Just fricken great... my Prius was rearended on Highway 80...

I agree...you should get yourself checked out by a doctor, especially if you are experiencing pain...

Personally? I wouldn't put a lot of stock in the dealer or the dealer's shop here. Often dealer shops are volume based, and they know they will have a steady stream of customers because they are a part of the dealer or do business with the dealer. Quality of work doesn't matter as much.

Independent shops rely on referrals, word of mouth & the quality of their work to stay alive. I would get some referrals...talk to friends who have expensive cars that they take good care of...

Tour the shops, ask to see examples of their work...look for expensive vehicles. Look for computerized paint matching.

I've had body repairs done at dealer shops and independent shops...and never had one repair done from a dealer shop that I was happy with or that held up over time. But through the research I described above I found a great independent shop that has done great work for me and the people I've referred to them.

Food for thought...

 

Lots of us have been rear ended including myself sitting at a light. I was not hit hard ( both bumpers and rear bumper restraint) but still ended up having back surgery. I hit the guy in front of me too.

Forget about the car for now get yourself to a doctor and get a complete check up. I did not start having bad problems till weeks later. Sounds like you got clocked much harder than me. Mine was made much worse in that I saw the guy coming for quite a ways and could do nothing about it. I was super tensed when he hit me.

My wife drives the car mostly now so being concerned about her I installed a light flasher on the third brake light. There designed mostly for motorcylces to blink the headlight. There's a ton of them on ebay for $20 delivered. I installed mine so it flashes the third brake light and I added 2 extra led strip lights inside along the top of the hatch window. Although our third brake light is very very bright to me it makes a world of difference if it flashes when you push the brake pedal. So the regular lower brake lights come on as normal just the third light and the extra led stips I added flash. Very noticeable.
I realize this would not have helped in your situatioon just passing it along.

I do know for a fact compared to other cars when I am in my Prius people like to come up fast on me and then swerve around me or just come up real fast. I do not see this so much on my other cars.
Just to bust chops I think.

Good luck and if I were you I would get a lawyer. There free and they can get you some good help.

 

amm0bob,

Welcome to Club Innuendo, where membership really sucks.

Truly sorry about your accident. Most important, get yourself checked out...
you're a one-off custom job, worth-your-weight-in-gold original. :rockon:

For my similar accident, repairs came to ~$3500, but that was without
damage to the hood... aluminum, goes for ~$250 new.

Check the fine print in your insurance policy. Don't remember the exact
details, but mine said I had to have the car at an acceptable repair
facility within 24 hrs (???) to qualify for the free rental.

Somewhere, on another forum, the other driver is probably crowing
about how his SUV saved the life of his wife and unborn child... Grrr.

Be careful out there.

 

Did you really have an accident?

 

who?

 

Taking it to any repair shop is not as important as demanding that the repair shop use only Toyota original parts. I had a Toyota body shop do work on our car..only to find out that the insurance company had the shop use aftermarket parts..... how I found out....having to get one of the aftermarket parts fixed shortly after the body shop installed them. Which i had to pay for....get original Toyota parts.....not aftermarket

 

Correct...good shops will agree with you and go to bat on your behalf on that front too...

 

When it comes to replacing sheet metal, I would rather see the body shop use good, rust-free parts from a salvage vehicle, than install aftermarket parts.

 

Absolutely...

 

I'm glad you're mostly ok. One can always find nut jobs driving like maniacs on I-80.

 

I got rearended in my '06 in the summer of '09, on the I 10 Bayway, near Mobile Al. I even "brakechecked" the kid in the Camry that eventually plowed into me a few miles down the road. He obviously did not get the message. I am pleased with the boxed, aluminum bumper, under the plastic skin. Actually drove it home after ripping the cover off and stickin it into the car. I had to catch af light overseas the very next day, so I let a friend and insurance company drop it @ a local body shop. When I got back from Europe, the car was sitting in my driveway, "good as new". Would have preferred Toyotato do the wk, but I am pleased w/result.

 

seatbelted?

 

Most dealers will outsource body work to a nearby body shop.

Don't know about other states but in California the insurance company are not required to use original oem parts if a aftermarket or "like kind (refurbish)" is available. The only time OEM part is used is if a aftermarket substitute is not available.

If I were you, i would talk to the shop owner and see if he willing to profit a little less and give you OEM parts in your repair. You will be suprise at the number of shops who will agree to this.

 

I would be surprised. I'd think it is more likely that the body shop would ask you to pay the $ difference.

If it is fair for you to ask the body shop to take a lower profit, it is just as reasonable for the body shop to ask you to make up the profit difference.

 

If the vehicle is less than 7 model years old, I believe you have the right to demand that OEM replacement parts be used. If I remember correctly there was a legal case against State Farm that was the precedent.

I have ALWAYS demanded OEM parts...and my insurance has always obliged with no argument whatsoever...even a $1100 OEM Windshield vs a $200 aftermarket one.

As for the negotiation with the body shop...everything is negotiable and people ask service providers to take less profit all the time. When you buy a car for less than the sticker price...thats what you're doing.

If they want the business...they'll do it.

Anyways shops routinely do work for less when insurance companies are paying than when people are paying themselves.

 

State Farm is my insurance carrier. Their Car Policy Form 9803A, page 21 has a couple of relevant paragraphs:

"You agree with us that the repair estimate may include new, used, recycled, and reconditioned parts. Any of these parts may be either original equipment manufacturer parts or non-original equipment manufacturer parts.

You also agree that replacement glass need not have any insignia, logo, trademark, etching, or other marking that was on the replaced glass."

Perhaps California law requires different insurance policy coverage?

Sorry to hear about that. Unfortunately, this sounds like you are on track to file a pain & suffering claim, not to mention reimbursement of substantial medical expenses. I recommend that you be slow to sign off on any proposed financial settlement from the other driver's insurance carrier, until sufficient time has elapsed so that the full extent of your injuries becomes known.

 

amm0bob, I think you need a lawyer...

Don't know, I just know I've never been given a problem about OEM parts...I don't live in CA...