Looking for advice on my specific situation, but in general this is about how to approach expensive repairs for used cars.
I have a 2020 MB GLC300 with 38k miles. After getting new tires, did an alignment, and they discovered that the front right steering rack was slightly bent. Likely from running over pothole or bumping a curb. MB says that it can’t really straighten the steering rack, and needs to replace the entire steering rack. The estimate for the repair is $6,600!
A few options I’m considering:
1 - submit an insurance claim and get the repair covered. My collision deductible is $1,000 but I’m more concerned about increases in our insurance premium. Being in SoCal, insurance costs are already exorbitant.
2 - shop around with local mechanics for a less expensive repair, hopefully repairing the bent steering rack without replacing the system. If the cost of is reasonable, I could just pay for it out of pocket without going through an insurance claim.
3 - just leave it alone, and not bother with the repair? The car seems to be functioning fine and a bent steering rack doesn’t seem to be a safety issue. We might also sell the car in a few months or a year or so. I wouldn’t sell to a private buyer and not disclose this. But I wonder how a major retailer like CarMax would handle this or even see this (or treat it as a major issue). But if I can’t sell the car down the line, I might as well get steering rack replaced now. Would suck if time passes and I’m not able to get insurance to cover for failing to make a timely claim.