The Plastic Pig gets mashed

[c44me]

I lent our 03 4Runner - The Plastic Pig - to our brother-in-law this weekend. He backed it into a pole or something. It destroyed the right rear light assembly, creased and scuffed the right rear bumper assembly, and bent the right rear quarter panel sheet metal. Now that's Toyota quality! He bought a light assembly from Toyota for $154. The estimate for repairing the rest is $1083. Good thing he was barely moving!

The brother-in-law is one hell of a nice guy, and was going to rent a car until we insisted he used the Plastic Pig, since we weren't using it last week. My questions are:

1) Is it worth putting $1083 more into a 03 4Runner for cosmetic reasons? I was hoping to get rid of it in early '05.

2) Should I accept the full $1083 from our brother-in-law considering a) the 4Runner is mighty delicate and awfully expensive to fix and b) he didn't want to drive it in the first place?

 

[ToolmanJohn]

I'm SHOCKED!!

He ran into something and the 4runner DENTED?

Seriously, what did you expect? Do you think it will be worth more when you sell it if it requires ~$1000 in repair? It's an unfortunate accident, $hi7 happens. Get over it. Deep breath. Life goes on.

Peace.

 

[toybox]

Choose number one.

 

[bluewolf]

Nice guy or not, he sounds like a dork for not taking the extra precautions necessary when operating a vehicle which did not belong to him. He backed it up into a friggin pole?? Make him pay to fix your 4Runner, for his own good. If you allow his stupidity to continue without repercussion, he may do something else that affects you, like burn your house down!

 

[Canuck]

Hi Gregg,

This info might help you choose your next SUV.

http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/low_speed_midsuv.htm

 

[Derek]

Hi Gregg,

This info might help you choose your next SUV.

http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/low_speed_midsuv.htm

wow, almost ALL of them had poor scores, except the Honda Pilot and Chevy Tailblazer, both of which I would never consider buying

 

[silver4x419]

Does the new 4runner have an absorber behind the front/rear bumper facia?

Too bad they do not make chrome bumpers anymore.

 

[pdoel]

$1,083, ouch. Yeah, if I were you, I'd probably just junk it at this point. Like you said, it's just a big plastic pig that's ridiculously expensive to fix.

I wouldn't even both trying to sell it in '05. I mean really, it's a 4Runner, who would want it?

Are there any junk yards, salvage yards or anything you could sell it to? Most will give you $50. Heck, if it's driveable, and they don't have to tow it, they may give you $75.00.

 

[bluewolf]

wow, almost ALL of them had poor scores, except the Honda Pilot and Chevy Tailblazer, both of which I would never consider buying

This is only a rating on how well the bumper protects the body of the vehicle on impact... not passenger safety. I guess this proves that most automobile manufacturers feel if it doesn't affect safety, then it isn't important enough to put additional cost into.

 

[waskillywabbit]

DITTO

Please sell it so we don't have to hear from you anymore

:xnuts: :xnuts:

:guitar2:

 

[silver4x419]

I got your answer

Your bro in law was driving the 4 runner and he has his own insurance right?

Have him claim the accident on his insurance, have him pay his deductable and get it fixed.

As for Toyota Quality.. You said it scuffed the bumper? It sounds like your bro in law did not hit the pole dead on with the bumper. he caught the edge of it and it creased it. If you hit anything with sheet metal, that will give on any vehicle.

And actually $1100 bucks for a new rear bumper/trim, tail light, pulling the interior and rear window/rear wheel and wheel well and fixing that rear fender is very cheap considering how much labor and paint/supplies are these days.

 

[Good Times]

The reason why the repair is going to be expensive is due to the fact that in any collision, the vehicle is built to protect the occupant and not the vehicle. Therefore the vehicle must receive the grunt of the force due to the collision.

Ofcourse it sounds out of hand but that's what it's all about now. Almost all vehicles are like this where a small fender bender will be $$. Atlesat you're not driving a boat where if you did it hit, you'll feel every vibration from the collision

Sorry for your woes but I'd just fix it and just call it quits since it's family. Don't even bother w/ insurance and just do it yourself. It's such a small repair that getting the insurance is lame.

Good luck

 

[momo.75]

Please sell it so we don't have to hear from you anymore

After going back and looking over some of the old threads..........:iagree:

 

[Satman]

Ah,Ha......i was waiting for that!:iagree:

 

[the_josh]

Please sell it so we don't have to hear from you anymore

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

 

[c44me]

Hmm, and I thought my continuous whining was entertaining and thought-provoking .

I'm discouraged to see the bumper damage ratings. However, on the bright side, while hanging out at the body shop I found a recent Consumer Reports with safety ratings, and the 4Runner scored I think above average. At least it was above the Pilot, Explorer, and X5. So the 4Runner is the winner (among those) in the safety area.

 

[hiluxsurf]

Well i am willing to pay for your "plastic pig" $100...and get it out of your way!!!!!

So you dont have to stress anyone!!! anymore!!!

 

[4route]

plastic pig? okay, i might be hateful toward Toyota customer service and dealerships and such ... but damn, please sell your truck so it can be appreciated and no longer have to be referred to as the "plastic pig" ...

or if you really want, you can stand in front of mine and i can enlighten you as to its strength and durability. after all, if it's really a plastic pig, it won't hurt you none, right?? you'd just bounce right off, right??

 

[EDGE]

Hmm, and I thought my continuous whining was entertaining and thought-provoking .

I'm discouraged to see the bumper damage ratings. However, on the bright side, while hanging out at the body shop I found a recent Consumer Reports with safety ratings, and the 4Runner scored I think above average. At least it was above the Pilot, Explorer, and X5. So the 4Runner is the winner (among those) in the safety area.

I don't get it man, maybe I missed your hate filled threads towards the 4Runner but the external body panels are no stonger then any other vehicle on the road, if you want a vehicle that can back into stuff you might want to start looking into big rigs and dump truck, my friends got side swiped by an 18 wheeler and the big rig got paint on his tires his Expedition needed an entire new passenger side.

I don't know what your dislikes are but my dumbass has backed into several things and no damage at all maybe I was just lucky, just to let you know I had a 2000 Pathfinder 8 months old and got rearended by a Dodge Ram, 2500 dollars later it was like new.

You say you want to sell the car well damage actually lowers resale value, did you know at BMW they have this device that actually measure paint thickness all around the car, I was shocked after some guy trading in a Benz who said it was flawless was told the whole drivers side was previously repainted, you have the tuperware model so you might be safe:

Stupid question why are you unhappy, is it too much money and the payments are killing you, is gas money adding up to fast, did you buy it on impulse and the short lived excitment is over and you never really wanted it, do you have an eye on something else.

Maybe you just like the attention and don't know how to do anything but whine and bitch are you a mommas boy, you will probably be 1 of those members who always bitches about his car but year after year you are still driving it, funny how so many forums have that 1 guy:

Don't take anything I said serious, Im sure your cool and everything and your obligated to feel how you want, I pop in and out and Im not really down with the Internet elife thing

Now that is said and done, what are you gonna get to replace it

 

[4route]

EDGE ... stop telling everyone about how i'm that one whiny guy on every forum ... my identity is supposed to remain a secret! shhhh.