04 Total Loss Advice
 

I hope I found the right spot. My son got rear ended a couple days ago and considering the cost of parts and repair that exceed $4700, it looks like a total loss. Other person has insurance so it's completely on them. Problem is, as I've kind of seen, is I'm worried about if/how bad they will try and stiff me on the value.

When I look online for something similar, I, obviously fine a very strong line between the upper end ones and the bottom. That being running versus not running, or the gray area ones, where it states clearly in the ad that it "has issues".

What I'm replacing is an automatic, loaded out with everything, 04. It has 146k, and a motor that was replaced under warranty with 72k on it. It ran fine with the typical RX8 issues such as flooding if you shut off cold (incidentally, told the body shop to let it warm before shut off. They didn't and had to de-flood it).

So, I'm wondering what kind of battle I'm going to have over value. Fortunately haven't put a lot of upgrades, but in the past 6 months or less we put in a 2.0 starter, new coils, wires and plugs, new motor mounts, and new radiator.

I've considered what others have done which is just buy it back at salvage. Considering EVERYTHING forward is perfectly fine (it only damaged the rear panel, bumper cover, tail lights (well, they fill with water now), and the muffler along with the intermediary pipe.

Oh, it's a Grand Touring package. For what it's worth....

Until you get the first offer you don't really know how much of a fight you have on your hands.

Try and be amicable as possible, but don't be a doormat either. See what the starting offer is and go from there...

Also, a good engine with healthy starter and ignition components, won't flood or at least should be really resilient to flooding.

You can always negotiate, they will typically work with you. My daughter wrecked my Cherokee a few months back and I had just put a shit ton of work into it (tires, wheels, suspension, new complete AC setup, new seats, etc) and they gave me most of the money for all that.

But a high mileage 2004 auto RX-8 is largely worthless. If they give you blue book you are doing very well.

I'm in a similar situation with a 2004 manual. I was quoted $3,900 of body repairs for a low speed collision the other driver caused. His insurance is accepting liability but wants to total the car. Besides the negotiation about value, what concerns me is that a similar car I could buy to replace this one can't be found in a 50 mile radius. At least in Maryland, the liable insurance must base their estimate on a quotation from a reputable reseller who would actually sell me an equivalent car for the money they will give me. I don't think that's likely to cost less than $3,900.
I'm curious to know what happened in your case.