[knifecarrier2]

Like it?

Bought a 2000 Golf 5spd for $2500.

Week later, hood latch broke at 60mph, ruining the hood, damaging both fenders, and roof. Popped out roof dents by hand. Banged hood into shape with hammer. Received insurance check for $2350.

Course... bought the 997 911T wheels for $400, the 5x100 to 5x130 adapters for $300, the tires for $400. But hey. If I take them off it's still a $150 car. I loves it!

[olePigeon]

Neat. Guess insurance is good for something. I've never had an accident in the past 12 years. *crosses fingers*

[The Godfather]

Doesn't the insurance co have a rule to junk the entire car if it is considered totaled? Is the title still good for sale? Can you even insure it after this point?

[Lateralus]

No, they don't. It's your property so they can't really force you to give it up. They'll either offer you a check that allows them to take it away and do with it as they please, or a check for somewhere in the vicinity of 90% of that which also allows you to retain ownership.

Technically, in a situation where the car is deemed totaled, you need to re-register the car as a Salvage Title. But even then, there's nothing that prohibits the vehicle from being driven or sold to another 1,000 owners. It's mostly a technicality, and far secondary to assessed road worthiness.

[Doc HM]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Doesn't the insurance co have a rule to junk the entire car if it is considered totaled? Is the title still good for sale? Can you even insure it after this point?

Sure. The insurance company is happy that it's got off the cost of repair, which would be more than the write off value. There are different categories of write off (at least in the UK). Cat D means the car is a total loss and can't be put back on the road so parts only, Cat C means major damage but repairable, which reduces the value of the car for resale to almost £0. Cat B and A are lighter damage and reduce the resale value somewhat.

Would be interesting to see the car from the front. flattening the bonnet (hood) with a hammer sounds a bit hot and miss. It might look a lot more like a $150 car from the front.

[andi*pandi]

It likely wasn't totalled... if it was they do want to tow it away. However you are allowed to not repair your car with the insurance check, just have to sign a paper.

I've had a hood pop up on me before, 70MPH on the highway, it didn't damage anything except the hood and the windshield. Replaced the windshield and just kind of... bent the hood back into place and secured with bungie. Didn't have comp on that car though.

[MacinTommy]

Do you have a before and after pic? I must say, the Porsche wheels are a nice touch.

[knifecarrier2]

Prior to smashing.

[Waragainstsleep]

I had a bonnet pop up on me once but it didn't do any damage despite the fact I was doing about 80mph. Odd now I think about it. I can't believe you spent $1100 on wheels and didn't get a new bonnet.

[knifecarrier2]

LOLz. When I get tired of them I can unbolt them and sell them for close to what I paid for them. I'm going to get the hood fixed, but I'm finishing restoring my S6 Avant first.

[Doc HM]

If it was that fugly bad boy bonnet that took a hit then that's to the good. put a standard on back on. With the wheels it will look awesome enough.

[knifecarrier2]

I kinda dig the boser hood though. It's a subtle custom piece that compliments the subtle bodywork everywhere else... the hatch is completely shaved (no logo, no latch, no handle), the fenders are shaved (no side marker lights). Having the front stock would seem weird if everything else was modded, no?

[Spheric Harlot]

Weird, I dunno.

Better, probably.

I really hate those "angry" hood mods.

[mduell]

What's the deal with VW owners putting Porsche rims on? Trying to work some "heritage" angle since they're the same company? They don't even fit and require adapters.

[knifecarrier2]

They put on all sorts of stuff. Bentley, Lambo, etc. Just put on weird wheels, it's fun.

[imitchellg5]

Similar story with my Accord. After about 4 months of ownership, it was totaled by hail damage. Obviously still drove perfectly fine, so I basically had a free car. So I bought a W124 too

[knifecarrier2]

Hammer?