My Volvo just go rear ended!

My 1986 740 GLE just got hit by a pickup truck. My daughter was driving an
luckily no one was hurt. Rain slick road and the driver of the pickup could
not stop. He was ticketed for following too closely.

Damage appears to be pretty bad. Both rear fenders, the bumper, the 5th
door, and both of the lights are damaged. Car also does not sound so good!

I have no collision on this car given its age. So....what can I expect? I
assume the car is totaled given the extent of the damage.

Thanks,
Bill

 

Don't you just go out and shoot him, or have I been watching too many
American movies.

Another Bill

 

he should have insurance..shouldn't cost you a dime. mine was rear ended
about three weeks ago. the person's insurance paid all the rapres and
covered a rental. my insurance did not get involved because i was not at
fault.

 

Yes it sounds like it's certainly totalled, but it was clearly his fault so
his insurance should pay you for the damage, if you're in the USA I'd expect
you to get at least $2000, they'll try to lowball you but pester them for a
while and you'll get enough to pick up another comparable car. Sucks I know,
same thing happened to my brother's nice '79 242, however we're planning to
repair it anyway as the damage wasn't quite so bad and I have a particular
liking for that car.

 

I'm no mechanic. But my Volvo 240 (1990) was hit four times requiring
extensive repairs - and although the damage did look bad at the start- it
was a solid car and the mechanics fixed it up ok.

In the last 14 years I have:
1. Got hit from behind - bumper pushed in; side panel damaged - boot bent.
Cost US$1500.
2. A drunk pedestrian walked into the path of my car - engine lid bent,
radiator grill pushed in.... wind screen smashed.$500.
3. Hit a traffic light when caught in a road oil slick. engine lid +grill
smashed, front lights (except plastic protectors) smashed. Cost US$1,500.
4. Sideswip - door damaged, side panel damaged. Cost $800

I drove the car 800km to a ski resort - and it drove really well. Only
consumed 65litres of petrol or so.


*****
I'll hazard a guess and say that the sound coming from your damaged car is
probably from a cracked muffler or exhaust.

If the chassis is still OK - the car can be fixed.

Go and get it checked out by your mechanic.

 

I'd recommend that he get a good settlement and then sell the otherwise
working car to some poor student who doesn't mind the body damage but
needs a reliable car. $400-500 should be a great deal for the car, since it
runs.(yeah - the rear door might have to be held in place with a bungee
cord, but for a student, it runs and is safe)

Win-win - you get $400-$500 out of it plus the iunsurance settlement.
You get a newer car and the student gets a nice deal.

 

My college daughter also just totaled our oldest volvo which was a 88 240
station wagon. Hit someone else ----but not her fault, thank God, and noone
hurt seriously, since it was the other person's fault they paid for totaled
car and rental. We had dropped collision long ago also. Now she has the other
older car-----92 940 GL----and my husband has NEW s90 Turbo.