Here's the story.

I was rushing out the door to get the bank before it closed because we had a check in come in today. I hopped in the car, backed up a bit (street parking) and cut my wheel and started to pull out, when SMASH! Right into my girlfriend's mom's SUV.

So first we were already short on money because we're having TWO litters of dogs (a whole story in itself) and already needed the windshield replaced and brakes changed/rotors trimmed, now we've got to replace the headlight assembly (cheap enough that I could do it myself, but the girlfriend doesn't trust me to) and a few more dents to get out (I'm going to try rapidly cooling and heating it before we send it to a body shop and get told the panel needs replaced. It doesn't) and then those spots need repainted.

All this is without taking into account that we've got the biggest show for our breed of dog NEXT WEEK in St. Louis, and my girlfriend doesn't want to drive the car if there's a small dent on the hood or a scratch.

My plan:
Replace headlight assembly ($30-$50 and 30 minutes)
Cool/Heat to try to get dents out (cost of a can of air duster OR dry ice)
Buff scratches (Free, we have a buffer)
Fill small crack on bumper with bondo (bondo isn't very expensive from what I recall)
Sand and paint scratches that didn't come out and bondo'd crack (already have sandpaper, can buy paint from dealer)
Anything I can't do myself have my mom's friend who does body work do it for a discounted price (hopefully not have to do this)

Coming to a total of one day of missed work, and a whole day of working on the car.

Her plan:
Pay someone to keep the car for too long and replace the panel, bumper, and hood and charge us way too much, meaning we have to file a claim and our already high insurance payment will go up.

I like my plan a bit more, but she doesn't like it so much. The only thing wrong with my plan is that soon we'll have TWO litters of new born puppies, and I won't have a whole day to work on the car, so it'll be two half days of work on the car, and no days of work missed, but two short work days.

Anyway, I have a 1/2 oz gold coin that I can sell if I need to, but if it's less than a few hundred dollars to get it all fixed my dad is going to front me the money (at least, he'll be able to give me a bit) and if we get this taken care of in the next few days we don't have to miss the dog show and she'll be less mad at me.

I'm calling some people tomorrow to see what prices I can get for a headlamp assembly.

Your girlfriend doesn't care about the headlight assembly. She doesn't trust you to drive.

Excellent! You'll have two litters of puppies and a place to sell them.

Well of course. If people see her driving it they'll blame her for your accident.

No plan to fix your girlfriend's mom's SUV? No wonder your girlfriend doesn't trust you.

If you don't get enough from selling the puppies, you can sell your cubes.

What kind of dog?

yeah, what kind of dog, because we show boarder collies, and whippets
(my aunt just had a litter of whippets tonight)

Aussies and huskies. The SUV is less important to fix because it isn't drivable right now as it is, the rear differential is getting worse. We need a new rear axle on it, so the cosmetic damage to the bumper isn't as bad as the car we need to take to the dog show.

And by she doesn't want to drive it, I mean she doesn't want to drive IN it. She doesn't have her license yet.

I know Australians are considered to be a bit rough, with Crocodile Dundee and Australian football, etc., but I don't think they qualify to enter any dog show.

LOL. Australian Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.

well you could borrow my car, but im all the way in california..... and it was totaled.

Well, Kelvin, at least I know I can still laugh.

What kind of cars?

Terrible to hear about what happened.Out of curiosity, what like of coin is it?

A ford explorer with a messed up rear differential (local driving only when we need to) and an '06 Dodge Caravan (I drive a minivan. It's pretty awesome!)
1/2 oz. AGE 1998, I posted a couple of pictures of it in a thread I posted a while ago called "Geocaching" or something similar.

It's not in the greatest condition, and I'm hoping to not have to sell it, though.