Crashed - Need Advice *PICS ON PG2*
 

Long story short: Someone tapped my back bumper, I spun and hit a guardrail.

Damage: Back bumper needs to be removed and painted. Front bumper, hood,fenders need to be replaced and painted. Driver side rim and tire need replacement. Front Aligment. Possibly some electrical problems (when I turn on my headlights, it smells like burning wires). Steering wheel airbag. Seat belt is retarded (it just stays stuck all pulled out). Some parts in the engine bay need to be replaced (I don't really know what they are but little plastic crap, bolts, plastic undercover, etc).

Advice needed: Ideally, I would like a new Z. I don't know if I have frame damage but they'll be doing a teardown inspection. Am I better off if they declare it totaled or fixable? Does anyone know how much I'd get if it were totaled? I was trying to find KBB prices but they dont have the Z on there (I don't think insurance goes by that rate anyway).

Just need some advice. I wouldn't mind just getting it fixed but I'm afraid of some frame damage and possible electrical issues.

Sorry to hear about that man, did the guy stop who spun you out? Did it happen on your 400 mile road trip with your bumper taped blue?

I don't have an answer to your question but good luck either way.

From your description, the car sounds salvaged. Get it totaled. Every insurance co. is unique what they consider "totaled." Some say 60,70%, etc.

If you get the car fixed, it won't be the same again. It'll drive funny.

I was almost sure this was going to be posted by the child who asked the "can i rev it up in neutral and slam it into drive" question a few days ago.

pics?

That sucks man. **** happens...at least you're ok.

You're best off having them total your car. If your air-bag deployed, which it sounds like it did, the car is likely totaled. Get an estimate from only high-end body shops (find out which shops your local Mercedes/Porsche/Ferrari dealerships use), and go from there.

I would press your insurance incessantly to total the car. No way they can return it to its before crash value with the kind of damage you describe. If you had damage in the engine bay, I'd say there's a pretty good chance you have frame and/or suspension damage which will most likely be a total.

Unfortunately, it'll still be a bad deal for you. You're probably going to be out $5-$7K, as the totalled compensation to you will be the depreciated value of a brand new car (meaning a lot of depreciation) minus your deductible. If you have it, perhaps this is one case where the rip-off gap insurance might actually pay off? I'm not sure.

Even so, press for a total loss. The value of a Frankenstein Z rebuilt from the level of damage you describe would be far, far less than you'll take on the loss from the depreciated value the insurance company writes for the total.

Sorry to hear about this and best of luck to you.

He don't know if there is any frame damage?So how do you know what you are talking about scaring the guy if the car is fixed?Perhaps just new body panels and repaint if no suspension and frame damage.
Car will drive funny!What in the hell do you know?

lol!

"If airbag deployed it likely is totaled"?Where did that assumption come from?We have all these wannabe insurance adjusters assuming and haven't even seen the car.Why get this guy all upset for nothing if nobody knows anything!

pics ??


frame damage can be repaired, sure it will never be the.... mostly bc if it ever gets hit in the same spot again... it will bend up pretty bad


i leaning towards its not totalled



also, airbag being deployed does not mean the its totalled

first of all i hope your ok, are you experiencing any back or neck pains?

make sure you medically document everything regardless if you feel pain now or not...ive been rear ended before when i was younger and didnt feel any real pain at that time...years later now i pay for both physical and financial...

as for the z i need to see pics of all four sides and of the frame area where you struck the guardrail...

either way its just a car and can be replaced...spinal columns cant...take care of yourself first!

Not in and of itself, but enough damage to cause the air-bag(s) to deploy and the cost of a new SRS system on top of all the other damage needed to be repaired helps significantly. More often than not, if the air-bags go off...there is frame-damage.

According to howstuffworks, an airbag can go off hitting a stationary object at 10-15 mph. So the airbag cannot be a good determiner of whether an auto is totaled.

That sucks, sorry to hear about your crash. What speed did your accident happen at? From your description, it sounds like an awful lot of damage for low speed (say under 20mph). If there's significant frame damage and a lot of damage in the engine compartment, the dollar value of the damage will increase exponentially with the number of components that have to be replaced.

As kdo2milger said, make sure you get checked out too - a shock to your system like a rear end accident can have effects that do not show up immediately.

what i meant is that saying right off the bat it's totaled based on the airbag being deployed is not always right.....

that saying came from when airbags are deployed, something is obviously smashed....

I got 10 large for some road rash after an old dude caused me to ditch my bike at about 10-15 mph.

The car didn't stop and I wasn't going fast. Definitely under 20mph but I hit the rail pretty hard due to how fast the other guy was going. He barely tapped me too (no homo). Car has 3000 miles. The car doesn't look nearly as bad as it probably sounds. I'm saying maybe totaled because I think everything including the airbag will add up quick. I'm sure the car will be nearly perfect after it's fixed but I'd rather get a new one. I only owe $10k so I don't have gap. I think I have new car replacement on my policy so totaled might benefit me. And no, it didn't happen on the 400 mile trip. Lol.

I'll try to get pics later..

without any pics... our comments are all blind assumptions

And nogood knows what they say about assumptions.

10 large for road rash?I'am going out riding my bike the next rainy day!...lol!

Well, I do know that in the fire department, they taught us that any time we cut a car, it is totaled (frame damage). However, in your case, it is kinda hard to tell, got any pics?? Anyways, my guess is they would total it, just because of the pretensioners in the seatbelt, and the air bag. It sounds like you have quite a bit of body work, and those rims aren't cheap (if you got the sport package). However, the airbag and pretensioners I would guess would run you north of 5 grand (it is a whole scheme that they run on those things), and when you equate body work, possible electrical issues, not to menition what may be wrong with the engine, I think you are as good as totaled. Keep us posted man!

Go to the towing company and take pics asap.
I hope you went to the hospital also, if you didn't go and get yourself checked up.
Call your insurance company and get your claim number.
Keep us posted, good luck bud.

That, good sir, is false. As a firefighter in the metro DC area, I can honestly say that there are certainly some wrecks where there are frame damage, but the majority of them do not incorperate frame damage. It only takes 30mph of sudden deacceleration on most makes and models for deployment to occur. Frame damage at 30 mph? Possible, but probably not enough to total the car. Air bags are extremely expensive now because 1). The manufactor has to insure that it will actually work, and there is huge liability insurance that goes into making them... And 2). They use expensive metals to insure the detonation process, and have a very speific mixture of powders that chemically react to actually inflate the bag....

hood, bumper, lh fender, chin spoiler, underbody plastic, wheel/tire. the a pillar might need to be repainted on the passenger side since the hood touches it and peeled some paint. the hood latch area is all bent and crap is all over the place on that corner.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car1.jpg

rear bumper needs paint, quarter panel needs pdr
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car2.jpg

not really sure how this happened since there was no passenger. the passenger seatbelt is locked hard, like theres no way to pull slack from it. it's stuck (pretensioner maybe?) it ripped through the plastic and there's a hole in it (note my "wtf" confusion). the plastic cap that goes on the bolt popped off. on the drivers side seatbelt, there is full slack and no way to bring the slack back in.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car3.jpg

where the tire ripped a bit and the wheel got some curb damage.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car4.jpg

airbag deployed (burned/bruised my damn wrists!)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car5.jpg

the fender got pushed back. my drivers side door near the door handle does not line up with the rear quarter panel (the door is a little more popped out and is not perfectly level with the quarter)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a55...id613/car6.jpg

Cars deff not totaled, in fact its prob only got very minor suspension damage if any at all.

Ouch man. Very hard to look at, but glad you are okay.

I wouldnt look at that and think "totaled."

damn! lol.

Very sorry hear about this but glad you are alright. Make sure you get yourself checked out even for the most minor of issues.

It's horrible to see the car in that condition. I hope everything works out for you.

As for the airbags = totaled, I hit a tree head on in a Mustang GT, deployed the airbags too and hit hard enough to knock down the tree. The car was however not totaled.

You got some good advice in here.
The best was about your health. If u have a good insurance company. They will work for you and not against u. Companies like progressive and allstate etc... will guide u right.

But dude... if a a$$ tap had u spinnin out??? I really would recommend like skip barber school or somethin in that style of driving school. Unless. U were rammed? A tap should have not thrown u so hard.

Oh n the idiot that hit ur car... his insurance is bein taxed, not yours right?
Don't let ur insurance company fix ur car without the other company having agreed to pay the damage or replacement. Cuz if the other company says no! Ur rate goes up.

I think he said the other guy didn't stop....

trust me, no one could have countered or prevented that. i think the only way this couldve been worse is if i let go of the steering wheel. better, no way. i would bet my Z on that. haha.

my insurance co is pretty good. i have accident forgiveness so fortunately even though the fucker left, my rates wont go up (theyve already confirmed this).

if it's not totaled, i'm not too worried. i think all of the parts can be painted while they're off the car so it should come out pretty good.

how much damage ($) do you guys think i'll need so it's totaled? the airbag and seat belts have to be a big chunk, i'd think. plus brand new oem parts (i doubt they have many used parts to choose from), paint, labor, miscellaneous crap under the hood. something tells me it'll be close.. maybe it's just my gut. lol.

How do you know what kind of tap it was and if he needs skip barber school? Have you been to skip barber school? Were you at the seen and know that if you where driving that tab wouldnt have pushed you in the wall?:rolleyes:

probably totaled if all safety systems are ruined, i.e. seatbelt and airbags. plus electrical? better make them total it out. I wonder how much they would want to buy it back? I'd buy all your undamaged body panels, hatch, doors, etc. plus a lot of interior parts

What's that got to do with the OP's question? How old was the "old dude", 45? J/K

brazil, good lookin out. that pg love! lol. damn, everytime i walk outside i hope it's in one piece... but it's not :(

really shows you how some people can be. im sure they saw me wreck in their rearview as they sped off.

i think i have uninsured motorist insurance but i doubt i'll sue my guys. a new z would be more than enough. any tips on "making them total it out"? sounds easier said than done. i dont have it in me to do anything unlawful so legal tips would be greatly appreciated!

*sigh* the more i look into it, the more it seems like it's just going to be fixed. i looked up the main parts and in parts alone, the bill looks to be a little over $5,000. plus paint and labor, i doubt it'll go THAT much higher to justify total loss. this is excluding electrical stuff and little miscellaneous things under the hood, bolts, seals, etc. i'll be looking into different body shops tomorrow. fml.

Take a sledge to some key areas.

i was waiting for someone with those suggestions. lol. im way too honest.