2001M20

Between the 8000 it cost to buy and the 4000 in repairs plus just getting it to where I wasn't in the shop every week I'm heartbroken!
If I can find a way to generate the photo here Ill post it. Im looking for some advice on how to proceed and if it looks very bad or if its fixable. It sure looks bad to me.
Thanks in advance this support group has been immeasurably helpful.
I will most likely be buying at salvage if totalled and partsing it out or rebuilding. There's no way in hell Im letting this investment go to pot. Please feel free to pm me for communications on this deal or any assistance from you fantastic Maximembers. As I said this support group has helped so much!

** Update! I am the proud owner of a new 5th Gen 2003 Maxima SE!!
Pics on the way and lots of questions.

https://maxima.org/forums/album.php?...ictureid=41987

So I was able to find an amazing new Maxima 2003 SE.
I also found out that my old Progressive ins policy was still covering the car so I'm going to be just fine on that end. The adjuster is coming by on Monday to have a look. I have all my receipts for the car except the one last expensive repair of about 600. for the last thing they replaced that was out of warranty. The people who sold me the car did the work and we both paid half of the $1200. part cost. All I have is a receipt which is not labeled as anything but has their co name on it so I probably won't be recouping that cost. Now I am faced with some major decisions about weather to try to downplay the fix's and get it for cheap salvage or try to submit the parts cost and recover that. I am leaning toward cheaping down the car salvage wise and buying it back cheap. Any advice on that will be much appreciated. I suppose I need to see what matches up and what doesn't as far as parts. The 01 has a 3.0 V6 181ci and the 2003 has a 3.5L V6. The bore and stroke and the displacement are slightly different. That's all that's listed in the books I need to go under the hood and it's raining so that's going to be a while. Not sure if you guys know off the top or your Max heads about certain compatibilities. My 01 Mechanic says that much is the same until 2004. I'm thinking cats, sensors, alt starters etc.
But to me it looks like the same exact car except for that, the lights and the stereo and a few other things like the shift plate etc. I had so many things replaced it isn't funny. Alt, battery starter, cats, sensors, struts and that 1200 part I can't remember what the hell that was. Damn it. lol I'm talking thousands!
Those smarms who sold me the car sure were sneaky about things.

I guess I can call them Monday and check on that last thing and see if they kept any receipts for it and what it was. They are pretty nice now that I moved 1300 mi away and can't bother them anymore. They sure were getting tired of me coming in with service bulletins hahahahah

So this new car {The Black Pearl} hehe is super clean someone took really good care of it and it's loaded. Flawless leather seats, smoke tint, I can't even find a scratch on her from inside int to the whole body. Someone loved that car well. It has 154,459. The only thing I can see as an issue is when you turn it over it bogs and stalls about 10 of the 20 times I've started it.

Good news is it's basically covered under warranty except for bulbs and oil changes until it's paid off. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Ha!

vqmaxman

Damn that sucks sorry bro,but that could get fixed but it also more likely on a total loss side. I hope not but that frame got whacked pretty good. Buy it back and fix it that would suck to get rid of a good ride.

Jprocs24

That's terrible, really sorry to see that happened to you. It looks quite bad to me as well, unfortunately I'd say it's guaranteed write off .

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

It's totaled for sure.

Sorry man.
Glad you're ok.

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

A love tap will total our cars. That's fubar condition.

Looks like a drunk hit it.

Cotozic

On the bright side considering your investment, you've got a lot of good parts to use from the old Max if you get another Max.

2001M20

Thanks everyone so much for the help! I hadn't so much thought about getting a matching maxi but that's a fantastic idea! Thanks for the support and all I really needed that. It looks to me like the axle is pushed up to the wheel well so I bet they are going to total it out. Just figured you guys are the experts so I came right over with it. The guy wasn't even looking and so he whacked it pretty hard and raked right up the side. If they total it I will be over in the parts for sale area with a yard sale sign. I replaced just about everything on it by now. :/

Darn it if I've gon almost a year without a code on this thing too. ... ...

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

I think their idea is the best. Buy another with a blown motor or tranny and use yours as a parts car. You could keep another one running for cheap for many years.

Obviously, this works best if you have a place to store the car.

2001M20

That made me laugh. thank you

aongch

Aarrgh, sorry to see that, glad you're OK. Quick, get another 5th Gen and swap over your parts, and post up pics! Best medicine you could have

vqmaxman

You could get it fixed,but you will have to find someone cheap to do it or just get it done after the appraisal and whatever cash you want to put in it.

cdoublejj

....dude i'm so sorry to see and hear about that.

while it CAN be fixed YOU have to have the skills or majority of them with experienced folks who can lend knowledge. if it was love tap maybe. i've seen folks who know what there doing bring the 5 gens back to usable and fairly/mostly straight condition.

those photos don't do any thing for assessment though, i'd have the rear bumper cover off and the trunk lid off. then i'd inspect and photograph the quarter which is now in the trunk and likely remove it with i call and air nibbler. this way i could look and see what left of what the quarter attaches too.

also parts could be swapped over to another 5th gen.

BronxSleeperMax187

Sorry bro, sucks big time.

Prophecy99

iTrader: (1)

at least your alive posting this

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

That sucks. I just don't see it making any sense to fix even if it's done cheaply. You can get one in nice shape for a few thousand dollars. Less if you get one that needs mechanical work but still has a nice body.

I just saw a nice 3.5 for sale here on the corner for $3,500 and it looked like a rust free Florida car. The value of these cars just isn't there. I just cancelled the full coverage on my wifes 00 with 275,000 miles since they would pay us almost nothing after the deductible if she wrecked it.

One good thing is that that type of hit leaves the rest of the car in good shape for salvaging parts. If you buy it back, you'll be able to make good use of it.

george__

iTrader: (1)

Rest in peace, at least some of its guts can be used to power in another maxima

2001M20

Thanks so much for the assessments and time looking in here gents!

I am on the hunt for one and will be scouring the service records and such if and when I find one. I already have an excellent ECM in it plus and extra one with the blown chip to send off if need be plus the other 4000 in new parts so that is the best bet I think. At the very least I can list it here for others to pick off of. I'm pretty handy with pick and pull LOL There's no way {again} I am losing that money I spent.

It is going to be totalled out I'm sure. As soon as Jake from State Farm get off his *** and looks at it I will post an update. I saw on thee insurance regs that they may have to take money spent into consideration so I am looking forward to showing off all my well kept repair records!
{applause to the people here who are infinitely wise on these matters and kind enough to drop in}

If it wasn't for you guys I'd still be throwing codes and trying to rest the window motor! hahahah

2001M20

Thanks friend, it was parked in front of my house.
My man and his kids were just about to get into it so lucky it wasn't at that moment but very unlucky for me it wasn't 15 min before that eh?
It slid about 5 ft fwd and hopped up on the curb in the back end.
I'll never forget that noise I heard at the impact and I just knew it was poor pearl!

FanaticMadMax

Ouch, that was pretty bad, I hope you weren't hurt or gotten a bad whiplash. It sucks that kind of damage is definitely totalled. hope you get it all settled out with it. People are careless with today's technology with the smart phone, the infotainment, always distractions rather than watch where they are driving. Gosh Idiots!!!. That's what Google car would be ideal for Idiots.

vqmaxman

How many miles and how much spent,if the Miles are low and the amount you spend on it plus the damage and how they go by it how severe the frame is and maybe you could pull it off the key here is the mileage,condition and the money that you put in it that will make the difference. Goodluck.

Maximeltman

iTrader: (11)

Geeze sorry man! I feel your pain definitely. I bet you could bounce back from this.
Jake from state farm though

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

money in only counts if its not considered "regular maintenance"

Donkeypunch

Just let it go.

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

Not sure how the insurance regs vary from state to state but here in FL they add 80% of parts (not labor) purchased within the last 12 months.

Had a friends stock 240SX get hit and totaled. She had just put tires, radiator, starter and a lot of other new parts on it. Luckily she had all the receipts. Over $800 just in parts.

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

Good job. You just increased the drift tax 10%. Keep your clean 240 destruction stories to yourself

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

interesting, Georgia doesn't consider any maintenance item when valuing a vehicle, however charity event car shows and such, even if you just pay to get in, if you can prove you used the car with pictures for the event, it's considered a show vehicle used to raise money for charity, adds value to the vehicle. i think is just a small percentage on the NADA value. don't remember all of it for sure but i had a guy explain all the Georgia claims policy quirks about six months ago

2001M20

Thank you so much yes people are terribly careless with driving. It has always been that way as there have always been idiots who don't understand the golden rule about looking forward when moving forward. Best teaching ever in drivers ed! I never forgot that lesson and it has served me well as a driver for 30 years. I has gotten much worse with cell phones, they have made idiots into turbo idiots! I'm fine as the car was parked, thank you sooo much for your caring!

2001M20

Thanks so much for the helpful info! Progressive has been so good to me lets hope that keeps up!

acw

Just purchase another one Man.

Just Thank Moses you weren't hurt. A couple of feet (assuming you were driving when this happened) further, and you would have been seriously hurt.

.

2001M20

Already got a sweet new Maxima 2003 SE Black.

I am now trying to decide whether to keep it around for parts or highball the repairs and get more for the wreck.
192,xxx mi. she was just getting started!
New struts, ECM, sensors, cats, Alt, battery, belts, etc... any advice on that? I was just pricing out used 2001's and it's quite variable from 3-7 thousand depending.
Thanks for stopping by!

2001M20

Okay here's the skinny. $2700. for the car after the 300 deductible and the 300 salvage.

I think I made out okay considering...I paid 7000 plus another 4000 in repairs. Now I have my very own parts inventory for picking off of!

vqmaxman

ok, you got your own buy back, just keep it and dd or fixed and let it be a back up car. can't go wrong with that.

2001M20

Okay all I am wondering about a few things considering this crash. I will post here in hopes of having all the info stuck to the original post.
My neighbor here is a backyard mechanic and has offered to fix it for 300 incl. parts which run about 200 for the axle, bumper and lights. He says he'll straighten out the panel and get it road ready. My car dealer where I just bought the 03 from tells me be careful because I need a salvage out inspection etc. I think it's worth a try. Neighbor says the frame is fine and he can have it fixed in a couple days.
What do you guys think?
I'm so sad looking at it like that and it seems a good deal.

She started right up after a battery chargee, strong motor, fuel system seems okay but I was scared when the insurance guy fired it up.

As it says above this car cost me a fortune and it would have run for years all the new parts she has.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Your neighbor is full of crap IMO and wants a few hundred bucks.

Your neighbor carry a lifetime warranty?

Is your neighbor your second opinion or first and only?

I think he smells easy money and will do a crap job for so little money.

Good paint will cost that much if not more.

2001M20

Not really worried about that right now, I priced the parts out at 200 for the axle, bumper and light assembly at the pick n pull and I've been watching what goes in and out of his garage, motors and trannys going in and nice running cars going out. I'm no fool! lol As far as the body goes I really don't care in the near term I just want to see it getting fixed and not rotting away in the yard. That other stuff can be done later.

My other option is to start parting it out. The good thing is the 2 Max's in the salvage yard here are WHITE hahah!

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

I love my car, but that hit would end it for me.
$100 will fix it with just $200 in parts?..yeah, no.

Your car is done IMHO.
Just too bad of damage on a unibody car.

2001M20

Thank you Fakie that's why I'm here checking out what you guys think because I trust you all and you're so good with this car model.

I call you my support group. haha

1000 just for new struts I just got on there... so sad!

Prophecy99

iTrader: (1)

let it go, material things can be broken, fixed or replaced,

adding anything to a depreciating thing like vehicle has these inherent risks.


do you honestly think your nieghbor could do that work for that little bit of money?

maybe he meant doing a lot less than we are all thinking idk....

2001M20

Yes, he said it's not as bad as it looks he said the frame is fine and it's mostly body damage besides the obvious axle problem. I added a couple more photos to my album and I could take a few more but the fact that all the wheels were spinning when it got towed to the back yard gave me a little hope. I'm in MO right now, the economy is quite different from New England. LOL. The dealer told me to get the accident damage assessment from the insurance guy but I don't think it was very in depth... guy barely got out of thee car and no lift.
The dealer suggested tow it to a shop to make sure of what the neighbor says before deciding. Get a real estimate on a lift. tempted to do that.

Prophecy99

iTrader: (1)

yes, get a realistic quote from a real shop and see what they can do, im sure half of the shops you go to would say i wouldn't touch it, because they cant stand behind the work on such a project, like they cant guarantee anything if they fix it.

great idea. and sadly on the shops part if you do that and get quotes you can give it to your neighbor and maybe see what he says to adjust his price or ask him for more or less kinda thing.