Well said indeed... I believe I subscribe to the same theories.
Jerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Anonymous Digest
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 4:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: minor accident PICS

>You're kidding, right?  Why would one do it one's self when it's clearly a
>situation where the liable person's insurance company will be required to
pay
>for all the repairs.

Perhaps the idea is to get the money from the insurance company to actually
replace everything, but fix it yourself and keep the cash for the
aggravation?

Everyone is in a different place in life, but when my van got hit on the
side,
the estimate was just over $1000, even tho the damage was really minor in my
eyes. I looked at my, then twenty year old vehicle, considered the 'street
value' and the value to me, and spent the money on other van-related stuff
to
keep it going, and to take me places I wanted to see. I fixed some of the
damage
myself, the rest is inconsequential and gonna be there for life. Would that
I
could afford everything I ever wanted <shrug>

If someone offered you, I don't know, $400 for a new bumper, but you would
be
happy with something less, why not take the less, pound out the bumper, and
use
the money to pay for a nice trip, or stereo, or a porta potti with a heated
seat? :-)

Just my POV,

John