Off Topic- I'm doomed, would really appreciate some advice.
today was not a good day for me. i avoided a car accident, but didn't avoid a pole. i'm fine and didn't get hurt, but it did a little damage to the front end of my car. honestly, it doesn't look THAT bad. i've seen much worse. but it did knock one of my head lights out of place, and the little fender (is that what it's called) right underneath the hood caved in a bit. the main problem is: due to the damage to the front end of the car, the hood of the car WON'T raise. :( it's stuck. i can't go too long without getting this fixed, because the hood could fly up at anytime and i obviously need to be able to add oil and check things under the hood.
i already got an estimate (and i'm going to get another one tomorrow), and the guy said it's going to cost around 2 grand to fix it. :( i'm a student, and i work a shit part time job, so i can't just pull that kind of money out of my ass. i don't even know anyone that i could borrow that kind of money from. so, the only thing i can think of is to get a loan. i know banks will give you a home loan or a loan for buying a car, but i don't know if they give loans for this type of thing. they probably don't. but i'm just trying to think of an idea of how to get the money.
do you guys have any bright idea's? this has been on my mind all day. i have to get this car fixed because it's my only source of transportation and i HAVE to get to and from school.
i already got an estimate (and i'm going to get another one tomorrow), and the guy said it's going to cost around 2 grand to fix it. :( i'm a student, and i work a shit part time job, so i can't just pull that kind of money out of my ass. i don't even know anyone that i could borrow that kind of money from. so, the only thing i can think of is to get a loan. i know banks will give you a home loan or a loan for buying a car, but i don't know if they give loans for this type of thing. they probably don't. but i'm just trying to think of an idea of how to get the money.
do you guys have any bright idea's? this has been on my mind all day. i have to get this car fixed because it's my only source of transportation and i HAVE to get to and from school.
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Are there buses, trains, or friends that could get you to and from school? If your credit is okay then you can probably get a loan or put it on a credit card, but then you may end up paying a good amount of interest.
there are buses, but i live just outside of the city (where the buses don't run), so the bus isn't going to work for me. i have to go to and from school 4 times a week, don't have any friends that could help with that.
i only have a debit card, i don't have a credit card. :(
sharkhunter- thanks for the idea. i'll keep that in mind. the thing is, although this is just a used car, it's in good shape for the year (97) and it has very low miles on it, so i'm hoping to hold onto it, because everyone i talked to has told me it'll last a long time and i got a great deal on the car. i paid for the car all at once, i don't owe any money on it.
If it costs more to fix it than it is worth, you have to try and sell it and get something else unfortunately.
I hate to kick you while you're down but...I think your day foreshadows the upcoming season for the Vikings...A CAR WRECK!
thanks for the thoughts and idea's guys, i really appreciate it. the estimate of 2 grand that i received today is what it'll cost to fix the entire front end.
i'm going to another place tomorrow, and i'm hoping that there might be a way where i can just get the roof fixed, so that it'll go up and down again like normal. i don't care if the rest of the front end is messed up, but i have to get the roof to raise. if that's possible, the price of the repair should decrease a lot.
1) Call your car insurance company. Report the accident. Find out exactly what type of coverage you have. Even if you only have liability insurance, you may be able to file what's called an "uninsured motorist" claim. Your accident would qualify as an "uninsured motorist" claim if someone else's (i.e. someone whose information you don't have, someone who drove away, etc.) negligence caused you to hit the pole. From your description of the accident, it sounds like you avoided an accident with a car and ended up hitting the pole. Did someone else's bad driving cause you to swerve into the pole? If so, you want to tell this to your insurance company. But you won't lose a thing by calling your insurance company and getting clear answers about your coverage (you can also request a copy of your policy from your insurance company if you don't trust what they're telling you over the phone).
2) Try to get another estimate. $2,000 worth of damage sounds like a "total loss," but you should definitely get a second opinion on the damage.
Let me know how it goes.
If your car is mechanically sound rig a repair to the hood yourself. Use a crowbar or some kind of leverage to pry open the hood. If the hood still raises and lowers fasten the hood with an array of bungee cords. Bingo! Good to go. (As long as local authorities allow you to drive an obviously damaged vehicle with no police accident damage sticker on the windshield.)
On the bright side, since you're already broke and have a shitty job and now you have a shitty looking car, too - you're fast becoming perfect stripper boyfriend material! Don't let on you're in school (don't want them to know you have some ambition) and pretty soon you'll have one of those young lovelies supporting you and you'll be on easy street, my man.
nothing on the front end of my car got completely torn off. there were just two things that are slightly knocked out of place. if i can get the hood up, i might be able to adjust things back into place with some tools and a little help
i'll know for sure when i get back from the body shop, thanks guys
I'm curious how your deal turns out. One thing I'd seriously consider would be collision insurance, if having your own transportation is important to you. I was driving a fairly expensive sports car, the repair bill was $3K, which made me glad I had collision insurance. Best wishes on this event.
good luck with it man and glad you werne't hurt in the accident.
as for the comprehensive vs. libility only thing, eh I don't know I'm not an insurance agent... and insurance varies from state to state... but doesn't sound promising. If the repair bill is more than the blue book value, saound like a good idea to try and replace it. It would also probablly be easier to get a bank loan towards a replacement.
I would also look for an auto mechanics class - see if they have an auto body program. You might not get it back very quickly, but something like that can be pretty inexpensive and give them good experience. (Be sure to empty out your car first.)
i found a place that will fix it and for a lot cheaper than the initial estimates that i received. basically, he's going to replace the hood, and the other parts he's going to fix with his hands by adjusting them back into place. and it's only going to cost me 1 grand which i can afford. i know this guy does good work, because he fixed my friends car and i saw it and it looked great.
the reason the initial estimates i received were so high, is because most body shops want to replace EVERY part when that isn't always necessary. the only part of my car that HAS to be replaced is the hood, and the rest he can fix with his hands.
this is such great news guys :), because 1 grand i can afford, but i was going to be doomed if i had to pay 2 grand or more.