Hmmm… good info Barky. Makes me wonder where the copper in the pipes I had was smelted! 
I’m pretty sure my main line is plastic. At least that’s what’s sticking out of the floor and attached to the water meter. Didn’t see them put it in though. I used to think it would have been better to have copper but based on this and the less possibility with freezing the pipes in the winter, I guess I’m happy with plastic.
My brother had a problem with pipe erosion and had to install a pH correction system. While PEX et al is a great alternative to the cost and limitations of conventional piping, it’s not solving the fundamental pH problem. And all your fixtures and other machinery (e.g. clothes/dish washers) are being subjected to it as well. Plus, if it’s eroding metal, I wouldn’t like to drink it…
Excellent point about the fixtures, TT.
Re: drinking it, I did for 13-1/2 years and it was the best tapwater I ever tasted.
Now my current “town” supply… I refuse to drink! I buy bottled water. 
okay, so I finally got the estimate. The insurance company wants to repair it despite the fact that the car needs a new engine & transaxle, in addition to replacing the front seats, console covers (LT, RT, and Center), carpet padding, and repairing the carpet. And there’s also a mistake in that they’ve listed my car as an automatic when it is a manual transmission. My mechanic was surprised that there wasn’t anything on the estimate for electrical damage and that they didn’t total the car. I’ve decided not to keep this car because my mechanic thinks it will have lots of problems down the line. The question I now have is whether to take the $4065 of the estimate and put it towards a new car or to start with the repairs and see if in the process it gets totaled. (I’m not exactly sure what number my insurance company is using for the value of my car since the estimate, which was 4315.83, is 90% of the KBB value. I asked how much they were valuing my car at and they wouldn’t give the number.) Any advice you’d have as to whether to wait it out or cut and run would be greatly appreciated.
Well, look at the blue book value or what comparables are selling for and minus the insurance amount. That’s how much you are losing or how far apart they are. Gotta think without the repairs you are looking for junk value with no engine, interior or transmission-maybe a couple hundred for the scrap. So I think you are pretty far apart. The question is how are they going to put a new engine and transmission in and a new interior for $4000? They are going used all the way.
You can probably get more from the insurance company by claiming, in addition, diminished value. This could several hundreds or even above a thousand more. Google it and read up on it. My son got an extra $640 after his car got into an accident which was not his fault.
Ask your mechanic for a detailed estimate of the electrical systems that need to be replaced, and then compare the list to the replacement list from your insurer. When you say replace the engine, it isn’t clear whether that is a fully assembled engine only or whether it includes electrical components like the control modules.