Rethinking my relationship with cars.

[SJ_GTI]

It's totalled. Copart offered 2 grand sight unseen. Hoping pictures will up that a little bit. See what LKQ says and I'm gonna get an insurance lawyer to look at my policy. What a mess.

Your insurance is only offering you 2 grand? What year car was this?

My mom was in a fender bender a while back and she got more than that (~3500 IIRC) and her 2005 TSX was on its second engine and was not in great shape IMO.

[MX793]

A few grand for scrap??  The hell are the scrap prices in your area?

Or do you just mean parting it out?  Which is a PITA outside of basics like wheels/tires.

Yeah.  My Mazda went for $650 at a scrap auction.  Plenty of serviceable parts (engine and transmission were still good).

[CALL_911]

Fuuuuuuuuuuck man, I am so sorry to hear that. Especially because I loved your G37- barring the auto, it's exactly the G37 I would have.

[AutobahnSHO]

I dunno, man; short bed crew-cab F-150 with the 5.0L sounds pretty fun.

I may have had all four wheels off the ground in one.

Back in the day. Dumb kids in their friends' dad's truck. They really should have closed off all the dirt roads right behind the high school.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.254436,-110.9764797,532m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

zoom out a little bit- and those are hills!!!!  Stupid street view isn't working for me here at work, check it out....

[CALL_911]

Yeah, totalled

The question is; does insurance know how and where it happened?

They most likely won't cover it if they know it was on a track.

I'd go find a lawyer, but there's no way my insurance would cover this

[AutobahnSHO]

BTW Sporty, just my opinion:

High-power cars are the wrong kinds to go have fun in. You can't push them to the limit without absolute ludicrous actions. Look at all the wrecked supercars from inexperienced drivers.

On the other hand, I really super enjoyed my Miata. It was stock. Nothing like whipping a corner, or mashing the gas to the floor through 4 gears and practicing shifting, while still not breaking speed limits or driving dangerously. I drove that thing HARD to work and back and never got less than 28mpg.

Safer than a motorcycle, and no helmet needed!

Plus you could satisfy your ricer itch.   Plenty you could do with it as you get comfortable with it.

[MrH]

Insurance isn't going to cover it. There isn't going to anything to fight over.

[MX793]

I'd go find a lawyer, but there's no way my insurance would cover this

No insurance company on the planet will cover an accident on a track save MAYBE if you were participating in some kind of safe driver training (and that's a huge maybe).  There are stories abound of insurance companies dropping people after getting wind that they took their cars to a track or dragstrip.

[MrH]

You're not wrong. But getting something like a Focus ST won't help. I have to compartmentalize. Driving fun for me = pushing the limits, period. So I don't want something that encourages that on the street.

There were a multitude of bad decisions that added up and resulted in this. Not a single one of them was because you bought a G37 instead of a different car.

[CALL_911]

No insurance company on the planet will cover an accident on a track save MAYBE if you were participating in some kind of safe driver training (and that's a huge maybe).  There are stories abound of insurance companies dropping people after getting wind that they took their cars to a track or dragstrip.

I know, I figured it might be worth a college try

[CaminoRacer]

BTW Sporty, just my opinion:

High-power cars are the wrong kinds to go have fun in. You can't push them to the limit without absolute ludicrous actions. Look at all the wrecked supercars from inexperienced drivers.

On the other hand, I really super enjoyed my Miata. It was stock. Nothing like whipping a corner, or mashing the gas to the floor through 4 gears and practicing shifting, while still not breaking speed limits or driving dangerously. I drove that thing HARD to work and back and never got less than 28mpg.

Safer than a motorcycle, and no helmet needed!

Plus you could satisfy your ricer itch.   Plenty you could do with it as you get comfortable with it.

Old VW Beetles with 120 hp stroker motors are crazy awesome.

[r0tor]

No insurance company on the planet will cover an accident on a track save MAYBE if you were participating in some kind of safe driver training (and that's a huge maybe).  There are stories abound of insurance companies dropping people after getting wind that they took their cars to a track or dragstrip.

That's dependant on the language in the policy.  Since (I presume) the event wasn't timed or considered a "race" or "competition" there might be some wiggle room

[Soup DeVille]

I'd go find a lawyer, but there's no way my insurance would cover this

If they don't know now, don't tell them where.

[Soup DeVille]

I know, I figured it might be worth a college try

Not condoning anything, but it wouldn't be the first time someone took their damaged car and drove it into a tree, then reported it to insurance.

[CaminoRacer]

Not condoning anything, but it wouldn't be the first time someone took their damaged car and drove it into a tree, then reported it to insurance.

He better delete this & the Car Chat thread

[MrH]

That would be felonious insurance fraud. Stop encouraging sporty to make terrible decisions. He doesn't need any help

[Soup DeVille]

That would be felonious insurance fraud. Stop encouraging sporty to make terrible decisions. He doesn't need any help

Not if he actually does hit the tree, it isn't. I mean, OK, it still is, but you've heard of little white lies right? This is a little white felony.

[12,000 RPM]

We don't get little white felonies. DA would make an example of me

[AutobahnSHO]

We don't get little white felonies. DA would make an example of me

 

[GoCougs]

Your insurance is only offering you 2 grand? What year car was this?

My mom was in a fender bender a while back and she got more than that (~3500 IIRC) and her 2005 TSX was on its second engine and was not in great shape IMO.

"Scrap" implies it's not an insurance claim but whatever he can get from some random junkyard or w/e in current condition.

Even beyond that sounds like he's not covered, and if he owes on the car, the balance is due immediately. Not fun.

[Morris Minor]

I remember seeing Danica Patrick being asked for advice in an interview about best practices for those who want to get on the track.
The number one thing was don't use your daily driver: even if it isn't wrecked, the time & cost of replacing consumables (brakes, rotors, tires etc) is huge. So an appliance car for the family & transportation needs,  and a more-or-less dedicated car like a Miata for the track.
I think your initial thought of a Golf for home use was a good one. Get a 4-door though. Wrestling a baby seat into the back seat of a 2-door is a nightmare.

[SJ_GTI]

"Scrap" implies it's not an insurance claim but whatever he can get from some random junkyard or w/e in current condition.

Even beyond that sounds like he's not covered, and if he owes on the car, the balance is due immediately. Not fun.

That makes more sense.

Crappy situation, but I guess we all live and learn.

[Lebowski]

Suddenly that $2-$3k for a weekend driving school doesn't seem so "expensive".

I've never understood the appeal of tracking a daily driver - tires/brakes/consumables, extra wear and tear plus making sure you're covered under insurance.

[veeman]

While the financial implications of this suck, you didn't get physically hurt so it's all gonna be OK.  You lost the car and maybe still owe money on it after getting whatever you can for it. 

I lost 150 grand because I bought my first home during late 2006 and a few years later the housing market crashed.  Shit happens. It'll all end up fine regarding your G situation because all the ingredients are still on the table. Sound mind and body, good family situation, meaningful employment.  This may be the nidus for transitioning from more risk taking to less risk taking.  Doesn't mean it can't still be fun. 

[Raza]

Yeah, I definitely can't get behind insurance fraud, no matter how shitty the insurance industry is. It's only money, you'll make more.

[Soup DeVille]

Yeah, I definitely can't get behind insurance fraud, no matter how shitty the insurance industry is. It's only money, you'll make more.

What about arson?

[RomanChariot]

What about arson?

Does that involve a shovel?

[Soup DeVille]

Does that involve a shovel?

It could, depending on who you get to help.

[Morris Minor]

I would read the small print & undertakings in the insurance policy and be doing all I could not to be moved to a higher risk category.

[Raza]

What about arson?

Depends on whether it's before or after the fact.