Another Prius Accident

Totaled! I can't believe it. And yet I can several people have reported a "minor" accident with all air bags going off and the insurance company "totaled" the car. Can you drive the rental until they get you the car you want? They should! I have to say that I am getting tired of "insurance" companies who do nothing and take your money. This does not make any sense at all if the frame is intact the car should be repaired!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Aug 11 2006, 07:38 PM) [snapback]301903[/snapback]</div>

Whoa. So sorry Dave. I just picked up on this thread. We just got our Prius back last Thur. after 8 weeks in the shop. The lightweight skin of the Prius is very vunerable. We ended up with $15k damage in a less than 15 mph accident.

The repaired car seems to be ok. There are a few new scratches on the center console and a small tear in it's cover that is new too. They will fix they say. Overall the car seems pretty normal except the steering seems even more vague than the normal deadness. I find my self over-correcting a lot. We are going to recheck alignement and try the .1 toe-in to see if it corrects the problem. Also gained a plastic noise that drove me crazy. But I think I found it in a loose center speaker grille. I have to wait a month to have the invisible bra reapplied.

This experience has sort of detached me from the Prius. Now it's just a car that's had an accident. It took twice as long as usual to repair due to the electrical damage. And now seems a bit odd to drive. Mainly I feel disconnected from the driving experience. But hopefully this will return. Though actually I would have preferred they had totalled it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(harrv @ Aug 16 2006, 09:05 PM) [snapback]304408[/snapback]</div>

Sorry to read about that, but I agree. Better to be totaled, in the long run. I had a '02 nB that got $12,000 in damage when it got rear ended, and the car was only $17,000 new, but they did not total it.

Still not sure why not. While the car drove fine (after I got it back, some six weeks later), I think that there was more internal stress on the car then visible, since parts started breaking earlier then they should have.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Aug 16 2006, 06:49 PM) [snapback]304424[/snapback]</div>

Sorry to hear. Awfully poor timing too. At least you got out of it by the skin of your ... whatever..

Can you pull your other mods like the BT plate that you can carry over, and then forward onto a shiny '07? Prius.

What package/color are you aiming for now?

 

I'm not too surprised they totalled it. Even though the damage was just to the outer panels, car parts are obscenely expensive. - And although they are giving you more than the cost to repair it, a repaired car is never worth what it was before the accident. Would you pay blue book for a car that had been in an accident? I wouldn't. I'd say the insurance company is being good about this.

Sure, they'll sell it for whatever they can, and they'll get back some of what they're giving you. They may even come out better giving you the 21.5 and selling the car than if they repaired the car for you, if they can sell it for more than the difference.

Anyhoo -- You should definitely get VSC this time around, as well as SKS. SKS is a sweet convenience. VSC can be a life saver. Good luck on finding one quickly.

 

ya Norm has said it's probably a lost cause on the 2k6 BUT you know Norm. It's coming up for winter again and who knows what the dark days of December will bring. I remember when it was 4 graphs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Aug 16 2006, 08:51 PM) [snapback]304476[/snapback]</div>

Estimate was for $12K. Actual was $15K. And now the car doesn't steer quite right. Has even more wanderlust than normal. It will be going back for a recheck of alignment. I may try the toe-in (.1?) if I can get the specs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Begreen @ Aug 17 2006, 09:08 PM) [snapback]305114[/snapback]</div>

has the 0 point on the steering been reset since the car was repaired? Might be all it needs. Dealer does it with the Hand Held Tester (THHT) Just re 0's the computer so it knows where the steering torque sensors are in relation to the steering rack.

 

Just now seeing the news of your accident. I'm so glad to hear no one was hurt. I followed your experiences on PriusChat for months before getting my own Prius so the loss feels a little personal.

Pardon this if you've already checked, but remember that Washington state law requires the insurance company to offer a settlement adequate to purchase a replacement of the same year with similar miles driven and similar options. Once that number is calculated, tax and license must be added to the settlement.

When my car was totalled a few months ago, my insurance company was great, but their first offer seemed low for such a popular, hard to find car, new or used. When I politely questioned the offer, they were great about double checking the current market value and quickly came up with a much more accurate figure.

Hope to see the pictures of your 2007 w/SKS soon.

 

From the pictures, I can't believe that vehicle was totalled with the pictures you posted. I hope you get a bright new shining Prius for your troubles.

Good luck,
---Kent

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Aug 18 2006, 06:21 AM) [snapback]305268[/snapback]</div>

From the Insurance Commissioner's website:
http://www.insurance.wa.gov/factsheets/fac...FctShtRcdNum=47

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Aug 17 2006, 09:31 PM) [snapback]305125[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the tip Frank. I'll ask.

 

Dave,
Just came upon this thread. Sorry to hear your baby got totaled, but as you say, new chance for SKS airbags etc.

Hang in there. You may want to try other dealers to get in before Sept. 30th...I know - not much benefit to you, but maybe you will win the lottery between now and year -end! Your luck has to get better!