I'm back...looking for advice

[jnak]

Hey guys, it's been a long time. Hope everyone is doing well. I remember this forum being incredibly knowledgeable and I'm looking for some thoughts on what to do with my car here.

Two weeks ago I got rear-ended:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j305/jnak00/IMG_00000558.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/jnak00/media/IMG_00000558.jpg.html)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j305/jnak00/IMG_00000559.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/jnak00/media/IMG_00000559.jpg.html)

Thankfully, the car did it's job and took all the impact. I walked away perfectly fine - no sore neck or back, or anything. Onstar was on the line immediately and called the cops for me, but the cops don't come out anymore unless someone is injured. The other guy was fine too, and his truck is not nearly as bad as my car.

Anyway, insurance has decided to go ahead and repair the car at a cost of around $18,000. Driving a car that's been through a crash like that makes me a bit uneasy, as you never know what else might have been affected. Can you guys share your thoughts on what you would do with this car? What do you think I might get if I tried to trade it in (it's a lease)? Or would you just stick it out for the remainder of the lease and just get rid of it then? There are a little over three years left on the lease.

Thanks in advance.

[fengstang]

Uhm 18k damage no. Tell them total it.

[BuildItYourSelf]

I'd part it out. If you have the means to. The engine and drive tran are your biggest money maker and they look like there wasn't any damage even to the rear end.
Or you could sell it at a salvage auction. If it wasn't totaled it would bring a higher price then a salvage title.
I got my g8 from a salvage dealer. It was only a little front end damage so I fixed it to save money for modding.
Its worth looking Into. As long as your insurance company will give you that 18k.

I personally wouldn't fix it. Thats a shit ton of work and you risk finding extra work and it may go over the 18k the insurance says it will cost. Then you run the risk of having problems down the road.
Good luck in what ever you do. Them cts4's are nice cars.

[G8 GT V8]

Uhm 18k damage no. Tell them total it.

+1 - I wouldn't want it even if fixed because it will never be right like it was from the factory, but that's just me.

[2lazy4agoodname]

+2

[pokey]

I crashed my 1995 Grand Prix into a concrete highway divider backwards (long story) and it didn't look nearly that bad. It was fixed and was not the same.. drove me crazy i did it. Everything from than on bothered me about the car from the fog lights mounted wrong, driver seat bent, paint not matching perfectly... I made it 6 months and traded it in, on the way to the dealership i think a sway bar mount broke. Car was not the same, they never are.

If you can't get it totaled, try making it through the lease but be prepared to look at your options if the repair doesn't go perfect.

glad to hear you are ok.. good luck.

[-Ray-]

I have no advice for you James, but that is the perfect example of a crush zone. If the rear cradle wasn't touched, it's possible it could drive normal.

[tchr49]

Better check out the terms of your lease agreement, and insurance coverage. I don't know if it's still done, but does your lease cover gap coverage, etc? Same with parting it out-it's a lease, you're not technically the sole owner at this point. What is your buy out price at the end of the lease? Is there a penalty for turning in a car with a damage record?.
What's the car worth today with a damaged Carfax, and what's the buy out price right now,? Do you want to go through the hassle of disassembly and shipping things if you attempt to part it out? Where are you going to store it in the meantime? Better check out the Caddy forums to get an idea of what the stuff will really bring. Keep in mind that the stuff is probably not going to go up in value. Keep in mind what parts are worth and what people are willing to pay on the forums.
You have a lot of research to do.
Sorry to see you got hit, but maybe the good thing is it is a lease. At least you're not stuck with it at some point.
I hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

[jnak]

I have no advice for you James, but that is the perfect example of a crush zone. If the rear cradle wasn't touched, it's possible it could drive normal.

That's just it. It might be OK, but it might not and I won't know unless it starts giving me a bunch of trouble down the road. I just don't want to put up with the hassle and cost if things do start to act up.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll check with the insurance company on Monday to see if I have any options. I won't be parting it out, but I might see what they'll give me on a trade. CTS-V Sport is looking mighty fine right now. :hmm:

[-Ray-]

If you can get out of it with no financial damage, I say do it.

[jnak]

Just a small(ish) update. We've been waiting for parts all this time (the accident was November 22). I don't have the car back yet and have been driving a crappy Nissan Altima since the accident. They still aren't sure when they'll get all the parts in, and when I called Cadillac Customer Service she told me she would "escalate the order". Whatever that means. I asked about trade-in value and it would cost me $10,000 to get rid of the car, so I won't be doing that. Also the damage is now estimated at over $25,000. I'm trying to see if GM will start covering my lease payments since this is getting ridiculous.

[AuuuSSSIII YA' LATA]

Hey bud, I just got my ride back today.....rear ended Dec. 14th. Mine wasn't as bad as yours (12k worth of damage), hate to say it but gm won't take over your payments. They will just say it was do to an accident and contact your claims adjuster. Which is exactly what you should be doing. Get on the phone with them and freak out, it doesn't look to be your fault so it's on them and their insurance.

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[TonyKarter]

You are also owed for diminished value on your insurance claim. It is an actual loss sustained and owed, either by the offending party's insurance, or by the offending party. Just because their insurance company says they do not pay diminished value does not mean that you are not owed diminished value. Take the driver to small claims court and get a jury. There is not a reasonable person that could be seated on your jury that would not empathize with you and your situation, agree and find in your favor that you are owed for diminished value. IMHO, fix it, sell it, put the diminished value money towards down payment on a used G8 that has not been wrecked.