Help and advice needed! Hit by another car today

[malvarez]

Dear fellow Prius owners.

I need help! I live in the Pasadena, Ca. area and I was hit by a big SUV. To make a long story short my Prius suffered extensive damages to the right front panel area of the car (both engine and body). I have AAA insurance and they will be contacting me Monday to discuss a place to fix my car. I do not wish to take my Prius to just anyone and I am really lost as to where I should have the car taken.

Can anyone recommend a toyota certified service dept/garage along with a body shop. I really want the best for my car so I am content to go anywhere in the Southern California area.

Eagerly awaiting responses. Thanks in advance for all your help!!!!!!!!!!

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malvarez @ Apr 29 2007, 10:09 PM) [snapback]432338[/snapback]</div>

Dear fellow Prius owners.

I need help! I live in the Pasadena, Ca. area and I was hit by a big SUV. To make a long story short my Prius suffered extensive damages to the right front panel area of the car (both engine and body). I have AAA insurance and they will be contacting me Monday to discuss a place to fix my car. I do not wish to take my Prius to just anyone and I am really lost as to where I should have the car taken.

Can anyone recommend a toyota certified service dept/garage along with a body shop. I really want the best for my car so I am content to go anywhere in the Southern California area.

Eagerly awaiting responses. Thanks in advance for all your help!!!!!!!!!!
[/b]

You can have your car fixed anyplace you want. It's the law. Both his insurance and your insurance will inspect the car and give estimates as to what they think needs to be fixed and how much it will cost. There is a good chance that that estimate will go higher as the repair place gets inside and finds more damage.

I'd check with several dealerships in your area and see if they keep a list of authorized Toyota repair facilities that do body work. Some have their own, some don't. Since your car is under warranty I wouldn't mess with just anyone. Make sure the repair facility paints (coats? seals?) the welds if they're doing body work so they don't rust.

However long they say it will take, it will take longer.

Document EVERYTHING. Every conversation, every phone call, keep every letter (and envelope with postmark), picture and receipt. It's a pain but documenting now may save you grief later. Write out your own statement of what happened right now before the memory starts to fade. Revise it as you remember more things.

Is this the SUV's fault? Do they have insurance? Do you know if the person is admitting fault? And did you get all contact information including license and if possible VIN and all insurance information?

[mayathystle]

I bought my prius at the Toyota in Pasadena and was recently in an accident. They recommended Team Chevrolet in Pasadena, that's where they take all their cars in for repairs. I took my car in to a place more convenient for me, Allen Gwynn Chevrolet in Glendale. Both quoted me pretty much the same for the repairs and I was pleased with the results of the repairs at Allen Gwynn, all the parts are new and certified to last. The paint was a perfect match and it looked like new when I got it back. The people at Allen Gwynn are very friendly and remember your name when you call or stop by, which is nice when you have to deal with all the other headaches that come from getting in an accident. It did take longer than they had estimated, but they wanted to fix everything and as they began working they found other problems that were not visible at the time of the estimate. Hope this helps!

[priussoris]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mayathystle @ Apr 29 2007, 10:03 PM) [snapback]432364[/snapback]</div>

I bought my prius at the Toyota in Pasadena and was recently in an accident. They recommended Team Chevrolet in Pasadena, that's where they take all their cars in for repairs. I took my car in to a place more convenient for me, Allen Gwynn Chevrolet in Glendale. Both quoted me pretty much the same for the repairs and I was pleased with the results of the repairs at Allen Gwynn, all the parts are new and certified to last. The paint was a perfect match and it looked like new when I got it back. The people at Allen Gwynn are very friendly and remember your name when you call or stop by, which is nice when you have to deal with all the other headaches that come from getting in an accident. It did take longer than they had estimated, but they wanted to fix everything and as they began working they found other problems that were not visible at the time of the estimate. Hope this helps!
[/b]

SO a Toyota dealership is telling you to take your car to a CHEVROLET dealership to get fixed?

does not sound good to me

[daniel]

I agree with everything Godiva said above.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Apr 30 2007, 04:43 AM) [snapback]432456[/snapback]</div>

SO a Toyota dealership is telling you to take your car to a CHEVROLET dealership to get fixed?

does not sound good to me
[/b]

On the contrary. Whenever a trusted source recommends an out-of-shop source, it's probably because they think extremely highly of them.

On the other hand, if you do not know and trust the referer, then the referal is meaningless unless backed up by other sources as well.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

I had excellent work done at Keyes Collision Center in Van Nuys. The shop does body work for all the Keyes owned dealerships, including Toyota, Lexus, Audi and Mercedes. They have their own Prius certified technicians (so that they don't have to borrow them from Keyes Toyota).

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Apr 30 2007, 06:43 AM) [snapback]432456[/snapback]</div>

SO a Toyota dealership is telling you to take your car to a CHEVROLET dealership to get fixed?

does not sound good to me
[/b]

Perhaps both franchises are owned by the same entity. There is a Jeep/Pontiac dealer in my township and I bought my last Olds from a Jeep/Olds dealer that also has a seperate Chrysler lot. There are mega dealers that sell cars from several manufacturers. I doubt they have seperate service and auto body shops for each line.

[subarutoo]

GTA Autobody in Northridge did mine. New bumper, lower grill, fog light, repaitng pass. door $1300. They did a decent job, though I had no real mechanical damage, just outer body pieces. There are so many Pri around, any decent body shop should do just fine.

[malvarez]

My deepest thanks to all you! Your replies have been so helpful. I am very grateful! Thanks again.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malvarez @ Apr 30 2007, 06:12 PM) [snapback]432834[/snapback]</div>

My deepest thanks to all you! Your replies have been so helpful. I am very grateful! Thanks again.
[/b]

Keep in touch. Let us know how things progress.