Honestly, I get the sentimental thing, but here’s how I see it:
- If the car’s worth less than your annual premium x2, full coverage is probably just padding the insurer’s pockets.
- Liability is a must, theft if you’re worried about it, but collision? On an old Civic? Unless you literally can’t function without that exact car, I’d skip it.
- Emergency fund > insurance for beaters. I’d rather save the cash and fix stuff as needed.
- Only exception: if you park on sketchy streets or have a history of bad luck.
I’ve daily-driven some real clunkers and never missed full coverage. Just my two cents.
Yeah, I’m with you on this. Full coverage on a car that’s barely worth more than the deductible just doesn’t add up for me either. I’ve had my share of tickets and fender benders, but even then, liability’s been enough—especially since repairs usually cost less than what I’d pay in premiums over time. Only time I regretted it was when someone sideswiped me and bailed, but honestly, the payout wouldn’t have been much after the deductible anyway. Just gotta weigh the risk vs. reward, I guess.
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve always felt like full coverage is just handing money over for peace of mind, but not much else—especially on an old beater. Had a ‘92 Civic that got rear-ended once and the payout barely covered a set of used tires. Still, every now and then I wonder if I’m tempting fate by going barebones. Guess it’s just one of those “pick your poison” things... insurance companies always seem to win either way.
Honestly, I get the urge to ditch full coverage on an old car, but here’s my two cents: if you’re driving in a city with lots of uninsured drivers or crazy weather, that extra coverage can save your bacon. I once skipped it on my ‘98 Corolla and got sideswiped—ended up paying way more out of pocket than I would’ve for the premium. Sometimes it’s less about the car’s value and more about what you can afford to risk, you know?
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve always leaned the other way with my old cars, especially once they hit that “not worth much” mark. My ‘85 Cutlass is basically a weekend cruiser now—full coverage just didn’t make sense for me, given how little I drive it and what it’s actually worth. I do worry about weather, but I keep it garaged and only take it out when the skies are clear. Maybe if it was my daily, I’d think twice, but for a classic that’s mostly for fun? Liability’s been enough so far... knock on wood.