Questions

In my situation, I’m an 18 year old college student who has scholarships to cover all costs of attendance, meaning I have no credit. I’ve maintained high grades while working and earning about $600 a month. My food is Pre payed with a meal plan. I need to have a reliable car since I live 5 hours away from home. My parents pay for my insurance (a total blessing). Recently I found out my car will be totaled due to an accident where I got rear ended. My car is drivable but can have many unexpected costs. I have invested $5,300 into this car since the middle my Jr year of high school, I am now a college freshman. In exchange for my car the insurance company is willing to give me $4800. This would make a substantial down payment on a deal I have lined up for a Kia Forte at $17,000. I have the ability to either get rid of my car and take the whole $4,800 to put towards a new car to start building my credit since I have no student loans or credit cards, or keep my old car for $1,000 and take my car and the $3,800 to a repair shop, pay whatever to fix it and keep the difference to pay for future repairs. I also want to take my parents paying for the new cars insurance into account. Thank you for any advice <3

Side note: My mom would be co-signing on the car but I would be making all the payments.
Building credit is important to me so I can have total financial independence when I get out of college.