I'm back - but not happy

[TrijiCog]

Looking at the parking spaces,the only logical conclusion,if you believe her story,is that she was trying to get into the space where the car in front of her is parked lol..And FYI,police do not fill out reports on private property unless there was an injury.

I mean seriously,what space was she trying to get into ?

 

[Jhalko]

Clearly a good excuse for full steel bumpers front and rear.

Glad everyone is safe.


I’ve seen enough accident pictures where you could never have understood how it happened without a video so I don’t really question anything anymore myself.

 

[simple]

To be fair, forward vis is pretty terrible with the high hood in the 5th gen. I could see someone not seeing the tree ring, and with the angle of the tree it would be easy to thing it was more offset and plow in there.

I do find it pretty hard to believe that someone hits something that stops their car in a parking lot and decides to gun it. But regardless, I find that damage believable. If the tree don't want to move, that car is going to keep moving into it until one decides to stop the other.

 

[Matt fe2o3]

To be fair, forward vis is pretty terrible with the high hood in the 5th gen. I could see someone not seeing the tree ring, and with the angle of the tree it would be easy to thing it was more offset and plow in there.

I do find it pretty hard to believe that someone hits something that stops their car in a parking lot and decides to gun it. But regardless, I find that damage believable. If the tree don't want to move, that car is going to keep moving into it until one decides to stop the other.

She is generally a pretty slow driver. I don't think she knew she touched the tree ring. I think she was pulling in slowly on brake and rested against it and throttled to move forward unaware she was up against the tree curb.

The idea that she tore into the lot at speed and rammed the tree simply does not match what the other folks there (it was a synagogue parking lot with folks arriving for attendance for the bar mitzvah) saw or the limited range of the debris field.

I'm just being objective, there is no question of fault - but if you hit something like that at 15-20 mph you are going to throw broken pieces of headlights/lamps more than a couple feet.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Glad for no injuries. I hope the INS. process is kind as well. Sheet metal is thin on these new vehicles. I can attest to that after using a jigsaw on my fender for the snorkel. Cut like butter. Not a lot beef there anymore. Bumper covers? well you know, they're meant to break away. A lot of the damage might possibly have been the weight of the vehicle coming down and into the tree after hopping the curb.

 

[Matt fe2o3]

Glad for no injuries. I hope the INS. process is kind as well. Sheet metal is thin on these new vehicles. I can attest to that after using a jigsaw on my fender for the snorkel. Cut like butter. Not a lot beef there anymore. Bumper covers? well you know, they're meant to break away. A lot of the damage might possibly have been the weight of the vehicle coming down and into the tree after hopping the curb.

Cheers! Merritt Island? :clap2: We were out that way in Oct/Nov and caught a launch. Could not believe how inexpensive gasoline was out there, compared to SF area.

Insurance - well it's Safeco and we have a lot of it. They towed it out pretty quick and it seems to be at a decent shop. All take a number stuff. For being thin they still weigh quite a bit - gravity is gonna be there no matter what.

 

[Runn4est]

My guess is hands not tight on the wheel, hits the tree ring, wheel jerks to the right and you have a perfect angle to just miss the front bumper support and with the wheel cocked to the right allowed the tree to get right up in there.

 

[04rnr]

My wife and daughter were fine. and that's the important part.

that is a fact.... as already said, the 4runner can be fixed/replace, your wife and daughter cant.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Cheers! Merritt Island? :clap2: We were out that way in Oct/Nov and caught a launch. Could not believe how inexpensive gasoline was out there, compared to SF area.

Insurance - well it's Safeco and we have a lot of it. They towed it out pretty quick and it seems to be at a decent shop. All take a number stuff. For being thin they still weigh quite a bit - gravity is gonna be there no matter what.

Yes sir, I've seen a lot of em. Dad started on the Apollo project back in 66'. The Space X boosters landing on the barges is pretty damn cool stuff!!

Gas is still taxed pretty heavy here because we have no state income tax. 15 to 20 cents cheaper in south east Georgia. California prices are ridiculous. Good luck w the Runner!!

 

[e60ral]

Looking at the parking spaces,the only logical conclusion,if you believe her story,is that she was trying to get into the space where the car in front of her is parked lol..And FYI,police do not fill out reports on private property unless there was an injury.

I mean seriously,what space was she trying to get into ?

Police reports depend on the state, in my state for example (NC) reports are required if damage is over $1000 (or injury/death)

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[Matt fe2o3]

Police reports depend on the state, in my state for example (NC) reports are required if damage is over $1000 (or injury/death)

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They will write reports on private property if they want to here. They tend not to unless there is injury or something serious. Our county sheriffs are more likely to write non injury reports than city PD in my observation.

I had a lady driving the wrong way in a private lot exit hit me in Oakland years ago and Oakland PD did in fact write a report w/photos. So guess it just depends. Man she was batpoop crazy in a new 7 series BMW.

 

[TrijiCog]

They will write reports on private property if they want to here. They tend not to unless there is injury or something serious. Our county sheriffs are more likely to write non injury reports than city PD in my observation.

I had a lady driving the wrong way in a private lot exit hit me in Oakland years ago and Oakland PD did in fact write a report w/photos. So guess it just depends. Man she was batpoop crazy in a new 7 series BMW.

Our cops are just lazy I guess lol

 

[425Runner]

That is an insane, and very scary, amount of front end damage from a parking lot fender bender. Seriously, WTF?

 

[MeefZah]

Your wife needs some remedial training. She is the reason insurance rates are ridiculous. Be sure and thank her from all of us that know how to ****ing drive.

 

[chester4Run]

Does it look like the truck tire might have ridden up on the tree some and then slid off? If the tree trunk pushed the bumper cover and fender upward that might account for the amount of damage. It looks and sounds like the truck did what it should have by protecting the occupants.

Try not to let the snarky comments get to you. We may have a few ppl commenting who played lawyers, law enforcement, or insurance analysts on TV. :heh:

Glad everyone is OK.

 

[Toffees]

Glad nobody is hurt. That's actually not much damage from running into a Whomping Willow. Could have been much worse.

 

[Matt fe2o3]

Glad for no injuries. I hope the INS. process is kind as well. Sheet metal is thin on these new vehicles. I can attest to that after using a jigsaw on my fender for the snorkel. Cut like butter. Not a lot beef there anymore. Bumper covers? well you know, they're meant to break away. A lot of the damage might possibly have been the weight of the vehicle coming down and into the tree after hopping the curb.

:mmph:

Well the insurance company (Safeco) is fine enough.

Every time the shop it was taken to calls me they try to stick their hand in my pocket for xtra money and that has already pissed me off.

By the time I found out about the accident the insurance had already sent it over to the shop. The walk around estimate is 8600 and the gal at the shot is saying the left fender flare buckle behind the headlight is pre-existing - shit like that.

I spoke to my body shop guy (not where truck is) - he was meh - it's all connected and when the radiator mounts get shoved over it creases out the flare -he just shook his head and said some shops do that..... Insurance agreed with me in the discussion- so why this gal is doing this shit it beyond me - well not really - I know why :mmph: plus the fender damage was included in the estimate. FFS...

I have to go down Friday or tomorrow and look at the tear-down. I already told them the mechanical has to be done by Toyota otherwise I'll lose warranty on impacted parts - that said not sure how much mechanical is an issue. The initial estimate was without opening the hood - such as it is...LOL

I don't have good reference pics of whats in the upper and lower parts of the engine compartment and strut tower area. Anyone with xtra info pics in their pc folder feel free to post them - I did a search but did not really get the money shots I was looking for reference on. Payback with virtual beer now:cheers: or a real beer someday at a meet.

Anyway as far as Safeco is concerned I can pull the vehicle and send it somewhere else. The Safeco lady could not care less. I just hate managing these things. Last thing I want is for a emissions or drivetrain warranty issue to get denied at Toyota due to previous damage - and Toyota is pretty clear about that in the warranty docs. Body shop guarantees repairs for life EXCEPT mechanical which is 90 days/3000 miles....

I don't want to upset the apple cart and be a dick. At the same time I don't want to loose any of my powertrain, restraints or emissions warranty - by trading it for a 90 day/3k mile shop boilerplate - when I have a couple years left on the new vehicle warranty itself. I don't think that's unreasonable.

Rant over. Update in due course. Thanks for tolerating my posts :bash:

Cheers.

 

[e60ral]

If insurance buys the argument and you can have Toyta do the mechanical work great, but for your knowledge repairs don't need to be done by Toyota to retain your warranty because of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

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[Matt fe2o3]

If insurance buys the argument and you can have Toyta do the mechanical work great, but for your knowledge repairs don't need to be done by Toyota to retain your warranty because of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

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I get that - but when the repair shops guarantee substantially reduces the mfg's warranty by express time limits and the provision of MM not covering service - it's not quite apples for apples - as if non-genuine parts are used the mfg is off the hook - you can't put their warranty on an item that's not theirs and if the part is - they don't have to perform the service cost of repair - only the part and not if it's been damaged or attributable to a 3rd party improper installation, at least that is what the plain language says around it.

I had to go through that crap in 2002 to 2005 with Ford on a 7.3 PSD that would not stop leaking oil and blowing off intercooler hoses. Incredible pain. Went in almost 30 times, three engine pulls and 4+ months out of service (once for two months) and Ford walked away. Three years later it all settled way in my favor (and all I ever begged them for was a fix - not a refund).

Ford spent, including arbitration and settlement, failed repairs almost 100k (like 94,xxx)- because we get to see all the costs of both parties including legal in the arbitration. Even though we won, most people walk away and sell the vehicle which is what the MFG's default on warranty disputes are. I would rather not deal with that - three years is a long time to simply get in line. It was funny at the time - Ford's attorney showed up - had never seen the file - asked a couple questions called Ford and they capitulated. He told me he was sorry about the process - but that was just how it was done. Just over an oil leak and a crankcase that kept pressurizing. Now all that aside - three years is along time. Screw that. I'm going to avoid those type of events like the plague at the front end of the process if I can.

Safeco did not flinch when I asked about this - whatever/wherever I wanted to go was fine with them. The shop said they would have a new estimate out today and we can look to see where it would go.

The shop mgr did call me this am and left a message confirming limits of their warranty and said they would finish tear down and estimating and we can go from there. If it's just sheet metal I'm not really concerned with I'm more concerned with emissions and drive-train. We live is a fairly urban area and the reality is if you want a scratch free car around here you buy a model and put it on your mantle. :bounce: Mechanical I'm a little more concerned with.

 

[e60ral]

they can't reduce your warranty because someone else did the work
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0138-auto-warranties-routine-maintenance#do

Do I have to use the dealer for repairs and maintenance to keep my warranty in effect?
No. An independent mechanic, a retail chain shop, or even you yourself can do routine maintenance and repairs on your vehicle. In fact, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which is enforced by the FTC, makes it illegal for manufacturers or dealers to claim that your warranty is void or to deny coverage under your warranty simply because someone other than the dealer did the work. The manufacturer or dealer can, however, require consumers to use select repair facilities if the repair services are provided to consumers free of charge under the warranty.

as long as it's a good shop that will do the work properly, it will not impact your warranty