I own a 2004 Mustang GT Convertible which I paid $27,000 (husband corrected me $32,200 was the sticker price) in Jan 2004. I had it built from the factory to get exactly what I wanted. On Thursday a car in front of me slammed on brakes and I did the same and didn't hit them but the 1993 4 door Saturn that was behind me never slowed down. She went under my car and it barely even jolted us. She hit the right passenger tire and bounced off, her car was totaled and of course she had no insurance. At the scene it looked like I had very little damage "just a new bumper and new tail pipe and it'll be good as new" the cop said. When I drove it home I knew that it was in bad shape. (Keep in mind I know nothing about the mechanics of the car.) There was no shocks at all and the steering was stiff and a hissing noise was coming from the engine. When I looked at it at home I saw the tail pipe was shoved (I had dual exhaust) back under it to the tire. The gas tank had deep scratches in it. The tow truck come to get it and when he put it up on the truck you could see that the right back tire was shoved up further than the left and it looked like the door was not shut but it was. It just looked sideways sorta. He said the hissing noise from the engine is the tail pipe shoved into the engine and it broke the manifold. We are waiting for the ford dealership to give us and estimate. Tonight, we went by the Ford Dealership and found the car out in the back lot unlocked and in a place where there is no security and couple had been sitting in it and were just getting out. I am 40 years old and this is my first car other than the family van. It is the car that I have always wanted. This is a car that has never been outside overnight! Do any of you have any idea what the repairs may cost, could it be totaled and what should I do? I would appreciate any advice, Thanks.

 

If the tire is bad as you say then I would imagin your frame is bent and broken. Who knows that happened to the rear axle. Manifolds would prob be about $150 without labor costs and about the same for new muffler. Bumper maybe $200 . If the frame work is messed up on the car it will be costly.

 

Just wait for the estimate, they'll be able to see it and give you the best idea of what is wrong. But, from your description, I'd say the rear-end has a couple of bent control arms and quite possibly, the unibody is bent. Mustangs do not and never have had frames, they're unibody cars, like 99% of cars out there. It can be fixed, most likely, just not like the cop said. The real problem is, will you ever be able to enjoy it to the fullest after knowing that it been in a wreck? I bought my '84 'stang and didn't know it had been wrecked, now I know the full extent of her repairs and it doesn't bother me, I just treat her the same. Its really up to you and your insurance. If they total it (repairs costing more than 50% of value of the car), then you might be better off, because you could find a brand-new '04 stang for less money, if you search for it. Or get a new '05? I know its bad, but at least you aren't hurt and the car can be fixed or replaced. Anyways, best of luck and let us here know whatever happens to your car!!

 

Hmm... it sounds pretty bad, I just recentely had my 2001 V6 get totaled (from a mailbox). Mostly from damage to the unibody though, that and they weren't sure if the passanger air bag was still good so they would have to replace it. I think the estimate for repairs came out to something like $8,755. And I believe the car blue booked for somewhere around $11,000. Although I think I still owed something like 14k on the car. Thankfully though I had GAP coverage, which is extra insurance which pays off the rest of your loan if the car is ever totaled or stolen. I don't know if you have that or not, but it's definitally a good idea, and I'll never buy a car without getting that as well, it's worth the extra money.

 

Just fix it and sell it.

 

Thanks everybody! I finally found out today that the frame of the car was not damaged at all. It was a bent strut that made the right tire move forward and everything else can be fixed! We found out the woman that hit me did have insurance; she was just late paying her premium. So her insurance is paying for all of the repairs and a rental car. We moved it from the Ford dealership and took it to another body shop and they are storing it inside while they repair it. It might even be finished next week. Thanks again these bulletin boards are the only place I found any helpful information. All of my family and friends think there is something wrong with me because I am so protective of my Mustang. Thanks for understanding.

 

Rosemary,

Glad it is working out for you , I would be suicidal if anything like that happened to my car!!

 

Suicidal for the woman in the Saturn maybe...

People found driving without insurance should be beaten severely.

 

or http://www.factoryfive.com/index.html donate some organs