Accident Will Likely Total My 2003 Le - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

Hi all. I know I don't post much, but I've been here a while and read often. On Friday, traffic on the highway came to an quick stop at a construction zone. I stopped, but the vehicle in back of me didn't and hit me from the rear, which sent my car into the car in front of me. The guy who hit me's insurance has accepted responsibility and they're going to come out to look at my vehicle and take care of the collision part of the claim. I have a couple questions if anyone is able to assist.

1) I've heard insurance companies don't like to offer anything near what the car is actually worth. Is there anything I can do if I'm not satisfied with the offer they make on the car? I'm going to guess it's totaled, but I could be wrong.

2) I saw a nice Certified Used red 2010 Corolla S at the local dealership I may look at. It has 14,000 miles and they're asking $17,500. Does anyone know of any reason why I should stay away from the 2009/2010 model?

Thanks everyone!

1,424 posts

Sorry to hear about your accident but at least you're ok.

As far as the insurance, you can argue with them on the value somewhat, but generally there is a value that they will not go over when replacing your car.

I own a 2010 Corolla 'S' and I have a couple of things you should check for.

Firstly, make sure the trunk opens with the inside release and key as well as the remote and closes easily. If it doesn't, insist they apply the tsb to correct this issue before driving off with the car.

Secondly you need to visually inspect the serpentine belt. If it has any cracking, splits or fraying, it needs replaced. Certain 2010 Corollas were fitted with a poor quality belt. It was supposed to be replaced under TSB, but sometimes dealers don't inspect such things so its something you need to watch out for.

Thirdly, look at the tires. Most likely they are Goodyear Eagle RS-A variety. Those tires wear fast and don't work well in rain or snow once they are more than half worn. If the tread depth is less than 5/32", they are half worn.

Other than that, there are just a couple of things to pay attention to. The clock is in a bad place, under the climate controls. The trip computer is on the left display under the tachometer and it can only display 1 piece of information at once, forcing you to toggle to display the outside temperature. The optitron gauges are really bright and the dimmer switch is the trip odometer reset knob, awkward to turn and it isn't dependent on outside lighting. What that means is that if you dim the gauges at night when your headlights are on, in the morning when your lights are off, you're still going to have dimmed gauges, its a constant adjustment. The electric power steering takes some getting used to also.

I have an '09 S, and while the TSB for the belt doesn't apply to me, the damage which can occur if it snaps can be catastrophic.

One post I read somewhere described the hood being totally trashed, and other vital components being ruined. I'd tell the seller to "SHOW ME THE CARFAX!!!!!"

I got the news yesterday and it was totaled. They're giving me $6,100 for it. It was an '03 with 226,000 miles on it. I guess that's fair, considering the mileage. I tried to argue for more, but without receipts proving when I bought the new struts/shocks and all, I didn't have much leverage. So, I signed over the title and waiting for the check.

I noticed that there's not much price difference between a low mile 2010 or 2011 and a brand new car off the lot. The automatic 2012 Corolla S I want has a sticker of $20,210. Does anyone out there have any experience buying a new one and have an idea what I should really pay for this thing off the lot - if I go for a new one?

Thanks!