Got rear-ended today. Totalled or not?
 

The rear got hit quite hard. Both rear quarter panels have damage, but I don't think there's any damage to suspension. I drove away from this. What do you guys think? Totalled? It's a 2014 premium with 21k miles.

I'll take it to a body shop on Monday.

http://i.imgur.com/D0XDCuT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Khsjx3Q.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EV4UN5E.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NpNe9JI.jpg

Totaled. Good to see you're alright.

I want to say it's not totaled. Of course, I'm not a body expert, so maybe. :iono:

What was the other driver doing (or not doing) to have rear-ended or car?

My car was in a collision MUCH like this before I bought it. I think they said the total repair was 15,000 dollars, was on the verge of a total loss but not quite there. Bought it with a "damage" title out of North Dakota. It depends on your state but if the damage is significant enough your title might have to be altered for future sales and that will seriously hurt the amount of money you can get back in the future. For a buyer like me it was an awesome deal, got an 11,000 mile used brz for 17,000 (from a dealership as well).

But yeah, very similar damage and no total loss from my experience.

Looks high enough to have avoided frame damage so may be repairable. So hard to tell from just pics though.

Definitely not totaled. Your rear fenders are straight. The bumper and trunk lid took most of the energy. $6-9k damage.

The right rear fender is warped. The C-pillar bodywork is damaged on the right side as well.

The left C-pillar is damaged (see where the trunk lid was pushed into it).

I'd say totaled, and if it isn't, would sell it immediately.

This!

Too bad you'll take one hell of a hit on diminished value.

Why sell if it is repaired? You would take a horrid hit in value and the repair could make it as good as new.
A diminished value claim will make up for some of the loss and if well repaired then it will be just fine.

The fender can be straightened no problem. The C pillar can't be that bad or the glass would have went. Those windows will not tolerate much of a twist. The bumper (not the cover but the actual steel bumper under it) only has a bit of damage on the right side and from the looks of it very little force was placed on the frame.

Overall I would say (from previous repairs on here) that you are looking at about $10 - 12 K so it will not be totaled.


But... I have guessed wrong before.


What happened?

I was the front car of a 3-car train. The Land Cruiser in the rear hit the Hyundai Tucson hard enough to push it into my car.

I hate accidents, the energy generated in impacts can twist metal in places that the naked eye can't see. Your chassis looks alright unless I've missed something, should be fixable, if that was me though I'd repair it and sell it. Hopefully your insurance will total it and give you money for a new one. Important thing is you've walked away from it.

It's on the verge imo, if it's not I could see it making a good track car once the repairs are done since u will take a hit with a damaged title

I think It looks worse than it actually is, mostly exterior damage, the Windows didn't break which is a good sign, the roof and beams seem to be aligned. Your airbags didn't go off did they? ( in the states that's a total if they do right?) and those presents blocking the rear view window not a great idea bro. Remove them then take the pics (for insurance purposes).

Hard to see in the pics. From your description probably still not totaled. $8-$11k. Dunno if that's what you want to hear, but that's probably the outcome.

Thanks for your responses guys. I'll update the thread on Monday with the estimates I get from a couple of body shops here.

I already lawyered up and if it's not totalled will be trying to get the diminished value compensation. The lawyer said that the car likely won't be totalled, but we'll see.

I am very sad and heartbroken; if the car is not totalled I will be selling it. After an accident like this it, driving my BRZ simply won't feel the same anymore. I will always be hearing new noises and will be paranoid about the way car drives, etc. It'll simply be too much stress to have every day.

I had a front crash in the snow in a new car that was only 6 months old & less than 6k miles. It was not totalled. I said the same thing - I'm selling it, but to my surprise the shop did well, and the car never developed any rattles/noises. I kept the car to 150k before selling it. Before deciding on what you will do, allow the shop to fix it and live with it for awhile & see. THEN decide. :)

I had a similar accident. $10k damage.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8642/...f90144bd_o.jpgIMG_1827 by Burrcold, on Flickr

The logical part of my brain says this is the correct thing to do......However given the fact that I'm crazy CDO (I don't have OCD I have CDO because everything has its place...) I'd never be able to look at the car again without seeing the damage. I'd always be hearing rattles, and sounds that aren't right, fully knowing that they are most likely in my head. It's just the piece of mind knowing you're not driving around in a car that was wrecked.

I know it's crazy, but Even if the shop did the worlds best repair work...I'd still be looking to get rid of the car. :iono:

Me personally I'd never get over the fact it was mangled like that, even if the repair were perfect (OP has stated as much, too). It's financially unsound but I'm willing to pay for a peace of mind and lessening my admittedly intense amount of OCD when it comes to cars.

This is why I'm afraid to put any money into cars anymore, after my last subie got killed by a drunk fool total loss, after I just installed a touch screen player and invidia.

Yep. I'm now afraid of even getting attached to another car.

They are just cars.
They get smacked up, the mechanicals fail or they just rust away. One way or another you are going to lose it eventually.
You will then get a new one that is your pride and joy and then poof it is gone as well.
Then you get a new toy and... Well you get the message.
You will become used to it after you have had a few.

I'd say 6k if you know what you're doing to fix it.

Sent the car to the body shop on a tow truck yesterday. Should have an estimate soon.

I couldn't stand to take pictures, but my almost new 2014 Limited got bashed in the front in a very similar way (of course, the pickup truck came at me at high speed -- in reverse . . .) These cars have crumple zones to protect you and the mechanicals, and my frame turned out to be perfect, even with a hood so tented you could sleep under it. I even drove it home on the highway at 60 mph, performing perfectly.

So. After a month of assembling pure Subaru parts and $7500 worth of work, I have my baby back in immaculate shape, and since I have no intention of selling it before I die (I'm 69), I don't care what the title or Carfax says.

So, buck up there, the chances are that it only looks worse than it actually is.

any updates?

Subbed for updates. Sorry that happened :( its my worst fear as well.

Mine too. With both my cars. I see these asshats coming at me at top speed when I'm at a dead stop, and there I am pumping my brakes like mad hoping they will stop before they rear end me. I don't understand the need to wait till the very last possible moment to even being applying the brakes let alone actually stop. Bad drivers man...

I'm curious about an update as well. Hopefully the damage looked worse than it was.

It's funny and sad because it's true. 99.999% of the time I can tell you if a person is on the phone or not while driving just by how they are "driving".

I would never accept that car back from insurance. I would fight for it to be totaled. I am basing my opinion solely on the pictures.

In for updates on the outcome. Glad you're OK OP.

So, as I understand, at least in Washington, insurance first comes up with a rough estimate of repair costs and decides if it's worth repairing the car VS paying off the owner. If they decide to repair, they allow the body shop to disassemble the car and create a detailed work estimate.

Insurance people estimated the repair costs to be $8000 and gave the body shop a green light to start the disassembly. I should have an accurate estimate and a timeline some time mid next week.

Anyway, the car is not totalled (unless the body shop finds some terrible frame damage, I guess); I will be trying to get some diminished value money from insurance.

Will post an update once I have an accurate estimate.

PS. I posted the Gram Lights wheels for sale in the Northwest Marketplace, just in case anyone's interested.

The doors opened and closed without any issues right? As others have said...it doesn't look like there was any frame damage... Bummer that it didn't get totalled. Hopefully you have some really good shops up there.

Yeah, the doors opened-closed fine; when I talk about the frame in this case, I mean the stuff behind/above the steel rear bumper. The bumper mounting points were definitely bent in. As I understand, that's a part of the frame, not sure how it is repaired - pulled back out somehow? Pr, maybe the rear section of the frame is replaceable?

Anyway, from talking on the phone with one of the guys from the body shop, I hear that the insurance estimate is very much ballpark. It's impossible to tell what's the actual damage without disassembly.

Yeah without taking it apart it's impossible to see what really happened underneath. There is still hope... heh

Body shop estimated damage at $11,100.
The frame has been pushed down very slightly, some millimeters, according to the tech that's completely repairable.
They'll be replacing the right rear quarter panel and will be repairing the rear left one.
The rear end will be all new - bumper, trunk, trunk floor, taillight brackets.
The hitch survived without damage. Exhaust is bent.

Repairs should take about 4 weeks from now.

Just to clarify/confirm: $11k is not enough to total a car in Washington.