1y ago

WSIDW - Car totalled. :(

So last Friday, my wife was moving my car off the street into our driveway, was hit by another driver. :(

2013 Kia Sorento SX, 80,000 miles.

Just talked to insurance today, they reviewed the dashcam footage, other driver 100% at fault, they're cutting me a check for $13,204.

So now what? I wasn't prepared to shop for a car. I was HAPPY with my car. I had upgraded the infotainment system to one with dash, rear, and turn signal cameras. Android Auto/Apple Car Play. Heated seats with a ventilated drivers seat.

Really, since my heart attack, I only drive one day a week anyway, but it was nice to be able to just up and go somewhere.

Advice on suv's from other brands? Nothing against Kia but given the crazy theft problems, I'd like to avoid insurance complications.

Bonus: Dashcam video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ja6kz0qrs7n8la0tb4eeu/231027213507.MOV?rlkey=4makjmacebv83j65ivkhmuj8n&dl=0

32 comments

Assuming you’d like to stick with a crossover, I have a few suggestions. Also assuming you’re buying a used car no older than 10 years.
Mazda CX5/CX30 if you can get over their approach to infotainment.
VW Taos/Tiguan. I’m a big VW fan, even with their quirky issues. I’ve got a gti with 150k miles on it and I beat on it like a Corolla.
Subaru crosstrek for compact, outback for midsize. They’re technically more wagons, but I’m in the same boat and have decided on an outback. It just ticks all the boxes for me.
Ford/GM, idk. The escape is pretty solid and I didn’t have any issues with my 2011. No experience with Chevrolet other than the Acadia likes to break down a lot.
Honda, the CRV/HRV you can’t really go wrong with. They’re practical and do car stuff right. Same with the pilot.
Toyota, they seem a bit small and overly expensive for what you get, but by friend has a 2020 Corolla and it’s really nice. I’d imagine the rav4 is the same. But they get real expensive quick.
I’d avoid anything from dodge/Chrysler/fiat. Especially used.
- So I just test drove the CX-5 and have a few minor issues with it. Android Auto is wired only, which is fine, I guess, my car had wireless, but was also aftermarket so I can't complain TOO much...
  The weird thing was the MPH on the HUD was slower than the gauge. If the gauge showed "40", the HUD showed 37 or 38.
  Not sure if that's "normal" or not.
  
  That is normalish, from what I've seen. My grandpa's GMC truck from the early 2010s displays differently on the gauge and the digital readout. I think my Uncle's late 2010s buick is the same.
- Mazda CX5/CX30 if you can get over their approach to infotainment.
  I've been looking at the Mazdas, what's the beef with the infotainment? TBH, I mostly use Android Auto/Apple Carplay anyway.
  VW Taos/Tiguan. I’m a big VW fan, even with their quirky issues. I’ve got a gti with 150k miles on it and I beat on it like a Corolla.
  My wife has a 2011 Tiguan and my problem with it is that the footwell is tiny, it's hard for me to position my feet correctly to drive it comfortably. I'm a pretty big guy and my right foot is partially deformed, I have to wear special shoes and stuff.
  Subaru crosstrek for compact, outback for midsize. They’re technically more wagons, but I’m in the same boat and have decided on an outback. It just ticks all the boxes for me.
  I'm in Portland which is a Subaru rich environment. ;) But I've heard the quality has dropped off lately, any idea on years to look for or avoid?
  Honda, the CRV/HRV you can’t really go wrong with. They’re practical and do car stuff right. Same with the pilot.
  That's another on my list of things to look at.
  Toyota, they seem a bit small and overly expensive for what you get, but by friend has a 2020 Corolla and it’s really nice. I’d imagine the rav4 is the same. But they get real expensive quick.
  I drove a Rav-4 over 10 years ago and liked it, will need to see how the new ones are. Also eying the Highlander and 4-Runner.
  
  Mazda requires you use the rotary dial and disables touch functionality when in motion. I heard the 2024 models enables some functionality while in motion but it’s not responsive. I’ve got a 2021 rental right now and it’s really slow. AA/Carplay are only 2016+ and some might not have it.
  As for subaru I’m not quite sure. If you find a well serviced version, and adhere to the service manual you should be fine. Other than being a little cheap I haven’t heard anything crazy bad about them. The new turbo motor is a little inefficient in the city but that’s about it. And the base engines are a little pokey.
  From what I remember AA/Carplay wasn’t added to Toyota until 2020/2021 so that’s also something that needs to be considered.

Unless the frame is legitimately bent beyond what we can see that looks far from totalled.
As far as new brands go, legitimately give Mazda or Honda a try. Ford and GM products have stupid problems, Subaru has fallen far off the competition and aren't worth their premium anymore unless you desperately need a middling AWD system, and Kia/Hyundai just don't have the longevity.
Mazda has been putting out some NICE stuff lately, has some pretty mature engine lineups that aren't dumb (cough Theta II). I might have been drooling over the CX90 a little when it was announced.
And Honda is... well, Honda. Enough said.
Just be wary of anything Honda with the 1.5T, it's still not super proven, has oil dilution problems, and direct injection turbo engines don't take well to pedestrian driving. But everything else they make is top notch.
- Suspension and axel damage. Insurance already totalled it. :( Thanks for the tips!
  
  Gotta love it when insurance totals out things that are still drivable for $500 in OEM parts.

$13k is a lot of money, did you consult with a mechanic and body shop to see what the repair cost would be?
- More than the car is worth, which is why the insurance totalled it. :(

If you want reliability, go with Mazda, Honda, or Toyota. Since you only drive once a week, hybrids and EVs might not be worth it. Mazdas have the least markups and Toyotas have the most (at least where I'm living).
- So I just test drove the Mazda CX-5 and have a few minor issues with it. Android Auto is wired only, which is fine, I guess, my car had wireless, but was also aftermarket so I can't complain TOO much...
  The weird thing was the MPH on the HUD was slower than the gauge. If the gauge showed "40", the HUD showed 37 or 38.
  Not sure if that's "normal" or not.
  
  That's weird. I have a Mazda 3 and I've never seen the HUD and gauge have different MPH.

If you only drive 1 day a week is it necessary to have an SUV? Why not something smaller that's cheaper to run?
- I have mobility issues and am often carrying gear. :( Looking at adding an electric wheelchair soon-ish.

I just bought a 4Runner, it's a nice blast-from-the-past and not-huge-nor-a-Jeep off-road SUV.
I actually replaces my 2016 Sorento - I traded engine concerns, other quality and theft/insurance worries for poor fuel economy. Hyundai/Kia are pretty much on my shit list since it seems like "they're fine now!" has been the internet mantra since sometime around 2009.
If I wasn't going off-pavement, I'd probably look at the last-generation Highlander or current Passport since I still would want the space and AWD since I would venture down forest roads anyway.
I rented a Corolla Cross recently and I liked it a lot but I'd probably get it in hybrid guise if I had the option. But the dash shape was a little weird for my larger frame. (6' 1" in height)
My SO has an last-gen HR-V, I like it a lot. Except my head touches the roof sometimes. 4Runner's with sunroofs are a no-go too. I'd recommend it too since the Magic Seats and interior packaging are nice - although it's slow and I'm not crazy about the CVT - but I do appreciate it doesn't fake it's shifts most of the time. My concerns with Honda's mid-sizers despite being nice is their width (78.5" wide versus my Sorento being just under 75" and the 4Runner at 76" - all not counting mirrors.) but if you don't mind those and the push-button shifters, I'd look at them. The Passport's fully-open hatch though is too low and I'd have to keep ducking to get under it.
Maybe not all relevant to you but I just decided to ramble.
- Rambling is good, after looking this weekend and driving CX-5, CX-90, Highlander, Ascent, rejecting the CX-50 and RAV-4 as being too tiny, I got slapped in the face with a "best" interest rate of 8.3% so it looks like I can wait a bit on a new car.
  
  oh no, sorry to hear about that interest. good luck

Is there other damage not being shown in the pic? Frame damage etc?
Otherwise, seems like it would be much cheaper to just replace the bumper? Assuming frame damage but still.. I know with the price of parts nowadays that's probably going to be sky high from a shop but with some elbow grease and a local pull apart you may even be able to get it done in an afternoon, maybe even with matching paint
- On the initial inspection they could see suspension damage through the hole and suspected wheel and axel damage. So it didn't surprise me that it came back totalled.

13k and for a little bit of damage to the bumper you could probably fix this your self in an afternoon or prehaps depending on your states or countrys laws continue to use the car in its current state although that's probably a bad idea I'm not a mechanic although this to me doesn't look like a writeoff
- It's deeper than that, there's suspension, axel, wheel and tire damage.
  
  Ah as I said I'm no mechanic

definetely get something japanese, ideally a toyota. there's not really anything similar to your car, but a crossover version of the yaris exists. i can always recommend smaller cars (maybe because i'm a european). something like a corolla from the 00s or newer would be ideal. if you can get it with less than 120.000km or so on it, that thing will outlast you (as long as it's ICE only).

32 comments