Short version: Did a little "unintended off-roading" at a relatively high rate of speed and whacked the E36 M3 out of a sign a couple months ago. Apparently they reinforce sign posts with berkeleying adamantium these days, as it did a number on the passenger side.
Front fender is destroyed. There's a crease in the bumper that might be fixable. Front door and side-skirt will need to be replaced. Door needs to be adjusted, and I need to get it to the alignment shop to see how bad the stuff I can't see is.
Car still runs, drives, stops great, but pulls right going down the highway.
I went ahead and grabbed a fender off ebay, as it will at least remove the most "embarrassing" damage.
Car is a 2005 and has almost 180,000 miles.
I considered filing a claim, but I'll be shopping for a V2 in the next year or so, and I'm worried they'll either jack my rate sky-high or drop me.
I also considered putting the fender on, seeing if it'll take an alignment, and throwing it on CL "As is."
OR
Seeing if an alignment is even possible, replacing the door and sideskirt as well and having it either re-sprayed or wrapped, but I'm guessing I'd be into it for at least $3k in repairs at that point, and I'm pretty sure the car would, at BEST be worth 9 or 10k considering the mileage.
Thoughts?
I had this happen to my wife's '05 325 wagon w/ 150k on it last winter. She sheared 4 mailboxes secured to a 4x4 posts sunk in concrete when she ran out of talent and luck at the same time.
I spent $275 at the junkyard for a fender, mirror, bumper cover and some plastic bits that go underneath. I spent another $100 or so on a new (ebay) headlight assembly and corner marker light. I replaced the bent control arm and tie rods. I body-puttied the hood myself. Then I took it to a good friend who owns a body shop and sprayed it all the same color as the rest of the car for $350. The windshield was replaced for the deductable ($100).
So, all pretty again for under $1000 and that was my collision deductable so I was paying that much anyway.
She got a new Outback, I'm driving around in the old BMW wagon. I'm not sure how that works out that way but... it's cheaper to keep her happy than to replace her. I mean the car. I think.
@ the op
What kind of car is it that you crashed.
In reply to dean1484:
Cadillac CTS-V aka V1 vs the later cars being the V2.
Basically he needs to man up and make the claim. If it's the only claim, then the rates shouldn't go sky high and if they do, then there are other insurance companies in the world.
Otherwise, put it on a rack and replace the broken/bent suspension parts, bent quarter panel and get on with life.
In reply to Huckleberry:
I payed $300 shipped for the fender. Semi-local (hour & a half drive) jy has door, mirror, & sideskirt for another $300. Might get away with repairing the bumper. If not, cheapest I've found is $800. 
Mega Swap potential donor.
Smarta$$ McPoopyPants wrote:
In reply to Huckleberry:
I payed $300 shipped for the fender. Semi-local (hour & a half drive) jy has door, mirror, & sideskirt for another $300. *Might* get away with repairing the bumper. If not, cheapest I've found is $800.
Still cheaper than what a body shop would charge for installation.
If it doesn't work out there's $500 my wife's been hiding in her dresser I'd be willing to part with. That motor would be nice for my Monte.
Worth fixing as long as the frame is not tweaked. Even I you are 3-4 k out of pocket. Especially if you are going to keep it for a while.
Once again, I believe "Miata" is the answer here. 
Slap a bandaid on it and flog her some more, eventually it will REALLY need to visit the shop. 
I'm in the fix it and keep driving it if the frame is straight camp, too.
Look at your actual auto insurance policy to see how much your carrier surcharges for 1 at-fault accident. I don't remember GA's experience period (time they can wing you), most states allow 5 yrs. Take the surcharge x experience period and compare to out-of-pocket repair cost.
& slow down there Mr. Smarta$$ McPoopypants! 
edit look at your policy conditions to see your "duties", you may have issues if they define a time period in which you must report a claim to be less than "a couple months".
just learned you can put astrisk on each side of word or phrase to italicize
- and an astrisk then a space makes a "point".
berkeley I'm smart when I'm this drunk.
Just fix it. Long term rate hikes will likely cost more than paying out of pocket to find parts. Especially if you have a high deductible. Don't give that industry any more reason to make extra monies because of some algorithm they have to charge people ridiculous amounts of money for horrible services rendered.
Seriously though, keep hunting for parts, in the meantime see if you can get an alignment done, and once it's all repaired sell it and keep saving for your V2. A claim will also go on the vehicles history report which could net you some lost cash down the road. It's a sketchy thing to do to anybody buying down the road though. Tough call.
etifosi wrote:
Look at your actual auto insurance policy to see how much your carrier surcharges for 1 at-fault accident. I don't remember GA's experience period (time they can wing you), most states allow 5 yrs. Take the surcharge x experience period and compare to out-of-pocket repair cost.
& slow down there Mr. Smarta$$ McPoopypants!
*edit* look at your policy conditions to see your "duties", you may have issues if they define a time period in which you must report a claim to be less than "a couple months".
*just learned you can put astrisk on each side of word or phrase to italicize*
* and an astrisk then a space makes a "point".
berkeley I'm smart when I'm this drunk.
It's cool, brah. I just got done hanging with aussiesmg and fastasleep and now I'm watching my cat chase bugs.
Pay the money to fix it AND STOP DRIVING BEYOND YOUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, YOU COULDVE KILLED SOMEONE.
Your car is obviously totalled. Sell it to me for scrap value.
CTS-v = I dont think they have a frame. Oragami
Now tweeked Origami....
Rocker damage and door does not fit right.
So if it's worth 9-10k once fixed but has 3-4k of body work needed right now, would you sell it to me as is for 6k?
So this thread prompted a Craigslist search - and I found this. Does this seem like a ridiculously good price?
36k 2011 cts-v wagon 70k miles. Needs some minor work.
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/5717032379.html
Robbie wrote:
So if it's worth 9-10k once fixed but has 3-4k of body work needed right now, would you sell it to me as is for 6k?
That's the thing. I have no clue what it's worth "fixed" or as is. Of course kbb has some thoughts on the subject, but they're way off, as they always are on oddball cars. There's a nice V1 on CL with similar mileage listed for $16k, but obviously asking price does not necessarily equal sale price.
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/ctd/5712839034.html
Robbie wrote:
So this thread prompted a Craigslist search - and I found this. Does this seem like a ridiculously good price?
36k 2011 cts-v wagon 70k miles. Needs some minor work.
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/5717032379.html
No. But that's just my humble opinion. I'm over the idea of paying a 15-20k premium for a wagon, especially if it's not a garage queen. There are plenty of way nicer sedans in that range that aren't that hideous burgundy.
