For what it's worth, my wife got into an accident with a Kia a few years back. We have a 2002 Ford Focus; I'm not sure what year the Kia was, but this happened in '07. The Kia hit the passenger-side rear of the Focus, hard enough to spin the Focus through a 180 into the curb, though the police said that was more due to the angle rather than the speed (they estimated it was going maybe 35, tops). My wife had a wrenched neck, my son had a bruise on his forehead from smacking the glass -- he was in the backseat, passenger side.
After the accident, the Focus had a bit of trouble opening the rear door until we took a hammer to the worst of the dents. Oh, and, the impact triggered the kill switch, which the tow-truck driver was kind enough to reset for free.
The Kia was dead. It looked like someone had stomped on a soda can -- a full one, as it bled all over the pavement. The driver had to be taken out in an ambulance, and there weren't any passengers. I don't know the full extent of her injuries but she was not coherent at the scene (I got there before the ambulance or police did, I was a block away).
So, uh, yeah.
Blue book on my Focus suggests a bit over $5k if it were in excellent condition; a Rio with the same mileage and such is just under $4k. (Suggested retail, not private party.) I gotta say, after seeing that Kia crumple like that... I don't think I'll ever be buying one.
I quite like the Focus. I get 35 MPG on the highway and this year is the first it's needed serious maintenance (a clutch job). Some dipshit put the boot to the side mirror but that's not the car's fault.
--sofaspud
--"Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs
After the accident, the Focus had a bit of trouble opening the rear door until we took a hammer to the worst of the dents. Oh, and, the impact triggered the kill switch, which the tow-truck driver was kind enough to reset for free.
The Kia was dead. It looked like someone had stomped on a soda can -- a full one, as it bled all over the pavement. The driver had to be taken out in an ambulance, and there weren't any passengers. I don't know the full extent of her injuries but she was not coherent at the scene (I got there before the ambulance or police did, I was a block away).
So, uh, yeah.
Blue book on my Focus suggests a bit over $5k if it were in excellent condition; a Rio with the same mileage and such is just under $4k. (Suggested retail, not private party.) I gotta say, after seeing that Kia crumple like that... I don't think I'll ever be buying one.
I quite like the Focus. I get 35 MPG on the highway and this year is the first it's needed serious maintenance (a clutch job). Some dipshit put the boot to the side mirror but that's not the car's fault.
--sofaspud
--"Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs