Dealer/accident questions

Anything anyone here says on this will (somewhat) be a WAG....although some WAGGERS have a little more experience than others I suppose.

I will say that even minor low-speed collisions can cause $$$$ in the Prius. My car was about two weeks "new" when my husband ran it into a tree at about 5 mph. The tab came to $979 for a new headlight and bumper cover repair.

So, I would not be surprised at the $3300 cost for your accident. A friend had a similar mishap in a Nissan Sentra several years ago and that was $2700 or so and that was about 7 or 8 years ago, same type of speed, same type of damage, so it can happen (actually, I guess they ran OVER a curb...)

Having said that, and gritting my teeth as I do --- does the cost matter that much? For me, it was all out of pocket since I have a $1250 deductable. But in your situation, I image, a $1000 repair or $3300 repair, is not going to matter much in terms of what YOU pay.

And, in your case, the insurance company is NOT going to pay anymore than they have to -- they have all sorts of claims experts/adjusters who should know if what your dealership is stating is out of line or not.

So, if it were me, paying out-of-pocket, I would be spinning around, trying to find other options, finding somewhere else to get an estimate, etc....even if I had to go out of town.

But, and again, I hate to put it this way, if MajorGeneral Deluxe Property and Casualty is paying....

 

Again, maybe Patrick or one of the other people (being a sexist, I was going to say guys, but stopped myself) can comment more on the "damage aspect."

But, AGAIN as a WAG, the front end of the Prius is very heavy. Rotating my own tires with Prius jack has taught me just how heavy it is....Ergo, heavy, inertia, sudden stop, I could see how there might be more damage than one might think. I know when my father-in-law (5'10" and 300 pounds) hits the ground, he gets much more banged up than I do at 5'10" and 120).

 

Let your insurance handle it, but be aware that you will pay in terms of higher premiums in the future. I'm no expert, but you don't want to skimp on front end work, that's putting your life on the line.

 

I may not be adding much, but never stopped me before:

1) I'm going to forego the LRR tires on my next switch precisely for the reason you mention. I may lose 2-3 mpg, but I think the safety factor far outweighs any fuel savings.

2) Again, I think insurance will "smell out" any fraud here, but it sounds as if you are from a smallish town. I always find out about how good a biz is by asking around, talking to people, etc. Look for people with a Prius, or another Toyota, start a quick conversation. Ask if they have any experience with the shop. Check Yelp, CarTalks MechaniX files.

 

So expensive repair means bad dealer? Sounds like they have it about right to me considering the list of parts you gave. The wheel alone is around $400. But I guess we shouldn't be paid well for our work, considering how unskilled and dishonest we are. I mean, anyone can work on cars right?

SPH-D710 ? 2

 

based on our usual experience, it's no wonder people don't trust dealerships

 

There is the issue, you are asking those questions here where there is an obvious bias against dealers. A simple request at the dealer for a list of parts including labor would be easy to acquire. Plus I'm sure they would have no problem lifting the vehicle and showing you the damaged components. If they refuse, THEN by all means you have the right to question their integrity.

SPH-D710 ? 2

 

AS the deale had listed so many parts which needed to replace,the price is about right. Besides, as other said, your insurance Co. wil take care and your deductable is $500. Go ahead. When you deal with them,you have to mention you need to see the exchanged parts( though they might get from other cars,if that is a dishonest dealer, and at least you can see them). By the way you've mentioned you Camry did this 'incident' before and now the Prius. It seems you are not paying enough attention when turning ,especially inside the parking lot since those curb layout is unfamilar to you. I pay much attention when doing turning in paking lot.

 

1. If you obtain a list of part numbers and descriptions, then you can go to a website like AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway Parts | Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories - Houston, Texas

to look up list parts pricing and compare to your quote.

2. If you are wondering whether the quote is reasonable, you can consult with your insurance agent. It's up to your insurance company to review the quote since they are paying most of the bill.