Is it totaled?

She drove home, no fluid leaks that I noticed after briefly inspecting. Anyone have experience with front collisions, will they try and save it?

 

It is going to depend on the current market value of the vehicle, vs. the cost to repair. Getting an estimate and doing research into its value will give you a good idea. Most insurance companies write them off when the estimate is 70-80% of the vehicle value. Another consideration will be if they have to provide a rental vehicle etc.

 

I worked for an insurance company many moons ago. They used to total the vehicle at around 65% of book value. If damages approach that 65% quite often they will still total the vehicle especially an older one as once it starts coming apart they always find something else and it’s cheaper for them to total it than to keep coming out to inspect.

 

Did the airbags pop? That was a determining factor for me one time although it was a jeep grand Cherokee.

 

We just went through this with our insurance company... Right front damage.. Of coarse the whole front end had to be replaced since most of it is all one piece across the front... They came out and did there inspection... They quoted $8300 for the repair... They (our ins. comp) goes by 53% now... Since it's 21 years old... 200,000 miles they wanted to total it... Now this 2003 4runner Limited is in pristine condition... Always garage kept...

Only wanted to give me $8800 to total it... I said screw that, It's worth way more than that... So I took it over to my body shop (just did my 15 Tundra, right front damage) and he quoted it at $4650 ... Took that estimate to ins. comp. and they agreed to do it at that price...

 

Just curious if your body guy took it apart and gave you that estimate. A lot of times the quote you get is for the visible damage and just the starting point until it’s taken apart. I was an adjuster a long time ago but you get to learn that after seeing a hundred Honda Civics with what looks like a minor rear bumper hit with no other damage it usually showed the trunk buckled like an accordion. My point is maybe the adjuster assumed things would need to be replaced based on experience and pulled that estimate high to make sure that they covered everything especially on an older vehicle. I once had a guy that wanted to keep his car as the estimate was on the line and it was my call. Me being a car nut understood and I didn’t total it. Sure enough a week later the body shop called me and found a couple of thousand worth of newly revealed damage once it came apart. So I get reamed by the boss for saving a totaled vehicle trying to do the guy a favor. I didn’t do that again. You should take a look at the insurance estimate and compare with the estimate your guy is using. Hope it works out. The vehicle looks clean and like a keeper. Good luck

 

I don't think any body shop takes it apart for an estimate.

I had to take my Tundra back home while they waited for parts to arrive. Of course once they arrived and started taking shit apart they needed more parts so had to wait even longer. Would just take too much time up to take apart vehicles just for estimates.

 

I’ve had many body shops take cars apart. Bumpers, covers radiators and items like that. Maybe not fully but the big easy items around the damaged areas. This also helps make sure the customer gets the work done there at that shop.

 

Shops here are so crowded they don't have the space to keep your car after they look at it. No one is going to spend the labor to take it apart and put it back so you can take it back home and wait.

Not to mention being in Hawaii parts take a lot longer slow boat.

 

Yea.. He just took a bunch of pictures and went from there ...Plus he had a itemized copy of the insurance's quote... We were still driving it right up to the time he got the parts... The insurance company wanted to see his quote to make sure everything they quoted was on there... The difference is/was that my guy got used parts and the insurance company was going with new parts (we're assuming)... And that there in itself created a big problem as new parts aren't very common for a 21 YO vehicle...
It's all done and we got it back about a week ago... Did an excellent job and final price was exactly what he quoted... Didn't find any hidden damage (which we would of had to pay for out of pocket)... The only thing that's bothering me is the drives side fog light/turn signal combination is still original equipment... So it's all dull and smokey looking while the passenger side is all newed up... I asked him to order me a new one for the driver side... He busted out laughing and said it took 5 try's to get the new one right... They are really hard to find he said... They kept sending the wrong one...

I'll get a picture the next time it comes out of the garage...

 

Excellent news and you saved a vehicle on the brink of extinction. I’m glad everything worked out well. It’s rare they don’t find more damage after taking it apart. I had a shop owner that used to say a picture is worth a thousand bucks every time he sent them to me with his supplemental damages.

 

This was in nyc in the late 90’s. Lots of competition and no parts issues. They used to start taking them apart when they came in to lock the customer into keeping it there for repairs and would tell them that they had to take it apart for the adjuster. There’s always a scheme.

 

@slarvemaster ... This is after pictures... As I said.. It's in pristine condition... 21 years old and 200,000 miles... I wasn't about to let them total it...

 

This is generally what I've heard except that they give a bit of leeway to 75% if you *really* want it fixed...beyond that, no dice, it's totaled.

We did get an adjuster to "adjust" in our favor once when he was near 60% and just nudged it over the line since my wife was adamant she wanted it totaled and he felt bad since it was a hit and run.

 

Looking good. Now you make me feel guilty about how filthy mine is.