When you ruin your daily driver to the point you need to get another one...

[Cookie Monster]

Oh, well that's a different story. "Totalled" to me implies insurance- my mistake.

Have you taken a good look at it and tried to come up with a reasonable repair estimate then, and what is it?

I only saw it in the dark. I'll take better pictures this weekend and post them here so the SPIN can collectively decide if it's worth saving or not.

[Rupert]

I would think just diagnosing the problems properly would cost enough to eliminate fixing it as an option...

Is this your first car accident not involving motorcycles?

[Soup DeVille]

Real talk though - the engine got pushed hard enough that the alternator belt fell off.

Considering a hitch had its way with the front of my car, is it worth fixing? I don't want to get the radiator and support, only to find out the engine is borked.

I would assume the belt popped off because some bracket got bent, probably because the radiator got pushed into it; but who knows?

I'd pull the radiator, and a good deal of the bumper related parts to get a better look at things before making any decisions.

[Cookie Monster]

First at fault accident, yes.

[Soup DeVille]

I would think just diagnosing the problems properly would cost enough to eliminate fixing it as an option...

Is this your first car accident not involving motorcycles?

You mean professionally? Yeah, that's right out.

[Cookie Monster]

I would assume the belt popped off because some bracket got bent, probably because the radiator got pushed into it; but who knows?

I'd pull the radiator, and a good deal of the bumper related parts to get a better look at things before making any decisions.

Yeah, I'll do that. If some bracket got bent, who knows what else is also fucked up though...

There's another '96 in mint condition, but it's $4500. It's only got 100k miles on it and has a new timing belt and water pump. Supposedly it also had the headgaskets replaced.

Pretty expensive, though, and I don't know if I want such a nice one to rice out and take to the mountains.

[GoCougs]

Mos def DO NOT fix it. It'll take a ton of work, and be hassle, esp. now that you're a renter, and it you'll unlikely be able to fix it as good as it was.

[Laconian]

^^^

My Camry was "fixed" after a similar accident and it always had awful alignment issues afterward.

Plus I think the structural rigidity is basically FUBAR, bad for handling and safety.

[giant_mtb]

...and roads that would be 45mph in a town are only 35mph...

[Rupert]

First at fault accident, yes.

Others where you were technically not at fault?

[AutobahnSHO]

it's so crazy. It's faster to drive around base than through it- even though it's twice the distance.

[68_427]

FWIW my SVX had nearly identical damage.  I wrapped a tow strap around a tree and the core support, had my friend spot me, and pulled it out by reversing the car.  Even if it's not perfect zip ties will hold in that tiny radiator no problem, which btw is like $70 if you need a new one.*


*I didn't read the last two pages of the thread.

[68_427]

https://flic.kr/p/XkhHtb


It doesn't look as bad in pictures but the radiator and fans were jammed against the front of the engine and I spent $100 fixing it myself not including a new hood.

[AutobahnSHO]

FWIW my SVX had nearly identical damage.  I wrapped a tow strap around a tree and the core support, had my friend spot me, and pulled it out by reversing the car.  Even if it's not perfect zip ties will hold in that tiny radiator no problem, which btw is like $70 if you need a new one.*

*I didn't read the last two pages of the thread.

I learned that the beam under the radiator is not a lift point. I stuck a floor jack under there one time and....

Surprising part is that although that beam, radiator, and where the hood latches got pushed up enough that the Closed Hood looked an inch open or so, the radiator never did leak. I had the guy who did the engine swap pull it back down for me so it looked better.