2008 Yaris sedan is tough

[jack black]

yea, it doesn't take much to total older compact cars. My daughter had similar damage in her corolla that was 10 years old at that time (except it wasn't her fault or rear ending) and sure enough it was totaled. shop estimate was about $5000. I even thought about buying it back and repairing myself, but decided to take the insurance money and buy yaris instead. and this is why i'm here.

BTW, one dirty secret is insurance companies get good money for those wrecks on auctions, and those cars get repaired in Mexico and have a second life all over the world.

[scratchpaddy]

Originally Posted by jack black

BTW, one dirty secret is insurance companies get good money for those wrecks on auctions, and those cars get repaired in Mexico and have a second life all over the world.

They do get money for the wrecks at auctions, but never as much as the check they write to the insured. They are wrecked, after all. The insurance company will also happily sell it back to the insured at salvage value, assuming state law allows it.

The quotes provided for insurance purposes assume all new, OEM replacement parts. Shops can fix them for way less using aftermarket and junkyard parts instead, then re-sell them with a salvage/restored title and still make a little profit, even with the cost of buying the wreck and the reduced value of a salvage-title car. Most of them are fixed and re-sold domestically, as far as I know. Only the real basket cases get exported or junked.