Totaled or not?
#1
Totaled or not?
Hello guys,
I hit a curb and a telephone pole during this last snow storm. Left curve, downhill, and the surface of the road was sloping to the right, ice patch etc... I was doing maybe 10 or 15mph, where I should have been going 3 or 4mph...
Anyways, here are the pics of the result:
Passenger inner tie rod is bent, everything else structurally looks fine, front tire flat, rear tire rubbed against the quarter pannel, so it needs replacement. Both rims are marked slightly...
Car has almost 150,000 with all the options, except sat nav. KBB value for fair is about $3,200
The insurance adjuster is coming next friday to estimate the repairs. Do you guys think it's totaled?
I hit a curb and a telephone pole during this last snow storm. Left curve, downhill, and the surface of the road was sloping to the right, ice patch etc... I was doing maybe 10 or 15mph, where I should have been going 3 or 4mph...
Anyways, here are the pics of the result:
Passenger inner tie rod is bent, everything else structurally looks fine, front tire flat, rear tire rubbed against the quarter pannel, so it needs replacement. Both rims are marked slightly...
Car has almost 150,000 with all the options, except sat nav. KBB value for fair is about $3,200
The insurance adjuster is coming next friday to estimate the repairs. Do you guys think it's totaled?
#4
#7
Just an FYI, The insurance company will do everything in there power to screw you because of the tires, If you get into an at fault accident where stopping and/or traction was an issue without the snowflake rated tires, Grab the lube and prepare yourself. SOrry.
#10
Snow tires aren't required by law... At least not in my state
#13
Quarter panel damage in a 10 year old car is definitely totaled. Not worth fixing. It doesnt have to be that bad but the cost to fix a quarter panel is very high and the value of a 10 yr old car is so low that the price to fix it is 80% the value of the car therefore they just total it out.
#15
buy it back, im pretty sure i got the fender AND door in that color from the 01 max im parting out, im located in charleston WV, i cant help you with the 1/4 panel though,
my passenger front door is alittle rusty (doesnt look like you need it) but the rear door looks great, but i have the passenger front fender in good shape also, ive also got the suspension parts needed if you decide you want to fix it, that car will be totalled, you can probably buy it back from the insurance company for $500-750 bucks. Ill sell the door, fender and suspension parts for $250 if you pick them up.
my passenger front door is alittle rusty (doesnt look like you need it) but the rear door looks great, but i have the passenger front fender in good shape also, ive also got the suspension parts needed if you decide you want to fix it, that car will be totalled, you can probably buy it back from the insurance company for $500-750 bucks. Ill sell the door, fender and suspension parts for $250 if you pick them up.
#17
What are they going to do, shake their finger at you?
He has full coverage - they will pay up.
Now, their revenge, of course, will be a hiked rate.
And you know, snow tires are so much better on ice
I totaled a maxima from ice (40s and rain ) with performance summer tires and the rears were nearly bald. Oh, the lashing I got...oh yeah, they said nothing.
He has full coverage - they will pay up.
Now, their revenge, of course, will be a hiked rate.
And you know, snow tires are so much better on ice
I totaled a maxima from ice (40s and rain ) with performance summer tires and the rears were nearly bald. Oh, the lashing I got...oh yeah, they said nothing.
Last edited by Child_uv_KoRn; 12-24-2012 at 03:39 PM.
#20
Totaled is the wrong word, you mean CHARACTER. Drive it until it dies. The tie rod may show you some issues to fix but it is still a nice car. Personally, i love the flaws my max has that are cosmetic. Sorry to hear of the accident though!
#21
That looks like a total loss for sure.
When I say the first pic and the damage, I thought to myself, no way thats a total loss. then I scrolled down and saw the quarter panel damage and knew why the OP posed the question.
I'd say, grab a check and buy something else, preferably not an oil burner.
When I say the first pic and the damage, I thought to myself, no way thats a total loss. then I scrolled down and saw the quarter panel damage and knew why the OP posed the question.
I'd say, grab a check and buy something else, preferably not an oil burner.
#22
Unless you have hours of DIY mods, and a lot of personal 'touches' in the car, it's not worth fixing. Badger with insurance to get at least $1000 more than your estimate was, cite recent repairs, overall condition of the car.
Find a car locally that is in the same shape yours was or better, and try to get the price that that one is listed for.
If you cant find one locally in the same shape, go out of state for one similar, so they have an idea of what it's worth.
Enough research on your part here, with ads, etc in hand will net you a large pay-out (all things considered) to get you going.
UNLESS of course, you're just going to buy another 5.5 Maxima, then I'd have to argue that there may be more appeal in fixing what you have and running it into the ground.
#23
If it's a total loss, I'd like to buy it back to part it out, but I live in an apartment and don't have space to keep it while I part it out...
Sucks to see a loaded titaninium edition go like that...
I'll post updates on what happens from here...
Sucks to see a loaded titaninium edition go like that...
I'll post updates on what happens from here...
#27
Totaled. A reputable insurance adjuster would repair the quarter by cutting and welding in a new piece. That right there is about $1200 - $1400, + rims, tires, tie rod, paint, replace fender, door skin, alignment, paint, shop supplies, side marker, plus R&I. Then there is the cost of a rental while it is in the shop....
#28
If they total your car, argue the fact that the valuable parts of the car (engine, transmission, etc.) aren't damaged and would bring good money when it comes to salvage. When my GTP got T-boned and totaled, I used this argument to get more money out of my car, because I had a very valid and logical defense.
This is basically what I told them... "I understand that your offer for my car makes sense if it was hit in the front and the engine/trans was damaged, but since it is not I should get more money for my car since most of the parts on this car can be reused when it is sold to a salvage yard." And it worked.
This is basically what I told them... "I understand that your offer for my car makes sense if it was hit in the front and the engine/trans was damaged, but since it is not I should get more money for my car since most of the parts on this car can be reused when it is sold to a salvage yard." And it worked.
#29
How much do you think is a reasonable amount I should get from my insurance if they declare it totaled?
I agreed with my insurance to take it to a body shop they work with. I'll do that on Friday. Question, should I remove all my bolt-ons before I take it in? I'm thinking if I don't do it now, I probably won't be able to do it later?
I agreed with my insurance to take it to a body shop they work with. I'll do that on Friday. Question, should I remove all my bolt-ons before I take it in? I'm thinking if I don't do it now, I probably won't be able to do it later?
Last edited by Gizm0; 12-25-2012 at 05:26 AM.
#30
Sorry to see this, Gizm0. Both front and rear panels, and at least one door... it's most likely a write-off. If not, it's pretty even to the value of the car.
It's a heck of a risk putting mods and love into an old car. But if it's not too soon to start looking back on total ownership, I bet it was all worth it.
Good luck, man. Merry Xmas.
It's a heck of a risk putting mods and love into an old car. But if it's not too soon to start looking back on total ownership, I bet it was all worth it.
Good luck, man. Merry Xmas.
#31
When it comes to mods, most insurance companies won't allow you to remove or replace anything on the car that isn't "loose" or easy to remove, like a shift **** or something like that.
#32
Thanks for the advice guys... On Autotrader, 200 mi. Radius search shows maximas with the same mileage/options listed for anywhere from $5.5k to 7.5k
Can I realistically hope to get an amount anywhere close to that?
Can I realistically hope to get an amount anywhere close to that?
#33
If you haggle hard enough you can realistically expect 90% of that. You're going to have to play hardball though.
#34
Yeah, might have to. That's why in a previous post I mentioned that valuable parts of his car are undamaged, mainly the engine and transmission.
#35
In all honesty, there is a chance that it might not get totaled. My GTP before it was totaled was sideswiped on the driver's side by a truck, and I had similar damage as your car. It was not totaled and I had it repaired. I got a new front bumper cover, new door mirror, side marker light and a new wheel, and the entire side of the car and the new front bumper cover were repainted. I also got my passenger mirror repainted since I said I grazed a road sign when I was ran off the road and hopped the curb and went onto the sidewalk. (passenger mirror was previously scratched by someone in a parking lot, btw) This was a 99 model and the accident happened 2010, and the car was 11 years old and had around 120K on the clock when it happened.
#37
OT: I had a 98 GTP before the max, ran it to 285,000 miles before selling it to a buddy of mine. Didn't burn any oil... It was a great car... It now has over 300k miles and it's still running well last I heard...
I hope you're right t-behr... I'd like too keep her, plus having no car payment is sweet...
I hope you're right t-behr... I'd like too keep her, plus having no car payment is sweet...
#38
How much do you think is a reasonable amount I should get from my insurance if they declare it totaled?
I agreed with my insurance to take it to a body shop they work with. I'll do that on Friday. Question, should I remove all my bolt-ons before I take it in? I'm thinking if I don't do it now, I probably won't be able to do it later?
I agreed with my insurance to take it to a body shop they work with. I'll do that on Friday. Question, should I remove all my bolt-ons before I take it in? I'm thinking if I don't do it now, I probably won't be able to do it later?
*IF* they want to total it, you can always tell them you want to keep the car, and ask how much it will take out of your insurance check for you to keep the car, that way you'll have something to drive while shopping for another car, and like i said, i got a fender, door and suspension parts that im pretty sure are the same color as your car, Im parting out a 2001 maxima, But i wont have it for long.
BTW i buy insurance cars at auction, everything in my driveway was a totaled vehicle and then reconstructed, im going to have about $3500-4000 in my 02 max 3.5L 6 speed when im finished with it, ive got $4000 in a 04 AWD pontiac vibe, $900 in a AWD 2000 dodge grand caravan, and $4000 in a 05 silverado 4x4 ext. cab long bed. and my father and I picked up two more cars last week. Totaled cars are definitely worth alittle less, but if you find ones without frame damage, or major issues they can be good cars.
matthew
#40
But Tuner said it well in his last paragraph^^^