Oppopinion Time

"dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford" (dtg11) 12/31/2018 at 13:00 • Filed to: red light runners suck, Sasha the TSX, R.I.P.

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I’m struggling with what to do with my car. For those of you who don’t know, I was hit by a red light runner, causing $2410 in damage. My car is worth $3500 at most, meaning the damage is 70% of the car’s value (the threshold to total it). So there’s a good chance my car will get totaled. This leaves me 2 options: try and buy back and rebuild it or buy a new (to me) car.

I would say rebuild it because mechanically, it’s excellent. However, there is rust (not Michigan rust but more than Chicago rust) and it has 212k. Not a ton for this car, but newer and/or lower miles would be nice. Additionally, there’s the cost and hassle of that. Illinois is an awful state for rebuilding and sadly that’s where I live. For the 2 minimum inspections and fees, I’m looking at $250 for just the process, not including repairs or the cost to buy back. Additionally it has to be rebuilt with new or background checked parts (no stolen parts), so I’m looking at $700 for the headlight and $700 for the fender, labor included. So far we’re at $1650 minimum, not including the cost of buy back. If that’s $600, I’m at $2250 for a slightly less beat up, rusty-but-trusty, 14 year old car. That’s not including anything else necessary they might find or if I’d have to take the $100 inspection again.

*as a note: the headlight has to be fixed to pass inspection and the fender is too bent to be repairable and it’s currently inside the headlight housing, so it’d have to be replaced too. Why not do it myself? Well in the state of Illinois, that’s illegal. It has to be done by a licensed rebuilder.

On the flip side, there’s a chance I could save a couple hundred (maybe), so that’d be nice.

If I buy a car, I could get newer or lower miles or both, but it’ll have it’s own problems that I’ll have to learn and I’ll have to rebuild that level of trust. Additionally, I probably wouldn’t save any money this way. I’m happy with my car but something bigger and/or faster would be nice considering how much I drive on the highway.

Thank you for listening to my rambling and if you’d have any advice or knowledge about this process, please leave a comment!

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:05

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Way too much work. Either don’t take the insurance claim at all (therefore it was never totaled and you can fix it yourself for cheap) or just take the money and buy a newer car. 

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:06

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How common are 1st gen TSXs where you live? Around here they’re not rare, and 04-05s are often around what you’d likely get as a payout, so there’s a chance you could get another one.

facw > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:08

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I think unless you want to just hammer out the fender and slap a new headlight housing in there ($7 00 seems steep?), you should just let them take it. You’ll take some hit of course, but if repairing it well was a good deal, the insurance company would do it. Unless you have bodywork/paint skills, I think you should be looking at getting or new car, or doing as little as possible to get this one to pass inspection.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 12/31/2018 at 13:08

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Fixing it myself I’d be looking at $500 out of pocket and I don’t have that

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 12/31/2018 at 13:11

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They’re not common, there’s only 5 within 100 miles of me and 3 of them are overpriced 

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > facw 12/31/2018 at 13:13

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$585 for the part alone, then the rest is labor. I’ve looked online and they’re stupid expensive, even $350 used. I have no skills whatsoever and even if I did, I’m not a licensed rebuilder and couldn’t do it myself.

interstate366, now In The Industry > facw 12/31/2018 at 13:14

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OEM Honda HID headlights  ain’t cheap.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:18

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Have you trawled local salvage yards for one? That might cut that cost significantly. 

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 12/31/2018 at 13:20

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Problem is, the closest salvage yard is almost 2 hours away

Nick Has an Exocet > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:30

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Don’t fix it. You’re at a mileage and age for a rust zone that means even if it feels reliable now, you’re always going to be 2- 10k miles from an expensive repair. As the Everyday Driver guys say “go find a new experience”.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:35

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I’m particularly hateful of red light runners as it’s one of the more likely ones to wind up costing their victims money/time despite having done nothing wrong.

It does sound like that your insurance will want to total it, and IL being IL I think your best bet at happiness would be to take the payout and run. I like TSXes too but since it looks like there aren’t that many in your area I think it will all come down to figuring out what you would rather drive if the TSX was no longer in the picture.

404 - User No Longer Available > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:43

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Guess partly because some buy the headlights and scavenge the projectors. I know a few on the Solstice forum have  modded projector HIDs using TSX projectors.

OPPOsaurus WRX > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:45

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http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

headlights are coming in at $200 and a fenders at $125

Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 13:50

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Do the opposite of what everyone tells you. It’s inevitable. You will hate yourself for it down the road !

Brickman > Nick Has an Exocet 12/31/2018 at 13:52

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The truth hurts. That means he should get a Miata :D

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > OPPOsaurus WRX 12/31/2018 at 13:53

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The thing is I’d need proof of ownership for those parts and I can’t get that through that site, at least as far as I’ve seen

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) 12/31/2018 at 13:53

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I’ll hate it either way, I’ll hate puting too much money in a car that will never be worth it and I’ll hate giving up my car

Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 14:08

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Captain of the Enterprise > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 15:19

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It’s probably time to move on if it’s totalled. 

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Captain of the Enterprise 12/31/2018 at 15:29

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In my head, I know that. But it’s a perfectly good running and driving car and if the headlight wasn’t broken I’d just keep driving it, but if the headlight wasn’t broken it also probably wouldn’t be totaled

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Brickman 12/31/2018 at 15:30

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Too impractical and unsafe, plus who wants an automatic Miata?

Milky > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 15:41

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Buy this, hammer out the fender and slap it in. Don’t tell insurance/state.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Milky 12/31/2018 at 15:47

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Cheap HIDs are a fire waiting to happen and our insurance guy knows my family pretty well...

Captain of the Enterprise > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 15:47

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I’d be wary of frame damage. If it’s just the headlight that’s different but if you have to straighten the frame then it’s a  pretty serious decision. 

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 15:50

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There are like five within that drivibg distance for me #blessed

If I swing by one in the next couple weeks, I can take a peak and see if I can find the right headlight for you if you'd like. What's the year?

Milky > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 16:00

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There are OEM ones for the same price. I got one for my Miata with a year warranty too. As a Michigan resident I do my best to make sure my insurance agent does not know me.

Just saying you can be road legal for a couple hundred bucks and an afternoon of your time.  

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Captain of the Enterprise 12/31/2018 at 16:10

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The panel gaps are all fine  which leads me to believe there’s no frame damage, but yeah that’s definitely possible 

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 12/31/2018 at 16:12

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Don’t worry about it, I appreciate it though. I think I’m just gonna take the check

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Milky 12/31/2018 at 16:13

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It’s also illegal to do the work myself and they have to have proof that the licensed rebuilder did it

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 16:20

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If you were in an inspection free land of liberty like Wisconsin I’d say fix it. but with all the rebuilt title hoop jumping, nah just get a new car. TSX WAGON.

Milky > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 16:43

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Not if  no one knows

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 16:47

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Seriously.....in your State you can’t replace a FENDER and a HEADLIGHT, two non-mechanical, bolt-on parts yourself...?

That’s ridiculous...

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/31/2018 at 17:06

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Find me a running, driving, clean title TSX wagon for $5k and I’ll buy it

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Milky 12/31/2018 at 17:07

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Then if I get pulled over we got problems because I won’t have registration or insurance 

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 12/31/2018 at 17:08

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Yep! Welcome to the hell that is Illinois

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 17:26

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You’re welcome to move up here to Nova Scotia! We have.......uh.....I’ll get back to you on that one. :P

shop-teacher > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 17:30

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Car-part.com is a clearing ho use for licensed salvage yards. If you show the staties t he receipt from them, you’ve established ownership.

shop-teacher > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 17:48

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Alternative. Buy parts from salvage yard (car-par t.com, they’ll even ship). Find el-cheapo body shop to slap them on for a couple hundred bucks (I know a good one up by me), color be damned because the car has no resale value anyways. Pocket savings.

Alternative-alternative: is your car a manual? I'm still looking for a cheap rallycross car. Maybe I could pay you a bit more than the buy back price and hammer on it?

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 17:58

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Not a bad move. Best of luck replacing it!

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 12/31/2018 at 18:22

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You have private islands that cost less than my college tuition

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > shop-teacher 12/31/2018 at 18:24

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It’s an auto but has manual mode if that counts for anything. The only local shops I know are good places but not cheap. I think if they decide to total it, I’ll just hunt for something else. If you’d want to buy a salvage and auto TSX, let me know.

Milky > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 18:31

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I mean in this “hypothetical” situation you wouldn’t have called the cops/insurance in the first place.

Then you could just put in a new headlight yourself and no one knows/cares.

Though I will admit it’s easier to play this game in Michigan where it’s a no fault state. Both parties pay to fix their own shit anyways, so you play over-under with deductibles & rate increases VS out of pocket cost.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 19:20

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You can’t drive much on private islands! :(

shop-teacher > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 19:35

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Alrighty then. Let me know what the buyback price is. I may bite if it's stupid cheap.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 20:11

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Best I can do for 5k is a 150,000  mile Jetta Wagon.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > shop-teacher 12/31/2018 at 20:50

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My insurance agent is guessing $350 -$650

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/31/2018 at 20:51

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I’ll pass, VW is something I usually run from 

shop-teacher > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 21:13

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$350 I'd be interested in. $650, not so much.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > shop-teacher 12/31/2018 at 21:32

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I’ll keep you updated

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 12/31/2018 at 23:32

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That’s fair.