What are the Chances it's Totaled?

[4'running'26]

Damn! Got hit tonight on the highway. Fishtailed for a bit, thought I might turnover at one point but eventually righted the ship. At that point I was headed towards some grass so I kept it straight in that direction, but hit a drainage swale and went completely airborne. The side airbags deployed upon landing.

Both passenger side doors were scuffed up and dented in pretty good, but the doors opened and closed perfectly well. It starts, runs, drives (I backed it up a bit without issue for the tow-guy)...I'm REALLY hoping it isn't deemed a loss. I just went over 250,000 miles so I'm worried that high mileage is going to hurt me. I have it just how I like it.

Anyone willing to give me some hope? lol

 

[flyrv9]

I hope you were not injured. I have had a couple of occasions over the years where I was able to keep my vehicle and take a settlement. The first time they were going to total my car and I asked how much do I get if I want to keep it. They gave me a figure that I accepted. I had to sign off on it. Both times were many years ago; so I don't know if that is still an option. I'd start by making a thorough inspection - there might be damage that you don't want to deal with. Then talk to your agent.

 

[02SE]

I know there have been some members on here who are familiar with auto insurance claims. But I imagine they would want to see several good pictures of your 4Runner, to give a ballpark estimate.

Glad you're okay.

 

[4'running'26]

Here's a quick video of it:

IMG_1797.MOV - Google Drive

 

[Humble Leader]

Without pictures given you have multiple air bags deployed and will probably need multiple new doors - I suspect it’s totaled based on mileage

Who knows what’s broken underneath or if the frame is bent. I’d say take the money and move on. Sucks but probably the least headache long run

Edit. Saw the video. Still think it’s totaled

 

[ejesauer]

I've worked a lot of accidents as a leo, and it can vary region to region, company to company, etc on what insurance does, but if anything there totals it, it will be the airbag deployments. They are expensive to replace and that would usually total a car with the level of other repairs needed in this case. Let us know what happens with it. On the good side, it is good to see how well it held up in the crash. Pretty impressive how well those doors open and close. Sorry this happened and glad you're ok.

 

[Jeff83]

I dunno I think the damage is not as bad as it looks. The front door looks repairable but the back door maybe not. A good body shop can put a new outer door skin on that door to fix it since you say that both doors still open in close good. The only real problem I see are those side airbags.I don't know if you can get them from a junkyard donor or if that is even legal to do. What is the current value of your rig before the accident?

 

[4'running'26]

Thanks for all the input, everyone.

As far as what it's currently worth, my guess is $15-$17k. My fear is that an adjuster is going to look at the 250k mileage and crush the value. It's been regularly maintained and as we all know there can be hundreds of thousands of miles of life left, but I'm not sure the adjuster will see it that way.

 

[TRDHULK]

I think the chances are high it is totaled. Even if its not, it'll be worth roughly half of the original value with airbags deployed on the CarFax.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Yep, Insurance won't want to pay to repair that high mileage of a vehicle with airbag deployment

 

[4'running'26]

I think the chances are high it is totaled. Even if its not, it'll be worth roughly half of the original value with airbags deployed on the CarFax.

I'm not particularly concerned with it's value to someone else moving forward. I had already planned to drive it until it dies, more or less

I guess I'll wait and see what they offer me as a buyout.

 

[4rNCMTNs]

I dealt with the same thing years ago on my Tacoma. As someone else said above it depends on your state. Here in NC the cost of the repair needs to be at least 75% of the total vehicle value. I kept it for years and years and then sold it a kid in Alaska.

Way off topic, but if you want to keep it, I have my side airbags out of the vehicle and not putting back in so available. They are stupid expensive to replace

 

[4'running'26]

Well, so far so "good".

Adjuster came back with $10,500 worth of repairs and put the car's worth at $16,000. He said we're within about $1000 of it being totaled. I know a shop is almost always going to find more work to be done once they start getting into it, but I think I'm going to take the estimate and shop around a bit.

 

[osugsxr]

Well, so far so "good".

Adjuster came back with $10,500 worth of repairs and put the car's worth at $16,000. He said we're within about $1000 of it being totaled. I know a shop is almost always going to find more work to be done once they start getting into it, but I think I'm going to take the estimate and shop around a bit.

dealership will get you over that needed price :cheer2:

 

[Jetboy]

That seems low on estimates. My dad had a 2019 Tacoma that he fell asleep driving and went through a ditch in rural Montana. It popped all the airbags. But almost no exterior damage - minor damage to the bed side from a fence post (I think there was no wires on the fence, it just clipped the post on the rear fender. Not a broken window, no visual frame or suspension damage. Insurance still totaled it out. Airbags and seatbelt trigger thing cost about $14k. Truck had around 1,000 miles on it. They said they'd get within $10k of a new truck at auction for it, so the math worked out in favor of total loss and buying an new one. Sent him to the dealer to pick out an identical new one.

Also - crazy how little it took to total it. And he was unhurt. Just a some minor soreness from a short violent run through a rural ditch. Don't fall asleep driving.

Hope it works out for you. Always an option to take the $ and buy the vehicle back at the auction and see if you can fix for less. Or you can negotiate with the insurance company and offer to take the car and $15k payout or something like that.

 

[rdruss]

If everything else is good other than air bags and doors, I'd razor the airbags off and drive it, keeping an eye out for some replacement doors.