Rear ended after 1week! 2019 Limited - Diminished Value?

[Lhshockey24]

Hi everyone. I’m looking for Internet forum advice after being rear ended at about 30 mph (I was stopped) yesterday. My insurance co amica has been great. The repair estimate is already north of $5k and they have yet to check the frame for damage. If there is any frame damage I’m already prepared to run away from the vehicle and start new. I’ve had this 2019 for ONE WEEK. Paid invoice ($47k) and put $10k down. I have GAP insurance and the other driver was of course at fault (and fortunately had up to date insurance).

I’m open to any advice as far as what others may have experienced and resolved. I will take the car to the dealer today to check for frame damage. The transmission is also making a grinding sound and there are other strange noises coming from the truck. I’m really worried about future problems creeping up as I just bought this thing and planned to keep it for 10 years. I now can’t imagine holding onto something that may have a bunch of collateral damage internally. It doesn’t look like a ton of damage from the pictures but you can tell from the other driver’s car how severe the collision actually was.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Ugh, people suck

 

[PaulB-2006 T4R]

Sorry to hear this news. Sucks that metal was bent, the bumper cover and all the other goodies inside are easy to replacement. I doubt there is frame damage, it looks like a square hit.

On the gap insurance, I'd suggest canceling because you put $10k down, this is what my Finance Manager told me and they get paid to sell that crap. It will take 60k miles before the 4Runner depreciates $10k, look at all the used prices.

 

[Jetboy]

I would learn as much as you can about California's diminished value claims. Normally you'll need to find an appraiser who will provide a comparison of similar used vehicles with and without damage history to provide a value. You'll have to stand your ground with the insurance company to get paid on it though. They will fight you on it. Find a fair value with a sound basis for calculating it and stick with it.

In my experience it sometimes requires filing a law suit to get them to agree. I've never had them hold out long enough to file an answer (normally 30 days after you serve them with the law suit in my state). Usually once the driver is sued - they get upset and get on the insurance company. Normally you sue the driver, not the insurance company directly. Then the insurance company will be more willing to settle.

Good luck.

 

[Lhshockey24]

Sorry to hear this news. Sucks that metal was bent, the bumper cover and all the other goodies inside are easy to replacement. I doubt there is frame damage, it looks like a square hit.

On the gap insurance, I'd suggest canceling because you put $10k down, this is what my Finance Manager told me and they get paid to sell that crap. It will take 60k miles before the 4Runner depreciates $10k, look at all the used prices.

100% correct. I DID NOT buy it from the finance manager My insurance co offered it for $20/year and it covered all three of our vehicles. Also sales tax in my county is almost 10% plus CA DMV fees, so putting $10k down is really like putting only $5k down after tax.

 

[_grape]

ow, invest in a tow hitch!

 

[RuskiE39]

ow, invest in a tow hitch!

I can't stress enough how good of an idea this is ^

Below is a picture of when my wife was rear ended in our X5 during her morning commute to work. Obviously in the picture the tow hook is missing, but that is only because it was removed so that the ODOT truck could push our X5 out of the center lane. The battery safety terminal blew upon impact (a safety feature) and would not start up until the fuse was replaced.

Regarding your diminished value claim. Good luck! It's a huge pain in the butt to get approved by insurance.

If the accident doesn't get reported, then it wont appear on any vehicle reports and you have no basis for a diminished value claim. So it depends on what shop does the repairs.

 

[t6pilot]

I’ve been hit twice with 2inch tow hitch installed, Zero damage to my wrangler and Land Rover, can’t say the same for idiots who hit me[emoji106] if your going to claim diminished value, take lots of pictures, get letters from selling dealer and body shop, then be prepared to go to court

 

[Kamil]

I got rear-ended with a bike rack on my hitch receiver. Bike rack gone but no damage to the car. Also... this wasn't a 30mph impact, maybe half of that.

 

[Judd94]

Did you tell her to Stop texting and driving?

 

[mtnbiker49]

That collision would not cause the transmission to start making noises, especially if you had your foot on the brake.

 

[Hans Moleman]

Do 4Runner frames really hold up good after taking a hit to the hitch?

With Tacomas if someone rear ends the hitch, the frame get's all bent.

 

[Lhshockey24]

That collision would not cause the transmission to start making noises, especially if you had your foot on the brake.

Agreed, turns out it was probably part of the exhaust.

 

[Swipter]

Deleted

 

[3wbdriver]

Do 4Runner frames really hold up good after taking a hit to the hitch?

With Tacomas if someone rear ends the hitch, the frame get's all bent.

You are correct. If a hitch is installed in the 4R and you get hit the center of the rear crossmember will be pushed in, bending each of the frame rails inward with it.

 

[Swipter]

So should you leave a hitch in or not? It's not illegal here.

 

[bigbadpoppa]

I'm no physics expert but do know the simple principles of kinetic energ,l. Having an impact directly on the frame at a specific point with a hitch vs taking it spread over a bumper , I'd go without hitch. Bumpers and the foam behind are design to absorb force to some degree.

You may not see damage, but underneath there could be some bends. With hitch I can see this being okay at low low speeds such as parking lot fender benders but anything more I'd take it on the bumper at regular driving speeds.

 

[Bongos]

Sorry to hear... good luck

 

[RockyMountain]

Ouch!

Ouch, that sucks! Very sorry to hear. I also got rear-ended within a week of picking up my 2018 TRD ORP but luckily the only damage I sustained was cracked bumper valance.

For what its worth, I was able to get the frustration of getting hit by remembering that one of the reasons I bought my T4R was that they are supposed to last forever.

If your frame is good and you can get everything else cosmetic repaired, you might not think about it much ever again and have years ahead of enjoying the vehicle.

Good luck!

 

[John Coktoaston]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I went through something similar a couple of years ago with a different non 4Runner vehicle I owned (our new at the time ride was rear ended by someone not paying attention)

My insurance company was paid by the other party for the repair, but I wanted to pursue a diminished value claim, as the car was fairly new and had under 5,000 miles. In my mind, it would never be totally right, and if I went to sell/trade in, I would get raked over the coals re price due to an imperfect Carfax report.

I ordered an Inherent Diminished Value report from Reed Appraisers of Silver Spring, MD. It cost a couple hundred dollars, but was worth it. My insurer said I was free to pursue a diminished value claim on my own. I contacted GEICO (they insured the guy who hit me) and provided them with the report I ordered and they made me an offer to settle the claim about a week later. The offer was a little low, so after some back and forth, we agreed to a much more acceptable number.

I’m not sure if Reed Appraisers is still in business, but if they are, they are worth exploring if you want to pursue a DV claim