So...someone crashed into my 1998 Celica GT :-(, What to do? Options

[marblesmike]

Hey guys,

So I had my car parked on the street over the weekend and one of my elderly neighbors slammed into my car. The rear bumper is completely damaged (looks like it's about to be folded in half), as well as the tail lights and rear side panel on one side. The hatch still works and locks, but air and water is getting in the trunk now. I might be forgetting something and can upload a couple photos later. The car still drives okay, although I've only driven it twice since it's happened so maybe I'll notice something as I continue to drive it. Fortunately the driver left her information and lives right around the corner so we're going to go through her insurance company to handle things, especially since I don't have collision.

So right now I'm debating whether or not it's worth using the insurance money to repair body or if I should use that money, sell the car as is for $1500 or so, and then get something else. I'm leaning towards just repairing the car since I enjoy driving it, have recently upgraded the speakers, changed the distributor cap/rotor and plugs, changed the alternator so I know what's been done on it recently maintenance-wise. Plus, we're not sure if her insurance company will set a cap amount due to the age/wrecked condition of the car. They might declare it a total and just give me $3000 for the value of the car.

Thoughts anyone? What would you guys do?

[Box]

This is where documentation of any work and parts for it would come in handy. Without any receipts it's kind of hard to prove what was replaced and new before the incident. I would just go ahead and remove what you want to keep for it, as soon as they take it it's going to a junk yard. Another thing that'd help is to find dealer listings of Celicas in similar year range and condition to show what it'll actually cost to replace it. Being the accident happened the way it did I don't think you should have too much trouble.