Totalled my TL - Need something new

UnsanePyro · 06-30-06, 06:26

Learned one hell of a lesson the other ngiht about my own driving ability and confidence in road conditions. Even going pretty slow, things can still go wrong. Going through a town near me, there is a quick right and then left, and when coming around the right I was fine, the left I just slid. Luckilly enough there was no one around, and just me in the car. My front passanger corner hit a tree and took the hit pretty hard. Air bags deployed, windshield cracked, along with all the damage on the front end.

I'm looking for a replacement now. I don't have a ton of extra money laying around, and am looking for stuff around $5,000-$6,000 as the max. Does anyone have any suggestions? Stuff to look for or stay away from?

Tucci · 06-30-06, 06:48

That sucks, but dont you have insurance?

UnsanePyro · 06-30-06, 07:08

Yes, I do, but my family and I have debated filing a claim with them or not. We have the extra 5 or 6 thousand to get me into another car, which I will end up paying off to them.

Being a 19 year old male, my insurance is already pretty high, I have an accident in January this year (got sideswiped on the highway) which is in arbitration, and if that doesn't go my way, and this claim is filed, my insurance would be insane. I would probably only get about $5,000 for my car, but end up paying multiples of that over the next few years due to my higher risk

jnmttu · 06-30-06, 10:29

I am sorry to hear about your car. I totalled my first car at roughly the same age (let this be a lesson to parents whose kids want a brand-new car). You will realize later that you will always remember how you did it too. I wrecked the first car by entering traffic through a median with the sun in my eyes. I never saw the other car because I never paused in the median to look again without the sun in the way and he clipped the front of the car. I never pass through medians now without looking twice. You will probably never approach a turn like this one in the same way again.

Life lessons aside, I replaced a totalled 87' Accord with a 91' Accord and the 91' is still around with us 8 years later. I have since bought an Accord for my wife and a TL for myself. They have all been dead reliable and pretty decent cars all around. A nice 94-97 Accord can be picked up in your price range. Some of the 98-02's are in that price range now, but not that many really. If you really liked your Acura, go ahead and stay with a Honda.

Since I don't want to be accused of being that Honda guy, I will say that older Camrys are about equally inexpensive and indestructable. A slightly newer Corolla, Protege, or Civic can be had for the same money and all of those are pretty good cars too.

74 thing · 06-30-06, 10:35

FYI-If the police were called by the tow truck driver (which is usually the case in a solo accident), then most likely the insurance will already have info regarding this accident when it comes time to renew your insurance as a result of a police report.

UnsanePyro · 07-02-06, 06:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by 74 thing

FYI-If the police were called by the tow truck driver (which is usually the case in a solo accident), then most likely the insurance will already have info regarding this accident when it comes time to renew your insurance as a result of a police report.

Not sure how it would work, I have never heard of it happening before. The only thing I can think of is if when it comes time to renew my policy, they search for tickets/accidents in my name, is that how it would happen?

velobard · 07-02-06, 06:56

The insurance company found out about my wife's accident 6 months after the fact when her medical insurance filed a claim (no idea how they found out who we had for car insurance) to seek reimbursement for medical bills. It sucks, because my wife didn't even want to go to the hospital. She hydroplaned on the highway and bounced off the rail. When the police showed up they refused to let her walk off the highway and wouldn't give her a ride. Looking back, perhaps she could have caught a ride with the AAA tow driver, but she was shaken up enough that she didn't think of that at the time. We hadn't planned on reporting the accident, I just told the insurance company to switch the coverage to my old beater because her car needed mechanical repairs.

merci · 07-03-06, 02:57

May I humbly suggest a 1985 W123 Mercedes-Benz 300D (turbo). It's not fast, but it sure is reliable. It's built like a tank too! With the high gas prices these days, you can use biodiesel to lower your fuel cost.

Don't be put off by the high miles. The OM617 engine is practically bulletproof.

Check this out.

They go for well below 5k.

ExoticFetish · 07-03-06, 03:24

6 grand will buy you a nice Acura Integra or Civic. Both of those will be reliable and fun 2 drive with a stick.

AuAltima3.5 · 07-05-06, 07:07

late ninties maxima
ford taurus (beware of tranny failure if fluid is burnt)
chevy impala

apologies on the car. I totalled a car two years ago (at 18). you walked away atleast!

what is slow? 40mph? 30?

whitejavaS500 · 07-05-06, 07:42

Hey man... what a bummer.

I pulled up a few good car ideas for you though.

90's BMW 3 series
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-BM...QQcmdZViewItem

wow what a deal.... check out this 95 740i

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-BM...QQcmdZViewItem

a few benzes...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-...ayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-...QQcmdZViewItem

and a couple acuras

nice legend coupe

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1995-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...QQcmdZViewItem

Hope this helps!!

2003SCT · 07-05-06, 07:42

I would suggest if you want to stay with Honda an Acura Integra is always a nice choice and keeps it still as a nice drivers car. Or if you want a bit more gusto behind it, something like a last model Grand Prix GTP or Buick Regal GS...both having the supercharged 3800 and one of the most resilient FWD transmissions out there...the 4T65-EHD. They are quite fun to drive, pretty reliable and can be made much faster for very little $$.

CHRIS