kdog_1981

sry to hear the story!! glad you are ok and good luck with everything yet to come!

mitchelltc1

Sorry about your accident! I agree with the others that this will probably not be totaled. The other thing that hurts, is that usually no matter what, when you rear-end someone, it is always your fault (in the insurance companies eyes). Doesn't matter if someone pulls right out in front of you.

On the other hand, if it is totaled, maybe you can start parting out some of those mods?

Good luck with everything! A few months from now it'll just be a blurry memory.

_NeXuS_

Nah he cant part out when the insurance calls it totaled (which is not totaled it will just get the Salvage title and get sold) unless he buys it back from the insurance.

Dr_Isotope

iTrader: (1)

I've never encountered an insurance company that will pay past 60% of low book in repairs. So if your damages pass about $7500 or so, it's a loss. Buy it back on a salvage, part it out, and start over. A minimal part out can net you $3-5k, easily.

disgruntleddutch

Man that looks probably worse in person then in the pictures.

I wish you much luck. I think some of us have been in situations similar to yours. Hey at least you will never look down anymore until your at a complete stop :-).

Thermalzeal

If theres incongruent frame damage...u can pretty much beturass its gonna get totalled.

rivrtc

First off, sorry for your accident, I hope that you are feeling okay it looks like it was bumpy ride. Thank goodness you are well enough to type and be on scionlife.com. No lecture here, you had an accident, we are guilty of them on occasion, some of us just get lucky and have close calls... As long as everyone is okay that is all that anyone should be worried about.

Salvage title - a salvage title is what your car is issued should the insurance company decide to total it and you choose the option to buy the totaled vehicle back and pay out of pocket for the repiars. Now, keep something in mind, a salvage title does not mean the car is unsound, if your repairs are done at a reputable shop you are fine, however, it will not have the value of a "clean title" vehicle.

There are many good repair shops out there, If the car is beyond repair a good shop will flat out tell you not to repair it, at that point I suggest you take their advice and walk away.

Finding a good shop is easy, word of mouth of friends, family, call your insurnace company for DRP referrals, once you choose a shop, ask - do they offer a lifetime guarantee on the repairs, good shops will stand behind their work.

DRP (direct repair program) a lot of people have a misconception about this, there is no BS that goes on behind the scenes between the insurer and the shop, these programs are very hard to get and even harder to keep for a body shop. If your insurance company has a DRP program get a few referrals and check them out, you will not be sorry.

Your car is an 05, the tC seems to hold its value, however, you won't get credit for aftermarket upgrades with the exception of wheels and your skirt kit, excessive mileage will also hurt your value. They will book the car out and make their call from that number. Insurance companies do not total at 60% of the value as I read earlier in this post. First year is generally 50% of value, 2nd year it goes up to 80% in most cases. The insurance company will not total the car on your request, however, if you really don't want the car back that is between you and the body shop. A good estimater and I mean a good one can write the sheet for a specific end result that is within reason. Talk to the estimater, even get the manager involved. A good body shop manager will not want a customer back in a car that will put them at risk.

All this comes from personal and professional experience, my husband and I are partners in a body shop.

Best of luck to you .

djrza786

Thanks for all the replies, information, and support.

I got a call from my insurance adjuster and they said to be totaled it has to be more then 80% of the value of the car, so if the car is worth $15,000, then repairs have to exceed $12,000. The estimate he gave me just by looking at the car is $5,300. That seems like a REALLY low ball estimate, and that ofcourse is just by looking at it from the outside, not taking it apart and look at what's going on beneath all the metal.

How would this effect me if I have to get it fixed and I want to sell the car? How much do you guys think the value will drop?

_NeXuS_

The car will have clean title but when they get a VIN report on it it will apear you were on an accident.

kdog_1981

i crashed my previous car....the body shop had to have the adjuster come back like 3-4 times and the price went up like by a few grand sooo things could change!

lowelcam

By looking at the pix, it's not that bad. Yeah it may need engine mounts, etc. I would suggest trading it in when it's all repaired. Good luck.
$5300. does sound about right; Hood,2 fenders/headlight, bumper cover radiator/condensor and support,battery, paint. All R&R.

jamessicat25

to be honest with you i got the same damage on my car.. which my car was launched and hit a pick up truck..

the damage on your car doesn't seem like a damage from a neon.. if it is.. looks like a neon on monster wheels

djrza786

Well Neons have a real high back end, I'm on Tein H-techs, and I was on the brakes when I hit her, so my car was nose diving a little, that's how I got under the car like that. Maybe Neons should have those safety beams like semi's do that extend way down so small cars can't get under.

djrza786

I sent one of my body shops the pictures of the car, he told he won't do it! This is a friend of my dads too! He said a lot of structural support around the radiator is gone and that since the engine has moved to the position it's in now, a lot more can be damaged then you can see and the strut towers take some impact too, he doesn't have the equiptment to straighten it out. He told me just by looking at the pictures that it's atleast $8-10,000 in damages, mostly because you have to get Toyota parts, and those will be expensive.

jamessicat25

go to toyota dealer and ask them about their body shop.. OR preffered body shop

toeveryhour

iTrader: (3)

Total it if you can. I totaled my old car, had it rebuilt. Worst decision I ever made. Never drove the same and problem after problem occured.

Get a new tC.

djrza786

I would like to get it totaled but I really have no decision in that at this point. I've gotten estimates from one place at about $8-10,000 an the place I sent it to is supposed to be really good quality work and they do show quality work and restorations, and they charge a lot. So maybe with their estimate it will be high enough for a total, but if not it will atleast look and run good.

If it does get totaled, I'm deciding between and 2007 tC or the Lotus Exige, it's got a Toyota engine in it. I'll see if I can post some pictures or a link up of it.

tC9o9

if its not totalled i would suggest taking the pics off RIGHT NOW.. because good luck selling the car if someone happens to see this thread.

that is the reason i didnt post pics until today!!!!!!!!

djrza786

If I get rid of the car it will probably be a trade in through a dealer. I can see why having pictures up is a concern, but honestly, I'm not too worried. I have a good relationship with my sales guy at the Scion dealer and if I got with the Lotus, I don't think any of them spen time on scionlife. But you do bring up a good point for others looking to resell as a private sale.

Here is a link to the Lotus pdf http://www.lotuscars.com/Exige_Spec_Sheet.pdf
Tell me what you guys think, Lotus's website is www.lotuscars.com

I'm not really sure if it's within my price range, but I can hope right???

djrza786

Hey does anyoe know if having an accident like this effects my warranty in any way? If it gets to the point where they just fix my car and my warranty is gone, I might as well go ahead and turbo it, I'll kepp it until I graduate and then buy myself a new car. As cool as the Lotus is, I just can't see that being a comfortable daily driver. I got my eyes set on another car, but it's about $100,000.