Thread: The GTP may be done :( *EDIT* They totaled it!!!

So I'm heading to work Thursday morning, cruising along in the far left lane. I decide to change lanes to the middle lane. I flick the turn signal on, get about half way in, and this moron in a white 2000+ Monte Carlo in the right lane jerks into the same middle lane without looking, or signaling, forcing me to slam on my brakes, and quickly steer back into the left lane. Well, the wheels locked up for some reason, and I'm going down the expressway at 70mph sideways. I haven't started panicking here yet other than realizing that a crash may be eminent. It veers off into the shoulder where it starts to straighten out, and gives me the false hope for a split second that we may get out of this in one piece. No such luck. I'm coming upon the speed limit sign, and one of those orange barrels too quickly to stop in time. I plow through them, and that causes the car to skid again.......right into the concrete barrier.........aaaaand finally comes to a stop. I sat there for a second in total disbelief at what happened. I tap the accelerator to see if she'll move. She does move forward, but I can hear something scraping the ground, and I hear air start hissing pretty loudly. So I put the car in park, and got out. The driver's side is toast. The front bumper cover, front fender, both doors, the rear quarter (near the rear door), both rims (cracked), and both tires flat. Needless to say, I was fuming inside, but I was in too much shock to really display it.

Not a single person stopped, least of all, the piece of **** that caused the accident, which is the only person I cared about seeing at that point. State trooper came after about 10 minutes (after I called my boss to tell him I may be a wee bit late). He took down the report, a tow truck came, and the car and I were dropped off at Haggerty Pontiac. I figured that was the best place to take it at that moment, because at least I could walk to my work in the shopping center right next door. From the looks of it, and according to Joe Haggerty, and the guy who took down my insurance claim, it's going to get totaled, which I'm REALLY going to be pissed off about as soon as what's happened sets in.

I know, I know. It's just a car, and things could have gotten MUCH, much worse. But it's hard to think about that right now since I'm fine, and I now have this mess on my hands to deal with. I just have NOT had good luck with this car. I'm still at a total loss as to what to say or think, right now. I just keep replaying all the split second things I could have done differently to have avoided this, even though I know it's useless. At this point, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I still owe $1,400 on it, which I was planning on having payed off in the next 2-3 months. The guy who took my claim said that because of the lien, I won't be able to buy back the car if they total it, which will most likely make me snap. I'll just have to wait and see what the adjuster says, and go from there. The only shot I snapped of it at the scene before it was towed away is below.







By the way, to add insult to injury, the adjuster told me yesterday that under IL state law, you can't buy back a totaled car if it's less than 9 years old. By the time I take what they give me for it, factor in the $100 deductible, and the $1,400 I still owe on it, I'm not going to be left with jack for another car. This is the first car I've ever had to finance, and I'm NOT looking forward to starting all over again with another car, because it's just another major financial set back to buying a house. Not to mention, I have absolutely no time, or means to find a replacement car. I'm really going to be pissed if it gets totaled.

Your story is my worst nightmare. Im sorry to see this happen to you. I hope things get better.

What year is your car? I have done collision work for 18 years and that does not look too bad. new bumper, fender, fix front door, rear door skin, front bumper, rocker, rims and tires, possible frame straightening, and paint... plus hidden... $1,800-$2,400. anyway good luck. Hope it works out for you. Let me know how close i was on the est.

That sucks but take as much as you can from it before they total it, I'm sure you could get something for them especially if you can't buy it back.

Originally Posted by 99prixgt

Your story is my worst nightmare. Im sorry to see this happen to you. I hope things get better.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by 04compggtp

What year is your car? I have done collision work for 18 years and that does not look too bad. new bumper, fender, fix front door, rear door skin, front bumper, rocker, rims and tires, possible frame straightening, and paint... plus hidden... $1,800-$2,400. anyway good luck. Hope it works out for you. Let me know how close i was on the est.

Well, a girl turned into my car 3 months after I had bought this car, and it had less damage than this, but the Pontiac dealer wrote up an estimate for $3,600, and they settled on $3,049 for the repairs. I never did end up getting that repaired, as I applied the money to what I owed on the car, and the plan was to then get it taken care of out of my own pocket since I knew I could get it fixed much cheaper than that. I just never got around to it other than finding someone to buy a set of really clean doors off of in WI. I'm guessing this is going to be more like $4,500 - $5k.

Originally Posted by Jess3103

Well im glad your okay!!! I had a wreck due to pretty much the same thing! Some idiot except this idiot was trying to avoid getting hit by a 18wheeler and when they did that it sent me and 3 other cars spinning and flipping outta control!

That's the one good thing in all this. Things could have gotten MUCH, much worse.

Originally Posted by 1998xGTP

That sucks but take as much as you can from it before they total it, I'm sure you could get something for them especially if you can't buy it back.

Well...I'm partially worried about doing that. If the estimate for what it's worth is going to be written up based on the fact that it's a GTP, and a Special Edition, etc, I don't want them lowering what I get significantly because they found a regular hood, or spoiler, or no HUD or DIC, etc. Though I do fully intend on pulling out the red top Optima battery in it, the black headlights, the GTP grill badge that isn't even made anymore, etc. Maybe the roof rails, too.

Yeah, I know they'll pay it off, but it will be coming out of the settlement, won't it? Like let's say they deem the car to be worth $5,500. After the $1,400 I owe, and the $100 deductible, I'll only be left with $4,000 actual cash in my hands, right?

Sorry to hear that. It does suck. Hopefully you get this resolved. If it is totaled what are you considering as a replacement?

The adjuster called me today and said they're going to total it!!! She estimated the damage at $6,700??? I'm going to call and fight her on that tomorrow, because that's complete bullsh*t! The other side was estimated at $3k, and needs a good portion of the same things (just doesn't look nearly as bad). Two new door skins, a front fender, etc. I find it very hard to believe that there's another $3,700 in damage on this side. That's more than DOUBLE!! I don't know if it's possible, but I'm going to tell her I don't need the wheels replaced, I have many spares. I don't need anything non-essential replaced (the door skins, fender, bumper). Just make sure it drives straight (no frame or suspension damage, which I highly doubt it has), and give me whatever the maximum is prior to totaling the car.

As for pulling things off, I'll be very limited on that since the value of the car was established with what's on the car right now. I asked to make sure it would be OK that I take the non-stock items, and replace them with the stock pieces (my black headlights, the GTP badge on the grille, the red top Optima battery, etc), so those are a go. Going beyond that...I don't want to deduct from what pathetic price they're going to give me.

I'm just really sick to my stomach right now. I can't think straight. I don't have time to go look for another car, much less have the money for it by they time they deduct for the damage on the other side. She said after deducting for mileage (134k), the car is valued at $6,050. She's going to talk to their salvage yard tomorrow before she gives me the final settlement price (not sure what for).

Wow, sorry to hear that man.

You could always buy it back and fix it up under a salvage title...

Rally car!

I thought you can't do a buyback if you have a lean on the car.

Originally Posted by RareGMFan

By the way, to add insult to injury, the adjuster told me yesterday that under IL state law, you can't buy back a totaled car if it's less than 9 years old.

Not an option, guys. Otherwise, this would have been a best case scenario. Take whatever they gave me, and get it fixed dirt cheap.

yea that sucks..i just went thru something like this @ tha end of feb. Even thou i knew my stratus was a goner..i wanted to cry tha day i had to stip my mods off in tha back of tha body shop lot...


something i never want to go thru again..

Sorry to hear about your loss, that's not TOO bad though. We've got a dealership and we just sold a 2004 GT with 50k on it for $7,500 so if you figure like that it won't cost you much more to get a newer car.

I couldn't sleep at all last night going over this in my mind. I'm thinking about some other angles to go at this with, and see if anything will fly. Like as was mentioned, why can't we do used parts? Can I take a few hundred less than what a buy out would cost them, and keep the car/pay for the difference for the repairs out of pocket (knowing it will cost me far less than what they've suggested)? Can we check to see if there's any frame/suspension damage, just get that fixed, and take like $1k more, and call it a day/keep it?

Is it stupid to suggest these things? I'm expecting all of them to be shot down, but at this point, I have nothing to loose, and am willing to try anything. This car is worth FAR more to me than the $1k - $2k I'm going to whined up being left, sentimentally, AND financially.