So I have been in this forum as a reader for quite some time now, and its time to finally post.

So last week during the Blizzard of 05 up here in Boston, I got involved in a minor car accident, or at least I tought it was minor. I was going around 20-25 MPH on Interstate 89 going to Canada when I lost control of the car, the turn came but the tC didn't turn. I don't remember much of the accident, since I have blocked it from my memory, but my friend who was in the car says we spun around and hit the guard rail with the driver's side quarter panel pretty strongly, spun around again and hit the guard rail on the opposite side of the road with the front of the car and came to a stop.

After a moment of panic and after making sure everyone was OK I went outside to check the car out. From the feel of the accident, it didn't look like there was going to be any major damage, as I looked all I saw was a broken bumper, headlight assembly, cracked radiator, and the quarter panel was smashed in the driver's side back tire section, and the tire was caved in a bit.

Needless to say the car was not driveable, I took it to my dealership's collision center and it was there a week before my insurance sent an appraiser. I figured I would be without a car for a couple of weeks, but it wasn't that much damage so I would be ok. Turns out the appraiser calls me today and tells me that my car might be a total loss since the cost to repair the car and to get parts is too high. I was in shock!! I have witnessed much worse damage and the car was not totaled. Now I have to wait and see how much the insuarnce company will give me.

My question to you guys is if any of you know the actual value of the tC? With depreciation and all, its the Base model with A/T and 8000 miles on it. I have tried searching everywhere for the value but up to no avail.

I will post pictures when I get my camera running again, but trust me it was not that much damage, at leats from what I could see, not even the Airbags went off.

I will be sad if I have to part ways with my tC I had a special bond with it. And its just so new, I wonder what they will do with it...

Any help or info is appreciated.

Thanks

P.S I have updated my site to show pics. here it is:

http://homepage.mac.com/rodri_/PhotoAlbum2.html

 

wow man i'm sorry. that really sucks. i'm guessing the value of the car should be about 15k, or around there at least. hope everythin turns out ok

 

do you have gap insurance?

 

kbb.com for value of the car... Maybe your frame was damaged and your axle was bent? Maybe there was more damage to the car then you can see with your eyes. Sorry about your accident, someone sideswiped my tc last week. My appraisal guy is coming tomorrow.

Seems like alot of tc's are getting into accidents lately.

Good luck with that...

 

i wanna say that its maybe somewhere around 13k? Just a guess, depending on your insurance coverage.

 

I had a similar accident back in December (minus the snow, add a lot more speed) on a huge downhill on-ramp getting onto Storrow Drive. I was taking the downturn at about 80mph and basically due to the way the car is designed to understeer in such situations, the passenger side of my car slammed into a stone wall. It was pretty ugly to say the least.

Instead of towing my car all the way to my dealer, Ira Scion of Danvers, I took it to one of my insurance company's preferred auto body shops, ABKO of Waltham. The total bill came out to $4373.10. That was with a bent frame, disconnected axle, replacement controller arm, suspension crossmember, lower ball joint, inner tie rod, right fender and a 4 brand new wheels/tires and OEM ground effects kit.

It took about a month for all the parts to come in and about a week after that I had my car. I'm pretty sure I had way more damage and they never considered my car totalled. So I don't know what kind of crack your insurance companies been smoking lately but they definitely need to quit that ish.

 

I have put pictures up for you guys to see. Most likely it will be totaled.

 

It's probably going to be totaled.

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35694

The link above has a few pics of my Tc after I hit a deer. Initial estimate was for $3200 to repair. Two months later I finally got my car back and the final bill was $5400. And that was with no rear damage, or suspension damage like you have. Two fenders, a hood, front bumper and grill, radiator, ac condensor, and lots of other little under hood parts that were $$ and a _____ to get. I had to wait for a number of them to come from Japan.

Sorry about your car, and good luck.

 

sorry for asking, I don't even drive yet, but is understeering good or bad, what is it for?

 

It could be good or bad depending on the situation. For the most part understeer is bad.

 

So, after all this my car is going to be totaled.

The guy at the body shop told me that there is quitre a bit of damage, and that the cost of repair would be too high. He did say that insurance companies also look at the value of the parts if they sell them individually and that this was the reason why my car was totaled, so the insurance company gets some of the money back.

So they are giving me 16301.25(including sales tax) for my car. Not bad, since I only owe 14K.

I have my next tC on hold at the dealership (same exact one) and should have it by next week sometime I hope.

Now all I have to do is fight with my insuarnce and MA for the stupid surcharges they will impose on me.

 

Im glad it worked out for you

 

Sad story comes to a good ending!

I started reading this thinking, "man they are screwing him, I can't believe this", but all is well. Glad to hear your gonna get your car back. Brand new at that. You get to break it in all over again.

Was the first tC all stock, or did you have any mods on it?

 

It was all stock. It was perfect the way it was.

I'll miss my old car, but it will be cool to experience the new car smell twice in one year

 

You said according to your passenger you hit both sides hard... thats def. alignment damage... incl minor frame damage. The rear body panels are especially harder to fix.

If your car isn't drivable after an accident, then the accident is a major accident. (unless its just a flat tire)

I hit a dog with my car https://www.scionlife.com/?tCshamgar see pics there... that's possibly 2500 - 3000 damage. and i hit the bumper and a little bit of the front pass. fender...



Plus that knocked my alignment out on the front right tire...
At least you're gettin a new one.

Its hard to guess at the cost of repairs when you're looking at it from damages alone... it goes much deeper (as i'm sure you know now)

I hate insurance companies as much as i love them...
when they work, they work well....
Get your new one and dont drive on snow/ice.
and get a 5spd!

 

hey you can counter the understeear with lift off over stear if you have a manual that is some crazy stuff i can wip the back end out when im takin turns and dropping gears its fun but dangerouse