Advice for the rear-ended?

[greysquirrel]

My three-month old Prius took a bit of a beating this afternoon when my family was rear-ended at a red light by a Lexus SUV (not the hybrid :x ).

We're waiting for Monday for the repair shop to open and the adjuster to call, but wonder if anyone can advise about the cost/complexity of repairing damage to the rear. The car is drivable, but the rear bumper and hatch are badly dented (the hatch is stuck shut and the trunk area is crumpled inside), and the tail-lights are cracked.

Thanks in advance...

GreySquirrel ?8

[jfh3]

Assuming you live in an "at fault" state, insist on loss of value and/or diminished value, not just the cost to repair the damage.

This is ESPECIALLY true if there is ANY frame damage. Be prepared to deal with the insurance company's claim that "there's no such thing as dimished value" or "our service indicates it's only a small value" (they'll probably come back with 20-25% of the repair estimate).

[jfh3]

Forgot to mention ... sorry to hear about your misfortune.

[enerjazz]

It must have been some sort of coordinated attack on Priuses this week. At about noon on Sat, the 18th I was driving on the highway at about 60 mph when suddenly I heard a loud bang and felt the car move. The jolt was from a Ford F-150 pickup whose driver fell asleep and he drifted into my left rear bumper corner. The bumper was barely hanging on as we pulled over to the side of the road.

As you can see from the photos mine is not too terribly bad. It always stinks to have to mess with repairs - especially on a car that's less than a year old. The hatch opens and closes, though there is a large gap on the bottom left side. He was insured and I've already contacted his insurance company and have an appointment with their adjuster for Monday afternoon. Maybe we should compare notes as the process unfolds.

The other motorist has GEICO insurance. Their adjuster is located at the Service King Collision Repair shops? Anyone have any experience with Service King. I'm considering demanding that the Toyota dealership do the repairs just to be safe.

[Frank Hudon]

you want a guess? $2700

[HYACK]

Unfortunately, I think Prii will soon become known as a bad deal for those who rear-end 'em.

Perhaps a total loss at fairly low speed differentials?

Man I hope insurance companies don't force Prii owners to affix those bicycle flags on our rear bumpers! ;(

Seriously, sorry for the accidents, guys. (and another unfortunate possibility is to expect only increases in rear-ending incidents as baby-boomers reach into their 70s-80s-90s (yikes).

[rick57]

Sorry to hear and see the bad luck you 2 had this week, :cry: . Hope all comes out ok for you both.

[wb9tyj]

Sorry to see such a mess on the back end of the prius...i just had a person, which was clueless hit mine just under the gas cap on the left back quarter panel...we were parked and they drove their conversion van over a side walk and hit me...now with a basketball size dent and scratches ...it was near $1000 in damage, so im guessing your damage will come closer to $4-5000 for the back end...hopefully things get back to normal for you soon...

[smasho]

Condolences on being hit. At least nobody was hurt. From personal experience I can tell you that that's the only thing that counts.

Warning. If the insurance adjuster tries to steer you to a particular shop, be very leery of it. They may well have a contract with the insurance co where they do work at a lowball price in exchange for referrals. If that's the case you don't want them working on your baby. Ask friends, look at their repair, go to the shop and ask to see just finished work. I don't know about where you live, but in Oregon we have the right to use any shop we desire.

I know a bit about accidents, my '02 has been rear ended twice. :cussing:

[Bill Merchant]

[font=Comic Sans MS:d3a3638a93]I'm sorry you both had similar accidents. Remember that you have a right to have any auto body parts replaced with new, genuine Toyota parts. While the Prius is relatively new and a unique design, an unscrupulous body shop might get a part from an auto recycler. [/font:d3a3638a93]