Hello everybody. New user here and I've had quite the day today. A little background, I have a blue volvo s40 1.9t, year 2000. purchased it for 6,000$ back in august of 2012 with 105,000 miles. So far I've had to replace the transmission, power steering pump, alternator, and all the usual maintenance type things like brake pads and etc.

Now that that's out of the way, I will tell you about my day. I got into an accident today at the end of a merge ramp where there is a stop sign. I make this commute weekly and never had any accidents prior to this. I rear ended this lady going about 20 mph and there is (in my opinion) significant damage to my car. The hood is majorly bent and ruined, the radiator is smashed, and the left head light is completely destroyed. After the impact, grey smoke was coming from under the hood and although I could start the car, it idled irregularly and could not accelerate. Anti freeze was profusely leaking and I had to get the car towed.

I take full responsibility for this accident and I was not drunk or under the influence. I was trying to merge on the highway and I was looking in my side view mirror and behind my shoulder. Since there is a stop sign at the end of this particular merge ramp, you have to accelerate quickly to get onto the highway. There was this honda cr-v in front of me creeping past the stop sign looking as if she was about to merge. As I was looking behind my shoulder, there were no cars coming and people were moving into the left lane to let her in. I take one last look behind my shoulder and start accelerating at the same after I assumed she had already merged but as soon as I start going, BAM!! From what I saw, there was minimal damage to her car and after the cops came, she drove away so thank god I didn't hurt her.

So finally my question to you all is... Do you think my s40 is fixable? I have collision coverage therefore I won't have to pay out of pocket for anything. Or do you think USAA (my insurance) will say my car is a total loss. I put my info in to Kelley blue book and it said the most I could get for my car is a little less than $3000. I hope this is not the case because I love my volvo and I would love to see it back on the road.

I have included pics so you guys could assess. Thanks in advance.

 

Another pic

 

I do not have any advice but I did the same exact thing back in February. No damage to either car. But almost same exact thing. It was at a busy stop light with a right turn yield and I was in a hurry to get somewhere. The person in front of me looked like they were going to go so I turned to look back and to the left and it should have been clear for me to go after and I hit the accelerator at the same time I am turning back to look forward and BAM.

I freaked out and thought my bumper was going to be destroyed and theirs too. Nothing. Well, after a car wash on mine there was no damage. And their bumper looked like someone had backed into every basketball hoop in a 40 mile radius

 

I'd guess that it is totaled. I think that if the cost to repair a car exceeds about 1/2 - 2/3 of its value, the ins co will just call it totaled.

I don't think I would want to drive a car this old that has had such a major accident.

Good luck.

 

They will probably total it. If you really like the car you can always buy it back from them and fix it yourself. I did this with a Honda del Sol. I ran liability only after that. Otherwise, if you like this style S40, but a 2004 for a replacement. I like my 2005 better than my 2001 though. Fuel mileage is about the same but it's a bigger, more substantial vehicle.