Rear Ended!!!

[Brian]

My Laguna was just rear ended!!!! The bumber cover is pushed in a little, the trunk won't open, and the rear of the trunk is pushed in a fraction of an inch relative to the panel to the left of it that it is supposed to be flush with. Most disturbingly, there's now a big, diagonal, shallow crease in the right rear quarterpanel just behind the pasenger door and in front of the rear wheel well!

I didn't have my cell phone w/me and neither did the lady who hit me. We exchanged names, addresses, numbers, and insurance info. I told the lady who hit me that we can settle this w/o involving the insurance companies if they want too. She waved down her husband, a police officer, on his way home from work, and I gave him the same offer. His deducible is $400, and he said he'll wait to see if the estimate is more or less than that before he decides to turn it in. (As if it the repair could be anywhere near as low as that!)

I'm going to have to get an estimate soon. I can take it to the place that I had paint my trunk, etc before, but they weren't cheap, and I don't want these people to pay more than they have to. What can I expect this to cost? What will be involved in completely fixing the crease? Where can I find good replacement parts that might be cheaper than what a body shop can get (besides checking Car-Parts.com)?

[It's Just Eric]

The rear quarter panel..mabey it can be pulled a filled, mabey itll need to be replaced. as for a rear bumper, if your looking for a NEW one, you need to get one from subaru. Nobody makes a cheap replica.

I could probably advise you on a few things with some picturres to look at, but you midaswell just take it to the body shop for an estimate, and forward the price to the woman

[Brian]

Thanks, Eric. I'll probably get some pictures up eventually, but I don't have a digital camera so it will be a couple days. I hope to have an official estimate by then...maybe even before the end of the day tomorrow.

It was a 2008 GMC Envoy that hit me. SXV vs. SUV...could have turned out a lot worse!

[Brian]

I took it to a bodyshop for an estimate this morning. It's worse than I thought. The buckle in the rear quarter panel is a result of the whole back of the car having been bent to the right. That qurter panel is slighly bulged and the opposite one is slighly flattened/stretched. It will need to go on a frame straightener. That also explains why the trunk won't open.

His rough visual low-ball estimate w/o taking anything apart is $2,100. Once he opens it up to work on it, he's likely to find more damage. Unfortunately, he says that my car will total out at only $1,700! (At least with Nationwide Mutual, the insurance company the lady who hit me has.) He says the auto insurance laws are really bad in PA, and that the adjuster may not give the option of paying me a little less and not declaring it totaled. If it is declared totaled, they won't let me keep the car. They will give me the option of buying it back w/a salvage title! That would be ludicrous to have to buy my own car! He says that even if I could get Nationwide Mutual to agree to the $2,100 and no totalling, then anything over that would come out of my pocket.

I don't know for sure yet if the lady and her husband will want to turn it in to their insurance. I'm hoping they'd rather just foot the bill themselves, and avoid an increase in their insurance.

[Speedklix]

...Just don't let this whole process "run out the clock" on filing a police report man!

If he is a cop and actually had to ask to wait to see an estimate... given the visible damage I would have gone straight to the station! It could be perfectly legitimate... but just C-Y-A!

2008 Envoy and no cell? ...I'm curious if cell phone use while driving is illegal where you live, just doesn't feel right.

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by Brian

I took it to a bodyshop for an estimate this morning. It's worse than I thought. The buckle in the rear quarter panel is a result of the whole back of the car having been bent to the right. That qurter panel is slighly bulged and the opposite one is slighly flattened/stretched. It will need to go on a frame straightener. That also explains why the trunk won't open.

His rough visual low-ball estimate w/o taking anything apart is $2,100. Once he opens it up to work on it, he's likely to find more damage. Unfortunately, he says that my car will total out at only $1,700! (At least with Nationwide Mutual, the insurance company the lady who hit me has.) He says the auto insurance laws are really bad in PA, and that the adjuster may not give the option of paying me a little less and not declaring it totaled. If it is declared totaled, they won't let me keep the car. They will give me the option of buying it back w/a salvage title! That would be ludicrous to have to buy my own car! He says that even if I could get Nationwide Mutual to agree to the $2,100 and no totalling, then anything over that would come out of my pocket.

I don't know for sure yet if the lady and her husband will want to turn it in to their insurance. I'm hoping they'd rather just foot the bill themselves, and avoid an increase in their insurance.

There are 3 Wilsons in Wiley's Ford W,Va that can fix it. (we have a friend with a frame machine and a DEEP LOVE for old cars.) PICS!!!

We have repaired WAY worse than you discribe.

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by Speedklix

...Just don't let this whole process "run out the clock" on filing a police report man!

If he is a cop and actually had to ask to wait to see an estimate... given the visible damage I would have gone straight to the station! It could be perfectly legitimate... but just C-Y-A!

2008 Envoy and no cell? ...I'm curious if cell phone use while driving is illegal where you live, just doesn't feel right.

08 GMs come with Onstar! Push the blue button B!!ch!

[Mike621]

After previous occurences, I have learned to file a report right away. I would suggest that you do the same. There is no reason to not file one. There is another party at fault and THEY are responsible for the damage to your vehicle. You can dispute the ACV (actual cash value) of your car.

[Lonefethr]

I feel your pain Brian. I had a bread truck catch my rear quarter panel and then our bumpers locked. Repair estimate through an insurance approved auto body shop was $3,500. They ended up totalling it out and I got $5500 for my car, but they offered to let me buy it back for $250. It was a no brainer,, especially since I had put about $1500 of work into it the week or so before it got hit.

The body shop was nice enough to slightly straighten and bolt the bumper so that it was driveable. Now I have been contemplating fixing it up or just driving it until it needs to abandon on the side of the road.

A police report was done however since NJ requires a police report be done for any damage over $500.00. Good luck with your SVX.

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by Lonefethr

I feel your pain Brian. I had a bread truck catch my rear quarter panel and then our bumpers locked. Repair estimate through an insurance approved auto body shop was $3,500. They ended up totalling it out and I got $5500 for my car, but they offered to let me buy it back for $250. It was a no brainer,, especially since I had put about $1500 of work into it the week or so before it got hit.

The body shop was nice enough to slightly straighten and bolt the bumper so that it was driveable. Now I have been contemplating fixing it up or just driving it until it needs to abandon on the side of the road.

A police report was done however since NJ requires a police report be done for any damage over $500.00. Good luck with your SVX.

We can fix yours too!

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by subi-crosser

There are 3 Wilsons in Wiley's Ford W,Va that can fix it. (we have a friend with a frame machine and a DEEP LOVE for old cars.) PICS!!!

We have repaired WAY worse than you discribe.

If you click on the link in my signature, you can see what has happened at our li'l Hobby shop since feb of this year! I have another 20 pics from TODAY that are not loaded! Feel free to check out the albums.

We call our little organization " Compost Restorations", Check out the '41 chevy' album! THAT truck was SCRAP! Keep watching, it will be driving soon.

[Brian]

Jerry, there's a good chance I'll take you up on that!

Mike(s), etc.:

It seems that couple was kind of spineless. They never called me back, but I got a message on my answering machine from their insurance company today. So, they just turned it in w/o contacting me first. Now I'll have to see what Nationwide Mutual has to say, and go from there.

I think there's a similar law in PA that an accident over X amount has to be reported to the police. The reason I didn't call the police is that they would have reported it to the insurance company, and I wanted to give this couple the option of of avoiding the increase in their insurance rates that turning it in is bound to lead to. I wanted to do the right thing, and make this the least expensive as possible to all involved. I've rear ended people in years past (before I owned an SVX), so I know what it's like. It's only fair that I give others a break that's been given to me. The fact that the husband is (or seemed to be) a police officer made me feel a little better about it, since technically one had then arrived on the scene. Not that I could count on him being impartial. I was a little uncomfortable about how tight-lipped they were. He didn't really say too much, and she seemed even more unresponsive after he arrived. I also thought it was wierd that she didn't have a cell phone. For some reason I really thought she did.

Anyhow, now that they've reported it to the insurance company, there doesn't seem to be much reason not to report it to the police. Except for 2 things. 1.) It could irritate/scare them, and that if he is a police officer, maybe he could cause problems through his connections. 2.) That would make the whole thing even more official, and may make it more difficult to not get my car declared totaled.

The reason I think he is a police officer is because he was driving a K-9 Police unit SUV from another local town.

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by Brian

Jerry, there's a good chance I'll take you up on that!

Mike(s), etc.:

It seems that couple was kind of spineless. They never called me back, but I got a message on my answering machine from their insurance company today. So, they just turned it in w/o contacting me first. Now I'll have to see what Nationwide Mutual has to say, and go from there.

I think there's a similar law in PA that an accident over X amount has to be reported to the police. The reason I didn't call the police is that they would have reported it to the insurance company, and I wanted to give this couple the option of of avoiding the increase in their insurance rates that turning it in is bound to lead to. I wanted to do the right thing, and make this the least expensive as possible to all involved. I've rear ended people in years past (before I owned an SVX), so I know what it's like. It's only fair that I give others a break that's been given to me. The fact that the husband is (or seemed to be) a police officer made me feel a little better about it, since technically one had then arrived on the scene. Not that I could count on him being impartial. I was a little uncomfortable about how tight-lipped they were. He didn't really say too much, and she seemed even more unresponsive after he arrived. I also thought it was wierd that she didn't have a cell phone. For some reason I really thought she did.

Anyhow, now that they've reported it to the insurance company, there doesn't seem to be much reason not to report it to the police. Except for 2 things. 1.) It could irritate/scare them, and that if he is a police officer, maybe he could cause problems through his connections. 2.) That would make the whole thing even more official, and may make it more difficult to not get my car declared totaled.

The reason I think he is a police officer is because he was driving a K-9 Police unit SUV from another local town.

Town cops are not that connected.. call your insurance co and SPILL your gutz!! Just remind them that you want the car FIXED without a salvage title, and are willing to take it out of town to a RESTORATION shop to have it repaired. A shop with an SVX History, that does not want YOUR engine to end up on an airplane or airboat!

[Landshark]

that sucks, Brian.


i've learned (and my wife and mom will also tell you) that no matter how nice and honest someone may seem at an accident scene, later on there's a 99% chance they will try and screw you over. don't even try to give anyone a break.

get a police report, take pictures, etc.

i'm sure Jerry would be the best person around to take care of your SVX.

[Zandar]

I wouldn't worry about liability for this loss. Rear end losses are impossible to pin on the guy in front, so even if the couple does sound "shady," it shouldn't be an issue (they don't sound shady to me; what they did is extremely common and the rule for this much damage rather than the exeption). The only thing to worry about is the ACV for your car if it ends up being a total. If you have frame damage, it's a total. The potential for hidden damage is very high, and any adjustor will know that.

As far as the police report goes, I've never heard of a police report being required over a certain amount (though it may be in some states). Usually, it's notification to the DMV that's required; over $500 in most states, $750 in California. I'd look in to that to avoid a possible license suspension. Filing a police report after the fact is usually a complete waste of time if the insurance company is already involved, but it certainly wouldn't hurt anything.

Also, the other guy obviously doesn't know very much about insurance if he was talking about his deductible for liability insurance. There's never a deductible for liability losses; just a rate increase. Silly cops. You're only real recourse is to talk with their insurer and see how they're going to work it; repairs or total loss. I imagine they're going to do a TL inspection and valuation in any case, and then see if repairs are above the threshold (usually repairs costing 70%+ of total value makes it a total loss; which is BS, in my opinion, but that's how it works).

If you can get it repaired for under the TL settlement amount, you can retain salvage, which is often referred to (falsely) as "buying back" the vehicle. Here's why that is: if Nationwide values the vehicle (with appropriate backing, in most states) at $3000, and taxes/titling are around $200, they'll offer you $3200 (hypothetically). If they're going to sell the vehicle to the salvage yard for $600, and you want to keep it, they'll take $600 from the total loss settlement amount making it $2600 total (since you retained a piece of property worth $600, technically). To say that you're buying it back, then, is not really accurate; but it all amounts to the same thing.

I hope some of that information helps you understand the process. I would worry about the total loss settlement value, and not much else. The lady rear ended you; she might as well have hit your car while it was parked, as far as liability is concerned; there's no way for her to fight fault. Get a police report if you really want to, but it won't be worth any more than giving a statement to the carrier. Just my 2c, for what it's worth (usually it's worth about 1c).