Wrecked Miata, Need some advice

[txarrowhead]

(dunno) My wife was involved in an accident last week. She was not hurt but tore up our new 2004 mazdaspeed miata pretty good. The initial estimate is around $8000.00 before even opennig the hood. The car is only 3 weeks old with less than 1000 miles on it. My question is: the body shop is telling me that the frame rail brakect is bent and may need replacement if they cannot bend it back. I do not know much about cars other than when they talk frame damage I know that is not good. Anyone know anything about the repair or any advice in dealing with an insurance company on totaling the car?

[Ryoga28]

With that amount of damage, I would get it totaled and buy another mazdapseed miata instead. Even if you fix it, the frame will never be the same.

Good luck

[MiaTurbo]

Talk to your insurance rep. Tell them you will not feel safe in a car with such extensive damage. But if they say 8k as an initial estimate, then it's gonna be a lot more. It's always more. Will probably be totaled.

So, glad the wife is ok. But you got a story?

[vindication]

I beleive the damage needs to be somewhere around 70% the cost of the car for it to be totalled. also if the car rolled over at least once, it is automatcally totalled too I beleive

[lagunamiata]

If the frame is bent the car has little chance of ever driving straight.
I'd let them total the car and buy you a new one.

Here's a friends '99 that was totaled: http://public.fotki.com/relittle/temp/kloc/
The hit was so hard it broke the rear crossmember.

[MiataT]

I just wrecked my miata well 2 in a months time lol (not my fault) side swiped by an old man then going to pick up the new car 90 red with only 51k on in Chicago I was rear ended lol. sucked. I let them just total the car out mine was alot older tho but in your case let them total the car out get another one and maybe some extra $$$ for upgrades. Find a number that sounds good in your head and be firm, they hate it when you won't settle. I got $3000 for the first wreck and sold the rest of it for $1000 an it had 198k and was in piss poor shape. (cabpatch)

[Captain KRM P5]

also if the car rolled over at least once, it is automatcally totalled too I beleive

not true. Dexter rolled his mazdaspeed protege, $9000 of damage and they rebuilt the car. you can not even tell from the work they did that it was ever in a wreck