Accident
- Thread starter DSMGSX
- Start date
G.I.G.
New member
Man, that sucks! I'm sorry to hear that. At least your 4R delivered you safely back to your family. 
I had a similar experience with my '00 Grand Cherokee Limited. I got in an accident on the highway which was someone else's fault. $13k worth of damage on a vehicle that I just bought for $20k a few months previous. Needless to say, I was PISSED! I thought for sure they would total it, as it sustained a pretty big head on collision. Unfortunately, an insurance company typically won't total a car unless the repair costs more than 80% of the value of you car. In your case, it is cheaper for them to fix it rather than total it. That is usually the case with newer, more expensive cars.
I am no car expert or collision specialist, but despite how bad your 4R looks, it doesn't look like is sustained any major structural damage. I can say this, and that is a good body shop can do AMAZING work to make a car look and drive like new again. You might be very surprised when you get it back. I was planning on selling my GC as soon as I got it back but when I sat it in again and drove it back home from the body shop, I was VERY impressed with the repair work.
As far as diminished value goes, I hate to say it, but good luck with that. You typically only get DV from an insurance company on a vehicle if a little damage occurs to something that would be very expensive to replace. For example, on that same GC I used to have, it was broken into and the glass from the broken window scratched my leather seats. Rather than replace the entire leather seat covering for a few small scratches, they through in an extra couple hundred dollars into my claim for DV. Unfortunately, DV usually doesn't include a perceived loss in value due to an accident or body work.
This may be a glass half full way of looking at it, but when I got my GC back, in ways it was actually BETTER then when I got in the accident. All of the rock chips on my grill and hood were gone (new paint). I got new gas charged hood struts (the old ones wouldn't keep my hood up in cold weather). I got a new radiator and coolant (saved me from getting a coolant flush and fill). I got a new AC compressor, etc. So, in essence, I got a lot of new stuff that I didn't have to pay for. Heck, I even got a new front pair of tires (I went ahead and payed for the rears so I had an entire new set of tires) because there was some minor damage to the old tires in the accident. I know that is of little comfort to you, especially since your 4R is so new, but it might help keep things in perspective.
Good luck with everything and keep us posted.....
I had a similar experience with my '00 Grand Cherokee Limited. I got in an accident on the highway which was someone else's fault. $13k worth of damage on a vehicle that I just bought for $20k a few months previous. Needless to say, I was PISSED! I thought for sure they would total it, as it sustained a pretty big head on collision. Unfortunately, an insurance company typically won't total a car unless the repair costs more than 80% of the value of you car. In your case, it is cheaper for them to fix it rather than total it. That is usually the case with newer, more expensive cars.
I am no car expert or collision specialist, but despite how bad your 4R looks, it doesn't look like is sustained any major structural damage. I can say this, and that is a good body shop can do AMAZING work to make a car look and drive like new again. You might be very surprised when you get it back. I was planning on selling my GC as soon as I got it back but when I sat it in again and drove it back home from the body shop, I was VERY impressed with the repair work.
As far as diminished value goes, I hate to say it, but good luck with that. You typically only get DV from an insurance company on a vehicle if a little damage occurs to something that would be very expensive to replace. For example, on that same GC I used to have, it was broken into and the glass from the broken window scratched my leather seats. Rather than replace the entire leather seat covering for a few small scratches, they through in an extra couple hundred dollars into my claim for DV. Unfortunately, DV usually doesn't include a perceived loss in value due to an accident or body work.
This may be a glass half full way of looking at it, but when I got my GC back, in ways it was actually BETTER then when I got in the accident. All of the rock chips on my grill and hood were gone (new paint). I got new gas charged hood struts (the old ones wouldn't keep my hood up in cold weather). I got a new radiator and coolant (saved me from getting a coolant flush and fill). I got a new AC compressor, etc. So, in essence, I got a lot of new stuff that I didn't have to pay for. Heck, I even got a new front pair of tires (I went ahead and payed for the rears so I had an entire new set of tires) because there was some minor damage to the old tires in the accident. I know that is of little comfort to you, especially since your 4R is so new, but it might help keep things in perspective.
Good luck with everything and keep us posted.....
DSMGSX
New member
G.I.G. said:
I don't believe this is correct, As now I cannot get rid of my truck. so its taken some loss. The Toyota dealer says they wont even sell it to a customer. It's going straight to auction in the red lane, as being severly damaged. The insurance companies dont want you to know about what you can recover. Its a tedioius process, but in time they will pay. Then there are always lawyers to help assist.
http://www.collisionconsulting.com/
"Imagine two vehicles parked side by side - both are the same year, make and model, both with the same options, both with the same mileage, they're even the same color. The only difference is that one recently had $8,000 worth of collision repairs. If the price were the same, the only difference being the accident history, which one would you buy ? (Exactly!!! - that's the concept of diminished value)"
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G.I.G.
New member
DSMGSX said:
Good information to know. Thanks for posting that website. You hit it on the head though, it might be an uphill battle in order to prove DV and to what extent. But on a 2 yr. old vehicle worth over $20k I would say it is well worth the battle. Hopefully the insurance company owns up to it and gives you a fair reimbursement for DV. If not, like you said, there are always lawyers if the insurance company wants to play hard ball.
Glad your ok. Over here in Canada, you can get a special insurance add on where within the first 3-5 years of owning a brand new car, you pay for this insurance and if the car gets totalled, they replace it with a brand new one of the same car so you don't get hit with the DV of your car. However, I'm not sure it would have helped you as yours wasn't written off. Good luck with everything though.
G.I.G.
New member
nighthawk said:
That sounds very similar to GAP insurance. Basically, if you're car gets totaled and it is valued at less than what you owe on the car, the GAP coverage will cover the difference. I think I paid an extra $150 for GAP insurance when I bought my car and I would recommend it to anyone, especially if you are financing your vehicle with little to no money down. GAP insurance is the only thing I will pay extra for when I go to by a car, much to the chagrin of the finance guy trying to up-sell me LoJack, clear bra, window etching, and all the other gimmicks they try to hit you with in the finance department.
inscarguy
Member
i am on the insurance side of this. we do not have DV in the state of Ma as many people like to think we have. even with the amount of damage on that vehicle it appears to be repairable. the only thing that scares me is the nose is swayed over quite a bit.
here in Ma if a vehicle is not totalled and it is repaired properly, a dealer or anyone else for that matter CANNOT deduct money from you(DV). a vehicle repaired correctly in Ma. eyes is worth as much as a non damaged vehicle.(this is where carfax comes into play if the accident is reported to them). In Ma DV is only used if the owner owes more than the car is worth but its not called DV, i forget the tech term. You would have to go and get the difference back from the other party if its their fault.
there is something else you might want to keep in the back of your mind, if your car is worth say 20,000 and the damage amount is 14,000 an insurance co can do whats called "a constructive total" which means that the ins. appraiser thinks that there will be addl hidden damage that would bring the damage amount close to or over what the vehicle is worth.
i would not hesitate driving your vehicle after it has been fixed. i have a 98 GMC Sierra that in '01 got hit by an 18 wheel rig and sustained $19,000 in damage. i still have it today and runs and drives just as good as it did in '00 when i first got it.
here in Ma if a vehicle is not totalled and it is repaired properly, a dealer or anyone else for that matter CANNOT deduct money from you(DV). a vehicle repaired correctly in Ma. eyes is worth as much as a non damaged vehicle.(this is where carfax comes into play if the accident is reported to them). In Ma DV is only used if the owner owes more than the car is worth but its not called DV, i forget the tech term. You would have to go and get the difference back from the other party if its their fault.
there is something else you might want to keep in the back of your mind, if your car is worth say 20,000 and the damage amount is 14,000 an insurance co can do whats called "a constructive total" which means that the ins. appraiser thinks that there will be addl hidden damage that would bring the damage amount close to or over what the vehicle is worth.
i would not hesitate driving your vehicle after it has been fixed. i have a 98 GMC Sierra that in '01 got hit by an 18 wheel rig and sustained $19,000 in damage. i still have it today and runs and drives just as good as it did in '00 when i first got it.
DSMGSX
New member
Yeah and I bet it isn't worth what it should be worth.inscarguy said:
I'm not hesitating driving it. Hell I was driving it like you see it for a few days. My point is the vehicle will never be worth the money I am paying for it. Aftermarket panels, aftermarket parts. No Vin on the doors. MD law states must be reported, therefore any common idiot is going to know what has happened to it, and the value of the damage. Not great odds to go against. Even a slimy dealer wont sell it. Straight to auction. Hummm... That should sum it up.
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G.I.G.
New member
DSMGSX said:
Most dealers send trade-ins to auction, which would actually work in your favor in this case. If/when you go to trade it in, most dealers won't give it a second look. They'll take the Odo reading, walk around it, take it for a short test drive (sometimes) and give you a price on it. When I traded in my GC they gave me a very fair price, especially for a dealer. They never questioned accident history and never noticed a thing different about my GC. I don't sell cars privately anymore because I don't like dealing with know-it-all, cheap, dumb a$$'s that want to think they know how haggle when buying a car. It's easier to take it to a dealer that is fair and reasonable (hard to find, I know) and put that towards the new car I'm buying. So, I guess it depends on when/if you sell you're 4R if it will be to a private party or a dealer.
Another thing to keep in mind....when you trade a car in, the trade in value goes against the purchase price of your new car and you only pay taxes on the difference. For example, you trade in your car and they give you $10k for it and you're new car costs $30k. At %5 tax you're saving $500 when you trade in your vehicle vs. selling it privately. I know it's a bit off topic but something to consider when you're looking at the grand scheme of things. Especially since dealers aren't as nit picky as private buyers when it comes to buying a car. That might not help much but just another thing to keep in mind.
Regardless, I would go after as much as you can because you own a very nice vehicle and it sucks that someone's carlessness is causing all of this trouble. Not to mention all of the time and energy spent in dealing with insurance companies, rental car companies, etc. Whatever happens, I hope you end up on top. :bigok:
1BadGixxer
New member
I live close to you... Wanna trade wheels before you trade the truck in?
Annoyed
New member
You can look at this from any legal perspective you want, but the bottom line is you're going to take a big hit in the trucks value. Anyone who knows about cars who examines the truck before purchase will be able to spot it's been extensively repaired. And it's nearly certain to appear on a Carfax report also. So there is no hiding it at resale.
Your best bets are:
1: They total it and give you a fair price for it, allowing you to shop for a replacement without losing your shirt. (unlikely)
2: The shop does an excellent job at repairing it, and your driving experience is undiminished. Then you can just keep it, drive it till it's old enough where you can trade it in at a dealer, and the dealer won't do more than glance at it because the only reason he's taking it at all is to get the sale on the new one.
Your best bets are:
1: They total it and give you a fair price for it, allowing you to shop for a replacement without losing your shirt. (unlikely)
2: The shop does an excellent job at repairing it, and your driving experience is undiminished. Then you can just keep it, drive it till it's old enough where you can trade it in at a dealer, and the dealer won't do more than glance at it because the only reason he's taking it at all is to get the sale on the new one.
leftyguns21
New member
that......that sucks. that truck is tore up.
good luck with the ins companies...like others have said its an uphill battle you probably wont win. they will screw you in any way possible.
just be happy youre safe and it will get repaired..make sure YOU pick the shop do not let them pick their 2nd rate discount shop.
good luck with the ins companies...like others have said its an uphill battle you probably wont win. they will screw you in any way possible.
just be happy youre safe and it will get repaired..make sure YOU pick the shop do not let them pick their 2nd rate discount shop.
DSMGSX
New member
I've mentioned to my insurance company that I know about Dimished Value and have someone advising me. All sorts of excuses flying from my agents mouth. With a final, I'm going to have to talk with my manager as the call came to an end. I expect to be held off for a short time.Annoyed said:
I believe that I might have frightened them, now that they realize I have somewhat of an understanding of what is due to me.
We will see what happens.
DSMGSX
New member
Scoobs said:
They say if the Airbags had deployed in mine they would have totalled it.
I can't believe they are going to fix that Pilot.
My truck has under 17k miles on it, witch my estimator said they have to use all brand new parts and some OEM parts required. No used/salvage parts allowed to be used.
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1BadGixxer
New member
All you had to do was acknowledge my post...I double posted incase you didnt see the first one. Good opportunity for both of us.DSMGSX said:
