Hey All,

I drive a SE 02 Maxima Pearl in Color..This guy in a 2000 Sivlerodo
ran into the back of my car he was going about 20 to 30mph.
(Not really sure but traffic jam slow) I swirved
to the left to avoid contact with the car in front of me..got slightly
clipped on the left..Moved back into my lane and a chevy bronco
sideswiped me on the right..

My CAR doesnt look that bad and I survived without a scratch.

My question is, should this car be totaled, there is a buckle in the
trunk floor on the right, the two front finders have small dings but not
major dents, DOES THIS SOUND LIKE IT MAY BE TOTALLED.

The collision shop says the PAINT is 3 stage and very expensive and
the car will have to re-shot. The bumper doesnt not even have a dent
but the its pushed in slightly and was shifted, front door panel left
will need to be replaced too.

I am soooooo depressed, I want my car but not if its has structure/frame damage..

Any advice out there..

 

Can't tell for sure, but personally I don't like the idea of straightening a unibody. You said 35 mph but you couldn't have been standing still, that would be major if you were. I don't think pearlescent paint really matters, paint will not look the same no matter what even if it's non-metallic. It's only ok to the casual eye. That's a shame it happened to a '02 but what can you do? Good luck.

 

take it to a trusted body shop. ask around for input on good shops. or try posting some pics on here im sure we can give you better answeres if we saw the damage.

 

Can't tell you if totaled or not, but can give you some insight on the paint. The pearl white is 3 stage, and almost impossible to blend panels. To look right, must reshoot the whole car. Get a reputable shop for the work. Look at some of their pearl work. Good painters for 2 stage are not necessarily good 3 stage painters. Mine had to be repainted a second time at a different ship after the first shop screwed up on the paint after an accident. Since insurance is involved, work with them closely the adjuster to make sure you get the best work done.

 

sorry to hear about your acci.

 

Man, I feel your pain. Has the insurance adjuster looked at it yet?

Pedro

 

Not yet, they tell me that someone will come out Monday the 17th,
the accident just happened on Friday morning, I am so bummed. It
is truly painful, I'd just had it washed& filled with gas.

I been busy contacting the insurance company, that guy who
smashed into me is gonna pay for this one BIG TIME. So far
there are two adjuster's on there way to check the car out.
Mine and the other guy's.

I have mixed emotions about it, one hand I want to trade up to another
Pearl 03 the other hand I am praying there is not unibody/frame/structure (or whatever the call it) just fix her up be
done with the whole thing.


Thanks

 

First things first, look at this set of photo's. Now compare it to the damage on your car.

Mine had the entire trunk floor, cat-back, trunk lid, rear beam and rear bumper replaced. Practically half of the car was also stripped and repainted (from the rear doors backwards). Prior to that, they also straightened the frame as my rear passenger side unit was bent. Total damage IIRC was about $7,000 and 1-1/2 months of downtime.

My insurance company has a 60% rule on totalling vehicles. I was about $3k short of doing so.

That said, if your damage is less than that (and it sounds like it) - then your car may not be totalled. However, you can probably negotiate to have a salvaged title on your car. Ask your insurance agent for more info on that.

Now, as for the worries that the "car will no longer be what it once was" - i felt the same exact thing. But the shop did a *very* good job with the repairs. The car handles and rides as good as the day i bought it. If anything, they even solved the rattles on my doors.

 

Painful but what can you do sry to hear about your car...

 

Well, In some ways they are similiar. the right side bumper is pushed in but its seperated a little, the passenger mirror is hanging off, the passenger door is difficult to open looks almost like someone used a can
opener (its peeled back from the frame) there is also a slight wave in the rear quarter panel. I'll just have to post the photo's on monday.

But you have given me HOPE ! My damages may be about 10% greater
than the photos you shared.

Maybe it will only be slightly more expensive but not a total wreck.
(the frame and unibody concern me the most)

Thanks

 

Whether the car is considered a total is not up to you. It's up to the insurance company. You might fight to have the car NOT totalled if you argue enough. But I REALLY doubt you can demand that a car should be totalled when the damage doesn't justify it.

 

I think you have the right attitude--what's done is done, and it's the other dude's fault. His scr**-up is your loss. Well, life is often that way and it does su**. If you wind up wrecked, sure, you lost what you paid all the way down to wholesale. That's not good. BUT, if you wind-up in an '03 or even some other car like the new TL-S or something, at least you don't have a car that was hit and repaired, ie compromised. Since it's not really your decision, just have a plan A, B, C, and you'll be ok. Personally, I'd look at it one way if it were my fault, and another if it were someone else's fault and beyond my control. Good luck.

 

And should the "worst" happen - that is, they repair your car good-as-new and have you keep it.

Just keep the idea that it was repaired away from your thoughts as much as possible, usually it's that psyche that keeps you from enjoying the car anymore.