Is my Maxima totaled??? **PICS**
12-24-2004, 11:48 AM
#3
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 48
I'd say she's totalled. New bumper + trunk lid + lights + two door pannels + windsheild + taillight is going to be VERY expensive for this car. I'm sorry to see this happened to you, good luck with every your going to have to go through. I just got my 4th gen max repaired after a crappy accident - NO FUN.
12-24-2004, 12:02 PM
#5
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 85
This car may not be totaled. I am a car insurance adjuster and the damage would have to exceed 80% of the value of the vehicle for it to be considered a total.
Did the roof buckle?
Also, it may not be in your best interest to have the car totaled. You may be upside down on your loan. (meaning you owe more than the car is worth: The Insurance Co. only pays you what it's worth) Let's say you paid $30k and you financed most of it and the book value is $25k and your loan is $27k. They will only pay you $25 (you'll be out $2,000, unless you have gap insurance)
Good luck and whatever you do, bring it to the best body shop you can find. A modern shop with nice, high tech equipment
Did the roof buckle?
Also, it may not be in your best interest to have the car totaled. You may be upside down on your loan. (meaning you owe more than the car is worth: The Insurance Co. only pays you what it's worth) Let's say you paid $30k and you financed most of it and the book value is $25k and your loan is $27k. They will only pay you $25 (you'll be out $2,000, unless you have gap insurance)
Good luck and whatever you do, bring it to the best body shop you can find. A modern shop with nice, high tech equipment
12-24-2004, 01:21 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Back pass doors look buckled and so does the room pillar based on the pics, that leads me to believe there could be frame damage and if the frame is tweaked I would say that could come close to 80%. Even if the frame could be pulled, you could have future problems down the line.
12-24-2004, 02:26 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Bay Shore, NY
Posts: 819
Those pictures are enough to make you cry! 
I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance company does fix that. Let us know what happens.
You want to see a car that is totaled? Here is the reason I am driving an 05' Maxima today after some stupid girl hit me just about head on!
I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance company does fix that. Let us know what happens.
You want to see a car that is totaled? Here is the reason I am driving an 05' Maxima today after some stupid girl hit me just about head on!
12-24-2004, 03:17 PM
#11
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 252
Oh man I wish I had pics of my 2000 626 that looked exactly like that after it was rear ended by a 94 ford f-150, while it was parked (long story). Everyone including myself thought it was totaled but not a chance. Thing is if the price for repair is less than the car's worth, you can pretty much count on driving it again. Don't get too excited by everyone saying it's totaled. Right now it's all panel damage, until they really get to the frame to see if it was damaged or not.
I know the feeling you have right now ie " I don't want it back even if they fix it feeling" I felt the same way about mine after only 8 months of ownership. However they repaired and no-one knew it was wrecked, I ended up keeping it for another year and half then traded for the maxima. Good luck to ya.
I know the feeling you have right now ie " I don't want it back even if they fix it feeling" I felt the same way about mine after only 8 months of ownership. However they repaired and no-one knew it was wrecked, I ended up keeping it for another year and half then traded for the maxima. Good luck to ya.
12-24-2004, 03:42 PM
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 25
Insurance claims
Originally Posted by SilverSixth
This car may not be totaled. I am a car insurance adjuster and the damage would have to exceed 80% of the value of the vehicle for it to be considered a total.
Did the roof buckle?
Also, it may not be in your best interest to have the car totaled. You may be upside down on your loan. (meaning you owe more than the car is worth: The Insurance Co. only pays you what it's worth) Let's say you paid $30k and you financed most of it and the book value is $25k and your loan is $27k. They will only pay you $25 (you'll be out $2,000, unless you have gap insurance)
Good luck and whatever you do, bring it to the best body shop you can find. A modern shop with nice, high tech equipment
Did the roof buckle?
Also, it may not be in your best interest to have the car totaled. You may be upside down on your loan. (meaning you owe more than the car is worth: The Insurance Co. only pays you what it's worth) Let's say you paid $30k and you financed most of it and the book value is $25k and your loan is $27k. They will only pay you $25 (you'll be out $2,000, unless you have gap insurance)
Good luck and whatever you do, bring it to the best body shop you can find. A modern shop with nice, high tech equipment
Be very careful as the insurance industry will do anything to save a few bucks, even if it means fixing a veichle that should never be driven again!
Good Luck...
12-24-2004, 07:54 PM
#13
Originally Posted by NIKV69
Those pictures are enough to make you cry!
I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance company does fix that. Let us know what happens.
You want to see a car that is totaled? Here is the reason I am driving an 05' Maxima today after some stupid girl hit me just about head on!
I wouldn't be surprised if the insurance company does fix that. Let us know what happens.
You want to see a car that is totaled? Here is the reason I am driving an 05' Maxima today after some stupid girl hit me just about head on!
Insurance companies totally suck.....you can pay for insurance for 15 years without a glitch...but the one time you need them they give you the hardest time and don't want to pay for anything... 
12-24-2004, 09:11 PM
#16
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 94
Wow something tells me that it will be totaled. That is going to cost more than 12k for sure. Mine wasnt nearly as bad as yours and it is costing just a tad over 7k. Good luck and keep us posted on what will happen to your car.
12-24-2004, 10:35 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
There is no question the 'active headrest' activated (both, if you had a passenger), which means the entire front seat belt assembly, including the mechanical parts, compressors, sensors, etc on the floorpan that detect the impact and send the necessary force to move the headrests forward in one tenth of a second, then lock the headrest's position just as it contacts the back of the head, must be replaced. We are talking money here.
There is a law here in Georgia (I don't know if other states have it) that requires the insurance company to not only pay for repairing the car, but also pay for the reduced value of the car. And believe me, most astute used car buyers will automatically walk away from any vehicle that shows significant repairs.
Things can work strangely at times. About six years ago, a Suburban ran a red light and broadsided my wife's seven year old Ranger STX, turning it over (and leaving us suspended from the ceiling, covered with glass). The Ford dealer had an agreement with the Suburban's insurance company that allowed the dealer to do the repair estimate. The truck was immaculate, with every option, including several custom alterations (which we paid extra insurance to cover), and the insurance value was right at $5,200. The repairs were estimated at $4,200. They decided to fix it.
The wreck was on Jan 7th. On June 17th (five and a half months and three body shop managers later), we got the truck back. They had 'completed' the repairs several times, but each time, we immediately found things not right and refused to accept the truck.
Among other things, the frame had to be straightened several times, the new paint did not match perfectly, and the repaint crinkled, so the entire truck was repainted twice, the newly replaced glass was shot out by vandals while the truck sat on their lot, resulting in a total soaking of the interior, They put the huge STX panel stripes ($650 a set) on crooked, then replaced the crooked ones with a set of the wrong color. I could go on, but you are getting the picture.
The insurance company paid for the rental on a new Taurus, although I'm sure that, at some point, the dealer had to 'eat' the rest of the Taurus rental. The last body shop manager said the dealer had spent over $8,000 repairing the truck.
Amazingly, we then drove the truck five more years with no problems, and our son has now driven it a year, doing only an AC repair and a complete brake overhaul (which he did himself, using Bembo (sp?) linings.
There is a law here in Georgia (I don't know if other states have it) that requires the insurance company to not only pay for repairing the car, but also pay for the reduced value of the car. And believe me, most astute used car buyers will automatically walk away from any vehicle that shows significant repairs.
Things can work strangely at times. About six years ago, a Suburban ran a red light and broadsided my wife's seven year old Ranger STX, turning it over (and leaving us suspended from the ceiling, covered with glass). The Ford dealer had an agreement with the Suburban's insurance company that allowed the dealer to do the repair estimate. The truck was immaculate, with every option, including several custom alterations (which we paid extra insurance to cover), and the insurance value was right at $5,200. The repairs were estimated at $4,200. They decided to fix it.
The wreck was on Jan 7th. On June 17th (five and a half months and three body shop managers later), we got the truck back. They had 'completed' the repairs several times, but each time, we immediately found things not right and refused to accept the truck.
Among other things, the frame had to be straightened several times, the new paint did not match perfectly, and the repaint crinkled, so the entire truck was repainted twice, the newly replaced glass was shot out by vandals while the truck sat on their lot, resulting in a total soaking of the interior, They put the huge STX panel stripes ($650 a set) on crooked, then replaced the crooked ones with a set of the wrong color. I could go on, but you are getting the picture.
The insurance company paid for the rental on a new Taurus, although I'm sure that, at some point, the dealer had to 'eat' the rest of the Taurus rental. The last body shop manager said the dealer had spent over $8,000 repairing the truck.
Amazingly, we then drove the truck five more years with no problems, and our son has now driven it a year, doing only an AC repair and a complete brake overhaul (which he did himself, using Bembo (sp?) linings.
12-24-2004, 11:51 PM
#18
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 262
Originally Posted by mdlightning2002
Hit by a drunk driver.
Sorry to hear and see the pics on your max. Know what your going through...they totaled my 02 Passat GLX that was fully modded this week and I bought a 05 Max SE as a result. Very happy with the max, but I know that crap you go through with a potentially totaled vehicle. In my case a lady hit the right front corner of my Passat and proceeded to tear the front of the car off and bend the right front bumper absorber into my timing belt. She was going 40 and didn't even attempt to stop. The damage was 11K and a potential 4 to 5K of internal engine damage. The car was worth 23K. They said if the damages met or exceeded 2/3 of the what the vehicle was worth, they total it. Even more so, the internal engine damage. I'll post pics sometime later...let me know where you folks host your pics...
Good luck...hopefully things pan out...
Jimbo
12-25-2004, 05:59 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 398
I'm sorry to hear about that...I know how you feel, I just parted with my Galant because of stupud kids joyriding in a stolen car. and my whole driver side was damaged and even though it didn't look serious but it was estimated 12G of damage (supension destroyed, my steering wheel spun around like a swivel chair, there .....and if there is and structrual frame damage....you can forget it....it's totaled, but the Max does hold up it's value a lot more that a Galant of course, so you might be able to get the drunk guy's insurance to pay for it......I have NJ Manufactures (great insurance Co. to have). I wish you the best of luck, and I hope he pays dearly for it......
12-25-2004, 07:49 AM
#21
Number one, I hope everyone was okay in that crash. Rear end accidents can lead to some serious back injuries etc. Number two, I don't think your Max is totaled. There's alot less parts to replace back there. Just hope that you don't have frame damage. That never comes out right after a repair imo. Good luck though and keep us all updated.
12-26-2004, 10:00 AM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Staten Island, New York
Posts: 479
That looks pretty bad. I know someone who got his in the back. The gas line or something couldn't get the gas to the car so they considered it totaled. This is my totaled 04. Hey I hope everything turns out in your favor.
12-26-2004, 10:36 AM
#23
1 of few unmodded 4G Maxs
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Commerce Twp., MI
Posts: 2,828
Damn, sorry about your accident. ****ing drunk drivers **** me off.
Question about a totalled car. I thought that if the damage was at least worth 1/2 the car's value, wouldn't it be considered as a totalled car?
Rear end doesn't look terribly bad, I feel for ya tho.
Question about a totalled car. I thought that if the damage was at least worth 1/2 the car's value, wouldn't it be considered as a totalled car?
Rear end doesn't look terribly bad, I feel for ya tho.
12-26-2004, 04:24 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 880
People keep talking about damage to the frame, but this is a unitized body vehicle and there isn't a frame. 
The car is put on a straightening machine that pulls on the body until reference marks line up to tell the body shop it is straight again. But ther ain't no frame.
And I'll underscore what lightonthehill said about the reduced value of the car. In most states it is referred to as "Diminished Value", and you are paid the estimated amount by which the value of the car is reduced by having been wrecked. A few years ago I wadded up a new BMW 540i, and I got a check from State Farm for a little over $5,000 in addition to the repair costs for the car. Texas had just started paying diminished value, and it was a welcome surprise.
Mike
The car is put on a straightening machine that pulls on the body until reference marks line up to tell the body shop it is straight again. But ther ain't no frame.
And I'll underscore what lightonthehill said about the reduced value of the car. In most states it is referred to as "Diminished Value", and you are paid the estimated amount by which the value of the car is reduced by having been wrecked. A few years ago I wadded up a new BMW 540i, and I got a check from State Farm for a little over $5,000 in addition to the repair costs for the car. Texas had just started paying diminished value, and it was a welcome surprise.
Mike
12-27-2004, 06:43 AM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 191
mdlighting2002;
Really look into the Diminished value claim. From my last experience with diminished value, the insurance company i dealt with (Nation Wide) gave me the most diffucult time, with my claim, and it still has not been settled (it has been five months now). I came across this website Collissionclaims.com, and called the number on it, you send them the repair order from the body shop and they are able to appraise your vehicles value from that (you will need that when you file a claim with the insurance company). They also gave me all the information that i needed to know, and you can keep calling them for help, they even show up for court in the case that were to happen. The price depends on how much they estimate you getting back. Or you can pay for an appraiser to actually inspect your vehicle. The insurance company surely owes you money, dont let them get away with it. And on top of that, have you thought of sewing the drunk driver?
Really look into the Diminished value claim. From my last experience with diminished value, the insurance company i dealt with (Nation Wide) gave me the most diffucult time, with my claim, and it still has not been settled (it has been five months now). I came across this website Collissionclaims.com, and called the number on it, you send them the repair order from the body shop and they are able to appraise your vehicles value from that (you will need that when you file a claim with the insurance company). They also gave me all the information that i needed to know, and you can keep calling them for help, they even show up for court in the case that were to happen. The price depends on how much they estimate you getting back. Or you can pay for an appraiser to actually inspect your vehicle. The insurance company surely owes you money, dont let them get away with it. And on top of that, have you thought of sewing the drunk driver?
12-27-2004, 06:49 AM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 207
I so feel your pain
I feel for you!
I was recently (October '04) T-boned by a van doing about 30 mph on impact. Side airbags and airbag in the seat deployed, back door (and glass) entirely replaced. Full suspension on rear, new bumper, rim, tire, back windshield, trunk and interior rear deck (rain damage from back window being smashed out) along with side panels back there and repaint to blend.
All in all, about 12 pages of parts and $13,000 in damage but the car was not totalled.
The shop did a great job and is very responsive to my after-issues, now I have noticed (after the first rain since I got the car back a couple weeks ago) a leak coming from the headliner and dripping from the overhead storage compartment down onto the shift lever. Has anyone had a leaking problem inside the vehicle??
And thanks to 'Mike_TX' who pointed out that this car HAS NO FRAME in the typical sense. I was worried about latent, or diminished value damage as well, but my concerns were alleviated by the body shop owner/manager who filled me in on how the car is put together.
I have pics he took for me, but it hurts to look at them.
Bottom line, I'd bet money the car will not be totalled.
I was recently (October '04) T-boned by a van doing about 30 mph on impact. Side airbags and airbag in the seat deployed, back door (and glass) entirely replaced. Full suspension on rear, new bumper, rim, tire, back windshield, trunk and interior rear deck (rain damage from back window being smashed out) along with side panels back there and repaint to blend.
All in all, about 12 pages of parts and $13,000 in damage but the car was not totalled.
The shop did a great job and is very responsive to my after-issues, now I have noticed (after the first rain since I got the car back a couple weeks ago) a leak coming from the headliner and dripping from the overhead storage compartment down onto the shift lever. Has anyone had a leaking problem inside the vehicle??
And thanks to 'Mike_TX' who pointed out that this car HAS NO FRAME in the typical sense. I was worried about latent, or diminished value damage as well, but my concerns were alleviated by the body shop owner/manager who filled me in on how the car is put together.
I have pics he took for me, but it hurts to look at them.
Bottom line, I'd bet money the car will not be totalled.
12-27-2004, 10:55 AM
#29
There are too many factors involved to accurately determine whether a car will be totaled or not, especially from a photo. Either way it is no fun. Thinking back on the incident when my car was stolen and wrecked, I don't know what I would have preferred the insurance company do. I lost almost 5k between market value and what I owed, and another 5k in aftermarket parts. On the other hand, I don't think I could bear having to drive the car after someone violated it. Here are several pics. The car was totaled by the insurance company after a 16k repair estimate from the shop. Compared to other's photos of wrecked cars, it doesn't really look like there was too much damage, but there is a lot that you can't see that only a good shop will be able to evaluate.
12-30-2004, 03:06 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 342
I'm glad you were able to get your diminished value paid. But the reality of
the fact is they don't have to and they won't. Read the URL
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/art....jsp?id=129490 Enjoy!!
Mike
the fact is they don't have to and they won't. Read the URL
http://www.abrn.com/abrn/article/art....jsp?id=129490 Enjoy!!
Mike
Originally Posted by Mike_TX
People keep talking about damage to the frame, but this is a unitized body vehicle and there isn't a frame.
The car is put on a straightening machine that pulls on the body until reference marks line up to tell the body shop it is straight again. But ther ain't no frame.
And I'll underscore what lightonthehill said about the reduced value of the car. In most states it is referred to as "Diminished Value", and you are paid the estimated amount by which the value of the car is reduced by having been wrecked. A few years ago I wadded up a new BMW 540i, and I got a check from State Farm for a little over $5,000 in addition to the repair costs for the car. Texas had just started paying diminished value, and it was a welcome surprise.
Mike
The car is put on a straightening machine that pulls on the body until reference marks line up to tell the body shop it is straight again. But ther ain't no frame.
And I'll underscore what lightonthehill said about the reduced value of the car. In most states it is referred to as "Diminished Value", and you are paid the estimated amount by which the value of the car is reduced by having been wrecked. A few years ago I wadded up a new BMW 540i, and I got a check from State Farm for a little over $5,000 in addition to the repair costs for the car. Texas had just started paying diminished value, and it was a welcome surprise.
Mike
12-30-2004, 04:07 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Bay Shore, NY
Posts: 819
Please everyone let us have a moment of silence. 
After going to the tow yard and removing the Radio, tires and rims. My Saturn has been laid to rest.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound"
I tried to salvage the K&N filter but it was squished into nothing and the new Accel wires I couldn't even get near cause the whole front collapsed into the engine, it took me 5 minutes to get the hood open!
R.I.P.
I will miss that car. It saw 20 states. Rushmore, Grand Canyon, The Bad Lands. The Vegas Strip and a few snow storms from hell and kicked *** every step of the way.
After going to the tow yard and removing the Radio, tires and rims. My Saturn has been laid to rest.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound"
I tried to salvage the K&N filter but it was squished into nothing and the new Accel wires I couldn't even get near cause the whole front collapsed into the engine, it took me 5 minutes to get the hood open!
R.I.P.
I will miss that car. It saw 20 states. Rushmore, Grand Canyon, The Bad Lands. The Vegas Strip and a few snow storms from hell and kicked *** every step of the way.
01-14-2005, 09:55 PM
#37
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by dank420
I'd say she's totalled. New bumper + trunk lid + lights + two door pannels + windsheild + taillight is going to be VERY expensive for this car. I'm sorry to see this happened to you, good luck with every your going to have to go through. I just got my 4th gen max repaired after a crappy accident - NO FUN.
and thats just the visual part.
very sad to see such a new and nice car go through all this.
01-15-2005, 08:28 AM
#39
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 5
my daughter got hit by a drunk driver in her 02 convertable v6 mustang. 9300 in damage and did not total the car. Frame damage and air bags deployed. Now the top and passanger side window leaks, hit cruise control and the horn blows, pulls to the left, new rim is rusted. There is no law in Illinois about "diminished value". Who is gonna buy this car? Got a lawyer, but it will take months!!!!
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