Road Accidents In Philadelphia: What To Do With Your Crashed Car
When you live in a big metropolitan city like Philadelphia, having a car is necessary to get around. However, with the vast number of drivers on the streets, there is a greater chance of getting involved in a car accident. These collisions can cause serious injuries to drivers and passengers, as well as severe damage to vehicles.
Seeing your car getting damaged in these crashes isn’t easy as the aftermath can result in a huge financial burden and great uncertainty about what to do with the vehicle.
Luckily, you have several options available, some of which may cost you money while others can actually earn you a profit.
To help you along, we share five things you can do with a crashed car in Philadelphia.
Sell your car to a junk car-buying company
Selling your car for extra cash is one common way of dealing with a crashed vehicle. However, because finding a potential buyer can be a tedious process, you should consider using scrap car services instead. These services will do a thorough inspection of your ride, estimate its value and give you an instant offer.
Because there are plenty of scrap services in the Philly area, it is important that you shop around for the one that offers the best rate. Make sure you meet with multiple junk buyers and search online for something like “sell junk car Philadelphia” so you can sell it fast and for the most money.
Keep the car and repair it
Another option you can consider is keeping your crashed car and having it repaired. All you have to do is take your vehicle to a professional mechanic at a nearby auto repair shop to check the severity of the damages and talk to them about the overall cost of the repairs.
Keep in mind that repairing a crashed vehicle can be quite expensive unless you have the necessary skills and tools to do the repairs yourself. Even if you decide to perform a DIY, you should still take it to a mechanic to identify the damages and see whether they are worth the repair.
Trade your car in
Trading in your crashed car for a newer model is another option you can consider, especially if there is a huge demand on the market for your particular car model. The cost of the new vehicle will typically be determined by the value of your trade-in, meaning you may end up paying less money than you would otherwise.
However, when trading in a car, there is one drawback you should know about. Since your vehicle is damaged, the car dealer will probably offer you a lower price because of the many repairs the car needs to undergo to become driveable again. After all, they are also looking to make a profit, so don’t expect much from the dealership.
Donate the car
If the damages of your crashed car are not worth the repair or if your ride is old, then you can always consider donating the vehicle to a charity organization. There are also many organizations that are willing to pay a good amount of money for junk cars which they can later use as their education tool or sell at a car auction to raise money for their programs.
Even if you don’t get paid for donating your damaged car, your donation will most likely be tax-deductible. This means that if the charity sells your car for $500 or less, you will deduct the same amount or your vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is less.
Talk to your insurance provider
It is important that you talk to your insurance provider after the car accident. Not only will this help expedite the claim process, but it will also allow the insurance provider to inspect the vehicle and prepare a damage estimate.
If your ride is still driveable, you may be asked to go to a repair shop with your insurer to identify the damages and calculate the cost of repairs. Depending on the severity of the damages, the insurer, based on the mechanic’s estimate, will decide whether or not to deem your car totaled. Usually, the insurance company will write off the vehicle as a salvage if it isn’t worth fixing.
Final thoughts
The aftermath of any car accident can be devastating, especially when dealing with a crashed car. Although some car damages can be fixed, they can cost you a lot, making you consider other options such as selling, trading, or donating your vehicle. If you aren’t sure what to do, refer to our post and learn how to deal with a totaled car.