# Is my car totaled? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 24, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611 "2014-06-24T05:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/1 "2014-06-24T05:29:18Z")
Last week, my Tiguan got in a hit and run while it was parked on the street. Luckily, they found him and gave him a class 2 misdemeanor so now I am dealing with his insurance company. My VW SEL 4Motion Tiguan is a 2012 that was in flawless condition. I bought it from a previous owner about three weeks ago (no joke haha) and it has give or take, 20,000 miles. The repair shop already has up to $11,000 in damages and they told me they have not yet looked for internal damages (is this hidden damages? is that what they mean?). I purchased the car for around $23,000 but many websites say its worth around 24,000-25,000 with all its features. I am hoping it’s totaled because of how many damages there are. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if my car would be considered totaled? The insurance has not told me much yet and I’m not 21 so I doubt I can get a rental car for the next month during repairs. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/2 "2014-06-24T05:42:51Z")
An insurance company will usually total a vehicle when the repairs approach 70-80% of the vehicles value. They’ll have to see if any hidden damage is discovered before it can be determined if the vehicle is totaled. Tester ---
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/3 "2014-06-24T05:57:08Z")
Tester, when you ask for loss of value, will they also take that $$ into account for a totaled car? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/4 "2014-06-24T06:06:30Z")
Nope! When a car is totaled, the insurance pays off the balance of the loan, and takes the car for salvage. Unless you want to buy the car back for the salvage fee? Tester ---
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/5 "2014-06-24T06:10:14Z")
Nope haha, thanks for your help!! Hopefully the hidden damage isn’t too bad. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 8:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/6 "2014-06-24T08:22:08Z")
I think they will repair that one and it may take a while to get the needed parts…21 or not, they have to provide you with transportation…Was the car titled in your name? You are very lucky the perp had insurance…Most hit and runs do not… ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 8:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/7 "2014-06-24T08:52:07Z")
It varies by state but here in OK if the repair meets about 60% of the actual value (not the average retail price which is higher) the vehicle is generally considered a total. If you keep it and it is repaired then you face a diminished value vehicle. This means if you decide to sell it after the repair most buyers will be very leery of buying the vehicle for anywhere near the asking price because of the perception that the car has some serious issues even if it does not. ---
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 9:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/8 "2014-06-24T09:14:10Z")
Caddyman, The car is titled in my mom’s name. I’m in Colorado but I am unaware of what would be considered totaled! ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/9 "2014-06-24T18:14:25Z")
Did you ask your insurance company if there’s any way they can assist you in getting a rental car? They usually have an arrangement with a rental car company for people who carry the rental car rider and that arrangement might not have the usual age limit. Even if you don’t have the rider, maybe you can use that program at your own expense. Similarly, I think some body shops might have an arrangement for getting rental cars that might not have the usual age limit. However, presumably the insurance is in your mom’s name, which complicates this issue, as the rentals mentioned above might need to go to your mom instead of you. Your situation sounds like you might be in college. If so, you might be able to use a Zipcar rental, so check into that. ---
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/10 "2014-06-24T19:19:31Z")
Just another question… they determined it was totaled today and I am able to get a rental car for the time being! Does anyone know what trim my car is? I know the back says TSI 4motion, but all the websites like KBB and NADA ask for a trim like S, SE, SEL. How do I know which one it is? ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/11 "2014-06-24T19:47:27Z")
I’m confused. You said above that it’s an SEL 4Motion. Isn’t that what you’re now asking? ---
**Author:** ![cj12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cj12](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cj12)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/12 "2014-06-24T21:06:48Z")
Ahh nevermind, I think I got the wrong trim earlier. I figured it out! ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-my-car-totaled/85611/13 "2014-06-24T23:51:21Z")
They may have totaled the car and that’s good for the O.P. But I guarantee you the insurance company will sell the car to a re-builder and that car will be re-sold, maybe with a salvage title and maybe not. Will Carfax make note of all this? Maybe yes and maybe no…