Author Topic: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?  (Read 19296 times)

lukebuz

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Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« on: June 17, 2013, 12:17:42 PM »
The wife opened her car door (2008 Honda Fit) into a wind storm.  Blew the door completely backwards, messing up the hinge and bending sheet metal.  Took a small chip of paint off an adjoining panel too. 
Estimates to fix: $1200 - $1800.  So, it would be a $500 deductable claim on comprehensive insurance.  Assuming the door can open and close securely – would you fix it, if it were yours?  It’s still a decent, clean 2008.  Worth maybe $8000.

Khan

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2013, 12:25:33 PM »
Yes, and I'd pay out of pocket so that my insurance didn't go up too much on the back end, but that's because I don't like defects, especially probably significant ones like that.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2013, 12:43:41 PM »
What about potential leaks under heavy rain? You can simulate it with dumping a few buckets of water on the area and see what happens.

If you think you will run it into the ground and never sell it, don't bother fixing.

lukebuz

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2013, 01:14:38 PM »
Well, the idea is to run it into the ground...but then, if your going to keep it, you should keep it nice.
But then, the cheapass in me wants to teach her a lesson, and not fix it.  She lately hasn't been treating her stuff very nice.  Cracked her smartphone screen, washed (ruined) her FitBit, now the car...  I mean, come on.  Treat your stuff nice.

I waver back and forth - so we invest $500 in a cosmetic thing - and then she breaks something else?  argh.

Rural

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2013, 01:55:50 PM »

But then, the cheapass in me wants to teach her a lesson, and not fix it.  She lately hasn't been treating her stuff very nice. 

Woah. If she decides she needs a lesson, I'm sure she'll go out and learn it. Since she's an adult, that's her prerogative, not yours. In the meantime, the two of you should decide together whether you want to repair the car.

meadow lark

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2013, 01:57:22 PM »
I would agree with running a car into the ground, but your attitude is also going to run your marriage into the ground.  You will have a million opportunities to prove to her that she is an idiot child.  Funny thing, she will also have a million opportunities to prove that about you.  Because none of us stands up to scrutiny.  I'm not pretending to be perfect, but I've watched this movie and I know how it ends.  Divorce is a lot more pricey than a car door.

kudy

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2013, 02:00:13 PM »
I did the same thing to my first car, backing out of the garage with the door open (derrp) - it didn't get *horribly* bent, and I was able to layer enough weather stripping in the resulting gap to keep out the elements; if I messed up my current car with something like that, I'd have it fixed.

meadow lark

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2013, 02:02:18 PM »

P.S.
[/quote]
But then, the cheapass in me wants to teach her a lesson, and not fix it.
That's not the cheap-ass in you, that's just the ass.

GuitarStv

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2013, 02:02:31 PM »
Opening a door when it's windy isn't the kind of thing I'd expect to cause damage.  Seems like a pretty easy mistake to make, especially if a gust of wind pulled the door away from you unexpectedly.  You might want to check your language . . . kinda coming across like a dick.

shusherstache

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2013, 03:00:10 PM »
Oh, this is timely.

I ran a curb this weekend with my husband in the car.  He watched me mentally beat myself up over it, but didn't include himself on the action and instead praised me on my quick execution of a plan and ability to safely get us out of harm's way.  When one of us makes a mistake, we know the pain the mistake-ee has made is enough.

SnackDog

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2013, 03:27:35 PM »
Maybe she could take on an extra part time job to pay for it.

MgoSam

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2013, 05:21:13 PM »
"Don't accept the premise of the question"
-Leo McGary

Frugal_in_DC

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2013, 05:52:46 PM »
Please treat your wife with respect.  You can still express your concerns by saying something like this in a non-threatening way:  "I've noticed recently that some valuable things have broken and I'm concerned about the financial repercussions of these unexpected expenses.  What are your thoughts?" 

Does she need a protector for her smartphone?  LifeProof and Otterbox are great brands.

Get the car fixed and drive it into the ground.  A family member recently had an accident with our car, which is worth half as much as yours, and we got it fixed.  Luckily no one got hurt - that's all that matters.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2013, 06:16:08 PM by Frugal in DC »

StarryC

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2013, 06:14:41 PM »
I once read an Ann Landers about the husband who is frustrated that his wife keeps losing her keys.  The solution, of course is to keep the wife and make more keys. 

Is the recent forgetfulness/carelessness a symptom of something else?  Maybe she is overworked or overstressed and in a hurry to get places and chores done.  Maybe you should offer to help with the laundry and be sure you check all the pockets while she takes a nap! 


.22guy

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2013, 06:23:19 PM »
Maybe she could take on an extra part time job to pay for it.

I'm sure that suggestion would go over like a turd in the punchbowl.

Rebecca Stapler

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2013, 06:27:21 PM »

P.S.
But then, the cheapass in me wants to teach her a lesson, and not fix it.
That's not the cheap-ass in you, that's just the ass.

FTW

arebelspy

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2013, 06:45:14 PM »
Okay, OP's probably gotten enough facepunches about his attitude.

I felt the same first reading it, but reading through this thread I'm hoping he gets the picture, and piling on more probably will not help.  (Constructive comments, regarding the wife or car, may.)

:)
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Nords

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2013, 09:54:27 PM »
The wife opened her car door (2008 Honda Fit) into a wind storm.  Blew the door completely backwards, messing up the hinge and bending sheet metal.  Took a small chip of paint off an adjoining panel too. 
Estimates to fix: $1200 - $1800.  So, it would be a $500 deductable claim on comprehensive insurance.  Assuming the door can open and close securely – would you fix it, if it were yours?  It’s still a decent, clean 2008.  Worth maybe $8000.
I'm not sure what "messing up the hinge" means.  Assuming the door still opens & shuts, and latches, and the road noise doesn't drown out the radio, then I wouldn't bother fixing it.

By the way this sort of damage is part of the process of driving a car into the ground.  We drove a car for several years with collision damage, and it worked just fine.  Even better, the other cars stayed well clear and nobody ever cut us off again.

arebelspy

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2013, 10:41:54 PM »
By the way this sort of damage is part of the process of driving a car into the ground. 

Agreed.

This, to me, is the opposite of what to do:
Well, the idea is to run it into the ground...but then, if your going to keep it, you should keep it nice.

My coworker, for example, just paid like $1800 to fix a giant scratch on her bumper, something I'd be fine living with (indeed, our car has dings and scratches).  "Keep it nice" sounds silly to me.  Keep it running well, sure.

If cars are one's vice, I'm okay with that, but in general I'd think most Mustachians wouldn't care about a minor lessening of their car's appearance.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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meadow lark

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2013, 10:58:50 PM »
I wouldn't fix it unless there is a functional reason, like it leaks or doesn't handle right.  My car has a little character...

jrhampt

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #20 on: June 18, 2013, 08:19:03 AM »
I'd fix the issue with the hinge if the door isn't opening/closing properly.  Anything cosmetic I would ignore.  I have a 2001 Echo with plenty of dents and scratches, but it runs just fine.  If anything, I think of it as theft deterrence.  Also, I have to pay zero thought to caring about keeping it pristine, which I think is a relief.

Nords

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #21 on: June 18, 2013, 08:50:01 AM »
My coworker, for example, just paid like $1800 to fix a giant scratch on her bumper, something I'd be fine living with (indeed, our car has dings and scratches).  "Keep it nice" sounds silly to me.  Keep it running well, sure.
Heh.  A few years ago my spouse spun out on a rainy highway offramp and was rear-ended by a hostile guardrail.  When I arrived it had both rear wheels in the air (the car, not the guardrail) and the front bumper was lying in the mud.  The rear bumper was lying in the mud, too, right next to the front bumper.  So I guess the car had been literally driven into the ground.

I hooked up a tow strap with a ratchet tensioner, jacked up the front end out of the dirt, and was able to pull the car back on to the ground.  Luckily the guardrail didn't put up much of a fight.  The mechanic's shop was only a few miles away, so we limped in there with the rear bumper in the back seat.

The mechanics wanted a couple thousand bucks for all the damage, most of which was cosmetic.  Nobody wanted to check the frame but the wheel alignments were still OK.  The stabilizer bar between the rear wheels had an impressive kink in it from absorbing the guardrail impact, but it wasn't too far out of whack and the car still drove well.

I reattached the rear bumper and "fixed" the cosmetic damage with tin snips and a rasp file.  Then spouse touched it up with appliance paint.  We talked about filling in the bumper's remaining gouges & holes with putty but that just didn't seem worth the effort.  An eBay aftermarket muffler, a huge glob of RTV on the exhaust pipe, and the car was good to go.  We gave it away to a neighbor's teen a couple years ago, but we still see the car on the road.

DoubleDown

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #22 on: June 18, 2013, 11:01:20 AM »

We drove a car for several years with collision damage, and it worked just fine.  Even better, the other cars stayed well clear and nobody ever cut us off again.

Ha, that's great, a nice side effect! I've noticed I also unconsciously give wide berth to someone driving a beat-up car that looks like they don't give a damn.

And no doubt further cemented in your relatives' and neighbors' eyes their image of you a poor, jobless, dangerous vagabond. At least we all know the truth.

prodarwin

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #23 on: June 18, 2013, 11:11:58 AM »
I'm a believer that if you treat something like you want it to last forever... it probably will.  Once a vehicle begins to look like a beater, it becomes treated more like one, resulting in more damage, neglected repairs, etc.  Obviously you need to use some common sense if doing this.  Some things are not worth fixing, and if you get too anal about the appearance/condition of the car, you'll waste time, energy, and money just stressing about it.


trammatic

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #24 on: June 18, 2013, 12:53:58 PM »
FWIW, comprehensive claims do not have direct effects on your insurance rates (as opposed to collision claims).  They might affect your underwriting, so if you are generally not a good driver, it's still likely better to not make a claim.  But, if you have a clean record with no other claims, go ahead and make the claim.  Typically you can ask for a check for the net payout amount.  If it's a 2k repair and a 500 deductible, you'd get a check for 1500.  It's your choice on whether to repair the car or not, but if you don't, then your insurance company will reduce the value of your car to them by 2k. (So even though you peg it at 8k, if you were to pocket the money and then total it in a month, they'd only pay you 6k.)  You typically have to prove that the repairs were made if you want to claim damage to the same area either with a repair shop bill or allowing an adjuster to verify your DIY repairs.

So, when a deer ran into my wife's car, it only cracked the fender, which after replacement and painting would have net about $850.  We happily took the check and invested it.

jrhampt

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2013, 02:11:17 PM »
Great story, Nords!  My bumper has been bolted on a couple of times.

Nords

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #26 on: June 18, 2013, 03:20:12 PM »
FWIW, comprehensive claims do not have direct effects on your insurance rates (as opposed to collision claims). 
I bought my last new car in 1981, and I haven't had comprehensive or collision insurance since the mid-1980s...

fidgiegirl

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #27 on: June 18, 2013, 08:08:56 PM »
I'm a believer that if you treat something like you want it to last forever... it probably will.  Once a vehicle begins to look like a beater, it becomes treated more like one, resulting in more damage, neglected repairs, etc.  Obviously you need to use some common sense if doing this.  Some things are not worth fixing, and if you get too anal about the appearance/condition of the car, you'll waste time, energy, and money just stressing about it.

I think there is something to this.  I just had some items fixed on my DH's car because it was starting to feel too much like a POS and I (and he) were starting to prematurely talk about a new car for him.  It's a 1996 Honda Accord and only has 160K miles on it - it has a lot of life left for us to let minor problems make us feel like we need a new car.  And now we don't!  We had the A/C looked at, a shitty broken off antenna replaced (well, ahem, by me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D), water leaking in when it rains fixed ($65 to reseal windshield), that kind of thing.  And it feels not so shitty now and we are happier and no longer talking about a new car.

SnackDog

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #28 on: June 19, 2013, 01:30:59 AM »
I knew a guy in college who was t-boned in his Honda Civic hatchback by a car going about 40 mph. The impact was on the passenger side centered between the wheels. It drove in the door and roof about 18-24 inches and cracked the windshield. It appeared a total loss.

He paid no mind and just kept driving it. I imagine the cops eventually gave him a ticket for the windshield. I can't imagine what the alignment must have been like.

MountainFlower

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #29 on: June 19, 2013, 07:50:24 PM »
I was in the hailstorm from hell about 6 months after buying my car.  It was 4 years old, but by far the nicest car I've ever owned.  The hailstorm destroyed the windsheild and every surface of the car is dented.  I say "is" because I took the $6500 check from State Farm and didn't fix a thing but the windshield.  Hailstorms?  Bring em on.  There's nothing more to dent on my car. 

dragoncar

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Re: Wife Screwed Up Car: Would You Fix It?
« Reply #30 on: June 19, 2013, 08:51:30 PM »
Fixing the wife sounds good in theory, but how would you do it?