Cruisers save lives

[Harry Flashman]

I was on my way to work yesterday when, out of nowhere, a young woman, in a 2009 Subaru Impreza, on her way to class ran the red light, from my right. The collision avoidance alarm sounded, brakes slammed on and the seat belt tightened moments before impact. The driver knee bag and main airbag detonated. My front impacted her front left. This was a 35-40MPH collision; square on. It knocked her ~40 yards down the street. It is a miracle I don't have back/neck issues, and that she is alive.

I speculate that LC200 the safety systems saved lives, and the accident investigator agreed. She went to the hospital for observation, and I sincerely hope she is OK. I walked away.

I still don't know if it is a total loss. My car is a 2013 with 19K. I don't really want this one back, but I am definitely getting another one. I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts because, again, I really don't want this one back.

Best car.

FL

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FL2

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

F

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FR

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

R

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FR2

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

BR

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FL3

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FR3

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FR4

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

FR5

• Harry Flashman
• May 5, 2015

 

[Atwalz]

Cabin damage and engine compartment damage points toward total loss. Glad to hear everybody walked. It will be very costly repair.

 

[T4Runner]

Glad to hear everyone's ok and that the LC's safety features worked as intended. If it's a total loss, maybe you'll get to be the first to own an updated 2016...

 

[GX-R]

Glad everyone is ok.
Now if you can wait a few months for the updated 200 ( New front end design + rear end + updated fenders + updated interior + more safety tech and updated off road tech with some new features )

 

[gaijin]

Don't worry, that will buff right out

 

[Harry Flashman]

"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it."
-Jeff Spicoli

 

[Willy beamin]

Glad you walked away from that......on a side note snag that front grill arich has been looking for one to experiment on.

 

[rrclx]

This is a total loss. If not they are crazy.
Glad to see both of you walked from this one, regardless of fault.
Great to see the collision avoidance system worked. Mine does not have it. Makes me wonder about upgrading as soon as it is possible.

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Having owned and seen the results of crashes with an 80 series, 100 series, and now a 200 series... I have to say that I am glad that I own Cruisers. Very safe vehicles. Like the others, I am glad that you walked away and like you I am hopeful that the girl does as well.

 

[SWUtah]

I can't believe the girl survived. She has to end up with neck problems based on the torque of a front side hit. 6000 lb vehicle versus 3000 lb vehicle. Glad your OK.

 

[Corbet]

Happy to hear you are OK.

But the safety of a LC is not what all you think. This is just simple physics. A bowling ball (your LC) hit a golf ball (the Subie). Those proportions are not really right but it makes the point. Yes all the safety systems helped but the end result would be much different if you hit something immobile. The Subaru is a much safer car overall and its good to hear she is probably OK too. Its just not often we hit anything larger than ourselves.

 

[redtails]

Amazing! Puts life into perspective here and how lucky we all are everyday you live. Absolutely floored to hear everyone walked away .. a testament to the engineering gone into these cars. I have a feeling the pre-collision magnified the effect of the brakes and by the time the impact actually happened it was about 20 mph slower than what would have been w/o it. One of the reasons I love the LC (everything included - no option I'd pass on).
Any decent insurance company would declare that as a total .. there's frame damage in there (no way I would trust any shop to fix that and guarantee it as back-to-normal). Ideally, you'd get back the $$$ that it would take to buy a similar 2013 19K + taxes + license - deductible. But given it's depreciated a good 20% (even with the high resale of this car) you'd prob. have to put in a sizeable chunk to get a new 2016. Or you can pick up heavily discounted 2014/15 w/o much added on. I'd only go for the 2016 if the interior changed (and you like it) .. but hey whichever way you go .. it's great worry rather than the 1001 things that could have gone wrong looking at those pics.

 

[arich]

Glad you're OK, I think that might buff out or a little Paintless dent removal.

 

[Archtaan]

Glad you all are ok.

Be very pushy with her insurance. I hate to say it, but you would need @ $30,000-$35,000 worth of damage to total that vehicle and unless the frame is severely tweaked, they will likely push for repair. Even if the frame is tweaked if it isnt too far out of specs, they will push for repair.

Retail on a 13 with those miles is still right at $70K. My fingers are crossed that they have to total it.

Her insurance will try and tell you its just a door, fenders, bumper, hood and paint, airbags + this and that. Dont let them, point out anything and everything.

You need all the front suspension components checked, make sure the frame rails are bent at the crash bar and underneath where the side step goes as well as all of the front inner sheetmetal, etc.

Insist on Lexus OEM replacement parts, do whatever you can to drive up the insurance estimate.

I had a tree fall on a Dodge truck that was 1 year old. Front clip, a pillar and roof all damaged. $19,000 repair estimate on a $50K truck and they wouldn't total it. As they put it, they only have to make you whole and will even try and write the estimate with used parts/junk yard pulls, claiming its a used truck so used parts are like same.

Be there when the adjuster is there, dont be afraid to use an adjuster of your choosing to get repair estimates and document everything.

- You need to confirm that she has 100K+ worth of liability insurance as well. If she only has state minimums of 15/25 or even only $50K in liability there could be a lawsuit in your future because insurance will only pay up to her limits unless your uninsured/under insured motors insurance covers property as well.

- Yes I worked insurance for a few years. State Farm. Seen a lot of people get screwed over by other insurance because of little tricks and shortcuts some companies take to try and pay as little as possible.

Please keep us posted.

 

[SWUtah]

You can also claim lost value because your vehicle has been wreaked and it impacts the value. I would get some legal advice. If you have uninsured and underinsured your company should cover your vehicle if she has the minimum coverage. I paid $52k for my 2011 with 29k miles but it would be hard to find another. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[jwestpro]

- You need to confirm that she has 100K+ worth of liability insurance as well. If she only has state minimums of 15/25 or even only $50K in liability there could be a lawsuit in your future because insurance will only pay up to her limits unless your uninsured/under insured motors insurance covers property as well.

Thanks for posting this. Good reminder for all of us, regardless of what vehicle we are driving. I need to look into my own policy but I'm pretty sure I carry the higher end limits, 250/500, because I'm on the road for work and an assistant may be driving sometimes.

 

[MScruiser]

Awesome advice @Archtaan . I know who I'm calling if I ever in a wreck.

"Like a good neighbor, Archtaan is theeeere!"

 

[JamesC]

Agreed on the diminished value claim. Be sure to mention that you plan to file a DV claim if they are angling towards repair instead of total. That will go some way towards making a total more attractive if they are near/on the fence.

 

[LCHardriver_02]

Happy to hear you are OK.

But the safety of a LC is not what all you think. This is just simple physics. A bowling ball (your LC) hit a golf ball (the Subie). Those proportions are not really right but it makes the point.

Corbet, I would disagree with this statement, purely because I have seen a Durango (large heavy vehicle) in a similar accident, at similar speeds, have the passenger compartment intruded upon, injuring the driver's legs. The fact that the LC did not have any intrusion into the passenger compartment makes ME feel like it, and its predecessors, are safer vehicles. The same may have been said of the Subaru, if that vehicle was able to retain its passenger space.

 

[jwestpro]

This was a 35-40MPH collision; square on. It knocked her ~40 yards down the street.

You know, right after an accident you really need to keep your wits about you so you can remember to click some photos of the other car, knowing full well that we would want to see the effect! (sarcasm)

So, you had the green and were just rolling along at normal city speed? What do you think your speed was, the 35-40 or hers, or both roughly. I wouldn't call it "square" on as it was a 90 degree pretty much. Had it been head on, she may have still done ok due to Subaru design but I'd bet probably not just walking around like it was a sucky amusement park ride.

Did you happen to take note of generation of her car? The newer ones are quite a bit more burly and taller than the generation I had (2007). I would love to see her car to look at the engine area. They talk up the boxer engine partially for the ability to direct it under the car in frontal collisions so that it reduces chances of cabin intrusions.

I am sure her car has zero question of total vs repair due to scale and also vehicle value.