1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: 2006 R53 Front End Damage - Totaled

You need to provide more details about the extent of the damage. Is there a damage report? Pics would be helpful.

 

The Countryman will be a great choice for a family with small kids.

You'll love the accessibility of the back doors and the trunk will carry all that stuff you always need with you with small kids.

The All4 drive is the icing on the cake, I know you guys get snow in winter like we do and you'll be amazed how the All4 goes in the snow.

While that damage doesn't look all that bad, I'd take the money and not look back.

 

I need parts, u parting out ?

 

He would have to buy it back from the insurance company, or not accept the insurance money, and hope he could get enough for the parts on his own.

My car is one year newer, and has 101K on the odometer. I'd probably negotiate the best the insurance settlement possible, and call it a day.

If the accident were the other guys fault, my neck might start hurting, too. :devil:

CD

 

If it was me and I had the money I would keep it. A good R53 is getting harder and harder to find.

Keep it if you can see not getting rid of it in a few years if not take the money and get into a new ride.

 

Taking the insurance payout for a totaled car is a separate transaction from the buy-back....you can take the money, then find out the buy back cost...likely to be less than $1,000. I once did this with a 1995 Maxima that was totaled due to low overall value and very minor collision....I bought back for $500, spent $300 in parts and about 50 hours of time and ended up with a great car for my son to drive for another 50k miles. Do remember if you do this the car will have a "salvage" title...fine to have and drive, but will lower the resale value...best reason to do this is you want the extra vehicle at a bargain price (in my case we needed another vehicle for my son anyway. It will take you time to repair the car yourself, so you'll need another ride....and all this assumes you have the skills and tools to do the work (except maybe farming out the paint)....from what I can see in the couple of photos it appears most everything broken is a bolt on part...most of which are available from junkyards. So a decent candidate if you have skills, time, and space.

 

Yes but keeping it doesn't help his family situation, he has two kids both of whom are probably in car seats....and if you haven't tried bolting a kid in a car seat in the back of an R53....lets just say it can be a challenge!

 

That looks like it could probably be fixed compared to my front end damage.

As Dave said, good R53's are getting harder and harder to find. I looked at several that sold only hours after I saw them online.

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I found a replacement, but it took a couple months. Most of the low mileage cars get bought up pretty quick. I would have liked to buy back the car but the damage was too substantial to try and repair.

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These matters are regulated state by state, so your location may be different than me in North Carolina. If you do not take the Insurance claim then there is no total loss vehicle to salvage...but probably not worth it...your 06 probably has total loss value in the $7-9K range...I'd be surprised if salvage value buy back is more than $2k, perhaps much less. If you have already talked to your insurance company, then there is nothing to hide...might as well ask and know the real deal....let us know what you find out.

 

Save the R53!