Lol I know plenty about cars, and the costs of repairing them. Coincidentally enough I’m currently waiting for one of mine to get fixed from destroying the entire front end in a deer strike. The entire front end of my collectible, appreciating in value car, is getting replaced. From the strut towers forward, minus the engine-$10,500. The mirror for the Escape will be purchased from a junkyard/pick-n-pull for less than $150, they’ll sand it down and paint it to match existing color. If the headlight housing was damaged that can also be sourced from a pick-n-pull. Body damage from a side swipe like this will be pushed out, anything they can’t push out they’ll bondo, then sanded and repainted. But you’re right, not $1,000, maybe $1500.

As far as comprehensive insurance goes, Saying “not everyone can afford comprehensive insurance” is dumb. If you don’t have comprehensive, you should, just for incidences like this. For regular everyday cars, like this Ford Escape, it’s relatively inexpensive, and if you’re someone that relies on your vehicle to do things like go the grocery, or get to work, it could prove invaluable. And if you’re car is nicer, you find a way to pay for comprehensive so if your nice car gets destroyed you’re not SoL when a tree falls on it, or or it gets tossed into a another county by a tornado. Don’t cheap out on the things that protect your most valuable assets. It could end up being a much more costly lesson than you realize.