So I totaled the 4Runner, now what?

[TheChosun]

Hey all,

I crashed my 4runner and its pretty much totaled. Engine still turns over but the crumple zone in the front is about 3 feet in. Hit a car on the freeway in a sudden stop situation.

I have not crashed a car before let alone considered it totaled so i need some advice on what to do. The 4runner is sitting in my parking lot since the crash collecting dust.

1. Do i just call it and have a donation company come pick it up for a tax rebate?
2. Should i list it on the forum to be picked apart for cash? i would probably have los angeles locals come out and do a u pick and pull kinda deal if its not too messy
3. buy another 4 runner and use the old one to swap in the manual trans? are there shops that can do this pretty fast and for less than 1-2k?
4. Think it could be repaired for 1-2k somehow? I bought it for 7k, but drove the car with only liability insurance for the other driver considering it is my second car i had no intention of repairing in the event of an accident, but now that i broke it i miss it like crazy...stupid how that works out...

help me figure out what to do! Id love to hear your opinions

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[KidVermicious]

Whoa, crappy! Glad you're ok.

I'm assuming there's no insurance company involved here, so that makes things pretty simple. You can donate it for a tax writeoff or sell it to a scrap yard, you'll probably net about the same either way and it'll be a couple hundred bucks. You can sell it whole as a parts truck and probably get several hundred more. You can part it out yourself and make even more money - you'll make the most if you pull the parts, you'll have to lower your prices if you make your customers pick their parts, and to get the most sales you'll have to pull parts and ship them. It's a great big mess, you'll have the truck spread out over your driveway for days/weeks, it's your best bet if you're done with the truck and want to get as much back as you can but it's definitely a time consuming process. It's also gut wrenching if you're attached to the truck, I parted out a 4Runner and it felt just like when Stacy broke up with me in 7th grade , so there's that.

Or you can fix it. From your pics, it looks like that would be a bit of a project, but anything's doable with enough elbow grease. The first thing you'd need to do is have the frame checked - if it's tweaked, sometimes they can put it on a rack and straighten it out, or you could say screw it and throw a solid axle under there and not worry about alignment. The front crossmember may or may not need replaced, it's probably bent and will need some sort of attention. Then there's the issue of the front clip - your core support and inner and outer fenders are probably beyond saving. I haven't looked to see how the inner fenders are attached to the body, if they're a separate part then it's easy enough to get replacements, new or used. If they're integral to the main body, then you'll have to cut them out and replace them or spend a lot of time massaging them back into shape. Ditto for the core support, if it's a separate piece you're golden, if not it could be trouble. Then you'll obviously be replacing the radiator and repairing any damage to the front of the engine, maybe making repairs to the exhaust and motor/transmission mounts, etc. Bottom line, unless you're attached to the truck and are ok with a rough fix, it's probably not worth it to try and repair. It's definitely not worth it if you're planning on paying somebody else to do it, just put that thought out of your head. You could buy three or four 3rd gens for what you'd pay a body shop to bring yours back.

Me, I'd part it out or chop it up and make a trail buggy. I think it's days as a street truck are over though.

 

[yota_addict]

I'll take the light bar. I'd say part it out. But then again that takes time. If you don't have time then sell it to scrapyard. Hope you find another soon!

 

[LIVEVIL]

I'd say part it out. But then again that takes time. If you don't have time then sell it to scrapyard.

This ^^^

 

[dustin Keeler]

Part it out

I had a motor blow on my rig so I bought a whole rig running and driving to pull out the motor to use in my rig. I then parted the rest of it out. I had a blast pulling it apart (Killer bonding time with my 12 year old son) with the exception of selling the parts. It was a super fast paced deal when I started but then slowed to a halt as the popular parts sold. Probably over the course of a month I was working every day on pulling parts and taking pictures of everything

If you part it out, You could potentially make enough to really help towards the purchase of a new runner. I had 3000.00 in the labor and the doner rig and after the part out I only have less then 800.00 in it with still a bunch of parts left to still sell. So if I don't sell another part, I only have 800.00 in a motor swap for parts and labor.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Hey all,

I crashed my 4runner and its pretty much totaled. Engine still turns over but the crumple zone in the front is about 3 feet in. Hit a car on the freeway in a sudden stop situation.

I have not crashed a car before let alone considered it totaled so i need some advice on what to do. The 4runner is sitting in my parking lot since the crash collecting dust.

1. Do i just call it and have a donation company come pick it up for a tax rebate?
2. Should i list it on the forum to be picked apart for cash? i would probably have los angeles locals come out and do a u pick and pull kinda deal if its not too messy
3. buy another 4 runner and use the old one to swap in the manual trans? are there shops that can do this pretty fast and for less than 1-2k?
4. Think it could be repaired for 1-2k somehow? I bought it for 7k, but drove the car with only liability insurance for the other driver considering it is my second car i had no intention of repairing in the event of an accident, but now that i broke it i miss it like crazy...stupid how that works out...

help me figure out what to do! Id love to hear your opinions

OK, as to a shop doing it quickly and for that kind of money, the answer is very simply, no. Airbags alone will be at least $1500 in parts unless you find some used.

I was in and out of the auto body industry for over 30 years, and I still play a little. I fixed the Tacoma of my friend's daughter, not damaged as severely as yours and I spent $1200 in parts.

If I was fixing yours for myself, I would count on 12 to 15 hundred, although if you scour the used sources you can probably save considerably. But that doesn't include the airbags :fear: , OR PAINT. And you will need and AC recharge to boot.

Look, if it were mine I'd start fixing it, but I'm in a different situation than most.

Selling parts will net the most money, but then you'll have to deal with the carcass, and the people. Next most money would be selling it complete, which is not to say you'll get a lot, but more than the salvage yard.

I'd suggest a selling price, but you didn't list equipment/mileage etc.

Sorry about your ride, buy another one!

:ranger:

 

[Saintnick]

Hey all,

I crashed my 4runner and its pretty much totaled. Engine still turns over but the crumple zone in the front is about 3 feet in. Hit a car on the freeway in a sudden stop situation.

I have not crashed a car before let alone considered it totaled so i need some advice on what to do. The 4runner is sitting in my parking lot since the crash collecting dust.

1. Do i just call it and have a donation company come pick it up for a tax rebate?
2. Should i list it on the forum to be picked apart for cash? i would probably have los angeles locals come out and do a u pick and pull kinda deal if its not too messy
3. buy another 4 runner and use the old one to swap in the manual trans? are there shops that can do this pretty fast and for less than 1-2k?
4. Think it could be repaired for 1-2k somehow? I bought it for 7k, but drove the car with only liability insurance for the other driver considering it is my second car i had no intention of repairing in the event of an accident, but now that i broke it i miss it like crazy...stupid how that works out...

help me figure out what to do! Id love to hear your opinions

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I'm also down with the idea of chopping it apart and making it a trail buggy, but if you're parting it I'll look into buying some parts off you!

 

[airmax233]

Glad you are okay sir . Well if you decide to to part out let me get the a center cap for my rim Lol

 

[Rock_Rat]

Hey all,

I crashed my 4runner and its pretty much totaled. Engine still turns over but the crumple zone in the front is about 3 feet in.

3. buy another 4 runner and use the old one to swap in the manual trans? are there shops that can do this pretty fast and for less than 1-2k?

Get with this other member on here who is looking to sell his T4R because of a blown head gasket - lives in Bakersfield [MENTION=111250]DLSHORT21[/MENTION]

Sell him your motor and tranny or buy his rig. Simple Solution

Here's the link: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/207375-blown-head-gasket-thoughts.html

EDIT: Seriously glad you're OK! Just keep your fingers crossed there's no impending lawsuit for injuries. As you know, you're at fault when you hit someone from behind. There are always those unsavory characters out there looking to make a buck off the insurance companies at your expense. Food for thought, re-consider your insurance options from here on out. Sure premiums suck but liability just doesn't cut it. You really have to consider the what if's...stolen, replacing the cost of mods etc... KBB will put all of our rigs at less than 5K when most of us have more than 10K in them. Best to you.

 

[3bears]

that puppy is toast
part it or sell complete or call a wrecking yard

 

[3bears]

that puppy is toast
part it or sell complete or call a wrecking yard
whatever you have time to do
parting it can take time and how much is your time worth ?
a wrecking yard will be low ball and fast

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

Fix it and have fun doing it... I mean it looks bad but once u get into u may actually find it well worth it.

 

[gamefreakgc]

First thing: Cry. A lot. :sobbing:

That poor 4Runner is toast. That's some MAJOR front end frame damage that will never be 100% again. Will give you issues even if you managed to repair it.

Cut your losses and salvage what you can before you donate/sell it. Not really worth much of anything anymore.

 

[Chuckles89]

I think you should buy another 4Runner and swap the transmission and locker into it.

 

[absalom]

A lot, and I mean, an awful lot of crashes on here lately. Stop following too closely, and stay off your phones! /rantover

 

[D Farms]

if its just the front clip, taco clip?

 

[IBallEngineer]

First thing: Cry. A lot. :sobbing:

That poor 4Runner is toast. That's some MAJOR front end frame damage that will never be 100% again. Will give you issues even if you managed to repair it.

Cut your losses and salvage what you can before you donate/sell it. Not really worth much of anything anymore.

What kind of issues?

The damage is above the frame, so I don't see it as truly major. Of course it's not going to be the same, it will have some new parts on it. But if you are saying it can't be repaired correctly, that is just wrong. I fixed hundreds of cars damaged more severely than that and those cars went on to live very productive lives, with or without salvage titles. :eyebrows:

 

[willbgood]

What kind of issues?

The damage is above the frame, so I don't see it as truly major. Of course it's not going to be the same, it will have some new parts on it. But if you are saying it can't be repaired correctly, that is just wrong. I fixed hundreds of cars damaged more severely than that and those cars went on to live very productive lives, with or without salvage titles. :eyebrows:

The question all comes down to the frame. If the frame is not crumbled, and the engine has not been pushed back, which can cause all kinds of alignment problems, even internally in the engine and trans, then you can fix it for the cost of parts for about the cost of another one, maybe a little less. If you do, you will know you vehicle as well as a lover.

In my opinion it would be just as much work as a transmission swap and mod into an Auto rig, so if you are going to swap trans you should find a standard toy.

As far as repairing it, the biggest question is do you have a shop and all the tools necessary for the job? If you do the project could be fun, if you don't it will be like f'ing a porcupine, in the rain, and the cost in tools will run up quickly.

 

[gamefreakgc]

What kind of issues?

The damage is above the frame, so I don't see it as truly major. Of course it's not going to be the same, it will have some new parts on it. But if you are saying it can't be repaired correctly, that is just wrong. I fixed hundreds of cars damaged more severely than that and those cars went on to live very productive lives, with or without salvage titles. :eyebrows:

Issues being front end alignment, like what willbgood just pointed out below. Obviously stuff like the radiator, hoses, wiring etc. is easy to fix and doesn't have to be in the exact same spots but parts like steering rack, control arms, etc. will be more difficult to repair back to how they were.

We're all just looking at a couple of photos, so it's hard to say how bad the damage really is.

 

[4RunnerChaos]

A lot, and I mean, an awful lot of crashes on here lately. Stop following too closely, and stay off your phones! /rantover

Reading this article whilst in a motor vehicle. football field following distance though...

I find it incredible how that rig is damaged... It looks to be mostly body damage.

I would indirect measure and have someone experienced check on the frame front to rear and make sure everything is lined up still or can be corrected correct it take the chance to fix any frame damage or rust, buy another 4runner with blown motor or non frontal damage and swap front ends from one truck to another. And whatever else is best from both trucks. Then sell everything else.
Do this only if you have time to sit on them for a little while