merging left onto 395 coming out of dc, guy from other lane came over during the process, i swerved back to the right to avoid hitting/being hit, didn't clear the highway divider.









pretty sure it's totalled. i'll probably just get a new one with what they give me for it. i'm just gonna the metro in and out of dc from now on.

 

Doesn't look totaled. The frame would have to be wicked bent under there.

 

hey, good to know youre alright.
It's pretty much up to the insurance rep to decide if it's totalled or not. To me, it's not totalled, but the car may never drive the same again.

 

yeah i didn't think it was either, we're still not sure, the guy said they were up to $13,000 without looking underneath. if the front axle is messed up is going to be the deciding factor i think. i thought if the airbags go off they total it automatically, but only the left side ones deployed so i don't know if that's true or not. actually i don't even know where i heard that at, i'm really just talking out of my ___ at this point

 

dang, that sucks man. I just moved away from the d.c. area. I hated driving around there!

 

your almost there.....$13K will get them to use the "fine tooth comb" asessment......It probably will be totaled then....good luck with everything.

 

that really sux. glad to hear you are fine though

 

did your air bags go off? if they did, I'm sure it's totalled. sorry about that man.

 

Again, just because the air bags go off doesn't mean it's totalled. ;)

What makes a car totaled, is if the damage is a certain percentage of the value of the car. Some insurance companies say 80%, some say 85, 90, 75, whatever. It's up to the insurance company what that percentage is.

Now, if you have a car that's only worth $1500, and the airbags go off, and it costs a total of 2k to get the airbags in and the exterior damage is very minimal, then yes if the airbags go off it's totalled. I did collision repair and painting for 5 years, just wanted to let ya know ;)

 

FallenAngel I appreciate the info, but for me personally if the airbags go off it means the integrity of the frame has been compromised. I wouldn't want to keep a car if the airbags went off no matter how minor the damages might look. Hopefully his insurance company takes care of him and just gives him enough to get another TC.

 

well at least the air bags deploided, unlike other incidents that ive read around here. hey i did collision repair for 4 years too. and now im acar sales man just so you know.

 

That may be your opinion, but it isn't fact. It does not require an impact of enough force to damage the frame... if you hit a curb in the right way at 10mph your air bags can go off... does that mean that the frame is damaged?? No. If YOUR opinion is that you wouldn't want to keep the car in that circumstance that's fine... but don't confuse your opinion with collision facts. Just because an airbag does off, that does not mean there is frame damage.

 

wow, that sucks man.

 

Yea, but damn, look at the Rear Quarter Panel....its F'd!!!
As well as the front bumper, fender, side skirt, door.

 

yeah based on what i could see theyd have to replace:

- front bumper
- driver side door
- side skirt
- left rear panel
- front tire & rim
- left rear tire (flat)
- left side airbags
- drivers seat (airbag)

i'm assuming that's everything they coveredwhen they said it's up to $13,000 without looking underneath.

the center console inside (top center vents) looked like it was kind of knocked out of wack too. but im not sure if that's just something that pops back into place or of something more is messed up there.

anyway i'm pretty sure it'll be at least $15,000 when it's all said and done which is about 76% the total value of the car and more than what i owed on it. i'll put down what they give me on a new one and this time next month i should be back to where i was.

i was thinking of seeing if i can still get the springs off of it if it is totaled, but i wouldnt wind up reusing them anyway after theyve been in a wreck. plus the left front one is probably not even salvageable. i wasn't all that satisfied with the h-techs anyway.

in the end though i realize it came close to being alot worse so im thankful my friend and i didn't get hurt at all

thanks for the well wishes everyone

i'll post an update once i hear it

 

You walked away, that's the most important thing.

Personally, I'd prefer if the car were totaled. You never know if the repairs will be satisfactory (correct paint, no overspray, squeaks from reassembled interior, possible bent components in the steering that never get fixed properly). You'll also have lots of red flags on your Carfax report if you ever sell the car. Totaling is usually pretty fair, as it's the "replacement value" not the "fair market sale price", which means you'll be out very little money to buy a new tC.

Another possible option if they don't total it would be to just take the money and "get it fixed yourself", not through the insurance company's recommended shop. You could probably sell it as-is for $500-$1000, or even part it out to forum members. Take that money and buy a new one.

 

I'm glad you're ok, and I hope they total the car for you.

 

if the "A" pillar or "B" pillar is bend, it's totaled, those are key in structureal integrity, they can't event try to pull those back into shape with a frame straightener, it will still be compromised, so if they are bent and they don't total it, raise hell, i hope you don't have progressive, my friend got screwed by progressive...... bastards

 

geesh, glad ur ok, that looks horrible. Good luck in getting everything settled.

 

Damn man. sorry to hear that.