but then why didn't they just total it and instead bother fixing it, and then having me pick it up.

when i brought up this point when i went to pick up the car, they rolled back on their story and are now saying that cars that are 6 years or older should sustain 100% damage of the total cost value in order to be totaled. The DMV site however states a car is salvaged if the damage is 75% or more.