RotorHead04
Observer
I was out with the family for a Sunday drive enjoying the rare nice sunny cooler weather here in north Texas and ended up having to help an F-250 pulling a trailer slow down.... The F-250 was lifted with a ranch hand steel bumper (oddly enough the same bumper I have on my F-350). The impact hit above the rear bumper. It does not appear to have done any frame damage. The expensive parts looks like the rear quarter panel and cargo floor structure that are crunched. The rear quarter is shoved forward, down and out a little, pics don't do it justice.
The other driver has insurance, and I am waiting on them to come take a look at the truck. Just in case the other driver hasn't paid his premiums or some other crazy turn of events I called my insurance company to come take a look. They determined the cost to repair the vehicle was not worth it. They value the truck at about $9300 and stopped writing the estimate at $7k. The adjuster told me thats $7k visual only, not having taken anything apart, no supplements.... He said if I end up needing to use my insurance they vehicle will total, but see what the others guys insurance says. Thats where I am now.
Anyways, I figure the other company is going to end up at the same conclusion and will want to total my truck. Its my baby, but on paper its a 2000 model with just shy of 200k miles, they don't care about my feelings. I need some advice. As of now insurance values my vehicle at $9300. Maybe I can get that up a little, not sure this is all new territory for me. Do I take the money and replace the truck, or buy it back and keep it as a trail rig / parts truck / daily beater and save a few $$$ and buy another nice one for the family? Sounds like buy back would be in the neighborhood of $2,500. Is it worth it? If I buy it back I'll need parts. Does anyone have a rear hatch, tail lights, or quarter panel laying around? I know these are rare as is, Im assuming parts will be few and far between. At the moment the rear lights work enough to be legal. All I need to do is build a makeshift rear window to keep rain, rodents, and trash out of the back. Top gate still opens, lower one is jammed shut.
What I like about keeping it:
Its paid for, plenty left over to quickly save to buy the wife a nice replacement.
Truck is mechanically solid, reliable, and doesn't burn oil.
This would become my daily driver, big, sold, and reliable.
Complete parts truck for when I get the wife another nicer one.
Optional - Would only have to fix it enough to make rear lower hatch work, my daily beater.
What I don't like about keeping it:
Salvage title for resale later on.
Selling my high 20 mpg daily driver for this fuel pig. Going from $0.07 a mile to drive vs $0.13 a mile.
One more thing to worry about.
Optional - How much it is going to cost me to fix it enough for the rear lower hatch to work. Tracking down parts.
Whats everyones opinion. Im on the fence and need help deciding. The wife is fine with either option. Thanks!
The other driver has insurance, and I am waiting on them to come take a look at the truck. Just in case the other driver hasn't paid his premiums or some other crazy turn of events I called my insurance company to come take a look. They determined the cost to repair the vehicle was not worth it. They value the truck at about $9300 and stopped writing the estimate at $7k. The adjuster told me thats $7k visual only, not having taken anything apart, no supplements.... He said if I end up needing to use my insurance they vehicle will total, but see what the others guys insurance says. Thats where I am now.
Anyways, I figure the other company is going to end up at the same conclusion and will want to total my truck. Its my baby, but on paper its a 2000 model with just shy of 200k miles, they don't care about my feelings. I need some advice. As of now insurance values my vehicle at $9300. Maybe I can get that up a little, not sure this is all new territory for me. Do I take the money and replace the truck, or buy it back and keep it as a trail rig / parts truck / daily beater and save a few $$$ and buy another nice one for the family? Sounds like buy back would be in the neighborhood of $2,500. Is it worth it? If I buy it back I'll need parts. Does anyone have a rear hatch, tail lights, or quarter panel laying around? I know these are rare as is, Im assuming parts will be few and far between. At the moment the rear lights work enough to be legal. All I need to do is build a makeshift rear window to keep rain, rodents, and trash out of the back. Top gate still opens, lower one is jammed shut.
What I like about keeping it:
Its paid for, plenty left over to quickly save to buy the wife a nice replacement.
Truck is mechanically solid, reliable, and doesn't burn oil.
This would become my daily driver, big, sold, and reliable.
Complete parts truck for when I get the wife another nicer one.
Optional - Would only have to fix it enough to make rear lower hatch work, my daily beater.
What I don't like about keeping it:
Salvage title for resale later on.
Selling my high 20 mpg daily driver for this fuel pig. Going from $0.07 a mile to drive vs $0.13 a mile.
One more thing to worry about.
Optional - How much it is going to cost me to fix it enough for the rear lower hatch to work. Tracking down parts.
Whats everyones opinion. Im on the fence and need help deciding. The wife is fine with either option. Thanks!
