Another Wreck (1 Viewer)

[PHAEDRUS]

That is the other issue.
The proper way to repair that and what the shop will likely do is to buy a new 1/4 panel, cut out the 40+ spot welds holding the 1/4 panel onto the inner structure, they will likely cut through the old panel about 3" up into the window opening. and down about 6" up the dogleg. They (if they are a good shop) will put a peice of sleeving (usually part of the old panel trimmed to fit) behind the undamaged part of the old panel, then put the new panel in place cut to fit and plug weld all around and seam weld then mud the aforementioned seams in the windows and dogleg.
Basically they cut the s*** out of your truck and weld it back together again. deal with some cosmetic issues and keep your seams in place.

Dave

 

[83bj60]

Well,

You are wrong.

A new quarter panel skin, in the box, before anybody even touches anything, is OVER 1,000 dollars.


By the way, PHAEDRUS has been a body shop collision estimator. He ought to know of what he speaks.

As a matter of fact I don't disagree much if you do it that way. It just seems to unrealistic to do it like that for something that could be easily banged out, sanded and repainted. I see these kind of inflated estimates all the time, '$80,000 damage' for something that costs at most $15,000 to actually do. It's not limited to the Automotive Industry, I see it my field all the time (Construction). But when you've actually done the work yourself, you just laugh at those claims. Experience goes a long way to repair things cost effectively.

BTW, in our province insurance companies control these things quite well. For the repair on my wife's car she got $1,500 to redo the whole side AND she managed to convince the body shop guy to repaint the whole car, including fixing a very dented hood from a previous encounter with a deer. Granted, it's a Tercel...

As for the argumentation, bottom line is unless we can see the damage for ourselves, it's pretty much speculation anyway...

 

[Brian894X4]

I believe WAshington has pretty good pro-consumer insurance laws. You should be able to take to any body shop you want. But Washington has "like and kind of quality" in terms of parts laws. Not bad, but it doesn't ban the use of junkyard parts, which kind of sucks.

As far as your rates being raised, you should talk to your agent. If it was clearly not your fault, it may be convered under comprehensive, or uninsured motorist, in which case, it shouldn't affect your rates. But I could be wrong.

You could also sue the girl and her family instead of having your insurance company pay, although that would be a huge pain. I believe, once you are paid, the insurance company itself might actually go after the girl, depending on the damage. I know they have the right, but how many of those types of cases they persue, I'm not sure.

It's too bad she wasn't issued a ticket for running the red light and no insurance. If she was, then you'd really be in good shape.

Sorry to hear about the accident. Here's a website you should probably read over before deciding what to do about Washington Insurance Laws:

http://www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/auto/autoinsurance.asp

Good luck.

 

[zcruiser]

Dang, a few more milliseconds or a quicker twist of her wheel and she would've missed you completely. Too bad she didn't just rip your bumper clean off and not have touched the body.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

good point brian,
In washington you typically will have uninsured motorist property damage or collision coverage, most companies do not offer both, on umpd there is usually a lower deductible.
Also, if the owner of the vehicle is collectible (read has any assets at all) they will attempt to subrogate for any damages caused and paid out under umpd or collision if the other party is at fault.
Dave

 

[TomH]

Insurance really isn't an issue. My uninsured motorist coverage handles everything - except a deductible. Can take the truck to any body shop I want but will save on the deductible if I use a preferred shop.

The insurance company has already said they will try to recover any costs if I was not at fault. I have a witness who will state the girl ran the light. Not sure what the deal with her insurance is. A little internet investigation shows her father is the chairman of the board of a company and their house shows a tax assesment of $1.2 mil. I suspect they have money - not sure why their insurance lapsed.

 

[Bluetribal]

I would luv to be in your situation and yes people will and have disliked my thought process on getting into a small fender bender, but I would fix it half A$$ and throw on sliders and a rear bumper. It's gunna suck to throw all that money into fixing it and then the next weekend ding it back up on a rock.... Just make sure the tail light is no cracked, have someone cheap do the best they can pulling it out, go to costco for free next time and then get your Hanna Bumper. Done deal....

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Tom,
If dad is the refistered owner of the vehicle he is liable.
IF she is the registered owner fo the vehicle then she is liable.
Dave

 

[Fly Rod]

Tom,
If dad is the refistered owner of the vehicle he is liable.
IF she is the registered owner fo the vehicle then she is liable.
Dave

Yes, as I understand it it is the registered owners responsibility to ensure any driver is insured.

Good luck.

 

[john_eckels]

When I had my RX-8, a couple people there had success with the DingKing, http://www.dingking.tv/ It has a learning curve and removal of the glue is a bit of a job. There is a lot of stuff on the internet about it, just try a quick search. There used to be a forum where people would post their dent pictures and you would get feedback on the approach to take.

 

[dogcatch'n]

If you have the girls name and drivers license number, take her to court....

you do have a police report right.....?

 

[NorCalDoug]

Tom,

if it were mine, I'd get it banged out to the point where the rear light looks good and the shape is reasonably okay...then line-x/rhino/etc line the sucker and spend the remaining cash on a good rear bumper.

 

[Kalawang]

It fairly well amazes me that an insurance company can raise your rate for an accident that was clearly not your fault. Is that legal ? It comes across as grossly unfair. I'd change companies if that were the case.


Kalawang

 

[Brian894X4]

It fairly well amazes me that an insurance company can raise your rate for an accident that was clearly not your fault. Is that legal ? It comes across as grossly unfair. I'd change companies if that were the case.


Kalawang

There isn't much fair about the insurance industry in this country. They can raise your rates based on all kinds of things. Even your credit score can raise your rates if it's poor. And yes, they do check regularly. They also charge you based on every single potential driver in your house. So, if you live with 3 other roommates, and the insurance company finds out about it, you get charged as if all 3 of them will drive your car. Parents have the biggest problem here, because even if their kids don't drive or won't drive their cars, the insurance charges them as if they will.

And as any of us who used to own insurance as a teenage male knows, insurance companies are one of the only industries that are allowed to descriminate against you based on your age, your gender, and where you live.

Sometimes even if the accident wasn't your fault, they can use that against you, because many states require you to report that accident to the local DMV. And if a Police Report is filed, it ends up on the driver's record no matter what. So, when the insurance company checks for tickets, they see an accident and sometimes it just doesn't matter who was at fault or some states even have no fault laws so both driver's are equally responsible, no matter what, and it counts against the victim as a typical accident. Insurance companies can even go so far as to view a victim of an accident to be risky, because they weren't a good defensive driver, even if they weren't at fault in the accident.

Some of this is subject to laws which can vary by state, but it's pretty typical across the country. It pretty much stinks. But nothing is worse that the tens of thousands of drivers that are on the road with no insurance, causing the responsible among us to bear all the cost and the risk.

As for this situation, I agree with the others. Fix it cheap and put the money to good use. That's what I would do.

 

[TomH]

.... Just make sure the tail light is no cracked, have someone cheap do the best they can pulling it out, go to costco for free next time and then get your Hanna Bumper. Done deal....

The tail light was broken - the tail light I personally picked up from Mot and packed thousands of miles home. I put the orginals back on to be legal.

Tom,
If dad is the refistered owner of the vehicle he is liable.
IF she is the registered owner fo the vehicle then she is liable.
Dave

Not sure who the registered owner of the vehicle is, I just noticed three vehicles listed on the insurance card and assumed the girl was on her parents policy.

If you have the girls name and drivers license number, take her to court....

you do have a police report right.....?

No police report - was instructed by the police dispatcher to just get all the info and file an accident report - which I did.

Tom

 

[tonygray]

If the other drivers' insurance is in any way liable in this situation then your insurance will definately find out how to make them pay. Insurance people go to great lengths to pass the buck. That's their business.

My advice: Let the insurance fix it. find a shop that will put some of the cost of replacing your bumper into getting a replacement (Slee perhaps?) bumper and pay the difference in cash. That way you have a like new truck with a kick ass mod. It worked for me.