[nradov]

It makes sense to repair a totaled vehicle if you can do most of the repair work yourself instead of paying the market rate. A friend has an older Volkswagen Jetta that was hit from behind at an intersection. There was no frame damage or airbag deployment but the insurance company totaled it because inflation has driven labor charges for simple repairs to ridiculous levels. My friend took the insurance payout and repaired it himself using a junkyard bumper. Works fine. But he had more free time and better mechanical skills than most people.

[sokoloff]

That also works well when you are willing to accept less than fully restoring the car to the pre-accident condition.

Many people are happy to have a mismatched bumper or hood in exchange for $700 in their pocket.