Been away a while - my Hot Lava is TOTALLED ~!@#$%^&*

[TheCrAzyLady]

Hey! I have been slammed at work lately and have not been lurking here much. Speaking of SLAMMED, some broad was driving along in her Jeep Cherokee while talking on her cell phone and turned directly in front of me! I had no time to hit the brakes and barely slowed before I creamed into - nearly head on. The damage is pretty obvious. My intake manifold is cracked and who knows what other damage would be unearthed. The insurance company is calling it a total loss. not sure if I have this picture thingy figured out.... It sucks to be me right now. Time for me to try to find my THIRD Scion xB.

[mrfuzzy4]

sorry to hear that! especially a hot lava! well, maybe third times the charm? good luck, and i hate insurance companies!

[bB2NER]

I'm thinking that won't be totaled. It's bad but I've seen worse. Hopefully they won't total it out. That would be a shame.

[TheCrAzyLady]

Originally Posted by bB2NER

I'm thinking that won't be totaled. It's bad but I've seen worse. Hopefully they won't total it out. That would be a shame.

I was surprised they totalled it and insisted on copies of the adjuster's estimate. I mean, it is only the front clip, radiator, and whatever else is uncovered as the process starts. After I reviewed the estimate I realized that a lot of it is labor. The engine needs to come out in order to replace the (what's that called? the COWL?) the panel that runs below the windshield and the dash and interior needs to come out to cut and weld that back in - - so all those minor details really add up quick. They even priced out used parts and I was going to insist on Toyota parts, etc.

The car is NOT totalled as in "never going to be put back together again", but it is totalled in the sense of: not worth it to the insurance company. They start the estimate and stop writing once they reach 75% of the value.

A million years ago I used to be the one repairing cars like this and I was convinced they weren't going to total it - yet here I sit in my rental vehicle sucking gas like no tomorrow

this really stinks - but I know the game they play and they are going to come to MY terms. That girl (the other driver) admitted fault and she was able to drive away from the accident - I was NOT at fault and therefore I will not be penalized for it.

[kitkit201]

wow.. I think my car was about $10k worth of damage.. an 06, and my insurance company didn't total it.. i'm still having problems with the car though, so i kinda wished they did do me the favor..

[Big_Bird]

insurance prolly wants to get it from you, to fix up and sell. but it sucks nonetheless

[CBSIMONSEZ]

Originally Posted by Big_Bird

insurance prolly wants to get it from you, to fix up and sell. but it sucks nonetheless

Cant, once its totalled is just that, done. Its branded a complete loss until it gets crushed. What will more then likely happen is that the car will go to auction and sell for a couple grand to a junk yard where they will cut it up and part it out to the basic shell. In the end the parts will sell for about 5 K ... still not what the car is worth to repair it.

[OldYeller]

Lots of cars are salvaged and put back on the road. Sure it is hard to register and insure--but they are not all crushed. To me it would not be worth driving a salvage titled car. Like kitkat201 said--they are never really the same. Sorry for you loss.........

[vintage42]

Originally Posted by CBSIMONSEZ

Cant, once its totalled is just that, done. Its branded a complete loss until it gets crushed...

Can too! My truck was totaled and I fixed it. If the insurance company has kept it, they could have fixed it, too, and re-sold it. But it would not have been worth their trouble.

Two years ago my 1991 Mazda truck was rear ended. It's hitch, receiver, bumper and frame took the impact, and drove deep into the engine bay of the car that hit me. My truck had been kept like new, and still drove like new after the accident.

However, the estimate was 100% of the value of the truck, $3000, and it only takes 75% for the vehicle to be totaled. My choices were (1) repair the truck at my expense, or (2) take the insurance money, repair the truck and end up with a Rebuilt Title.

So accepted $3,000 from the other insurance company on condition that I surrender the plates to the DMV in exchange for a Salvage Title. Then I repaired the truck and got a Rebuilt Title.

A rebuilt title is a stigma that means a vehicle was repaired to the extent of >75% of its value. No big deal for an old truck worth $3,000. But who would want to buy a $20,000 car knowing it had >$15,000 in repairs? Nobody wants a car like that, not the owner, or any buyer, and so the insurance company just sells it for parts.

[crashdad]

With the kind of damage you describe, I kinda would hope they total it. There might be all kinds of issues that are hidden, or that may develop over the coming years. If you can afford to take their settlement check and get a new (well, a used first-gen) xB, that's the way I would go.

[sonofxb]

Well my 1993 corolla has salvage title and we have had it since 95 and still have it now just pushing 135,000 and still runs like a champ body is in a decent condition not great.

[TheCrAzyLady]

UGH - so I am fighting with the insurance company right now. They want to give me a little over $12K for the car. I said NO. I want $14K - PERIOD. It is a stock vehicle and I don't think this is asking too much! It will take me at least that to find a replacement and they tell me they have evaluated the car and have given me a fair estimate. My main argument is that you don't just run down to the corner and pick up an RS1.

So I had to send the adjuster a list that I compiled of RS1 for sale and there are none under 300 miles from me. Now she wants documentation that this is a special edition. hooooo brother. This is really beginning to tick me off..... and you DON't want to tick off the redhead.

[MadMike550]

Originally Posted by TheCrAzyLady

UGH - so I am fighting with the insurance company right now. They want to give me a little over $12K for the car. I said NO. I want $14K - PERIOD. It is a stock vehicle and I don't think this is asking too much! It will take me at least that to find a replacement and they tell me they have evaluated the car and have given me a fair estimate. My main argument is that you don't just run down to the corner and pick up an RS1.

So I had to send the adjuster a list that I compiled of RS1 for sale and there are none under 300 miles from me. Now she wants documentation that this is a special edition. hooooo brother. This is really beginning to tick me off..... and you DON't want to tick off the redhead.

go get them..and good luck

[bB2NER]

Originally Posted by OldYeller

To me it would not be worth driving a salvage titled car. Like kitkat201 said--they are never really the same

I'll have to disagree with you on this one. If they are fixed right there should be zero clues that they were ever damaged. That there lava should not get totaled out because it's not really that bad.

It also sux that they are trying to lowball you on the claim. If they don't give you at least 14 K tell em to find you another lava with the same miles and in the same condition then and see if they can do it.

[TheCrAzyLady]

Originally Posted by bB2NER

I'll have to disagree with you on this one. If they are fixed right there should be zero clues that they were ever damaged.

Thank you Jeff.

There is a phobia attached to "totalled" vehicles simply because there have been so many severly damaged cars repaired by inept repair technicians.

Like I mentioned before - about one million years ago I would have been fixing this car myself. I have worked on so many "totalled" cars I can't tell you. IF - - and I repeat - IF the repair is done properly, but qualified professionals, the job will be done so there are absolutely NO INDICATIONS there was ever an accident. Repair of a chronically damaged vehicle involves aspects other than cosmetic - - there are book specs to be referenced that involve the entire vehicle and once those specs are met, there is no reason the vehicle should perform any differently than a factory car or even a car involved in a minor accident. It is not uncommon for the technician to be less than qualified.

I anticipate this car will be purchased at auction, refurbed and resold.

[chadfo]

Sorry to hear about your car. I'm glad you are ok.

There are a lot of accident posts lately.

[Night_Shadows]

Yeah it's kinda got me worried. It seems like everyday I get on here there is a new accident post.

[bB2NER]

Originally Posted by Night_Shadows

Yeah it's kinda got me worried. It seems like everyday I get on here there is a new accident post.

It's crazy how many xBs on here that are dying an early death. I can only imagine how many are dying on a daily basis in the rest of the world.

I actually wish I could buy that lava from the insurance co for next to nothing. It would make a nice project, putting it back right!!!