Destroyed my Bumper... Best way to get aftermarket in lieu of OEM?

[KellyJ]

Well earlier today after buying my girlfriend a $350 Tiffany's and Co. ring, I smashed up the front of the 4R pretty well. I was exiting the parking lot and waited for a black Mercedes to proceed from my right and past me, and as it slowed to pull in the exit I was pulling out of, I managed to hit a Volvo S40 at the front left quarter panel and driver door. I was going about 5 MPH and the S40 was traveling at roughly 25 MPH when we hit. Neither cars' airbags went off, and both were still driveable (after hand-prying the bumper ends away from my tires:sobbing: ) We exchanged insurance information and whatnot, and it will undoubtedly be my fault. However, the most important concern is that it must be fixed. Now, I am looking for an aftermarket bumper. The question is, how do I go about getting the new bumper with the insurance coverage? I asked my dad for advice and said that it's possible but has never done it before, and said try researching to find out what's possible. I'm insured with Geico (goods peoples) - and need to get my quarter panel fixed as well ( along with a couple other things, I need to take it in for the estimate through Geico). So how can I get an aftermarket bumper installed as well as get my quarter panel? Is it possible? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks. Opinions on bumpers are welcome too. I get the estimate Wednesday.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I'm not following what you are asking.

If you are letting insurance pay for this, why are you worried about an aftertmarket bumper? Or, are you saying you want insurance to cover it AND you want an upgraded aftermarket bumper?

 

[Clemsonfan15]

If you are letting insurance pay for this, why are you worried about an aftertmarket bumper? Or, are you saying you want insurance to cover it AND you want an upgraded aftermarket bumper?

That's what I think he is asking.

He basically wants to use the insurance money to buy an aftermarket bumper.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

If thats the case, it all depends on your adjuster.

IF he/she is willing to let you apply the cost of the factory bumper towards an aftermarket bumper with YOU picking up the cost then yes, you can do this.

That being said, from your post I'd bet you are fairly young and claiming this on your insurance is probably going to ding your rates. There is no free ride. ;-)

If I were you, I'd ask your agent how much your rates are going to increase if you claim the comp damage on your truck. It's not that bad and if you want to replace the bumper with an aftermarket unit anyway, you might be ahead of the game farming out the body work and replacing the bumper yourself and leaving the insurance company out of it.

Also, you say "quarter panel". Understand that a quarter panel is the sheet metal above your rear wheel from the door to the rear bumper. Your damage is to the front fender. Huge difference in bodywork terms because a quarter panel is a structural element of the vehicle while a fender is a bolt on part.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Good info. I was always curious about this as well.

Sorry to see it happen to you KellyJ. Good luck getting it fixed.

 

[snhrph]

He has 2 options: taking the car to be appraised and fixed at a Geico facility, or taking it to a shop of his choice and having it inspected and fixed there.

Geico will invariably try to push him to go through their drive-in inspection and one of their repair shops. At that point I'm not sure if he'll have an option of taking the check from Geico and ordering the replacement bumper that he wants - Geico approved facilities bring the car to the condition prior to an accident and the guarantee the repairs they make. I highly doubt that they will guarantee an ARB bumper...

I would go to a local body shop that he trusts and have them work with Geico. As an added bonus they usually know the adjusters in the area and can make the adjustment and repair process go a lot easier...

Just my 2 cents...

 

[KellyJ]

Basically I'm wondering if there's any way my insurance would cover me getting an aftermarket bumper instead of getting a regular OEM one? Like, say I were to take my truck to the Geico people, get an estimate, and instead of having them do the work, get a rental car and what not, get a check cut out for the damage, cash that check on all the damage and get it repaired under my own terms. That's what'd I'd like

 

[KellyJ]

He has 2 options: taking the car to be appraised and fixed at a Geico facility, or taking it to a shop of his choice and having it inspected and fixed there.

Geico will invariably try to push him to go through their drive-in inspection and one of their repair shops. At that point I'm not sure if he'll have an option of taking the check from Geico and ordering the replacement bumper that he wants - Geico approved facilities bring the car to the condition prior to an accident and the guarantee the repairs they make. I highly doubt that they will guarantee an ARB bumper...

I would go to a local body shop that he trusts and have them work with Geico. As an added bonus they usually know the adjusters in the area and can make the adjustment and repair process go a lot easier...

Just my 2 cents...

So if I know a reputable local shop that has done good work on other vehicles of mine, go to them and ask if they work with Geico, and order my own parts through them?

 

[snhrph]

That being said, from your post I'd bet you are fairly young and claiming this on your insurance is probably going to ding your rates. There is no free ride. ;-)



If I were you, I'd ask your agent how much your rates are going to increase if you claim the comp damage on your truck. It's not that bad and if you want to replace the bumper with an aftermarket unit anyway, you might be ahead of the game farming out the body work and replacing the bumper yourself and leaving the insurance company out of it.



Also, you say "quarter panel". Understand that a quarter panel is the sheet metal above your rear wheel from the door to the rear bumper. Your damage is to the front fender. Huge difference in bodywork terms because a quarter panel is a structural element of the vehicle while a fender is a bolt on part.

His insurance will probably go up anyway, since the other party will file the claim for damages.

And if this is the case, might as well get the biggest bang for the buck and get as much as possible out of the insurance company.

Geico limit is $1000 payout to avoid rate increase.

 

[snhrph]

So if I know a reputable local shop that has done good work on other vehicles of mine, go to them and ask if they work with Geico, and order my own parts through them?

Definitely.

One more point that I would like to make is that a shop may or may not install the after-market part that they did not order, but ask them if you can order the bumper and have it shipped to them. A good shop should be willing to work with you.

 

[Maxil]

As I got rear ended a couple months ago I asked my friend who does body work some similar questions. Here in Georgia anyway, I had the choice how to fix my bumper, although State Farm sure made it sound like I had to do it their way. I told them I wasn't sure how or where I would go about fixing it, and so they sent an adjuster out and sent me a check for the damages, simple as that.

My friend had informed me that it was indeed my decision as to how I go about fixing it, not the insurance company's.

My friend adjusted the bumper back so it wasn't tilted down like any 4runner does, and I can live with the small dings that are hardly visible, the trailer hitch took the most damage anyway. I kept the check and spent it as I liked.

It may well work the same for you.

Maxil

 

[Duhockey]

I got rear ended a few years back, before I had done any modding to my Runner,

and although it wasnt my fault I had the option of shops to take mine too in the area that my insurance company worked with, I chose one and got my quote, then the shop got back with my insurance and my insurance offered me the money or to fix it.

I wanted it fixed so I scheduled a time with the shop and they fixed it.
I also got a rental out of it for a day because it was in the shop

If I chose to get a check, there would be no rental.

Just ask how much your rates will go up if you make a claim, if its less than it would cost you for an aftermarket bumper or you feel good about it, then just tell your insurance adjuster that you want the name of a few shops that you can get a quote from, getting multiple quotes may help you get more money out of it,

also, leave any insurance shops/insurance adjusters out of the fact you want an aftermarket bumper. I would wait til you have the check in hand and then buy your bumper and deal with it then. Dont complicate any issues for anyone, it will make things simpler on you..

With you being at fault your insurance is probably going to go up to the point that it wont be worth it.

let us know how things go.

 

[giro]

Insurance payout

While we lived in CA, I had the stock catalytic converter stolen off my 92 4runner. I had State Farm, and I was gunning for compensation for a stock Cat (toyota was charging $800 or so at the time, or about $950 installed (it's got 4 freaking bolts to hold it on and you don't even have to put the truck on a lift).

Non-oem quotes were about $300 installed. In the end State Farm did their own estimate, and gave me a check for about $100 (after my $250 deductible), which covered the $80 aftermarket cat I bought and installed.

Likewise, my wife had Geico, and was backed into in a parking lot. Both were backing out, but she saw the other car backing out and stopped....but in the end they decided it was both people's fault. It only added a little paint and bumper damage to the Accord, but the Geico adjusters looked at it and gave us a check for $300 or $400. We didn't have it repaired, and just knocked the price down on the car a small amount when we sold it a couple years later. And since it was below $750 it didn't ding her rates (different levels than the $1000 level mentioned by someone else)

Hopefully it works out similarly for you. It probably depends on the state, and possibly also on your coverage.

 

[KellyJ]

Got the check from Geico finally -- $2100 for the pictured damage -- soop de woop :gun5:

Now, I need to find somewhere that will do all the work, including the body damage, and the ARB is MINE!!! Anyone know of a reputable shop within 50 miles of D.C. that will install a custom front bumper and repair bodywork?

 

[brian2sun]

Why not jump on that Outdoor Logic group buy? Pikeman is the man to talk to. I've seen his bumper in person and it's really nice and close to the same price as an ARB also.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

$2,100 is a good bit of damage. Do you have any pictures?

Any reason you're going with an ARB? I think there are a few out now that look a little better.

Edit: Just saw the pictures.

 

[KellyJ]

Taking the truck down to Iron Pig Off Road in Fredricksburg to get the body work done and have an ARB put on! Taking it down Monday or Tuesday, hopefully should have it back by the end of the week. Geico's even setting me up w/ a rental car for the time my truck is 50 miles from me. Yayyy. :bravo:

Pics up as soon as it's back in my hands. Does the ARB have mounting tabs for lights? If so, which are the best that fit? Also, I knew I saw some clear lenses for the ARB but I forgot the website -- does anyone know where I can grab a set of those?

Also, just ordered some Savage Offroad sliders :cheers: and have started looking at wheel spacers as well.

 

[theizzardking]

Taking the truck down to Iron Pig Off Road in Fredricksburg to get the body work done and have an ARB put on! Taking it down Monday or Tuesday, hopefully should have it back by the end of the week. Geico's even setting me up w/ a rental car for the time my truck is 50 miles from me. Yayyy. :bravo:

Pics up as soon as it's back in my hands. Does the ARB have mounting tabs for lights? If so, which are the best that fit? Also, I knew I saw some clear lenses for the ARB but I forgot the website -- does anyone know where I can grab a set of those?

Also, just ordered some Savage Offroad sliders :cheers: and have started looking at wheel spacers as well.

the fog lights are holes in the top plate for the bumper, i'm pretty sure any light will fit, the problem with the hellas and maybe other is that you need to stack some washers under neath the light it's self so you can aim them properly, other wise the bottom of the light hits the bumper and you can't point them down far enough.

i would think this would be the problem on most any light you use.


get some hella 500 ff's for cheap and call it good, maybe throw a higher watt bulb if you need more, or you could go crazy and order some of these
https://www.bajadesigns.com/NET/P-613260/Pre-runner,+6"+Hid+Driving+Black

the cheap ones,
http://www.amazon.com/Hella-5750941-500FF-Halogen-Driving/dp/B001TWD5GY/ref=pd_sim_auto_1

the hellas are great imo, good price and throw a nice beam, the FF on the end of the number means free form lens and is meant to be better then the standard 500, they tend to be the same price so look for the FF

 

[fusedapart]

there is a pretty sweet group buy going on on an aftermarket one

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/77892-group-buy-outdoorlogic-3rd-gen-front-bumper.html

 

[KellyJ]

there is a pretty sweet group buy going on on an aftermarket one

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/77892-group-buy-outdoorlogic-3rd-gen-front-bumper.html

It's a cool bumper but the cons (shipping cost and not a big fan of the angled hoops) out weigh the pros (cool custom look, good ventilation it seems from the himages)