Anyone keep a car that has been totalled?

[Defenestrator]

I was in a car accident last week. I think that the insurance company is going to total my car, which is a '97 Jetta.

It has high mileage, but I just put a ton of money into it. I don't think I can get a comparable car for what they will offer me (I am guessing about $2500.)

I hit a guardrail after hydroplaning on the highway. The front right fender was smashed in, but the frame was not damaged. There is a dent in the rear, but the car was driveable. The collision place is estimating that the repairs will be about $3100.

I think that if I can find a way to keep it, I will have the front fender repaired but not the back. I plan on driving it into the dust, so resale is not so much of an issue for me.

I just want to know how I would negotiate keeping the car while taking the payment for the collision settlement.

Thanks!

[bectoria]

I was in a car accident several years ago, and my car was totaled. The insurance company didn't even ask if I was going to keep the car. They just gave me a check for the blue-book value of the car and let me deal with the car's disposal. I ended up keeping it. I didn't have to negotiate anything. It was still drivable, and I couldn't afford a new car, either.

Becky

[Joe Cool]

My car was in an accidet and they totaled it , but damage was really just the bumper...I basically took the totaled check, and had to buy back the car for very cheap, and get a salvage title on it.I had it fixed with lots left over...I think it differs state by state...

[Annie]

My DH and I kept my car after i wrecked it and the insur. totalled it out. We just said we wanted to keep it, brought it back from then,and used the insur money to buy the parts. To save money Dh's brother is fixing it for me. The insurance did say that they are only doing liability only on that car tho.

[ma.petite.phia]

Our car was totalled but it was a 1995 Saturn and a real piece of poop. We recieved some payment and put it towards a 2001 Toyota echo and paid that baby off asap. It couldn't have been a better choice for us to have a nice reliabile car. however, a jetta is a pretty sweet car so if it has been good for you up until this point then keep it. However, if it has been costing more and more in repaires then consider byin a previously used car....maybe another jetta!