sign. The moment my car stops rolling I see the pedestrian flinch. I know what's about to happen...
...sure enough, I hear a quick squeel then am thrown about 10 feet foward (I estimate 25-30 MPH impact).
After a few moments of cussing and swearing while sitting my car I calm myself down, look around, do a quick body check and get out of the car. I make sure the other driver and the pedestrian are both ok and they are. Then I look at my car.
I can't even describe how I felt other than utterly demolished (about the same as my car). The entire passenger side of my rear is completely caved is and the impact was severe enough to carry the energy foward up the rear pillar. At that time I figured 50/50 my car is totaled because I knew there was frame damage.
Well, now it is a week later and I STILL don't know if it will be totalled or not. The initial rough estimate for repair is $7800.00, which is only about $500.00 less than the private seller value of the vehicle according to Kelley Blue Book. What they want to do for repair is find a used 2001 Protege, cut the back quarter of the frame/body off, and weld that onto mine. In my opinion that is NOT "pre-accident condition." The only solution for repair I think I'll be happy with will be a total frame replacement; but then, will it really be the same car? The numbers won't match and on a unibody the frame is what makes the car. I just don't know what to do. If they repair it, I can never sell the car because with this level of damage no one would ever buy it for more than a minute fraction of its previous value. But, if I keep it, will I be happy with it? Do I want to just let go and remember her the way she was, or do I bite the bullet and hope for the best?
I guess it all depends on the offer they make should they decide to total it. Even so, I'm just not ready to give up this car. I was just starting to get good at driving her--finally figuring out how she feels under high lateral G's and learning how maximize her legandary handling. Not only that, but I am only two payments from having her paid off...if she is totalled I'll have a whole new mess of car payments to look foward to (unless I get a "beater" which I really can't do because of the amount of cross-country driving I do).
If you were in my place...what would you want do?
...sure enough, I hear a quick squeel then am thrown about 10 feet foward (I estimate 25-30 MPH impact).
After a few moments of cussing and swearing while sitting my car I calm myself down, look around, do a quick body check and get out of the car. I make sure the other driver and the pedestrian are both ok and they are. Then I look at my car.
I can't even describe how I felt other than utterly demolished (about the same as my car). The entire passenger side of my rear is completely caved is and the impact was severe enough to carry the energy foward up the rear pillar. At that time I figured 50/50 my car is totaled because I knew there was frame damage.
Well, now it is a week later and I STILL don't know if it will be totalled or not. The initial rough estimate for repair is $7800.00, which is only about $500.00 less than the private seller value of the vehicle according to Kelley Blue Book. What they want to do for repair is find a used 2001 Protege, cut the back quarter of the frame/body off, and weld that onto mine. In my opinion that is NOT "pre-accident condition." The only solution for repair I think I'll be happy with will be a total frame replacement; but then, will it really be the same car? The numbers won't match and on a unibody the frame is what makes the car. I just don't know what to do. If they repair it, I can never sell the car because with this level of damage no one would ever buy it for more than a minute fraction of its previous value. But, if I keep it, will I be happy with it? Do I want to just let go and remember her the way she was, or do I bite the bullet and hope for the best?
I guess it all depends on the offer they make should they decide to total it. Even so, I'm just not ready to give up this car. I was just starting to get good at driving her--finally figuring out how she feels under high lateral G's and learning how maximize her legandary handling. Not only that, but I am only two payments from having her paid off...if she is totalled I'll have a whole new mess of car payments to look foward to (unless I get a "beater" which I really can't do because of the amount of cross-country driving I do).
If you were in my place...what would you want do?