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Is this 2015 Prius worth fixing?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by CJmonkeyB, Dec 29, 2022.

  1. CJmonkeyB

    CJmonkeyB New Member

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    Hi everyone! I’m a 37 yo mom of 5 kids in Temecula, CA and owner of 2 Prius’.

    My 19yo daughter got in her first accident earlier this month and only has liability insurance. So she’s on the hook for dealing with her car. When she got this car it was $8k pre pandemic but now it’s $18k for the same car. It’s an otherwise good car with about 130- 150k miles on it. If she keeps the dented door, is it in anyone’s experience that it’s otherwise fixable or worth fixing? Or is this area too close to the battery etc? If it’s too far gone, what does she do with the car? I know it’s hard to tell without looking at it but curious what she’s in for. If she does look into fixing it, does she take it to a Toyota dealership or somewhere else?


    I’ve never been in her situation before and trying to help her. She downgraded her insurance when she moved out and didn’t tell me, I know bad situation to be in only having liability but just trying to move on from this. Thanks everyone!
     

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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    take it to a good body shop for a free estimate. if you don't know one, ask her insurance company, they have a list.

    how does it drive? that's a pretty good crunch, looks like the gas filler might need work.
    they might have to disassemble to find hidden damage.

    putting it on a lift will reveal some things, could be a bent axle, no way to tell.

    if it isn't worth fixing, facebook, craigs list, etc.

    nice car, definitely worth putting some money into if she has it.

    all the best!
     
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  3. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    True.
    No other driver at fault? Will it start and run normally?
    It looks to me as if expensive suspension parts are likely bent, besides the body damage, filler neck, and possible battery damage.
     
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  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Do you have a friend or family member that works on cars? You may be able to replace the rear axle with a used one from the junk yard and take a hammer to the body parts so it works again. But it won't look so pretty. Of course getting back on the road at this stage is probably her first priority.
     
  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Does not look like the car is drivable, but is it? With airbags deployed, if she had collision coverage, any insurance would call it "total loss" almost automatically for a car of this age and miles. Yeah, it is worth shopping around to see if you can find a body shop that can make the car drivable again without spending too much. For an accurate estimate, they will need to see the car, but if you can't drive it to the shop, they may give you a rough estimate with just photos. Ask around, the estimate on bodywork and repair vary tremendously depending on who you ask. Whatever you do, do not take it to a dealer. They will not help her in this instance.

    If you can't find a way to repair it at a reasonable cost, then you may have to sell it for scrap. Either privately or to salvage companies. There are a few that do deal online and give you an offer instantly, such as peddle.com.
     
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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    If you can get a person that knows vehicles to just look under there and see what looks to be bent to get an idea of what's going to have to be replaced Not on the outside of the car this is all behind that wheel The struts going to be bent or the shock it may have pulled the solid beam axle and bent where the rear hub mounts to that it may have bent that up badly where you're going to have to replace that whole beam axle doesn't come in pieces The filler neck I kind of doubt it It has crush points on it and many times you can just grab two people with them and bend it back the way it needs to be if it's bent at all it's a rubber connected at both ends or at least one and then the other end is bolted to sheet metal that bends and rips very easily so if you open the gas door do you see the filler neck and it doesn't look cockeyed?. To be honest about it this probably a bunch of videos on YouTube about similar wrecks to similar chassis which would be like other Toyota models like Corolla will be very similar and right in the size rain the Yaris is a little small but similar layout. You may be able to round all that stuff up at the junkyard like LKQ a teenager could remove the stuff probably that has interest in working on and fixing things and modding cars in California there should be an endless line of these kids around.
     
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  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Have your daughter put it up on social media if he does that kind of thing she runs in packs online . Lotta cool folk out they're .
     
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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I got hit right there, albeit not quite as bad. They did need to replace the rear axle (solid beam, goes right across. The break-down:

    parts & materials: $3347 CDN
    labour: $2308 CDN
    tax: $725 CDN (12%, obviously varies)

    FWIW they did a fantastic job, restored 100%.

    See attached for the insane complexity of repair.
     

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    #8 Mendel Leisk, Dec 29, 2022
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2022
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  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I would be interested in what the internal parts were behind the wheel and behind the rear quarter panel that got replaced nothing cosmetic gas tiller tube strut hub that sort of thing it's going to give her a good idea All that stuff should be able to be rounded up for very inexpensive second hand obviously
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Body shops will use salvage 'round here, we've had that happen. In this case we had extra "new vehicle" insurance (only available through our insurer for first couple of years), and only new parts were used.
     
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  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    No I gathered that Mendel I just meant now she could round up similar parts all used I was just curious as to what they replaced behind your wheel and behind your rear quarter panel as she might be interested so have an idea of what goes on behind that stuff and a Gen 3 I haven't looked at one hit this bad or hit like this so I'm not sure exactly what's bent although looking under there will tell you very quickly
     
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  12. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Airbags deployed and rear wheel significantly bent means an expensive repair. Estimates are the first priority before decisions can be made.

    I would be cautious about what the car is worth even if it's fixed. I don't believe it will be anywhere near $18,000. Perhaps $10k repaired. The fact the vehicle was in a serious wreck means the value is reduced, even when it's 100%. The car market is normalizing; the high prices were six months ago. So be careful on how much you spend repairing it.
     
    #12 rjparker, Dec 29, 2022
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2022
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The attachments in my prev post (#8) itemize that.
     
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  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    where does she say the airbags deployed?
     
  15. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    The pics my man

    E860CB75-BFB9-45E0-BAF3-D78FEF0E7B46.jpeg
     
    #15 rjparker, Dec 30, 2022
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2022
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Totalled.
     
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  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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  18. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    Bad news is it's totaled; but the good news is the scrap value should be 1-2K. A body shop mechanic can easily fix the mechanical issues w/o replacing the rear air bag. Turn it into a shop beater car or personnel car.
     
  19. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Yep, personnel car with structural damage is the way to go.
     
  20. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Its already her 19 year old daughter's personal car. Would you let your daughter drive a half repaired car with junkyard parts? I realize there is no insurance and a potential $7k loss but... odds are strong the repair is well over $7k.
     
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