3 Disasters Where Repair Doesn't Make Sense
No one likes to give up on a beloved automobile, but some circumstances are simply beyond hope. When disaster strikes, you have no choice but to decide between repairing your vehicle and letting it go. Unfortunately, repair may rarely be a worthwhile option if you do not have collision or comprehensive insurance to cover your damages.
Keep reading to discover three scenarios where keeping your car just doesn't make sense, no matter how much you might want to try to put the pieces back together again.
1. Fire Damage
Car fires can happen for any number of reasons, from intentional vandalism to mechanical failures. Knowing what to do following a fire can be difficult, especially if you do not carry comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle. Like home fires, car fires cause damage both through intense heat and smoke.
Deciding what to do following a fire is mostly a matter of evaluating the severity and location. If the fire remained in the engine bay and did not damage any expensive components, then you may be able to repair the vehicle. Fire damage to a vehicle's interior or smoke damage to upholstery or interior surfaces is often not worth the cost of repairs, however. In these cases, cutting your losses and junking the car is often the way to go.
2. Flood Damage
Consumer advocates caution buyers against purchasing flood cars for a good reason. When a vehicle floods, the water can cause mechanical, cosmetic, and interior damage. Even if the car appears to be in good condition, trapped moisture can encourage mold growth or result in hidden corrosion. Over time, these problems can fester and make your car unsafe or even unhealthy to drive.
In general, flood damage is more likely to be fatal for cars that remained submerged in deep water for longer. A brief amount of time spent in shallow water may not ruin a car, but sitting for hours or days in over a foot of water will often cause long-lasting damage. In most cases, you should consider any flooded car a total loss and consider selling it to a junk car buyer.
3. Animal Collisions
Hitting an animal can be traumatic for you and devastating for your vehicle. Large animals such as deer or moose can easily total even large cars. For example, an average male moose can weigh more than half a ton — easily enough to wreck most vehicles when hit at high speed. If you don't have collision coverage, then the damage from hitting a large animal is often more than enough to justify junking.
Although it may feel like it's always worthwhile to try to save your car, in many cases, it makes more sense to cut your losses. You can then spend the money you make from junking your old car to purchase a newer, more reliable vehicle.
For more information, contact a junk vehicle service.