My sweet ride is totaled, should I buy it back?

The part of the wheel arch forward of the rear wheel is one of the hardest-to-repair parts of that car. (True for a lot of modern cars.)

I'd be looking at it as a chance to move on. I mean it's a bummer, but the car's already >12yo. That's not a bad run.

 

Buy it back how does it ever get out of your yard what do you folks do allow a rouge wrecker to come outof no wer and take you car hostage ? Holey moley . Daum fluffy

 

I get in a wreck mr T is rnroute to pick up my car almost foreclose arrives. Rotation what ? No occifer you out of mind . T is here bye. Never allow rotation to take your car never unless you're being charged and the car has to be used for an investigation never allow rotation record to take your vehicle that's absolute insanity but ya live n learn

 

If you're in CA, please buy it back and sell it to me. I am looking for a nice Prius FIVE to repair. I have 2 of these and would like to find another one.

 

gonna need a battery, brake actuator, head gasket or engine, i'd move on.

 

Too many variables to give proper advice....
What means "properly maintained?"
Are you the original owner?
Do you have title in hand?
What are your plans for a 'next car?'
Retirement?
College?

SO.....
You're now a bad insurance risk, so I'd lean well away from getting a new car - even if we were talking about a state with reasonable rates. If you're the original owner and YOU did the maintenance PROPERLY instead of having the dealer maintain it then that changes things considerably as well.
How many repairs to the car in its life - and what types?

A G3 is worth a little more in Caly than it is on free soil - what's the KBB street value for the car?
The 'repaired' value of your car will, at best, be worth 60% of that figure.
Insurance companies are not eBay.
They know to the nearest penny how much they will take for the wrecked car, and they also know that if you do not buy it somebody is waiting in the wings - to buy it and flip it.
Selling it to YOU saves your insurer time and a little bit of paperwork.

Do you have a decent repair shop in your zip code?
If I woke up in your shoes I would lean towards buying the car back, having it repaired "good enough" for commuting duty and start saving for the head gasket repair that is definitely in your near future.
If you OWN the car you can get high deductible full coverage or liability-only coverage and you will not have to go through the hassle and expense of buying somebody else's used car.
The sales tax savings alone might pay for your first repair, and with a little bit of good luck you can start saving for your next car, maybe even a NEW car, while your driving record heals.

Good Luck!
Let us know how it comes out.

 

Yeah this just comes down to how involved you want to be. You can definitely get more out of the old car if you want, but you've got an opportunity to walk away if you feel like it.

The future for that car is going to involve some expensive repairs. And that might be fine, if you want it to be.

It really comes down to whether you're willing to put money in to milk out the last few percent of utility.

Myself? Knowing that it's a 3rd generation Prius? I'd take it as an opportunity to bail out and refresh, or skip to something else altogether.

 

Buy it back after talking them down on the price as best you can... Swap out the door with one from the wrecking yard for $100 and take a hammer to that one area until the door closes normally and put some spray paint on it to prevent rust call it done. This car has plenty more life left in it and if you get bad tire wear that can't be fixed there's someone who will buy it off you for more than what you paid when you buy it back.

 

The factory clip parts aren't that expensive, you can get a used door for cheap also, might not even have to paint it. Make friends with a body paint person.

61601-47080 - OEM Toyota Quarter Panel, Passenger Side

 

depends who was at fault

 

My painter and I did a rear quarter clip, paint and all in 3 days. It is a pretty difficult repair.

12 yo is when I pick them up. Just got a 2011 CT200H for $6000, DIY refurbed the big battery and put a brake master. It handles like a race car and the seat bolsters grip you on the high G turns. After driving a gen2 prius for years, it's like night and day. People don't realize how much the Japanese engineers put into the handling of the CT.

 

New DIY full alignment tool that uses a smart phone

Gyraline Align-It-Yourself Kit – Gyraline Corp.

 

Very interesting... And yeah I'm skeptical, but with the amount of people posting on PriusChat about getting charged big money for a failed alignment job, I sure hope this is viable.

 

It's been out for a year and a half. The sketchiest part of it is where it contacts the wheel, it really needs a 3 or 4 point bracket. You probably have to do multiple checks and compare or average. But I bet it would get you in the ball park.

 

Poppycock!
It depends who was at fault. My 2017 Prius was t-boned last year and I ended up buying a 2025 Camry. I am not an insurance risk since I was not at fault. My poor Prius did not have a chance against a 4Runner!

 

For sure. I got in a 25mph head on in a Subi WRX, the other guy crossed the double solid yellow centerline on a snowy winding road. I got to the guardrail and managed to stop before he hit me. The car was pushed backwards. The driver admitted fault and we both had State Farm. They paid near full KBB at $8000 and I only had $4K in it. It's not only the price of the premium, it's also the differences in payout.

 

Maybe if you're looking for a hobby project, but not if you're looking for a car to drive. Best to take your insurance money and roll it over to a good used G4.

 

Yep, he said something similar in the video... He said this would be a good tool to have at the race track if you have to make quick repairs and wanted to get back on the race track on the same day, or if you're repairing an old car and want to get it good enough to get back on the road for a test drive. But lets hope in coming years these folks are successful enough to lower the price, as well as sell a legit 3 or 4 point bracket for your phone instead of cheap piece of plastic.