Unsustainable car repair costs

[tvguy]

Where is Earl Scheib when you need them?

LOL. A friend took his 1965 Mustang into MAACO for an estimate for their cheapest paint job........$5,000 !!!!!

 

[Sheryl2059]

I have heard about two cars working together trying to cause you to run into the back of a car. This is especially true on 12+ lane highways such as in LA. One car will quickly pull in front of you. Another will pull to your left blocking you. Then the car in front of you slams on the breaks causing you to run into him. Now the scam is to get you to pay money. The thinking is that you dont want your insurance company to know about it and raise your rates. Or, you dont have insurance at all. So you pay the money or they will call the CHP. Now with these cheap dash cams this has increased risk since what these two cars do is considered a crime.

A friend had something similar. A fender bender caused by the car in front and some unknown 'witness' stopping and claiming 'I saw it all and will add it to the police report!" My friend said she yes she was going to call the cops. Both of them left.

 

[barkley]

We drive our vehicles into the ground, I’ve had folks approach me in parking lots with body work offers (duct tape works just fine). We pay over $12,000 a year to insure 4 vehicles, collision only on 2.

good lord! we drive ours into the ground as well but despite just buying a new bronco and having comp/collision on all 3 our rates are a much more managable $2470 per year (just paid the 6 month installment last week). you pay more for your car insurance than we do for car/home/umbrella/atv combined. that's gotta hurt

They are.

I filed with my insurance for ease. My insurance is fighting to get reimbursed. Apparently dealing with commercial insurance is even more painful than non commercial. At some point I will get my $250 deductible back.

it took 2 years for my insurance company to battle it out with a commercial insurance company but I ultimatly did get my deductable refunded. it was also a clear-cut deal of liability but I guess they drag it out as much as they can.

 

[MillauFr]

People are simply going to stop insuring their cars other than liability which is required. Driving is far too expensive. Will be interesting to see if people cut back on their driving to save money.

 

[shh]

A Ford.

But it does have a 3 step paint process for the red my car is painted.

There are some beautiful reds now on cars! I coveted this gorgeous red shade when car shopping a couple of years ago, but changed my mind after hearing about the issues many owners had with their multi-step paint process for even the smallest issues on many of the newer reds and pearl whites in particular.

 

[sam_gordon]

We drive our vehicles into the ground, I’ve had folks approach me in parking lots with body work offers (duct tape works just fine). We pay over $12,000 a year to insure 4 vehicles, collision only on 2.

We insure 4 vehicles and pay about half of the amount, AND that includes our homeowners.

When's the last time you shopped for insurance?

 

[Cadiewampus]

LOL. A friend took his 1965 Mustang into MAACO for an estimate for their cheapest paint job........$5,000 !!!!!

Wow

 

[soccerdad72]

We insure 4 vehicles and pay about half of the amount, AND that includes our homeowners.

Same - we're a little over half of that, but that includes homeowners on two homes.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

We had a tire detonate, blew off the right rear section of the wheel well and fender and insurance paid for it all.

The 2024 GMC right rear taillight didn't work, $1170 paid by warranty.
BTW: Extended factory warranties don't cover this.

Yes repairs are expensive insurance is essential.

 

[Mle8308]

While driving home from work last month my car got pelted by falling glass.

Just got what should be the final estimate.

$17,123.90 for the repairs
$2,214.00 for diminished value

$19,337.90 for what amounts to superficial damage. Nothing mechanical was broken. Other than the broken windshield all the damage is cosmetic. Lots and lots of prep and paint.

With repair costs like this it's no wonder that car insurance costs are rising.

I wonder if anyone will be able to afford car insurance in 10 years? Cars are becoming more and more disposable to make it more likely the driver and passengers are uninjured. As a result a little 5-10 MPH crash in a parking lot often results in a totaled car.

This one accident is costing the equivalent of almost 12 years of premiums and there was no mechanical damage.

Glad you are okay and not injured! That is crazy.

 

[amcnj]

$99.95, baby!

I must be a bit older than you, as I remember the ads saying it was only $29.95!

 

[BrianL]

I must be a bit older than you, as I remember the ads saying it was only $29.95!

Well, I'm an 80's kid when it was $99.95. Actually, we didn't have the ads here as there were no locations, but they were so well known and oft-parodied, that I was familliar with them.

 

[tvguy]

Well, I'm an 80's kid when it was $99.95. Actually, we didn't have the ads here as there were no locations, but they were so well known and oft-parodied, that I was familliar with them.

My Mother In Law's husband took her 1979 Lincoln Town Car in for the lowest level paint job in about 1994 and I think it cost about $400. He didn't pay for any prep, just painted it. Looked great........for about two years then it started peeling off. But it was the perfect paint job for someone selling a car. I have heard people say that if you pay for the best paint and prep they really do a decent durable job. But their bread and butter was turning clunkers into nice cars, for a few years.

 

[hertamaniac]

Back in my late teens, I had my Firebird repainted. To save money, they asked if I wanted the door jambs painted; I said no. It was odd having nice new blue paint on the exterior and opening the doors you saw red on the thresholds and under the trunk/hood.

I think it was $299 and through Maaco.

 

[luvthatduke]

LOL. A friend took his 1965 Mustang into MAACO for an estimate for their cheapest paint job........$5,000 !!!!!

"Uh oh! Better get MAACO!" Beep-Beep

Back in the 80's I got my Pinto painted "Candy Apple Red."
When I went to pick it up they tried to charge me $$$ extra because
it took six layers of paint on the hood, for some reason.
Even though I was a young woman I told them no, I had their signed contract
for the $99.95 + a small amount for the color choice.
They treated me very badly. The manager got angry & tried to convince me that it was
somehow my fault (huh??) but I didn't have to pay anything more.

OP, I'm glad you weren't hurt!