In an accident with my Prius (pictures included)

Did a bit more investigating after reading about people's various airbag experiencies...

Airbags contain Sodium Azide (NaN3). When ignited by an electrical charge that heats it rapidly, it decomposes into Nitrogen (lots) and Sodium (nasty stuff). Fortunately they also put in Iron Oxide which reacts with the Sodium and neutralizes it.

The nitrogen generated by the sodium azide is responsible for filling the airbag, then rapidly vents through the holes in the airbag after only a few seconds.

Dave

 

driving one now that has $17,300 damage done and it's fine. Rear damage mind you, there is a lot more critical pieces in the front.

 

A car in a crash like that is NEVER the same. Over time, small problems crop up in the best of these crash rebuilds.

Crash rebuilds sell for considerably less, or SHOULD. Doubt me? Call your friendly banker and get the person on the phone with you that does automobile financing or secure for yourself an NADA values book, read the fine print. Dealers who sell rebuilds often obtain signitures from buyers that they know they are buying a rebuild.

I have two friends with decades of experience in buying or selling rebuilds, once a car has had this much damage it is ALWAYS WORTH LESS!

Think about future resale of this car, someone pulls a CarFax report, and, ooohh, this is a crash rebuild, those cars are steeply discounted...

You need to call your insurance company and insist they total it and give you MSRP for it. Enough time has gone by for them to have told you its totaled.

 

The problem may be that the person doing the estimating doesn't quite understand what he is looking at. The body work is the least of the problem, and that alone is $8,000 !

If the insurance wants to fix it, I'd warn them that they may be looking at money pit here. I'd probably suggest a second opinion on the TOTAL estimate - and have qualified Toyota assessor do it.

 

Well, that may be true, that the person doing that bit of estimating doesn't know the extent of the mechanical damage.

I have to mention again how well the crumple zones worked, just wonderfully well, the cabin intact. Those photos are most reassuring.

Yes, I think it is time to be thinking about what needs to be done to get the process underway of getting this totalled out, and your idea has merit.

 

Well, from the looks of that hood, everything that occupies that space will almost certainly need to be replaced, that alone should easily push you well over the replacement cost of the car. I'd be concerned about the unibody being tweaked as well - once gone, never back.

 

How to go about getting what you need in the way of a quick settlement that is of the appropriate amount from your insurance company?

First, you should have a RELATIONSHIP with your insurance agent and a relationship with your banker to where they offer help. If they do not know you when you call, you can work on creating that relationship with this particular insurance/finance situation (I am presuming financing here). Call them and tell them you have been advised that it has been too long on totaling out the car and getting you a check for the full amount.

So do some solid research first, take your cars specifics and input them into the NADA guide at Traderonline ("sell your car" is the link after clicking on AutoTrader). Get your banker on the phone and get that same information from him too.

Search for all other sources of current values, Edmunds, etc. and get copies of the relevant pages ready, print off those values screens, photocopy the bankers NADA guide page that relates to your car.

Get out your insurance policy and read the fine print, its in English and is actually understandable if you take your time in bright light with a magnifying glass.

Check eBay for current listings, selling prices by putting offered cars in "watch this item" and then print off the selling ones final price.

All of the above means you go into battle armed and ready. But better than that, secure any friends knowledge, friends of relatives, friends of friends who are in insurance or banking/car finance. They likely know what it will take to get what YOU need. Sometimes you learn harsh facts, but there are exceptions and workarounds to most of these situations for the astute. You are going to have to network and hustle to see to a favorable outcome. In that sense, this situation is no different than any other of life's challenges.

Don't forget that you need a relationship banker and a relationship insurance agent in your life. Give all your business to high quality firms. This is where that little extra paid to State Farm vs the phone number contact with GEICO pays off big time. GEICO dropped me over a 12.00 claim payout 20 years ago, which is why I have a State Farm agent for all of my insurance needs.

One little known clause I have heard about is demanding that the insurance company get you a comparable vehicle when you think they offer too little. I don't know if this is true, but reading the policy will shed some insight.

 

I would seriously consider contacting the retired agent, if this person is in town and ask for advice.

You have an unusual situation, a sure total on a car that really has little depreciation.

Again, you are going to have to document that lack of typical depreciation, like a Neon would have.

 

Well, the good news is, that you should be able to get a replacement car that way.

For grins, I ran an appraisal for my '03 on Edmunds.com. The car that I paid $20k for on November '03, and have since put 38k miles on the odometer, still rang in at $20,120 for the retail price - the price the insurance company should be giving you on your appraisal. Your car being brand new, you should have zero problems getting back your purchase price.

 

I'm not lawyer and do not play one in the movies, but if your reporting is correct and your state is not a no fault state you may have a civil action against the other driver.

Contact a Public Adjuster', I saw this on PBS's Motor Week, they are independent professional claims people who work for you. The person interviewed said the cost was around $500.00 If a professional body shop could fix your car for less that $15,000 I would be surprised . It could be months before you ever see it again!

If the wreck was NOT your fault, you deserve a new car. Let a Public Adjuster and if necessary a Lawyer work for you.

Good Luck

 

well don't hold his butt to the fire, he could very well be right on some of the part for these cars. A lot of the parts will be available but some of the really weird and special stuff might be difficult to come across. From the late 90 to 2005 we have 3 different models of Prius, I wouldn't want to guaranty that you could buy a window regulator for a 2001 P in 2009. The hybrid components probably yes as Toyota said they intend to warranty the hybrid side of things but other parts. Throttle body who knows. I sure hope so! but 10 years in the auto industry? Maybe we'll be buying our parts from Hennings catalog advertisers, as Toyota clears out the warehouse. Anyhow please keep us informed as to the final outcome of your dealings with the insurance company.

 

Hey, elphaba, I just noticed that you're from Woodstock - I'm passing through the town every day to/from work (Poplar Grove - Lincolnshire - and back) - since I bough my Prius month ago, I've seen only one other Prius on the road - and that was in Rockford. Good to know they are around even though invisible - ok, well, were around ...

By the way - I never miss these summer Mozart Days in Opera House...

 

Really glad to hear you are both OK!!! I guess the crumple zones really do work! I would venture a guess that it will be totalled, but you never know what the insurance company will do in a case like this. However, I agree- find a list to put your name on.