Lets play: Is it totaled?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Lets play: Is it totaled?
Got in a wreck yesterday. Got hit coming out of a parking lot. Taking it to an insurance adjuster on Friday. Its an 03 TE with 157,000 miles on it. I got dents all along my driver side. The rear drivers side door wont open from the outside. You can see in the first pic where I tried to buff it out some but it looks worse to me. I cant stand to look at it right now 
Is it totaled? Thoughts?
Is it totaled? Thoughts?
$1400 for 2 replacement OEM doors, body work on rear panel, prep, paint...ugh. On an 11 year old car with 160k miles I think it's a write off IMO.
On a positive note maybe you can buy it back and find a couple of doors at a scrap yard and have someone repaint them. If you are handy it might work out in your favour.
On a positive note maybe you can buy it back and find a couple of doors at a scrap yard and have someone repaint them. If you are handy it might work out in your favour.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 76
$1400 for 2 replacement OEM doors, body work on rear panel, prep, paint...ugh. On an 11 year old car with 160k miles I think it's a write off IMO.
On a positive note maybe you can buy it back and find a couple of doors at a scrap yard and have someone repaint them. If you are handy it might work out in your favour.
On a positive note maybe you can buy it back and find a couple of doors at a scrap yard and have someone repaint them. If you are handy it might work out in your favour.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,871
From: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO CARES!!
No, It shouldn't be totaled, It has to have a major damage along the front and the fender and some frame damage to be totaled. The nonsense parts are called maintance every car needs an oem wear and tear parts as long as the vehicle ages.
Thread Starter
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Believe me I don't mind maintenance but damn, it's something almost every week now. There comes a point where it will eventually have to go. If its not totaled I plan to ride it until the next $500+ repair
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Yeah I have no clue how much a replacement door is. I just got those windows tinted too smh. There's also damage on the rear fender and mudguard. As far as the tires being brown, that's GA clay. Can't avoid that in Atlanta. Haven't washed her in a while. Moving to Texas this weekend and I was planning on getting a full detail when I got there. Now I need a body shop.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2011
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I've seen a very wide range, $4-7k. Cant really get a good idea based on those prices. Plus I know the insurance company will try to lowball the value anyway but it looks like i'll be getting it repaired based on the info i've gotten from you guys. I know they will total it if the cost of the repairs is 70-80% of the value but I have no clue what they will value it at. I'm already looking at $1400 before paint, and labor. We'll see.
Just some thoughts (from past experience).
You shouldn't have buffed out the damage. When your in an accident, you need to leave car as is for the adjuster. Buffing it out, at least from what I can tell, made the accident not look as bad. Either way, the doors will be quoted as a full replacement. Good thing is you have pictures of before and after to show the adjuster...
...based on age and mileage, the insurance company will probably quote used doors with refinish/replace time. Highly doubt new doors will even been suggested.
You shouldn't have buffed out the damage. When your in an accident, you need to leave car as is for the adjuster. Buffing it out, at least from what I can tell, made the accident not look as bad. Either way, the doors will be quoted as a full replacement. Good thing is you have pictures of before and after to show the adjuster...
...based on age and mileage, the insurance company will probably quote used doors with refinish/replace time. Highly doubt new doors will even been suggested.
you dont need doors, you just need door skins.
in the first picture it looks like there is a crease that runs back along the rear door and onto the rear quarter, is there actually a crease there or is that just a shadow or something? If thats a crease you might get a total, door skins and paint are cheap but repairs to structure like the rear quarter are not
FYI when we say itll buff out, thats not to be taken seriously
in the first picture it looks like there is a crease that runs back along the rear door and onto the rear quarter, is there actually a crease there or is that just a shadow or something? If thats a crease you might get a total, door skins and paint are cheap but repairs to structure like the rear quarter are not
FYI when we say itll buff out, thats not to be taken seriously
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 76
you dont need doors, you just need door skins.
in the first picture it looks like there is a crease that runs back along the rear door and onto the rear quarter, is there actually a crease there or is that just a shadow or something? If thats a crease you might get a total, door skins and paint are cheap but repairs to structure like the rear quarter are not
FYI when we say itll buff out, thats not to be taken seriously
in the first picture it looks like there is a crease that runs back along the rear door and onto the rear quarter, is there actually a crease there or is that just a shadow or something? If thats a crease you might get a total, door skins and paint are cheap but repairs to structure like the rear quarter are not
FYI when we say itll buff out, thats not to be taken seriously
its just the metal skin on the outside of the door. Doesnt include any structure in the door, electrical, glass, etc its just the exterior metal. Typically the door doesnt have the be replaced unless the structure is damaged, which IMO I dont think yours is.
That issue with the rear quarter panel might be a deal breaker though, with a unibody a crease like that on the rear quarter is sort of similar to a damaged/bent frame. Can be fixed, but usually a lot more expensive than you would think
That issue with the rear quarter panel might be a deal breaker though, with a unibody a crease like that on the rear quarter is sort of similar to a damaged/bent frame. Can be fixed, but usually a lot more expensive than you would think
For parts prices look at: http://www.certifit.com/
most body shops I know use their stuff and then add at least 50% to the price for parts. If you can do most of the work yourself take the cash and get the parts. Find someone to do cheap paint and you're good. If you're gonna get rid of the car soon there is no reason to pay big bucks for anything that will have to last for another 150K miles.
most body shops I know use their stuff and then add at least 50% to the price for parts. If you can do most of the work yourself take the cash and get the parts. Find someone to do cheap paint and you're good. If you're gonna get rid of the car soon there is no reason to pay big bucks for anything that will have to last for another 150K miles.
Insurance will choose used doors and repair/refinish them in quote...
...door skins are in most cases now referred to as the entire shell of the door (w/no internals). So it is the entire door.
There are no true door "skins" for the 5th gen as far as I am aware.
...door skins are in most cases now referred to as the entire shell of the door (w/no internals). So it is the entire door.
There are no true door "skins" for the 5th gen as far as I am aware.
They do not exist...
...if you prove me wrong, I'm OK with that.
To the OP, here is a thought...
...have insurance cut you a check since I assume you own car (no lien). If you have any mechanical background, you can do the swaps yourself, then have a body shop work only on the rear quarter panel. Also, assuming you are able to get same color code matching door panels.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-01-NISSAN...-/150936540479
That's just an example. You can probably find more parts locally... www.car-part.com
I have them on my car, you cant find them with an internet search, seems like im the only one here with knowledge on the subject. They clearly exist, else the exterior of my doors would be very transparent. Go ask your body shop for help finding them
Apparently you do not know how the internet or forums work, so I'll take care of proving myself wrong. Someone's word on the internet is in most cases not enough.
I was bored anyhow...
LEFT REAR DOOR PANEL Nissan part # 82153-2Y931 $251.95
LEFT FRONT DOOR PANEL Nissan part # 80153-2Y931 $311.76
There are other parts involved, but I don't feel like posting all of them. I am fully aware of how skins work on a car, but have never seen anyone have a 5th gen done. Kudos to you.
In most cases, overall labor for replacement and repair costs are more than a quality used replacement door.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 76
Wow thanks guys. Never knew there was this much to learn about a door. Anyway, I'm not doing any mechanical work unfortunately. I'm moving to Texas this weekend, I'll be in a hotel for a week or 2 until I get my apartment and my things arrived from Atlanta. I'm starting a new job so I really don't have the time or patience for that right now, not to mention another car to drive. I'll just be in a rental until the body shop is done. This is just terrible timing for this and I'd rather pay a shop to do it right rather than trust myself on something this big. I meet with the adjuster in an hour. I'll be back.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-2003-NISSAN-MAXIMA-DRIVER-REAR-SIDE-DOOR-1167094-/140996242499?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2002%7CModel%3AMaxima&hash=item20d407ec43&vxp=mtr
LOL the internet is your friend
LOL the internet is your friend
Thread Starter
Junior Member
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Posts: 76
The insurance quoted me at $2500 worth of damages. Repairs from the front fender all the way to the rear bumper cover. Left with a $2000 check that's minus my $500 deductible.. I'll be calling body shops in Houston to see if someone can take it Monday.
I have not heard much bad about them. I have had many people get fenders, bumper covers, etc. from there with no problems. Body parts are body parts and if the installer is good they always fit right.
I do understand that because the parts are cheap (price wise) many would consider them cheap in quality too. I agree that for some parts certifit is not the place to shop but a fender is a fender. . . It's a stamped piece of sheet metal. I have not used doors from them but am sure that there won't be any problems with them. The last door or two that we replaced for cars we got used from a wrecked car and just had to get them painted.
Just my 2 cents.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 76
Well the adjuster only quoted me for 1 new door(driver door). The frame of the rear door can be repaired. They are going to refinish my front fender and the rear panel since they are only scratched(no frame damage there). They will replace the mudguard, and fuel door then repaint the rear bumper cover as well. I would assume that to be around $2500. I trust the adjuster, he went through schooling and certification to do this and i didn't so i take his word for it lol
Id be concerned about pulling that dent in the rear quarter. Dont know if its different state by state, but here if I get the check and go to a place to fix it and they find more issues usually the shop can work with the insurance for what the adjuster missed, so you might be fine regardless.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 76
Id be concerned about pulling that dent in the rear quarter. Dont know if its different state by state, but here if I get the check and go to a place to fix it and they find more issues usually the shop can work with the insurance for what the adjuster missed, so you might be fine regardless.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,155
From: Austin
I have not heard much bad about them. I have had many people get fenders, bumper covers, etc. from there with no problems. Body parts are body parts and if the installer is good they always fit right.
I do understand that because the parts are cheap (price wise) many would consider them cheap in quality too. I agree that for some parts certifit is not the place to shop but a fender is a fender. . . It's a stamped piece of sheet metal. I have not used doors from them but am sure that there won't be any problems with them. The last door or two that we replaced for cars we got used from a wrecked car and just had to get them painted.
Just my 2 cents.
I do understand that because the parts are cheap (price wise) many would consider them cheap in quality too. I agree that for some parts certifit is not the place to shop but a fender is a fender. . . It's a stamped piece of sheet metal. I have not used doors from them but am sure that there won't be any problems with them. The last door or two that we replaced for cars we got used from a wrecked car and just had to get them painted.
Just my 2 cents.
Are people really arguing this thing? I tell you what, my wife works claims at a well known insurance company here. I just showed her this thread, and her first question was, "are you serious?" Come on yall...
sorry guy I am in the vehicle repair business. Body parts are not body parts. They DO NOT always fit right. You can tweak and adjust but when when you have a fender that is shaped slightly different, bumpers that are not molded like the OEM you will have issues. I've found that most aftermarket body panels are much thinner than oem. My body guys can tell sometimes. They will be sanding a car move from one fender to another and one fender is flexing when being sanded. Inspection shows it is aftermarket.
