Plow truck took my 16 Trail out.... Need damage advice

[delloro]

if it's city/county it will be a PITA, pay the deductible and file through your own insurance. you will eventually get the deductible back and it will be a much easier process.

OP you need to file a claim for damages with the agency operating or hiring the plow. PM me for help.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Seems slightly low but close. Best thing you have going for you is that the truck hasn't been modified.

City.plow company will be paying for it all.

 

[Lionel_Hutz]

The best thing you can do is take it to a Toyota certified repair shop. It often is just marketing, but in this case it really means something. They have very high standards. And they know Toyota paint. Most shops will argue up and down with you that Toyota super white is a base clear. It's not. At least a Toyota certified repair shop will be honest and tell you that; yes it's single stage, and no they will not repaint it with the same paint. They will use a base clear and try to blend as best they can.

You absolutely need to ask for diminished value. It may be significant. I think $5,000 is a good starting point. There's no question your repaired vehicle - even if perfect - will be worth at least $5,000 less than an unrepaired one. In this case it may be worth hiring a lawyer. I think you'll find that the diminished value is worth the fees.

Wow, today I learned that Toyota is still spraying cars with single stage paint. :shocked:

That makes my decision between white and Mag Gray pretty easy. Single stage paint on a $40k+ vehicle in 2018 is ridiculous.

To OP--find the best body shop in town and drop off the car there. Unless it's an issue over whether the car is going to be totaled or not, you shouldn't have to be doing any fighting with the adjuster. That's for the body shop to deal with.

 

[houlds]

Wouldnt the plow truck be liable for his deductible? Wouldn't it be the plow trucks insurance paying for all repairs? I hate to see stuff like this. That door aint ever gonna open and close like it did from factory.

I started to go through my insurance to get things started with a rental since I needed one for work. I will now be going through the cities insurance company.

 

[houlds]

OP you need to file a claim for damages with the agency operating or hiring the plow. PM me for help.

That's what I am doing now since the shop I'm going to use has a higher rate than what my insurance pays. I am in contact with the cities insurance and it was one of their own plows and not a subcontractor. I will definitely be going after them for diminished value since it is a brand new vehicle and bought a 4Runner because they hold value and are awesome rigs.

 

[cbreze]

Seems way low on the estimate to me. I'd get it into a couple of shops and get their estimates. My experience with insurance companies has been they're a bunch of low ballers. However dealing with city/county coud be a PITA for sure. I worked for a couple different cities for most of my working career and they were actually self insured and took care of stuff like this quickly and fairly. Either way, best of luck with it. A bummer way to end the year.

 

[flybooey]

Don't sweat the initial estimate as low as it seems, it will change over time as things are torn apart
I slid into a 5" diameter steel pole at 5mph and this happened.
It was just under 12k in damage. No frame, no engine, no cooling, no airbags...nothing but panels and a headlight and bumper cover.

Good luck with the City insurance, i hope it goes smoothly.

 

[Dropzone]

Don't sweat the initial estimate as low as it seems, it will change over time as things are torn apart
I slid into a 5" diameter steel pole at 5mph and this happened.
It was just under 12k in damage. No frame, no engine, no cooling, no airbags...nothing but panels and a headlight and bumper cover.

Good luck with the City insurance, i hope it goes smoothly.

12K? that is crazy. somewhere there is a thread that a guy bought a totaled one for about that price and fixed it for $4k

 

[KP Texan]

Those photos make me sick. I truly hope it gets repaired to your satisfaction, but you will only be made whole if you can get diminished value (or if they just total it out).

 

[delloro]

That's what I am doing now since the shop I'm going to use has a higher rate than what my insurance pays. I am in contact with the cities insurance and it was one of their own plows and not a subcontractor. I will definitely be going after them for diminished value since it is a brand new vehicle and bought a 4Runner because they hold value and are awesome rigs.

Make sure you file a tort claim. Not the same as insurance. Which city?

 

[Toffees]

Wow, hope they handle it well for you

 

[enapa]

I don't understand why you are worrying about what your insurance says. This is the city's problem. Take it to the body shop. Get estimate. Send to city.

 

[Craigers]

Pay the deductible? It shouldnt cost him a penny out of pocket.

OP look into diminishing value reimbursement, some states allow it, some dont.

Absolutely go after diminished value, and assume the insurance company will low ball you. I start at a 10-20% vehicle value loss and negotiate from there depending upon the extent of the damage.

 

[Rondigs]

Far from totaled. But don’t forget about the diminished value reimbursement. For future resale, any time a carfax is run on your VIN, this incident may reduce your resale value. The city isn’t going to willingly hand you that check, you’ll probably have to fight for it.

For reference:

https://www.kielichlawfirm.com/insurance-companies-calculate-diminished-value-claims/

 

[dafuture]

I'd definitely say that's a low quote. I'm sure when they get it to a body shop the estimate will go up.

 

[TirePro]

Those pics just made my stomach turn...holy crap! I'd be pissed, but she'll be beautiful after a couple weeks in the body shop. But you're right, value will take a big hit. Sorry dude, that really, really sucks. Good luck man!

 

[Brian3676]

Some lady T boned our Lexus Is250 a few weeks back, I was 100% sure it was totaled, needed new front fender, new driver door, new passenger door, and rear quarter panel repair. To blend pait they painted all that plus hood and part of rear trunk/bumper. Also put all new weather stripping, window tracks, window trim, front fender liner and other misc small stuff. Total was like $7600 and I demanded every part was OEM Lexus down to the nuts and bolts, then made them provide receipts to prove that's what they really used.

Long story short, sometimes tiny damage is insane expensive, lots of damage is not what you would think it would cost. Since they used all new panels all they had to do was spray them and bolt them on, so the labor was not too intense as say 3 days of straightening body panels would be.

Be sure to get your diminished value since VIN stickers likely won't match anymore on the parts and drive the thing. A good body shop will make it look like the car just came off the factory floor.

 

[houlds]

What do you guys think I could get for diminished value? I know 4R's hold their value insanely well but an accident on the Carfax will be a huge chip when I go to sell it and won't get what it is actually worth

 

[gofaster012]

What do you guys think I could get for diminished value? I know 4R's hold their value insanely well but an accident on the Carfax will be a huge chip when I go to sell it and won't get what it is actually worth

Crappy situation for sure. But could always have been worse... not that this helps! I’m a former auto buyer for a number of years. I would say your looking at a new fender, front and rear doors, and a likely reworked quarter panel. I wouldn’t let them reskin the doors, but that’s just my $.02. Paint will be blended on the hood and tailgate probably. I’m more concerned with the A pillar damage. Being a body-on-frame truck, it can be pulled back to spec, but is still technically frame damage. Sounds worse than it is. Autocheck and Carfax will show the accident and may report unibody damage. Again, just speculation. As far as diminished value, absolutely pursue it. Get an appraisal from a place like Carmax as it sits now. That will give a good idea of the lost “value” due to the damages caused by the city plow driver.


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[Soneill]

What do you guys think I could get for diminished value? I know 4R's hold their value insanely well but an accident on the Carfax will be a huge chip when I go to sell it and won't get what it is actually worth

Crappy situation for sure. But could always have been worse... not that this helps! I’m a former auto buyer for a number of years. I would say your looking at a new fender, front and rear doors, and a likely reworked quarter panel. I wouldn’t let them reskin the doors, but that’s just my $.02. Paint will be blended on the hood and tailgate probably. I’m more concerned with the A pillar damage. Being a body-on-frame truck, it can be pulled back to spec, but is still technically frame damage. Sounds worse than it is. Autocheck and Carfax will show the accident and may report unibody damage. Again, just speculation. As far as diminished value, absolutely pursue it. Get an appraisal from a place like Carmax as it sits now. That will give a good idea of the lost “value” due to the damages caused by the city plow driver.


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^^^This is what you need to be worried about. As a dealer, I can tell you with that hole in the A pillar your CarFax WILL show structural damage. Go for as much diminished value as you can, you will need it if you keep it.