2008 Chevy Cobalt - Is it totaled?
 

As much as I hate it, I need some advice.

A long story short, I hydroplaned and smashed my left rear into a tree yesterday. Slid backwards and hit square in the left taillight area and really lmoved around a bunch of stuff including a smashed windshield. I have insurance, but it's liability only - so all costs involved will be straight out of my pocket.

I took as many detailed pictures as I could, so please take a look and give me the verdict. Is it totaled? Some people are saying its totaled, some are saying it isn't, but I haven't had it estimated or checked out yet. If not, what kind of repair costs am I looking at? If it is totaled, what kind of money could I get selling it as-is? (only 23k miles on it).

Left rear tire is touching the back of the well also.

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That doesn't look good. I'm gonna say that would be way too much to repair and so it's probably totaled.

IMO, if you have all the proper tools . No, a week end job if you gather everything needed, quarter panel, trunk, bumper, all lights and housings. Than a shop for back window and paint.
Do you have 2-3 grand for a body shop? To get it completly done there?

I also cant see underneath the car, but im assuming the structure is ok, and the plastic and bumper is pushed into the tire, making it rub.
It all comes down to what the car is worth, and worth to you.
With only 23k miles. Fix it, i would.

Right now I have 2k available. I'm not a car guy at all when it comes to manual labor, so I really can't do any work on it myself other than some clean up.

My first choice it to get it repaired. It's too young for me to go ahead and call her quits. I've got a couple different shops who will take a look at it over the next few days.

With only 23k if it is not more than 3k I would fix it. But if it costs more than that find a ls/lt or g5 with a blown motor and swap your drivetrain in.

Cut bent metal out, have new quarter panel ready, weld and grind in there. Hardest part.
Remove trunk and bumper , replace with new.
Fab any bent brackets if necessary

All that can be done at home with a friend and a case of beer.

Paint and backwidow probaby done in a shop.
Fixed


Thats how i would do it. No way i would scrap it. Its still a virgin with how many miles on it....
If both quarter panels, roof, etc was bent. Id have a really huge bullet to swallow and get rid of it.

I even showed this to my old lady, who isnt mechanically inclined. By the way it appears, she even says fix it.

I'm going with totaled.

I'd have a few shops write up an estimate, but I'd say it's fixable. You could even find parts online and put them on to save some money. Find a shop for the window and paint. The labor is going to be the high ticket item if someone else handles the whole thing. I could have the body good in a weekend or less. Find a friend who is handy with cars and likes beer. Problem solved.

Go ahead fix it. Search in junk yards for donor panels, lights, glass etc. save money where possible. Ask your friends if any of them have experience. Do some research on the net on how to do some of the repairs. When your finished you will have a new found respect for body guys. And a lot of pride in yourself. It looks harder than you ghink

I agree. The rear quarter panel repair is extremely expensive and difficult looks simple though, you're looking at a 4-5k fix. I would be surprised if it was any less.

And thats if the rear twisting beam isnt destroyed

My friend had similar damages to her cobalt a couple weeks ago. They totaled it

Totaled. I wouldn't even bother spending the money to fix an LS.

Easily totaled.

You have to figure the value of the car now to the amount of money spent to fix it. I think it's like 80% of the total value of the car

leaning towards totaled given the level of repair required to bring it back to normal.

My shop it would probably be $4k to fix. We're one of the most expensive shops to go to. But I don't know how you Americans do things. It probably wouldn't be totalled in Canada. I've fixed much worse. It's amusing really how you guys write off cars at every chance due to "Frame Damage"

its whatever insurance says it is.... Choice in buy back if it is and fix with money they give to you if you get enough.

And its amazing how insurance rates are lower here to lol. weird.

he doesnt have full coverage. liability only.


I bet OP wont make that mistake again.

You dont carry liability only on a car that is worth more than you have in you bank accounts.

ahh, just glanced over. Well good luck than.

totaled, its only abase model, just buy another or upgrade

If the frame isn't bent it looks repairable. But the costs of the repairs might exceed the value.

Like I said. If you can salvage the pieces and do the majority of work yourself. But to have a shop do it. Your better off giving her one last kiss

totaled

I've seen less damage on Cobalts in the junk yard

I would lean toward totaled, only because of the labor. It looks mostly like panel damage - you can probably get an idea if the car is torqued by making some simple measurements off of reference points on the suspension front-to rear and diagonally - if there's any tweaking and the measurements don't match closely enough, then you can definitely justify looking for another base model. But the gap from the rear panel to the rear of the door still looks even - that's a good sign.