Fair Market Value from totaled 05 Prius

Dear Dave,

Thanks. I took a look and also enjoyed reading what other Prius owners had to say
about their cars.

Yes, my friend had good things to say about the place it was towed to, so I think we
will probably go with that one (however I misspoke - he only owned an auto repair shop
and this was one of the body shops he worked with that he felt did high quality work).
And yes, I agree about the airbags, but we haven't gotten the full quote yet so we'll see
what they come up with once it's all itemized.

Thanks again, and wish me good luck (and a restored Prius)!

 

Thanks, I'll look into it! BTW, despite this I really love my Prius - frankly I think
I would be in a lot worse shape if it weren't for its design (and the airbags!).

 

I realize the thread has kind of changed since the initial posting a few months back, but for the record I want to suggest people check out something like Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) or even a large chain like Carmax (www.carmax.com) which will transport a car from one of its other sites (for a small destination charge!) if it matches your criteria. Carmax is no haggle, so you can't really argue they're purposefully over-pricing it and expecting people to bring it down. There's also NADA (North American Dealer Association) which gives the selling prices of cars in your area, and adjusts for mileage, etc. I'm surprised these sources weren't mentioned, I'm sure there's more.

People (non-Prius owners, that is) assume there will be depreciation on a car, but for the Prius that's not necessarily true. People often pay MSRP not to wait, even if it is used. This is a problem with the Consumer Reports article, etc. They assume at some point the Prius will start to depreciate like a normal car, but it hasn't happened yet, and it's been on the market for 5+ years now.

nerfer

 

So sorry to hear about your accident but thank god, your wife and the other driver escaped serious injury or worse. Most insurance companies have a clause in their auto policies that lets you as the insured exercise an option for replacing your auto. Tell the adjuster that you cannot accept His offer for your car but that you will let the company replace your car with another Prius, same year, miles, condition and options. They are obligated to make this attempt on your behalf. Insurance companies generally will do this on your behalf rather than risk a lengthy claim period with the risk of having to pay a larger sum in the long run. Most insurance companies will not settle for a betterment clause in closing out the claim. Most of the major companies use this clause with your best interest at your request. Good luck.