At what point do you drop collision on your car?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

For us there is one other consideration other than the value/cost ratio and that's the fact we rent 5 or 6 cars per year. I don't trust the credit card insurance to cover the cost of the car and, if I have liability only on our car, then the cerdit card insurance is would be the ONLY coverage on the rental car unless we elected CDW.

Collision on our two cars is $289 every 6 months or $578/year with a $500 deductable. We rent a car approx. 45 days per year. CDW averages around $15/day or $675/year if we elected it on all our rentals. For us it's a wash if I look at it this way so, I keep the collision/comprehensive on the cars.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I wish I had put more coverage on my '86 280 Z. I had just gotten it right, so set it out for sale on one of those U-Sell lots. I set it out on Saturday, with other cars there, and on Monday all I had left was the pieces of glass from one window. The cops said it was probably already in Mexico.

(Oh yeah, I still have the keys and the title. )

We only have liability on our (older) jet ski.

[bellesgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bellesgirl]

For us there is one other consideration other than the value/cost ratio and that's the fact we rent 5 or 6 cars per year. I don't trust the credit card insurance to cover the cost of the car and, if I have liability only on our car, then the cerdit card insurance is would be the ONLY coverage on the rental car unless we elected CDW.

Collision on our two cars is $289 every 6 months or $578/year with a $500 deductable. We rent a car approx. 45 days per year. CDW averages around $15/day or $675/year if we elected it on all our rentals. For us it's a wash if I look at it this way so, I keep the collision/comprehensive on the cars.

If you have an American Express card, you can get full primary collision/comprehensive for $20 per rental. You just have to sign up and it is automatic as long as you use the card. I got that even though I have collision coverage, but now with my Chase Ink card, I get primary coverage automatically for free. With most credit cards, the insurance is secondary, so read the fine print.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Some very interesting views and you all helped me make up my mind. I never thought about rental insurance.

The last I looked Kelly had the resale value at ~$5k. Collision cost $121.95 twice a year with a $500 deductable.

Any damage repair is very expensive and I would rather not worry than save $20/month.

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

I wish I had put more coverage on my '86 280 Z. I had just gotten it right, so set it out for sale on one of those U-Sell lots. I set it out on Saturday, with other cars there, and on Monday all I had left was the pieces of glass from one window. The cops said it was probably already in Mexico.

What is theft covered under? I know it's not collision. Comprehensive?

I have dropped collision on a car when it is getting close to the time I am going to replace it. I generally keep my cars 9-10 years, and I drop collision after about year 7. I do keep Comprehensive, because in Colorado the sand/salt mixture they put on the interstates in the winter can cause a lot of windshield cracks, and comprehensive is very inexpensive. At one point, I had the windshield of my old Explorer replace three times in two months, without spending a dime of my own.

Kurt

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

For my cars, there are different considerations as I only drive classic cars. There is little of the styles of the last few decades that I care for at all. The only new car I would consider is a Morgan and that is only because they haven't changed the bodystyle since 1939. My favorite cars are those from the 60's and early 70's. My two cars sitting in my garage back in NC are both 1968's and both convertible, one British and one American. I sold my restored Studebaker Hawk just before leaving to take my current job and I also sold off two restoration projects, a 1955 Sunbeam-Talbot Alpine and a 1961 Singer Gazelle, both convertibles. Modern cars I just find too bland and boring. I remember a comment in British Car magazine some years ago that characterized all modern car styling as ''jelly bean cars'' because they looked more like a jelly bean than a car.

Over the years, collision insurance on classics has varied. I had one company for a number of years where you could add a stated value rider and the rates were a bargain, but they ended that arrangement. If I can get reasonable collision coverage I usually try to take it.

Of course, with a classic, one has a more substantial car than many built today, so there is perhaps less need for collision insurance. I remember talking to a guy that was selling some parts at a classic car show in Charlotte who had just restored a 1968 Cutlass convertible. He had bought a 1968 Cutlass hardtop as a parts car, which was drivable, and one time his son was driving it and someone in a Toyota ran a red light and hit it head on, totalling the Toyota. He pointed out the tiny dent in the front bumper that was the only damage sustained by the 68 Cutlass.

I am considering getting a car over here and am debating between various British classics, a Citroen 2CV, a classic VW beetle, and a classic Tatra, but have not started looking at how insurance works here.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

If you have an American Express card, you can get full primary collision/comprehensive for $20 per rental. You just have to sign up and it is automatic as long as you use the card. I got that even though I have collision coverage, but now with my Chase Ink card, I get primary coverage automatically for free. With most credit cards, the insurance is secondary, so read the fine print.

Sure, if you trust a credit card. I have a Diners Club card, which gives me primary coverage on every rental without paying a fee like you're doing with AE.

My problem is, I DON'T TRUST the credit card insurance for such a large potential outlay of cash. I know my car insuarance provider and I know how they play claims. CC coverage is nice and it's something I'll use. It's not something I'll rely on when it comes to the potential for a large claim.

Maybe I'm paying to much but, I sleep better at night. I know how my personal insurance pays. I know the fine print in the CC coverage has sections that could give them an out if you don't do everything right.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

For my cars, there are different considerations as I only drive classic cars. There is little of the styles of the last few decades that I care for at all. The only new car I would consider is a Morgan and that is only because they haven't changed the bodystyle since 1939. My favorite cars are those from the 60's and early 70's. My two cars sitting in my garage back in NC are both 1968's and both convertible, one British and one American. I sold my restored Studebaker Hawk just before leaving to take my current job and I also sold off two restoration projects, a 1955 Sunbeam-Talbot Alpine and a 1961 Singer Gazelle, both convertibles. Modern cars I just find too bland and boring. I remember a comment in British Car magazine some years ago that characterized all modern car styling as ''jelly bean cars'' because they looked more like a jelly bean than a car.

Over the years, collision insurance on classics has varied. I had one company for a number of years where you could add a stated value rider and the rates were a bargain, but they ended that arrangement. If I can get reasonable collision coverage I usually try to take it.

Of course, with a classic, one has a more substantial car than many built today, so there is perhaps less need for collision insurance. I remember talking to a guy that was selling some parts at a classic car show in Charlotte who had just restored a 1968 Cutlass convertible. He had bought a 1968 Cutlass hardtop as a parts car, which was drivable, and one time his son was driving it and someone in a Toyota ran a red light and hit it head on, totalling the Toyota. He pointed out the tiny dent in the front bumper that was the only damage sustained by the 68 Cutlass.

I am considering getting a car over here and am debating between various British classics, a Citroen 2CV, a classic VW beetle, and a classic Tatra, but have not started looking at how insurance works here.

My first three cars: '63 Chevy Impala SS Convertible, '63 1/2 Ford Fastback, '59 Jag XK150 Roadster (Jimmy Stewart's studio car).

If I had any of them today, I could sell it and afford to be a timeshare owner, if that wouldn't be chasing good money with bad, or bad money with good, or whatever.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

As to the OP, after consideration, my answer would be typically just before you have an accident.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Love this one even 10 years later and 105k miles.

For a Honda, 10 years and 105k miles is barely broken in. We have been Honda owners, Accords and Ridgeline, for 32 years.

As for your insurance, it depends how much it costs. We have 2 vehicles and I have kept the collision on the oldest one. We don't owe anything on either vehicle. The cost of collision insurance on the older one is so small that I just keep it. My total cost for full coverage on both vehicles is just $645 /year.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

[QUOTE=JWC;475420]

Love this one even 10 years later and 105k miles.
QUOTE]

For a Honda, 10 years and 105k miles is barely broken in.

For me/us, given the unreal prices of new, that applies to just about anything any more, not just Honda. My Pontiac POC and DW's GMC Yukon are both 150K-ish and we have no serious consideration about getting rid of them.

Seeing that a new Yukon stickers for 60K has something to do with that.

Why can't the price of new cars just go ahead and collapse like the housing market? That would seem to be fair.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Collision cost $121.95 twice a year with a $500 deductable.

Any damage repair is very expensive and I would rather not worry than save $20/month.

That is pretty expensive insurance. My collision is much less than that with $300 deductible. People don't realize how expensive simple body work is. We had a little damage and it cost $1,300 to repair.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

That is pretty expensive insurance. My collision is much less than that with $300 deductible. People don't realize how expensive simple body work is. We had a little damage and it cost $1,300 to repair.

And that's with no accidents and no moving violations, ever.

For the New York City area that is very reasonable insurance.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

[QUOTE=JLB;475421]

For me/us, given the unreal prices of new, that applies to just about anything any more, not just Honda. My Pontiac POC and DW's GMC Yukon are both 150K-ish and we have no serious consideration about getting rid of them.

Seeing that a new Yukon stickers for 60K has something to do with that.

Why can't the price of new cars just go ahead and collapse like the housing market? That would seem to be fair.

I know. I looked at new Accord prices when the new model came out and the similar top of the line is ~ $35k MSRP.

I hope John is right and this one sticks around for another 10 years.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

[QUOTE=lawren2;475487]

I hope John is right and this one sticks around for another 10 years.

We gave our 1990 Honda Accord EX to our son several years ago. He drove it up until 9 months ago when it was totaled by somebody crashing into the back end of it. It had 280,000 miles on it and was running fine. At least he got $2,200 from the other driver's insurance company. We always drove it whenever we visited him in Texas and it had no problems.

We traded in our 2003 Honda Accord EX-L for our Honda Ridgeline EX-L. We loved the Accord and it was like a brand new car when we traded it in but I wanted the Ridgeline as it is more comfortable for me, especially the access plus we just liked it a lot.

We always buy brand new cars and then keep them for several years.