Author Topic: My car just went up in flames  (Read 7869 times)

Pixelshot

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
My car just went up in flames
« on: November 12, 2013, 07:20:28 AM »
Yes, that's exactly what happened. Fire department banging on the door at 4am to tell me my car, parked on the street, is in flames. It's totalled.

The car, in very mustachian form, was a car I've been keeping alive for years. It served me well. Insurance is liability only so no $ to claim there.

Mainly I need to know what to do with the car. Do I donate it to a shop for $200 in cash? Do I give it to good will for $500 in a tax deduction? My effective tax rate is going to be somewhere around 25% I would guess, so that suggests that $200 is more than $500 in a deduction.  Am I right??

Thanks.

wannabfrugal

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 41
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2013, 07:31:16 AM »
At a 25% marginal tax rate (ie next 500 dollars in come is taxed at 25%), the $500 donation would be worth $125 so if a shop will give you $200, that is a better net cash to you (assuming you aren't going to pay taxes on the sale to the shop). 

FYI if you think the car is worth > $500, taking a donation for > $500 has additional IRS hoops to jump through.  See IRS Form 8283 Instructions  http://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/formsPublications.html;jsessionid=d-y6HibmnwTu8IUh75BvhQ__?value=8283&criteria=formNumber&submitSearch=Find


Insanity

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1021
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2013, 08:29:34 AM »
Yes, that's exactly what happened. Fire department banging on the door at 4am to tell me my car, parked on the street, is in flames. It's totalled.

The car, in very mustachian form, was a car I've been keeping alive for years. It served me well. Insurance is liability only so no $ to claim there.

Mainly I need to know what to do with the car. Do I donate it to a shop for $200 in cash? Do I give it to good will for $500 in a tax deduction? My effective tax rate is going to be somewhere around 25% I would guess, so that suggests that $200 is more than $500 in a deduction.  Am I right??

Thanks.

How?!?!?!

olivia

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 770
  • From Consumerism to Minimalism
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2013, 08:39:05 AM »
Wow, that sucks.  I had a completely paid off car totaled while it was parked, but a drunk driver hit it, so it was way less dramatic than the car going up in flames!  Luckily the driver's insurance paid for mine.  I'd probably give it to a shop for $200 if I were in your shoes. 

Pixelshot

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2013, 04:15:31 AM »
The car just caught on fire in the middle of the night in what seems to be an act of vehicular suicide. The fire inspector said it was "undetermined" but the fire centered around an electrical area in the engine compartment so it must have been some short. Who knows.

The insurance was liability only so no coverage. Aside from the car, all I lost was a bag of Reeses Pieces that was on the front seat.

Khan

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 614
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2013, 04:51:52 AM »
The car just caught on fire in the middle of the night in what seems to be an act of vehicular suicide. The fire inspector said it was "undetermined" but the fire centered around an electrical area in the engine compartment so it must have been some short. Who knows.

The insurance was liability only so no coverage. Aside from the car, all I lost was a bag of Reeses Pieces that was on the front seat.

Noo... NooO! Your car killed your Reeses? Christine car confirmed.

Spork

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5742
    • Spork In The Eye
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2013, 07:20:38 AM »
This is the point in time where you say "boy am I glad I don't have a garage."

If this was truly spontaneous, do at least a small amount of research and see if your make/model has had this problem before.  I remember Ford trucks had this issue back in the late 90s/early 2000s and had a recall.  I don't know if there would be any recourse for an older mustacian car with a manufacturer defect... but it might be worth 15 minutes of googling.

Pixelshot

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2013, 06:27:56 AM »
good idea Spork. My wife (and attorney) said there's no way that Nissan would give me a cent but I still feel like they should - at least they should replace the Reeses Pieces!

clutchy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 339
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2013, 01:23:19 PM »
what kind of nissan was it?

aglassman

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 164
  • Age: 38
  • Location: Milwaukee, WI
    • Milwaukee Maven
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2013, 01:26:02 PM »
Reeses, melt in your car, not in your hand.

Pixelshot

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2013, 07:57:16 AM »
what kind of nissan was it?

94 Pathfinder. No sign of problems. Maybe it just didn't like the Reeses.

clutchy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 339
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2013, 11:50:19 AM »
my '99 maxima breathes a sigh of relief.

Random

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 125
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2013, 01:32:30 PM »
When I read the title of the thread, I thought, "What self-respecting Mustachian drives a Tesla?"

livetogive

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 235
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2013, 02:11:43 PM »
I'd give it to the shop for free so take the $200 and run like a madman.  I suspect many places would actually charge you to remove a burned out hulk.

aglassman

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 164
  • Age: 38
  • Location: Milwaukee, WI
    • Milwaukee Maven
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2013, 08:48:34 AM »
When I read the title of the thread, I thought, "What self-respecting Mustachian drives a Tesla?"

HAAAAAA! This made my morning!

Bigote

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 277
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2013, 11:44:21 AM »
Sorry about your car and all, but dude we need pictures. 

Emerald

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 97
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #16 on: December 05, 2013, 12:37:22 PM »
Reeses, melt in your car, not in your hand.


Ha! Ha! Ha! 

PantsOnFire

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 141
  • Location: PA
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2013, 12:44:11 PM »
Cross your fingers that the city doesn't come after you for damages to the asphalt. 

Also, I don't think many charities will accept totaled cars.  You could part out what's left on eBay and scrap the rest. 

Jmoody10

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 97
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #18 on: December 05, 2013, 12:50:35 PM »
Had a 97 F-150 burn down while I was in class one day... We sold it to the towing company because the bed was still fine. I say sell it for scrap!

_JT

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 228
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #19 on: December 05, 2013, 01:38:35 PM »
Have your wife draft a letter to Nissan demanding that they recoup your Reese's Pieces losses.

Spork

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5742
    • Spork In The Eye
Re: My car just went up in flames
« Reply #20 on: December 05, 2013, 01:38:48 PM »
Had a 97 F-150 burn down while I was in class one day... We sold it to the towing company because the bed was still fine. I say sell it for scrap!

Um... now THIS is possibly a known problem.  All the Ford trucks had a known issue with the cruise control.  There was a recall.  The trucks would spontaneously combust hours after being parked.  Several folks had Ford buy them a new car (and possibly a new house).  I had and Expedition then.  They recalled/replaced the problematic part for free.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!