FR-Sandwhich: Total or not total?

[Joshwahhhs]

They are the USDM Buddyclub tail lights so I'm pretty sure it's DOT approved. The guy already admitted to it being his fault.

[evomike]

Originally Posted by MokSpeed

It's safe to assume the airbag components themselves account for ~$4,000.

no that is way high, this car is repairable if it is deemed not your fault you should file a diminished value claim.

[spitfire481]

probably like 50% threshold. so no, not totaled. people need to stop thinking that a car will total because a bag went off. we replace airbags, modules, clock springs, tensioners daily at my shop

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by spitfire481

probably like 50% threshold. so no, not totaled.

California is a TLF state. There is no percentage threshold. Whether it's totaled depends on whether the cost of the repair plus the salvage value is greater than the pre-accident cash value of the car.

For example, if that car was worth $18K and the salvage value is $10K, the damage would have to exceed $8K to be totaled. I'm just pulling the salvage value out of the air. It could be more or less than that, but from what we've seen on the board here the salvage values tend to be pretty high for these cars, making them more likely to be totaled in TLF states.

So OP is going to have to wait to see what the claims adjuster says. It's very easy for people to be wrong when they just look at pictures posted on the board.

[spitfire481]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

California is a TLF state. There is no percentage threshold. Whether it's totaled depends on whether the cost of the repair plus the salvage value is greater than the pre-accident cash value of the car.

For example, if that car was worth $18K and the salvage value is $10K, the damage would have to exceed $8K to be totaled. I'm just pulling the salvage value out of the air. It could be more or less than that, but from what we've seen on the board here the salvage values tend to be pretty high for these cars, making them more likely to be totaled in TLF states.

So OP is going to have to wait to see what the claims adjuster says. It's very easy for people to be wrong when they just look at pictures posted on the board.

you learned me something lol. we don't play by those rules around here. its 75% of value in MD

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by spitfire481

you learned me something lol. we don't play by those rules around here. its 75% of value in MD

Here's a pretty decent article that lists the loss thresholds by state. They vary from 50% in Iowa to 100% in Texas, and then you have a bunch of total loss formula (TLF) states that use the formula I mentioned above.

When is A Vehicle Considered a Total Loss?

That variation is one of the reasons we see people get into arguments on here about whether a car is totaled. A car that will be totaled in one state may not be in another, and people make snap judgments based on where they are rather than the rules in the state where the vehicle is located.

[Turbo95eg6]

That is one sandwich I will not devour

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Joshwahhhs

They are the USDM Buddyclub tail lights so I'm pretty sure it's DOT approved.

By the way, just to clarify: There's no such thing as "DOT approved" or "DOT certified." The US Department of Transportation does not test or approve lighting. They merely publish a set of minimum acceptable standards in FMVSS 108, which in large part quotes SAE standards. Aftermarket lighting manufacturers self-certify that they are DOT compliant and meet those federal standards.

It doesn't take much for a tail light to be DOT compliant. It has to have at least 5 square centimeters of lighted lens area and has to meet a minimum candlepower output measured at 10 feet. If you can see it in the daylight (which you clearly can in the pics above), it almost certainly meets the brightness threshold. It also has to have a side marker lamp, the lack of which is what usually disqualifies the JDM versions of the aftermarket tails for our cars.

That doesn't mean that a stupidass cop won't pull you over and give you shit about your "illegal" tails, and it also doesn't stop a state from making up its own stupid laws. But in those cases DOT compliance has nothing to do with it. It's not likely that it will come up in an insurance matter either way.

[NWFRS]

Originally Posted by Joshwahhhs

They are the USDM Buddyclub tail lights so I'm pretty sure it's DOT approved. The guy already admitted to it being his fault.

I stand corrected.

They looked really dark and I made an assumption.

Glad it won't be an issue. Hopefully it all works out. Keep us posted...

[calmtigers]

What is the deal with no license plates in LA? Noticed this a lot

[bigred010]

this car looks totaled. Once airbags go off, say good buy to the value of the car. from the pics, the rear bumper doesn't look terrible, but there might be some underlying issues we're not seeing. make sure you take this car to a proper auto body shop and have them remove the bumper to check for further damage. had an accident like this before and the adjuster didn't even take off the bumper. lucky for me, my room-mates' brother was an adjuster at another bodyshop and when i brought it to him, he found more damage after removing the bumper. GL

[BlackJesus]

You have to considered that the 86 is very fragile. My accident doesn't look so bad until you get into the engine bay. Total repair was 15k due to paint and bent frames on the side even though the car was hit from the front. Check the frame for bending. Especially the around the door area.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by BlackJesus

You have to considered that the 86 is very fragile. My accident doesn't look so bad until you get into the engine bay. Total repair was 15k due to paint and bent frames on the side even though the car was hit from the front. Check the frame for bending. Especially the around the door area.

Not "fragile". Well designed. Those crumple zones save lives. Look at it as your car sacrificing it's self to keep you and your passengers alive.

[BlackJesus]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Not "fragile". Well designed. Those crumple zones save lives. Look at it as your car sacrificing it's self to keep you and your passengers alive.

That's true but it still can't take a hit lol. A wild shopping cart dented my fender.