When is a Wrecked Car not worth Repairing?

Car accidents are typically rare and repairable, but in some cases the cost of the repairs exceeds the resale or replacement value of the car. In these cases a car may be considered 'wrecked' or 'totaled'. The phrase 'totaled car' or 'wrecked car' evokes images of a crushed ride on the side of a highway, but a car need not be squished between guard rails to be considered not worth fixing. In fact, a very good looking car that is many years old and needs a new transmission may be better off sending to the scrap heap or simply trading in when a new car is purchased.

A wrecked car is also common in situations where there are problems involving particularly expensive components of the vehicle. This includes timing belts, the gear system, the chassis, and multiple body panels. In combination, a single accident can quickly turn a functioning used car into something not worth fixing. In order to determine whether a car is wrecked or totaled, one needs to determine the approximate value of the car with its fixes, without its fixes, and the cost of the fixes. Good resources to do this include a trusted mechanic, a blue book guide or other online car appraisal site, and a used car dealer. It might be the case that a scrapheap should also be on the list!

Once you know the cost of all of these scenarios you can make a decision about whether or not to repair your vehicle. A consideration is that in some cases not all repairs are equal and some might be more worthwhile than others. If a car can drive with only a new timing belt, but fixing three body panels will cost twice the value of the vehicle, then fixing the belt but not the body is always an option. It sometimes results in a 'clunker' look, but a car is not really considered wrecked unless it can't be driven without exceeding the repair value of the vehicle.

Even a totaled car can be worth something and should never just be discarded. Some used car dealers or new car dealers will accept damaged cars as part of a trade-in. Some car buyers specialize in taking parts from broken vehicles. Some people like car projects and are willing to purchase a car so they can work on it themselves. Finally, some scrap-metal shops will pay good money for junking your car, so there is a good reason to think 'sell my car'.