Pretty bad accident, insurance won't total it yet [DFW]

My first accident was about 10 days ago. An uninsured driver ran a red
light directly in front of me, resulting in front end damage to my 2001
Prelude (in DFW Texas).

Here is a link to it afterwards: http://www.coopertx.us/car/DCP00927.JPG

Allstate thinks it can be repaired, I have 2 days to now get it to a
body shop and have them tear it down to see if this is the case.

I've got a few questions: Is it normal to try and attempt repair on a
car this damaged? Though you can't tell just from the pics, I have no
idea how the mechanical system faired, but it looks awful to me.

He said his estimate for repairs comes to $9600 on a car worth $16k.
First, is it worth that amount? 30k miles, perfect shape, all
maintenance records intact. He spoke of taking sheet metal off a
Prelude with a good front end, which sounds shady to me.

If they do repair this, what will it do to the value of my car? I'm
rather upset at the prospect of my perfect car taking a complete
nosedive in value.

Does anyone have experience with Honda body repair in Dallas? I've no
idea where to take this thing, would like recommendations.

Thank you for your time.

 

My experience with body repair in Dallas (several different places) is that
they always keep/lose half the parts they remove and mess up the ones they
reassemble. The body work will probably look presentable, but when you look
under the hood or under the car, everything else will look like they dumped
it in from a bucket.

The welded on used front end would be obvious to a trained appraiser, and if
it is a poor job, even to a casual observer. The value will definitely drop
if you go this route. I believe you still have the right to demand that it
be repaired with new Honda parts.

Mechanical issues will plague you later on, as moving parts that were
knocked slightly out of alignment will suffer premature failures months or
years later.

Your best bet is to insist on a competent repair with new OEM parts, then
sell it. Edmunds lists it at $16k private party sale, $14k tradein.

 

Good luck. If the repair cost is less than 1/2 the value the insurance
company will not total the car. Also someone else mentioned insisting on
OEM parts, well I can tell you from experience unless you have a rare car
(Ie. an aniversary corvette or a Ferari/Lambourghini) the insurance company
will not authorize the use of OEM parts. The reason for this is to keep
insurance cost down for everyone.

 

Unfortunately, for you, with this repair to value ratio, the insurance
company will repair the car. In order to get the car totalled, the repair
estimate on the vehicle will need to get to about $12,000 or thereabouts
(75% to value). If this were my car, it would be in the most capaple shop
in town for repairing it, in case it is not totalled. Since the front end is
damaged, after it is repaired, I would most likely use it as trade in bait
for another car as the dealer won't be asking you questions about it as a
private party most likely would. I'd also be suspect of future mechanical
issues myself, if I held onto this car.
Sorry that you are the unfortunate victim of the hazards of being on the
road at the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

You will have to co-operate with your insurance company on this issue.
It's up to them--not you-- on whether or not to repair the vehicle. They
will pay for most of the repairs. I advise you to trade it in on a new
Honda after it is repaired. I say this because the car may have suffered
some damage that was not fixed. I once had a friend that purchased a used
car that had been in a major accident. The frame was slighly bent. He did
not know it until the front tires started to wear out very quickly. This
was caused by the bent frame. He eventually traded it in on a new car.

 

Thus is a good reason to check a car out at Carfact.com before buying a
used one. It will list the accident.

 

I had a used '89 Prelude (Black w/ Tan int.) that I found out was a
repair job. The front was black, and the back was at one time red. It
never showed up on Car-Fax as having been in any accident. I only drove
it for nine months, and it had many water leaks and rattles. I traded it

 

My wife's 01 Accord was sandwiched last year on the freeway, I thought for
sure it would be totalled - the radiator was crushed into the engine block,
it was hosed down by a fire truck for gas leaks - but the insurance company
spent $14K to fix. Took three weeks, but I cannot tell any difference.
Looks brand new. The insurance company offered a lifetime warranty on the
work if we used one of their shops, so we went that way. It was actually a
Chevrolet dealer's shop (right across from the Honda delaer that the car
came from) that did the repairs. Our Accord looked much worse than your
Prelude and it is perfect now. Let your insurance adjuster do the legwork
on finding the best Honda repair facility (who cares if they have to tow it
an hour away, right?) and get you an acceptable warranty on the repairs.

 

If it is a reputable shop ... look for one guaranteed by the insurer
.... this could turn out just fine. My insurance company has never
balked at OEM parts and I am always welcome to choose the shop I
prefer. Does Alstate tell you where to take the car? If not, take it
to either a shop you trust (referrals from friends etc.) or one
connected with a dealer. There's no reason why you can't get OEM
parts.

I have heard of people negotiating with insurance companies to total a
car or to allow you to total it yourself (ie, not have it repaired and
sell it to a salvage yard) and pay you the claim value. If the damage
were $10K, ask how much a salvage yard will give you for the car as
is. Then you can take to sum of the two payments and simply buy a new
car. As long as it is certified as sold for salvage, I would think the
insurance company might like the idea. They eliminate any problems
related to how the repair turns out, hidden damage once they've
committed to repair, problems that show up later, etc. I have no
experience with this, but I've heard about it.

 

Not necessarily