The big downside to driving an older car is that you are always cheated in a "total" wreck.
I honestly was surprised at how quickly they totaled it. As soon as we said their air bags went off they were like, well, it's totaled! They didn't even look at it to make the determination. He kept saying to them "but it's a newer car, it has value!" and it was all "nope, totaled". He really didn't want his car to be totaled. But, really it is probably for the better, since we all know after a major accident a car is never the same, and the value takes a nose dive. There is so much that goes into buying a car, and I don't need that **** right now. Financially or otherwise. But what can you do.
So far, from what I can tell, you are pretty cheated when it is new(er) car too. Maybe I'll be proven wrong and they will give us what we feel is a fair value. I'm not looking for something that isn't fair here; I don't want more than what the car is worth, just what the actual value is. But the one time I had this happen before getting a fair appraisal was a struggle. And that car was only worth about $4k!
That really sucks. I rode along when my brother test-drove a CTS-V. Fun car. If the owner wasn't such an insanely heavy smoker he likely would have bought it.
It is a fun car. Not super practical, but fun.

We bought it when there was still snow on the ground and that thing wouldn't move an inch with the tires it had on. For the first two months in just sat in our driveway taunting us. We finally put appropriate tires on it and had a blast driving it around. It was loud and fast, can't get much better than that. I was mad when he bought it because I thought it was too much money. It was a whole thing. Now I feel bad about that, I wish I hadn't fought him so much on it. Life lesson I suppose.
So glad you and the fam are okay, inanis. <3
Indeed. Everyone is unscathed, the kids were at school.

He has some issues with his back and shoulder and neck that he is going to get checked out. From looking at the car though you wouldn't expect him to be walking around. I mean, the whole drivers side door was crushed in. He couldn't get out. It is a good thing cars have side impact airbags now, because without those, and all the safety glass things could have been much, much worse.