Trade in after accident

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a Toyota ECHO that was in a minor fender-bender (another drive ran a left turn light and ran into my car [my wife was driving–she’s OK but annoyed about people who run red lights])

The car is worth ~4,700 to 5,200 retail and $3,000-something trade-in. My insurance deductable is $500.

Questions:

Should I

A) fix it?

B) fix and trade it in?

C) fix it and sell it myself?

D) trade it in as is?

E) sell it as is?

It still drive well and the damage is mostly to the right quarter-panel and grill.

One more piece of information – we traded our Honda CRV for my daughter and son-in-laws ECHO when they had a baby earlier this year. They bought a warranty that was based on years rather than mileage so we are still making payments to Toyota even though we cannot use it since we have past the miles covered in the warranty. So, while the car drives well and gets great mileage, I think I should trade it in for something comparable and without the useless warranty the sales person talked my daughter and son-in-law into buying.



Advice?

Thanks

2

Without knowing the year and mileage on the Echo it’s hard to say. We can’t see the car. Please be more specific about the damage.

3

When it comes to money, fix and and don’t worry, it will be fine. If you see this as an opportunity to dump a car you hate, or if you have fallen in love with a new set of wheels, then fine. I would guess the sale price or trade in price* would both be upped more than $500 but being repaired first.

  • Note: trade in price is a unreal number. It is part of a transaction and can be high or low depending on what the dealer things will get you to buy and pay the most total cost out of your pockets. It does not represent what the car is worth to the dealer. It is just part of the deal where the dealer is trying to confuse you as much as possible.
4

Good questions –
2002 Echo;
112,000 miles
Right quarter-panel out of place slightly–have to look to see it is not lined up with the headlamp. No damage to engine parts or in driving. I think my wife was going about 10-15 mph when she hit the car that turned in front of her. No obivious dents or gouges but, still, it is body work.
The car has performed well and I like the mileage, but I don’t like being stuck in a warranty I cannot use.

5

I don’t understand payments for a warranty that is no longer in effect (care to elaborate?), but that’s beside the point.

I sounds like your Echo has not suffered significant damage. Can you, or your wife, drive it as is? If so, I suggest you do just that. Drive it. The Echo is an extremely fuel efficient vehicle. I’d milk it for every mile I could get out of it.

Forget about how it looks (not the easiest thing to do, I know), and enjoy the fuel mileage while you can. You’re unlikely to find such a fuel-efficient vehicle again any time soon.