Rear Ended

[Chuck]

I have a Black 99' 4runner sr5 4x4.
I got it about 4 months ago and i love it, well the other day someone rear ended me... His car looked horrible, mine just looked like it needed a new bumper, so i took it to a body shop for an estimate. They said there was no way for me to get an estimate of my vehicle, because they would have to take apart something. Apparently because of how my car is designed that when i got hit from the back, the floorboard and some other things buckled upwards in the back.

They said the frame wasnt damaged (although they didnt really look at it) but that the unibody was damaged or something.

Anyone else have this happen to them?

I was also wondering well I have kinda wanted to get an ARB bumper, or something similiar. Maybe a steel bumper. Does anyone have some suggestions? I dont want it to look ugly, and would like it to be useful (something that if i get rear ended again, i dont have to worry about anything getting damged, if thats possible)

Any input and suggestions would be helpful.

Also im thinking about getting a few offroad lights, i was thinking about a roof rack, does this seem like a good idea? or should i try and save up for a front grille guard or maybe front arb bumper and put lights on that instead? And can anyone recomend some roofracks? also my car didnt come with the stock roofracks, do i need to pick some of those up from a junk yard or anything?


Thanks,
Chuck

 

[lee]

I have a Black 99' 4runner sr5 4x4.
I got it about 4 months ago and i love it, well the other day someone rear ended me... His car looked horrible, mine just looked like it needed a new bumper, so i took it to a body shop for an estimate. They said there was no way for me to get an estimate of my vehicle, because they would have to take apart something. Apparently because of how my car is designed that when i got hit from the back, the floorboard and some other things buckled upwards in the back.

They said the frame wasnt damaged (although they didnt really look at it) but that the unibody was damaged or something.

Anyone else have this happen to them?

wait, was this a shop recommended by insurance? you should really go through an insurance assessor. i got rearended a while ago and went through my liberty insurance damage place and they gave me almost $400 for a DING. hahah.

Originally posted by Chuck
Also im thinking about getting a few offroad lights, i was thinking about a roof rack, does this seem like a good idea? or should i try and save up for a front grille guard or maybe front arb bumper and put lights on that instead? And can anyone recomend some roofracks? also my car didnt come with the stock roofracks, do i need to pick some of those up from a junk yard or anything?

do not get a grille guard. my truck came with one, and im gonna take it off soon. it offers no protection in accidents, and in fact will cause more damage when hit.

if you want to mount lights up front, you can either go with mounting them directly to the stock bumper or buying the arb/tjm bumper and mounting them there. arb/tjm is the clear winner in all of this, because it offers a lot of front end protection and looks badass. you will lose the functionality of your airbags though.

as for roof racks, im in the middle of purchasing one used off a member of yotatech. im getting a surco safari rack... surco is the prefered rack company for useful basket racks that can store a spare, hi-lift jack, shovels, straps, mount lights, etc...

brand new, the racks + accessories (it mounts direct to the stock roof rack) will run you anywhere from $300 to $400.

im gettin it used with all accessories and 3 pairs of hella lights for $300...

surco racks can be found on http://www.everythingsuv.com

hope that helps.

 

[RunnerUp]

go with an ARB up front, i love mine!! also, for the rear, instead of spending that money to get another toyota bumper, why dont you look at some aftermarket bumpers (custom) that will keep people from tailgating you! ive got some pic's of bumpers if you want to see it, also got pics of the ARB with lights if you want to see it, but like lee said, def. take it to ur insurance first. good luck, and how hard did you get hit? do you have a tow package? and remember by adding a roofrack you raise your COG, it might not be much, but it depends on how much brush you drive through/angles you drive, i know if i had one on my truck down here in FL, it would have been ripped off long long ago, again, good luck with getting your toy fixed

 

[Chuck]

at first glimpse my car didnt look bad after the accident, the other guys car which was an acura TL, looked pretty messed up and was dripping oil. The left side of the bumper was ripped down and i had to remove driver back end skid plate because it was scratching pretty badly on the tire. I took it to a place that my toyota dealership recomended, and at this place they said that the unibody or something buckled upwards and showed me how the floor in the back of the car was in fact buckled. but they said there was no way to give me an estimate, and im working on getting the guys insurance to come out and see what he says.
and no i dont have a tow package, i have been meaning to get an aftermarket hitch put in, but havent yet.

I was at a complete stop and he had to of been going atleast 15 mph.