Dang... 80 got nicked... (1 Viewer)

[e9999]

well, was stopped at a light. Turned green. Started to go. Truck came from my right. He ran the red light. Must have seen him from the corner of my eye and was able to stop in time (serious braking my kids tell me - don't know - happened too fast). He glanced off my (stock) front bumper. Other 2 cars in the intersection not so lucky/fast. He hit them both with serious damage to all 3. One was a Tundra, front looked pretty twisted around. Nobody seriously hurt, fortunately.
I escaped with some scrapes on the bumper and the mounts maybe bent a bit.

Post-mortem (well, not really, fortunately) conclusions:
- it felt great to be in a big heavy 80
- it would have been even better to be in the 100 if it had been a serious side impact (side airbags and all)
- I'm glad I got a post-95 with airbags (they did not deploy, but maybe next time they might be needed?)
- glad I had the kids in the middle row
- good I drive this thing like a little old lady and take it easy at the lights etc
- good I did not have a grille guard on, that might certainly have made things worse damage wise
- if I had had a big bull bumper (ARB etc) I would not be surprised if there might have been greater impact and perhaps more damage as well, (not as smooth and rounded, more rigidly mounted to frame etc)

Questions:
- anything specific I should look for damage wise? (bumper mounts, frame, wheel alignment, rods etc?)
- I trust I can get another OEM bumper if need be from Toyota, correct?
- or should I apply any insurance payment to a Slee/ARB?

happy all is well...
E

 

[landtank]

Dang... got nicked...

If he hit that flimsy thing called a bumper and didn't twist it up then I doubt there was enough of an impact to cause a problem elsewhere. Now go out there and beat the snot out of it so the issurance settlement will cover a ARB or Slee

 

[e9999]

Dang... got nicked...

nah, would not do that, of course. :
Btw, these ARB and Slee, do I recall correctly we're talking about $800 or so delivered?


This stock bumper is not that bad actually. Did not move sideways much more than 1/2" or so and was very good at keeping the bad guy sliding right off. And the mounts do not look that strong so these would be bent before the frame is. Good safety feature maybe.

E

 

[Sammy Jenkins]

screw it just run down the insurance company for some $$$ for a new bumper, call up slee or arb, they'll fix ya right up. dude, if you had an arb bumper on there the only damage there would be would be to the other vehicle that hit you. You MIGHT'VE had a couple scratches with an arb.

 

[Junk]

e - Just glad you and family are ok. Rest doesn't really matter, but it sounds like your truck should be fine.

 

[Pitbull]

Great to hear you and the kids are OK. Take to your local high dollar Toyota dealer for an est. then collect. I had a front bumper that was a little dented up from the lady PO who kept bumping into the brick wall by her driveway. A member of 80 cool around 4 years ago bought a ARB and sold me his for the cost of shipping it. I bet you can find one that is like new just by letting everyone on this site and 80's cool know you need one. Good luck.

 

[Junk]

Maybe it's time to buy a new 80.

I hear there is one posted in the for sale section of IH8Mud that is a 40th beater edition.

 

[e9999]

dang, the appraiser came over and he claims there is absolutely nothing wrong with it besides some scrapes. Nothing bent, just shifted a bit in the brackets, nothin' at all....
sheeesh...
stuff way too sturdy...
what's this world coming too?
E

 

[Sammy Jenkins]

That Sucks

 

[ppc]

Of course the adjuster is going to tell you that. Just agree with him that its not as bad as the neck pain you've been experiencing. If this is the other party's insurance then they are going to resist paying anything. Jump all over there a** until its fixed. You can't just bend the brackets back and still have the strength they originally had.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

oK
I was going to sit this one out put here goes on it.
the chances fo bending the frame on your truck form a glancing blow across the factory front bumper is pretty damn minimal, before the frame moves the brackets wich hold on the bumper face bar to the frame. the end caps mount to the front face bar. all of these should be at least damaged before the frame will move. this is a part of their design. should you get every penny you are owed out of the insurance company?? hell yeah, I make my living doing just that. if you are really worried about it take two pics for me. lie down under your truck and look directly at the front frame horns and take a pic of both sides. chances are its ok but if you are truly worried advise your insurance adjuster you would like to take it to a shop and have the frame measured. they should be ok with that.
Dave

 

[e9999]

thanks guys.
Well, obviously, the appraiser from the at fault insurance company won't volunteer anything. It was kinda cute to see him describe himself as a "consumer advocate" and fresh out of the seminary...

It looks like the insurance companies don't want to even contemplate paying for putting the thing on a framerack and measuring it. It'll be interesting...

Eric

 

[bad_religion_au]

shouldn't they have to pay for the frame check?

 

[PHAEDRUS]

for the benefit of the group here is how it usually goes......
1. the insurance company sends out an adjuster to look at your vehicle. sometimes this person is well trained and knows what they are talking about sometimes not. this person will write an estimate based on what he or she can visually see as damage. they will write thier estimate based on what they can visually see and take a picture of. when I started in this business the rule of thumb was if there is no photo there is no damage. this is for the original "feild" estimate.
2. from here about half of the people with minor damage drop it cash the check and go to dinner on it. insurance company has paid for all apparent damage at this point and has indemnified you. they are off the hook at this point. the other half of the people take their car to a shop (albeit their shop or the insurance companies preferred shop) and armed with the feild estimate the shop will repair the car. in the case of erics truck they will remove the front bumper and do a quick visual inspection of the frame horns. If the shop is worth their weight isn s***e and there is any possibility of frame damage they will contact the insurance comapny and request additional time ($$$) to set up and measure the frame. most insurance companies have no real issue with that and will authorize it. at this point the shop has exceeded the $$ amount form the original estimate and is now building a list of supplemental damages. these will be worked out usually between the shop and the insurance company directly and payment will be issued directly from the insurance company to the shop. You are not obligated usually to pay for additional related repairs to your car. make sure that the shop is handling the repairs properly and you should minimize the risk involved in this one.
So the short answer to Bad religions question is no they will not pay it up front as a lot of people will not actually have it checked out and just want to afford dessert at the nice restaurant on the insurance companies dime. They will usually pay for it if it is actually done. where this kind of sucks is that if your plan was to ditch the oem bumper and put a real one on then you have to make the insurance adjuster aware of this and handle it accordingly. Most companies will not have an issue with putting aftermarket parts on to replace oem parts. just make them aware of it. telling them I think the frame is bent so they will pay you more to further the parts fund is a bad idea. Taking extra money from an insurance company is fraud plain and simple. it happens every day but it is still fraud. in the end we all pay for this ok well not all but anyone who pays insurance...
I think that is about enough on this subject for me for now. Dave

 

[e9999]

Hi Dave:

this is helpful to know and seems to match what I see happening.
Except an interesting point is that -HTH if somebody ends up in the same predicament- both insurance companies (mine and the guilty party) recommend that I go through my own insurance. Not only because the red light-runner may not have enough insurance (he totaled at least another car at the same time), but also faster etc.

Now I should emphasize again -if that wasn't clear enough- that nobody is talking about exaggerating the damage here, but also nobody wants to be in a situation where the adjuster will claim that all is well, refuse to have it measured, and then later one finds that there is some damage after all and you're stuck with it.

And if I may sound cynical, you'll forgive me, I lost my house in a fire and I had to deal with one of the biggest insurance company in the country who tried every unethical trick in the book to delay and avoid rightfully-due payments...

I'm just glad nobody got hurt, the 80 proved its mettle and there seems to little damage...

Eric

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Didnt think you were eric,
just making the process known to people, I am still amazxed at how this industry works but hey I ahve been on both sides now and can say if someone is honestly worried about their truck they need to get it in to a shop for frame analysis. if they are not dont.
Dave
Eric, still e mail me those pics and I will tell you wether or not to worry.

 

[Pitbull]

Eric, how is your neck? I would go to the MD and have it checked out that chronic pain you are having might be serious. Alway best to deal with insurance companies from a position of strength.