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Was driving and came to a stop but the idiot behind me didn't...insurance is calling it a total, what do you guys think worth the fix? Should I by it back, and fix? Oh, forgot to mention the idiot took off after checking to see if his car could still drive....%$#@@, it is my insurance calling it a total....

 

That looks repairable to me, but I don't know what damage may have been done to the chassis/body shell. The hardest part of repairing that damage will be the area between the boot lid and where the bumper would be. It would need straightening out and shaping.
The issue is to insurers these are just "old jags" and they don't care that we view them as beautiful machines that we extend much love and care towards. This is why I disagree with insurance as a whole.

 

Big, BIG problem today with all the cel phone addicted idiots on the road, been "tagged" twice in the boot in my XJR-100 in the past 3 months. Keep an eye in the rearview mirror.

 

If it was mine I would negotiate thee most cash I could get and still keep the vehicle and repair it. Much to pretty a cat to toss aside.

 

Ouch!

Looks a straightforward repair but the US spec energy absorbing bumper parts will be expensive. That, together with replacing the luggage compartment lid explains why the insurance company want to total it.

As a DIY project with good used parts you should easily come out ahead with the settlement. Depends on how you feel about the vehicle after this has happened.

Graham

 

Everything can be repaired, but it depends on the costs behind it.

Take the spare wheel out and check if that has buckled. If it is still round/square, then it is a minor ding and won't take much to get it sorted...

 

It looks like your car was in really nice shape before this happened. The bumper damage is kind of irrelevant because that, and the deck lid can easily be replaced. As long as the panel behind the bumper, and any damage to the end of the quarter panels can be addressed properly the car should be fine. The problem that exists is that your insurer is going to call it a total loss. If you buy it from them as a total, and fix it, you might have to register it as a salvage or reconstructed vehicle. This will definitely affect the future value and ease of sale of your car. Perhaps you can arrange with them a method where you can acquire the car and a settlement from the company without the car being labeled a"total".

Obviously the car be fixed, since it made of steel, any body shop could handle the job. Whether or not it is a financially sound idea is your decision. We all know that our older Jags are not worth a lot in dollars and cents. So even a pristine example is not going to be worth a fortune more than a good functional driver. A properly repaired "salvage or reconstructed" car will be worth even less. And be harder to sell.

I bought a 1970 Mustang six cylinder coupe in kind of rough condition. It was salvage title car. There was no deception by the seller. I went in with my eyes open but it was at the price point that I could afford. I inspected it very carefully and found only some poorly repaired prior damage to tail light panel and adjacent trunk floor. It wasn't really visible from the outside so I bought the car and fixed it up a bit. There were other issues that weren't related to the body condition! I did it all kind of low buck but invested approx. another 3,500 bucks in the car for a total of a little over five grand tied up in the car. None of this counts the value of my time and labor which was extensive. I owned the car for a couple of years. One year fixing, the second year driving!

When I decided to sell it this year, I of course disclosed it's salvage title. I offered it up for five grand with no takers. I was kind of depressed but my Wife advised me to lower the price and try to sell it for less. As she said, I was done with it, just get rid of it and move on. So I listed it for four grand and that first day, the first buyer offered me 3,700 bucks which I accepted. (I had already bought my XJ6). I've got no regrets.

The point is to find out how much the repair will cost; source good used parts, contact a couple of body shops that you believe will do a good job, (This will be the hardest part, try to find a shop that shows some enthusiasm for the project). Consider the settlement and make your decision. If you decide to repair, document the process with plenty of pictures and receipts. Good luck.

Here's a picture of my old Mustang before and after.



the left side had sustained more damage.





Not too bad for a low buck project.