Here's the deal. I own a 96 EX civic. A few weeks back we had two huge hail storms come through Dallas in a 24 hour period. Needless to say my car got jacked up real good. The body looks like swiss cheese. Pretty much everything except the two bumbers and the side skirts are a loss. The damage is too bad to do paintless dent removal, and a number of the pieces are going to need to be replaced instead of repaired.

So here's the real deal. It has been in the shop ten days and they haven't touched it yet. My insurance just called me and told me that they are going to consider it totaled, I don't have any say in the matter. The auto body place wants $4999.90 to fix it, and they stated that price may still go up. My insurance is willing to consider it toataled, let me keep the car, and give me a check for $4750.00. My options at that point are:

1) Keep the check and do what I want with it. If I do this, then my car will only be elligible for liability insurance.

2) Use the check to repair the car and be responsible for any additional costs of the repair. If I do this, I can get the repair recertified by my insurance and keep full coverage even with it being "totaled."

3) I can hand over my car, and all mods and additions, and walk away with $8100.00.

I cannot afford a new car payment (this one is paid off,) nor can I take the risk of having liability only, so option 2 and 3 are really not options. My questions are as follows:

1) Does anyone know of and good and cheap bodyshop in Dallas to get repairs done at? (For those of you close to me.)

2) Does anyone know of places where I can get Honda OEM parts cheap? Remember pretty much everything metal on the exterior needs to be replaced.

3) Can anyone make a suggestion as to where I could possibly get a good body kit, aftermarket replacement panels, carbon fiber hoods, etc.? I need good quality and a cheap price. I figure if everything except the skirts and bumbers need to be replaced, now is the time to do a new paint job and exterior look.

Again the car MUST be repaired. I cannot get a new car, and the body has to be fixed to keep full coverage insurance. I cannot (unfortunately) use the money for a swap or a turbo. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

What modifications do you have done to the car? Just basic bolts on's and such. To be perfectly honest with you, I'd take the $8100 (that ain't bad for a '96!) and go buy yourself a new used car. If you really liked your Civic, you can find a nice new '96-'98 for that much or maybe look into a '94-'95 GS-R or later LS Integra (if you want to stick with a Honda). There are a lot of nice cars $8100 will buy.

Honestly, if you've got an estimate for $5000 (which is probably going to go up) and the insurance is only going to give you $4750, your going to get screwed. Even after the car is repaired, your going to have a salvage title, which means when you go to sell it, your getting half the value, if that. I'm not sure the title laws in TX, but around here, you can buy a wreck cheap, fix it and drive it but selling it is almost impossible.

If you have stock stuff to replace the modifcations you've done, I would take them to the body shop and swap them for your aftermarket stuff. Tell your insurance company first, they don't want it so they'll probably let you take it. If they won't, find your recipts and tell them you want the value of everything they're taking. Seeya.

 

ask the insurance company how much it would cost for you to buy the car back once it was totaled. you get your 8k and usually it isnt more than a grand to buy a car back from an insuance company. my buddy bought his back for 300 title never changed hands so it still wasnt considered salvaged.

 

To answer your question Andy, these are the mods I have done:

Greddy Cat-Back Exhaust System
Straight pipe
DC 4-1 Header
Cold Air Intake (not the cheap short one)
MSD Fuel pump
Fuel Pressure Regulator and gauge
New Plugs and wires
MSD Ignition Kit
AEM Cam gear
AEM Lightened pulleys
ACT Racing Clutch
Lightened Flywheel
Front strut bar (can't do rear cause of speaker box)
Front and rear tie bars
S-VAFC Controller
Short Shifter
Slotted Rotors w/AEM pads
2.5" drop on coil over springs
Tokico Blue Shocks
17" Enkei Wheels
Falcon 40 series tires
Front upper and lower grills
Rear spoiler (nothing huge, I hate those)
Custom Headlights (with projector lamps and clear corners)
Fog lights
Altezza tail lamps (yeah they gotta go)
Clifford Alarm
And a decent stereo set up

Nothing internal (except the flywheel and clutch) is done. I've been prepping it to do a turbo set up eventually. Not gonna swap the engine, yes I know I should. The amount that they are willing to pay me includes the stereo, wheels, tires, and suspension stuff, so the only thing I can real pull for resale would be the S-VAFC controller. All the other pieces I have sold or given away the OEM parts for.

I checked into the salvage title thing. According to the way things go in Texas, if the vehicle gets totaled and purchased by the insurance, it gets a salvage title automatically, even if it is sold right back to me. If I maintain the vehicle there will be no salvage title whatsoever as it is a comprehensive claim with only cosmetic damage. So same car whether I buy it back or keep it, but this way there is no salvage title. So in a worse case scenario, I can keep the car and sell it without a salvage title or repairs made.

But this is my baby. I bought her brand new off the lot with 2.4 miles on the odometer. She only has 59K right now, so she has plenty of live left, and even more sentimental (sp?) value. All the work that has been done was with my blood, sweat, and tears; and the help of a friend and his garage. So I want to keep her, and I want to get her repaired and add some in the process. So.... I am looking for quality parts and cheap labor to get it done for as close to that $4750 as I can.

 

Dont fix it. You can definitely find another car for cheaper and build that one up just the same. Plus if they dont give you back your aftermarket parts do as Andy said and show them a receipt to get the value of the parts back.

 

Did to talk with the insurance and show them recipts for everything you put on the car that they would take. $8100 seems kind low with everything you've got invested. The car alone is probably worth $7000-$8000.

I understand the sentimental value a car can hold, but I can pretty much say if you keep it, your going to get screwed on it compared to taking them money and getting a new one (and a roof to park it under). If you do decide to keep it, here's a link I found with some good prices on stuff.

http://hondaautobodypartsstore.com/

I've never bought anything from them, but they seem legit and have good prices. Good luck with everything. Seeya.

 

Thanks for the quick response Madlow, but I want to keep this ride, and kinda have to. Like I said I have no cash flow to make payments on another ride (this one is paid off) and surely don't have the money to mod it if I did go with a different car. I had long term plans to turbo it and hope I can some day, but my financial situation has chaged drastically with the shitty tech industry sector for employment and a kiddo in the family now.

I already discussed showing receipts for the after market stuff. Like I said, I have the option of swapping the OEM parts for the aftermarket for the items that were not included in their appraisal, but the OEM parts are gone. And since I did not declare the aftermarket parts to them (for insurance rates purposes) I am not elligible for anything they do not put a value in.

Everyone can call me a dumbass for keeping the car, and I very well may be, but that is the decision I have made and have to live with. Now I just need some leads to get the parts and labor for the amount of the check that is being sent.

 

Ok been working things out all day. I am going to repair the car and was able to go through a hook up of one of my good buddies. As it stands, I will be paying $3500 (estimated) after tax for a repair of the car with all labor included and parts with the exception of the hood.

So that leaves me $1250 to spend. I need to find a carbon fiber hood first off. I also will probably use some of the money to have them buff out or paint over my bumpers where I have some scratches. IF I have enough money to do it, I really want to find a CTR front and rear lip, and get my side skirts painted. Oh yeah, I have to pay for a rental out of this too. Cash is gonna be tight to get this done, and I'll prolly go over a bit.

You can disregard my previous posts at this point. If you can point out a good spot to get the hood and lips cheap, I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, how do the Z3 fenders look on the civics? I have never seen a pic of them actually installed on a civic. Are they hideous?

Finally, what do you think of the OEM skirts painted as opposed to doing aftermarket?

Thanks in advance.

 

Get a turbo and boost it like I did. It's fun!

 

PLEASE DO NOT GET Z3 FENDERS!!!

z3 fenders are so old and all the ricers have them. I personally would make your car simple but sweet looking with the ctr front, rear lips and the sides skirts and moldings painted to match. But it's your car.