Replacing your vehicle after a motor vehicle crash is not as exciting as one may think. After surviving an unexpected motor vehicle crash, your vehicle may be a “total loss” and you face the dreaded task of replacing it and starting over. As a crash survivor, this is only one of the many challenges you may face while recovering. It can be extremely overwhelming as you are not only trying to recover physically and emotionally, you may be trying to recover financially as well. You may also feel reluctant to get behind the wheel of another vehicle and have no desire to even step foot into a dealership and I totally understand. It took me close to four months before I would even get behind the wheel of a vehicle after surviving a horrific motor vehicle crash and you are not alone.
Here are Some Tips To Help You Through The Process:
- If you are able, take your time replacing your vehicle. You will need to recover first before you can even think about shopping for a new vehicle.
- Allow yourself enough time to heal physically and emotionally before you even think about getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Ask a friend or family member if you can drive their vehicle to see how comfortable you find yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask them to come with you in case you experience flashbacks or anxiety.
- If you do not feel comfortable driving, inform your doctor as they can refer you to a Driver’s Rehabilitation Program in your area and check with your insurance provider as most cover this treatment.
- Doing your homework is a crucial step before setting foot into a dealership. Consider your budget and all the expenses that come with vehicle ownership, such as insurance, maintenance, cost of fuel and the vast array of options and accessories you may or may not need.
- Then there’s financing, whether to buy new or used, lease, pay cash or get a loan. Dealer financed plans can sound enticing with offers of employee pricing, zero per cent interest, no money down, bi-weekly or monthly payments, and even long terms of eight years or more. You may also be experiencing a sudden financial strain since your collision which will also be something for you to definitely consider.
- Researching the type of vehicle you may be interested in is important and can easily be done online checking expert and owner reviews, details about reliability, history and value, warrantees, and rates of depreciation by seeing what older models are currently selling for.
- Don’t rely on emotions to make your decision but rather weigh the pros and cons of buying new or used and whether to purchase from a registered dealer or private seller. If you are overwhelmed ask a family member or friend for help.
- If you are purchasing a used vehicle always ask for the Car Proof Claims Report to see the history on the vehicle. Knowing that the vehicle may have been in a collision or had a claim(s) in the past, may prove to be an important factor in your decision.
Lastly, do not fall for the bait & switch. Numerous dealerships are advertising online using different marketing tools. For example, a dealership may post an advertisement in auto trader and when you make contact, the dealership will set up an appropriate time for you to see the vehicle you are interested in. When you arrive at the dealership, suddenly the vehicle you are interested has been sold and no longer available. Once the dealership notifies you of this sudden disappointing news, they will try to convince you to look at another vehicle that they have in stock and try to coerce you into changing your mind.
This is not appropriate behaviour to any consumer not to mention a survivor of a horrific auto collision. I will admit that I fell for this tactic and I was not only upset but I felt it was very unfair. Having the courage to make arrangements to replace your vehicle takes great strength and to arrive only to be informed that the vehicle you are interested in had been sold only adds more anxiety to an already stressful situation for us. Do not fall for this! Dealerships need to be aware that purchasing a vehicle is not always exciting for consumers as they often promote it to be especially when you are replacing your vehicle after surviving a motor vehicle crash.
Always consider your peace of mind as well as your comfort level when looking for a vehicle. Safety may also be a huge factor so be sure to think it through before making any decisions when you replace your vehicle.
S. Dawne McKay is a survivor of a horrific crash that changed her life forever. Dawne shares her personal journey as a Crash Survivor Blogger and also collaborates with crash survivors as Guest Bloggers allowing them an opportunity to share their stories. Dawne is also the author of the book, “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery” which is available for purchase on Amazon.
The Crash Support Network is a unique one-of-a-kind website consisting of an online support group, a crash survivor blog, a quarterly newsletter, “Sharing Our Recovery” as well as highly informative articles. Our website is based on relationship-building and puts the needs of survivors first by creating a helpful resource for victims and survivors of motor vehicle crashes.
