My kid bought his first car.

[cowboyup3371]

Be careful Rich; seems the insurance companies are more likely to total cars now because parts are becoming scarce. DAMHIK

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I hear ya, Scott. I half-expect the insurance company to total it. We’ll see.

[rphillips]

As always thankful no injuries...Hate it for ya'll, but guess just his introduction to the real world... Good luck with repairs, really looks just cosmetic.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Yeah, kid didn’t seem shaken up at all, handled things well. I told him, Sh:t happens. That’s why there’s insurance. Very thankful no one was hurt.

[grcamna2]

I like those Prius and would enjoy that Hybrid which has been very well aerodynamically styled:nice car.

[storm 64]

So what's the Problem? It'll buff right out. Now you have a Three Door Sedan! Just joking, glad no one got hurt. If the car is still drivable, I'd just drive it.

[dorkburger]

Ugh, that stinks. Good about no injuries though.

[Nessism]

Glad to hear nobody got hurt. Please remind your boy to make sure approching cars at a 4 way stop are slowing down and not distracted. Good chance that 20 year old woman was playing with her phone.

BTW, that car doesn't look good. It's going to need a quarter panel, two doors, and maybe some structure realignment at the B & C pillars. That could add up to a total.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Glad to hear nobody got hurt. Please remind your boy to make sure approching cars at a 4 way stop are slowing down and not distracted. Good chance that 20 year old woman was playing with her phone.

BTW, that car doesn't look good. It's going to need a quarter panel, two doors, and maybe some structure realignment at the B & C pillars. That could add up to a total.

I talked to him about the 4-way stop scenario. Just because it's your turn legally, doesn't mean you can ignore the other cars at or approaching the intersection. Got to never assume the other driver will do the right thing. Picked up the police report last night. I know the other driver, she used to be in youth fellowship program I led a church. Sweet kid. She admitted to the cop and insurance company to being distracted, adjusting her heater. She has the same insurance company as ours. I just got off the phone w/ them. I'll take the car to my body shop today or tomorrow, see what he says. It certainly could add up to a total on a 11 yr old car.

[rphillips]

Hey storm, "If the car is still drivable I'd just drive it"...How long since you were a young man with his first car? I'd think you wouldn't have felt that way back then...Just guessing.

[storm 64]

Hey storm, "If the car is still drivable I'd just drive it"...How long since you were a young man with his first car? I'd think you wouldn't have felt that way back then...Just guessing.

I understand what you're saying. It's got to be upsetting to have your first car wrecked...

As for me? When I was a young man, I drove nothing but "Beaters". A little body damage didn't bother me. As long as it had gas in it and it ran I was fine with that.
Actually I didn't own a car till I was 20. My first set of wheels was a motorcycle a 76 Honda CB 360T, then I got my 80 KZ650. Then when my brother was moving he gave me his old Datsun pick up truck. It didn't have a straight panel on it. My first nice car was a two year old 95 Volkswagen Jetta. It was also my first auto loan...

[rphillips]

Wouldn't doubt you at all storm, some young folks are like that, I's just say'in "most" youngsters probably wouldn't drive a beater. I don't know Noah, he may be one that may take the ins. money & drive it like it is... Just another decision while entering the real world.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Noah is pretty particular about his things, car is no exception. He probably wouldn't sweat a tiny dent. But the entire rear door caved in is another thing, entirely. My first vehicle was a '76 IH Scout Traveler. My older brother beat the snot out of it before I got it. For a while, it had a crumpled front driver's side fender. I replaced it with a better fender from a wrecked Scout, that I rattle-canned a different color. Then we sold it. But I was just happy to have something to drive. My biggest worries at the time were with the stereo and speakers I installed in it (replaced the AM Mono - yes, just one speaker in the middle of the dash)

[storm 64]

Also some states wouldn't let you drive a wrecked car. Especially a Uni-body car. I know Pennsylvania has strict laws, cars have to pass a yearly inspection.
Rich, don't listen to me. I don't know what I'm talking about. Don't drive the wrecked car! Haha🤔

[bwringer]

A friend of mine a while back was a traveling nurse, and his specialty was piling monster miles on "lightly wrecked" cars he picked up incredibly cheap. He had a small fleet of battered hoopties with damage like this. He would have been overjoyed to find something like this.

In fact, one common source for damaged cars was the families he served; quite often after Mom came home with some mysterious dents the family would gently extract the keys from her hand and sell the car fast and cheap.

Of course, there are no inspections in Indiana, and nothing technically illegal about driving a car in that condition; I don't see any particular safety issues, other than perhaps the door and/or window might leak. It's weaker if there's a second impact, but you're also not going to have anyone sitting there either.

Since insurance is involved, the decision may be partially out of your hands, especially if you have different state laws about this sort of thing. As noted, that's almost certainly a total. Whether it makes sense to partially repair it is a different question.

Anyway, it wasn't his fault, no one was hurt, and so you can call it a learning experience.