Hi folks-

I been running through a string of bad luck incidents recently, one of which was that my car was involved in a parked car hit and run on a rainy night earlier this month with other cars. My theory is that some fumbduck drove down the hill and lost control of his car as there was a turn, then it hit my car, and then domino-ed into the other cars....

I requested a copy of the police report, but it looks like I'll have to pay for the deductible of $500 since it we did not find who did this damage...

Anyways, the damage was pretty severe and required that a major work had to be done to it. Just image the passenger sides rear damage almost the same as the drivers side rear damage as shown in the picture. The total for the damage was $9400!! My xB is a 2006 with 16k miles so it wasn't enough to get the car totalled...



Anyways, I am getting the car back this coming Wednesday and am already thinking about selling it because of this accident, and the fact that my fiance can't drive a stick......

What other cars are out there with the same characteristics as the xB: utility (for moving stuff and potentially going outdoors with), gas milage and fun to drive...

My fiance already has a 04 Matrix XR so I'm not looking to get really another wagon, but do keep in mind that I am an IT person so from time to time I do have to drive around servers and computer equipment.

I can name a couple of cars that are similar to the xB like the
* Element (cost about 33% more than the xB and doesn't get good gas millage, but very functional)
* Mazda 5 (not much of a van person if you ask me)
* xB2 (looks good on paper, but whats the price and release date?)
* Another xB1 that's automatic...

Not sure i'm kinda at a losst of what to get if and when I do sell it.. I'm pretty sure I will miss it a whole lot, but just things have been happening to me since I got the car that isn't right at all..

Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Wilson

 

if you are going to get a 1st gen xb, you might want to run on an abbreviated schedule since supply is running low, or so i hear! i say keep it. theres nothing out there that will give you as much satisfaction as the box, so why not just keep it?

 

I say keep it......and teach your girl to drive a stick, that's just as bad as not being able to drive......

 

If it's fixed right just keep it. To start over just to have an auto would not be cost effective. You won't be happy with any of those other ones plus you'd still be wrong on the money part. Drive it and enjoy it. Unless it was a show car it should be fine after it gets done being repaired.

 

I 2nd (or 3rd) keeping it. Just make sure everything is fixed correctly. You never know what's going to happen- buy a replacement and you could get in an accident on the way home.

Also 2nd teaching your fiance to drive a manual. Could be an emergency where she has to one day. Better for her to learn now than learn then.

I'd think this would be covered by comprehensive rather than collision since it was parked at the time? Same as vandalism or someone breaking in? My comprehensive is like $100.

 

That's weird because my insurance AAA says its covered under collision instead.. I'll have to double check on that..

My heart is set on keeping it, but I dont know how the car will drive after the accident. It wasn't a show car or anything like that. The only real mods I did were the LED taillights and Monroe Shocks.

I could teach my fiance how to drive stick, but like I said, I dont think she really wants to learn anymore and that maybe getting another car that is an automatic would be better...

Want to play devils advocate here? IF I do sell the car, what would you guys recommend given my situation?

 

I'm no insurance expert so I don't know how it works. One of my friends had their car damaged while parked- rear bumper cover scraped and cracked. It was covered under comprehensive. Maybe they have to claim as collision since your car "hit" another by being pushed into it.

Should drive like new if they fixed it correctly. The repair costs so much because they have to repair or replace the rear panels. I had a pickup that I hit some ice and slide sideways. The bed hit a road sign. Repair was over $4000 because they had to replace the side of the bed and do a lot of painting. Had zero mechanical damage. I know it's not the same since the truck had a frame instead of unibody, but just because it's expense to fix doesn't mean it's really bad.

If you were to replace it, I'd say to get another xB if you're happy. Otherwise, start looking around. I thought I'd like the Element, but I hated the interior and seating position. I like the Fit except for the front legroom and lower ride.

 

You are not in a good place to trade or sell your xB. It is too new. You, regardless of what the deal was when you bought it, will take a really big value hit from initial depreciation. 3-4 years is much better $$'s wise for trading. If the repairs are well done (they do not rust, or leak (this type repair you must inspect for leakage after a while, many seams have been effected), and the vehicle performs as normal there is no reason not to keep it. The damage isn't really that bad from the pic you sent. Those areas are just time consuming and expensive to repair. This type repair also however requires a skilled technician with good attention to detail to make a truely lasting repair. The panels must be well welded and well sealed, and corrosion protected inside and out as much as can be done outside the factory for a lasting result.

I suggest you hold off on car change plans until you see how your "new" xB is and decide from there. Thoroughy inspect the areas where repairs and welding have been done before you accet the job from the body shop. Go to pickup the car in old clothes so you can lie on the ground and inspect the lower body flanges forward of the rear wheels where the 1/4 panel weld into the side of the floor. You are looking for the backside s of welds that have not been painted or undercoated, corrosion, bits of mig wire sticking out. You should also pull up the rear door and tailgate weatherstrips and look at the flanges and welds in this area, again pay particular attention to the back side (toward the interior). The face that is in the door jambs is almost always painted, but the face that is toward the interior need to be treated as well (should not be bare welds). If you find issues, discuss them with the body shop and have them fix them. Do not get upset with them right away. Just show them and let them fix...people are people and mistakes happen.

Once you are happy with the inital repair accept the car and then as you use it, watch the repaired area for any issues. (address any with the body shop again) Look at the lower flanges of the body where the 1/4 panels weld on for corrosion (again), pull out the rear area spare and tool box covers after a couple good rains and look for leakage. Remember you can always sell it in a while, your overall trade/sell equation will only improve the longer you own it.

 

TT is giving good advice. The only thing I'd add is to have an alignment done immediately- body shops can easily miss subtle tweaks to the rear suspension that an all around alignment will reveal...

Ask how long you should wait before waxing it, and then do so. It'll help the new and old paint age at the same rate. I like Zaino bros, but there's a lot of other good stuff out there that I've never tried...

If it looks right, drives right and doesn't leak, then you'll be able to drive your money's worth out of it for many years. If not that, then you'll pay a hefty premium to trade it in...

 

i say keep it or go with another xb. if you sell the box to buy an element...... well...... id have to call you a trader. the wor between toyota and honda is the same as ford and chevy. thats not writen in ston or anything i just dont like the element. honda has nothing i like. any way .... see what it drives like when you get it back, if it still dives like it should then just keep it. thats the job of the repair people anyway is to return to you what you had to start with. on the topic of your girl driving a stick... just teach her, i mean realy a toyota it the easeiest stick ive ever driven. if shes ever to learn the xb would be the car to do it in.

 

Anyone think its weird how there are three Toyota's in this picture.

 

Nobody mentioned the lesser trade-in value because of the accident. It will be worth less now than it was before the hit. Repairs like this follow the vehicle around for years to come. Just make sure it's fixed to your satifaction and drive it like you stole it.

 

LOL, actually, there was another Toyota Corolla that got nipped in the bumper first before my car not shown in the picture... so yeah.. 4 Toyotas... let me guess, the car that hit me was a GM!

 

I'm going to piggyback off what the guy said about the car being worth less. A car involved in a major accident i.e. more than 60 % of the car's value means when you go and try to trade it in on a new car most dealers won't even take it. The reason is when they try to resale it, no body in their right mind is going to buy it when a carfax is pulled (in most states its the law to provide one and have the customer sign it before the deal is done) and they see 9500 dollars worth of damage to a car that costs 12k. You'll most likely have to take it to a dealer who will be willing to auction it (and your gonna take a huge hit when it comes to the trade value cuz they aren't going to get anything for it) , or private party it, and a sensible buyer isn't going to pay top dollar for a car that has been hit like that, even though its a rear end hit. So... I'd say keep it. If you are hauling servers around, the box has to be perfect, and its a headturner.

Ahh... i remember the body shop days when i used to see cars get sawed in half and then be re-welded with another cars rear end

I hope you took it to a great shop, and i mean a GREAT shop, because the one i worked at was one of the best in the Baltimore\DC area, and this was a very common practice.

 

This is a possibility, but, if this happens it will happen regardless and it makes trading the xB even less desirable. I would suggest checking carfax a few times on this car to see if it shows up....it may not? If the repair is done very well it is unlikely that anyone would discover the repair in the future without carfax.

 

This accident will be covered under your collision because another car collided with yours. your deductible will not be waived since you did not get an ID on the car that hit yours. By the way if you do not have UDW (uninsured deductible waiver) on your policy you should add it.

My suggestion to you since you have AAA is to take it to an IRP (immediate Repair Program) body shop. If you have it repaired at an IRP shop AAA will guarantee the repairs to your car for as long as you own it.

Again this is my suggestion. I do work for AAA in the IRP department as a claims adjuster. If you need any more info just let me know.

 

well im gonna finally reply back to this thread..

I actually bought the xB used for $11k in November, so I'll be the second owner on it putting about 2k more miles then it originally had... I dont think i'll be taking that much of a hit IF i sell it since ..

1) AutoCheck doesn't show the accident on their report

2) It has many extras like the iPod HU, and foglights

3) it's still covered under factory warranty for another 20k or 2 years..

but I do thank everyone for their advice though. I'm going to pick up the car tomorrow and report back what I have found...

I know that the car will be bumpy since they were required to give me back the factory shocks...

Will reply back... stay tuned!

 

Man I have had over 20 cars in my life and have had a few wrecks and even a flood here and there. I can tell you this. If the car didn't have any mechanical damage, I'd keep it. Only if it was cosmetic. If there was any damage at all to the axle, spring, sub frame etc. I'd get rid of it. It won't drive right. Or at least if it will, you will always think it isn't. Get another Box. My 2 cents.

 

I had an accident and it the xb sustained too great of damage that I had to declare it totalled. It bothered me for a long time that I had to go out and get another Xb and I did : ). My advice is to have the car checked out or store for a couple of weeks to get over the mess. If it is still in your mind to trade it in go for it. but time to think it over is definately needed. . . . good luck kitkit201

 

for size..cost of operation and utility...it's hard to do much better than an xB