Front End Damage - How Screwed Am I?

[CardFan]

Cruising down the interstate today headed to a volunteer event with work, and the car in front of me starts breaking heavily. Next thing I know they swerve hard left into the grass median, and a large truck tire is rolling straight at me. Not that I had much time to choose, but I knew traffic was on my right and I wasn't ready to hit the grass, so I hit the tire head on.




Got the lower bumper snapped back in place.

AC Condenser was punctured.



Slight damage to both headlights.

KBB shows it's worth around $5k for private party value. It was assessed at $4k on my registration from January. Is there a good chance it may be totaled? Just wondering if I need to start looking.

[itsmatt33]

its totaled

oem hood
oem front bumper
oem grilles
headlights repair or replace
fender damage?
ac condenser

the body panels and paint alone will be nearly 4k or more

[f0reignfeatures]

Insurance will definitely declare it a total loss as the cost to fix would be more than 50% of the car's value.

Hopefully you have receipts of recent service/parts/add-ons as that will help them bump up the value of the car when they appraise and settle with you (i.e. write you a check, given that you had full coverage). You then have the option of buying the car back from your insurance company for dirt cheap, the cost of which will be taken out of the check they give you.

If you're up for it, find the parts you need from the scrap yard & forums, fix it up and you'll be coming out on top.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[B6_A4_Kid]

Check buy back price. It may be worth buying it back for cheap and parting it out.

[5ktq]

or buy it back and put on parts from a part car, if you love it

[B6_A4_Kid]

or buy it back and put on parts from a part car, if you love it

True. You can get used parts that could potentially be the same color if your patient. Then no paint expense, and pretty cheap.

[JustManson]

Strip what you have in the car that's aftermarket and put back any OEM parts you can. Then call your insurance and have them do an assessment. Last 6 months of any major maintenance or service that was done should be able to get some money back. Then once you get a total loss claim you need to ask yourself if you want to take the money and run or get a reduced payment ... mine was a $900 difference to take the car back or have them scrap it.... I scraped mine.

The problem with parting out a car is you need to have a market to sell those parts. Although this community is large and I'm sure something's will sell quickly. How long is it really going to take you personally to strip and sell the items? For me $900 less and the aggravation of dealing with all that work didn't cut it.

Best of luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[CardFan]

Heard back from the body shop. Looks like they could work with me and keep it right at the total value to fix it if I make some concessions. Not sure i want to go that route, but they can easily total it out also, if I want to go that direction. Any suggestions dealing with state farm if I let them total it. I called and asked a few questions about the process and they wouldn't tell me anything at this point, had to be declared totaled first.

[PreciseD]

Heard back from the body shop. Looks like they could work with me and keep it right at the total value to fix it if I make some concessions. Not sure i want to go that route, but they can easily total it out also, if I want to go that direction. Any suggestions dealing with state farm if I let them total it. I called and asked a few questions about the process and they wouldn't tell me anything at this point, had to be declared totaled first.

Do that and get the check and fix yourself. Pocket some change and have your car back without totalling it... It's a win win...

[JustManson]

If they declare it's a total loss you'll have a lot of work in front of you and a salvage title to attempt to restore in front of you too. Not sure what state your in, but in CT the process at the DMV to bring a salvage titled car back on the road isn't pleasant.

You really need to decide if it's worth it to you to do all that extra work or to walk away with a check and start over.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[Nollywood]

If they declare it's a total loss you'll have a lot of work in front of you and a salvage title to attempt to restore in front of you too. Not sure what state your in, but in CT the process at the DMV to bring a salvage titled car back on the road isn't pleasant.

You really need to decide if it's worth it to you to do all that extra work or to walk away with a check and start over.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

Best advise here. I personally would grab the check, and walk away. It's a mainstream car, a regular B6, not a rare specimen.

[Seerlah]

^To add to that, CL ads can have you pick up a replacement for cheap. Use that extra cash to bring vehicle back to spec with maintenance...and still possibly have extra cash end of the day. Win-Win-Win!

And now you know the damage a semi-tire can do even when a car is stationary, let alone moving towards it. They can kill people by the impact. People use just the rubber for fitness purposes. Then couple that with a wheel that is used and built with purpose to not only pass DOT stringent criterion, but also effectiveness on the vehicle it is being used on. Guy that went into the grass knew what was heading towards him. Exact position you are in now. My suggestion on route to take follows that of Nollywood. Best of luck!

PS: By the looks of the damage that was a large tire...but I seem incorrect on my claim of calling it a semi-tire. Semi-tire would have demolished your car and quite possibly would have placed you in the hospital. I seen videos of what they do to parked cars...but Germans make some stout cars (safe) and hard to compare to a tin can. Main reason I want to always stick with German from now on. I am just about guaranteed to survive any accident with injuries I can recuperate from. Can't say the same thing about other's with the same vote of confidence.

[diagnosticator]

Although comments from others recommending accepting a check and starting over have merit, an alternative way to receive compensation is worth considering also, IMO. Requiring your time and actions to pursue, if you can determine what truck lost the wheel, they are responsible for the total cost of the damage it caused. Going after the responsible party would not have limitations of coverage that exist using your insurance. I don't believe the trucking Co would have any legal basis for claiming repair cost vs pre-damaged/present value. You would have the superior position while negotiating the compensation payment agreement.

Considering the circumstances, did you call 911 to report the incident after it happened? Inquiring with the State Troupers seeking any records/reports of a truck loosing a wheel in your area/highway could provide information you need to pursue the responsible trucking Co, as one possible route to discovery. Since other car/s where involved with the same incident, it is reasonable to think someone may have called 911 about it. If someone else involved and/or observed what happened, and possibly also the wheel hitting your car, and called 911, right now, you are an unidentified damaged party of the "accident".

....PS: By the looks of the damage that was a large tire...but I seem incorrect on my claim of calling it a semi-tire. Semi-tire would have demolished your car and quite possibly would have placed you in the hospital. I seen videos of what they do to parked cars...but Germans make some stout cars (safe) and hard to compare to a tin can. Main reason I want to always stick with German from now on. I am just about guaranteed to survive any accident with injuries I can recuperate from. Can't say the same thing about other's with the same vote of confidence.

Not as ambiguous, the term "semi-truck" wheel/tire is preferred.

The impact is effected by a lot of variables. For example, (unordered) the weight/size of the wheel, the structure of the car at the point of impact, the sum of the car vector* and the wheel vector, the force/area of the impact and the effect from the wheel's bounce off the road surface occurring just before the time of impact, (a component of the wheel vector,) and other factors, determine the severity of the collision.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_space

[hightime80]

A bit off topic. But cheer up OP.
LaMar Jackson just pulled your team out from a certain defeat by UVA today. Hand him the heisman!

[CardFan]

Although comments from others recommending accepting a check and starting over have merit, an alternative way to receive compensation is worth considering also, IMO. Requiring your time and actions to pursue, if you can determine what truck lost the wheel, they are responsible for the total cost of the damage it caused. Going after the responsible party would not have limitations of coverage that exist using your insurance. I don't believe the trucking Co would have any legal basis for claiming repair cost vs pre-damaged/present value. You would have the superior position while negotiating the compensation payment agreement.

Considering the circumstances, did you call 911 to report the incident after it happened? Inquiring with the State Troupers seeking any records/reports of a truck loosing a wheel in your area/highway could provide information you need to pursue the responsible trucking Co, as one possible route to discovery. Since other car/s where involved with the same incident, it is reasonable to think someone may have called 911 about it. If someone else involved and/or observed what happened, and possibly also the wheel hitting your car, and called 911, right now, you are an unidentified damaged party of the "accident".




Not as ambiguous, the term "semi-truck" wheel/tire is preferred.

The impact is effected by a lot of variables. For example, (unordered) the weight/size of the wheel, the structure of the car at the point of impact, the sum of the car vector* and the wheel vector, the force/area of the impact and the effect from the wheel's bounce off the road surface occurring just before the time of impact, (a component of the wheel vector,) and other factors, determine the severity of the collision.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_space

The tire was not mounted to a rim, it was just the rubber. I actually kept driving, partially not sure how bad the damage was, and partially looking for the perpetrator. No one was pulled over and there were no trucks/etc. in front of me that looked like they had been carrying a tire. So I didn't end up calling it in. Probably should have in hindsight. Maybe I'll still make a call to see.

A bit off topic. But cheer up OP.
LaMar Jackson just pulled your team out from a certain defeat by UVA today. Hand him the heisman!

Haha! That is true, great last drive.

[Seerlah]

Diagnostictor, I am from a different demographic I will go on the assumption that can be viewed by someone such as yourself would try and break down to decipher, and not understand. For example...an ebonical formation of words (pun) that you totally missed, and yet my grammar is placed together more proper than those with college degrees...or a high school diploma (still in field that I am liable to make 6 figures in after taxes). Thanks for making a stereotype that much more validated!

And just visit youtube to see if what I said was false or not. Pretty sure they will have enough "real life" footage to prove or disprove.

Edit: Case and point. I did not read the post above till I was off the toilet seat, where I also responded from (true story!). That was damage from a non-inflated tire with missing wheel. So...I digress, but not before stories for OP on how situation could have been way worse. Look on the brighter end. Example on how to source a proper legal route also in link below, per diagnosticator's suggestion.

And the power of Google strikes again (see something interesting by pressing the Video or Image options top of Google page):

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...wheel+accident

[diagnosticator]

^To add to that, CL ads can have you pick up a replacement for cheap. Use that extra cash to bring vehicle back to spec with maintenance...and still possibly have extra cash end of the day. Win-Win-Win!

And now you know the damage a semi-tire can do even when a car is stationary, let alone moving towards it. They can kill people by the impact. People use just the rubber for fitness purposes. Then couple that with a wheel that is used and built with purpose to not only pass DOT stringent criterion, but also effectiveness on the vehicle it is being used on. Guy that went into the grass knew what was heading towards him. Exact position you are in now. My suggestion on route to take follows that of Nollywood. Best of luck!

PS: By the looks of the damage that was a large tire...but I seem incorrect on my claim of calling it a semi-tire. Semi-tire would have demolished your car and quite possibly would have placed you in the hospital. I seen videos of what they do to parked cars...but Germans make some stout cars (safe) and hard to compare to a tin can. Main reason I want to always stick with German from now on. I am just about guaranteed to survive any accident with injuries I can recuperate from. Can't say the same thing about other's with the same vote of confidence.

Diagnostictor, I am from a different demographic I will go on the assumption that can be viewed by someone such as yourself would try and break down to decipher (ie seen first murder at 17 maybe 10 ft from me), and not understand. For example...an ebonical formation of words (pun) that you totally missed, and yet my grammar is placed together more proper than those with college degrees...or a high school diploma (still in field that I am liable to make 6 figures in after taxes). Thanks for making a stereotype that much more validated!

And just visit youtube to see if what I said was false or not. Pretty sure they will have enough "real life" footage to prove or disprove your scientific analysis. Or that of another's...like the planet Pluto (now a space marshmallow or whatever it is. oh...I don't really care. pretty sure that is what it is). So...I digress, like usual.

Edit: Case and point. I did not read the post above till I was off the toilet seat, where I also responded from (true story!). That was damage from a non-inflated tire with missing wheel. So...I digress, but not before stories for OP on how situation could have been way worse. Look on the brighter end. Example on how to source a proper legal route also in link below, per diagnosticator's suggestion.

And the power of Google strikes again (see something interesting by pressing the Video or Image options top of Google page):

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...wheel+accident

I hold little merit to many things in life. If you read my response (diagnisticator) before modifying it (this is second point and case, for those who did not read the first one. I am going on the assumption he read the first and posted no response because what was posted was credible, and he responded to other posts yet none to my rebuttal. and first one being much more rude with credible facts, depending on perspective, coupled with sincere apologies and reasoning for being rude...and yet the post basically adding to yet another stereotype is still up as if it can't be removed?!?! third time's a charm, as they say), then you can understand a small portion as to why. As for Wikipedia...this is something I corrected maybe two weeks ago. Quoted below is all that was there. Arrogant is an understatement. So, I digressed but not before stating the truth of the matter. One example!





Then examples after it not placed by me, but person who wrote that.

This is what it read now, if interested (realized a grammatical error): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaid

And that too will be changed soon...yet truth is up for those who may stumble upon it in the meantime. Hence...case and point! For every theory out there, there will be another theory that challenges it. So which one is correct? Or is that statement even true? Another example of the sun...which is a super nova...or a star. Yeah? Like Pluto was a planet? Yet...I don't know of any other "star" that I need to produce natural vitamins from besides this indigenous celestial bounty that the earth needs to survive...and everything on it. The kicker...I digress!

Earth's demographic changes all the time and so will theories. For example North Pole will soon be usable land, water melting may do something like cleanse the Ganjis River (which they so badly need), and that land can cure a lot of the world's population crisis. America greatest nation?!?! History proves they all share the same fate. USA will be no different. So, who knows what is to become. And yet, Russia has their flag up right now (over a year) and nobody stepped up to challenge them. Suspect Russia of cyber bullying? They own f*cking Google! I'm on Chrome right now. No sh*t it's them with their flag up at North Pole, fighting a war that the US is supposed to be fighting, and watching presidential debates where candidates can't even shake hands after each debate. The whole world is watching who is going to be "Leader of the Free World". It's a f*cking joke, like big children. So...I digress.

But back to the North Pole (oh, this is going to happen and your progeny are the ones who are will be living through it). Empires more times than less always expanded (this is an imperialistic Christian nation still fighting the Crusades...in case anybody was wondering what we are really doing over there when we have oil reserve in Alaska to sustain America for 500 years. longest war to date with no end to it written in history...because it never did. now Israel joined the club. so...I digress again) with the cost being a man, woman child, or true originality to that land such as landscape and other living beings. In America a bird's life is more valuable than you or the ones you love...like your pet dog or cat that got snatched up and you can do absolutely nothing about it (case and point...so I digress again). Nomads adapt to society and don't make society adapt to them. And the beliefs that come along with that creation of mankind eludes them to the truth...like how something as small as a tick can kill you. Yet...I digress again.

Back to the point. With the North Pole melting that land is unoccupied. That means that soon to be usable land can be taken over and claimed well before the Earth proves her majesty and grants life like green pastures (this is Earth...don't blame global warming even though it does exist. like Antarctica used to be a tropical paradise...it was going to happen anyways. And people claim they are from earth. get real!). And from that more life stems forth (not going to get into this one). But the kicker. That land that will soon be something that I have no idea of. And...no original inhabitants of that land will be killed for property...because nobody f*cking lives there. Polar bears and seals. Anything else (real question)? Oh...can't forget the Penguins. Or is that the South Pole only, and penguins can't make the voyage to the North Pole because of everything in between. Questions that go through my mind (as I'm writing this)...and what I am about to research (just researched it...only in the South Pole...like I originally...I digress). Brain is a muscle...exercise it. Einstein did! There is quite possibly (I'm saying this with both sarcasm and skepticism) people who can talk, think, listen, work, and do so much more at the same time. So...what is simple minded? Simple minded belief that one is not capable of human qualities...yet people believe Einstein used a rather large portion of his brain that many say is the subliminal section. So they can or can't? Then will believing in Einstein theories or his human quality of simply exercising his mind by thinking...I digress, but not before just giving one example. I am asking questions I know the answer(s) to, and quite frankly give two f*cks about. Mind cleared!

If case and point was not proven yet...fuck the vector theory!!! Or for more cordial manners, I don't give much merit to many things in life. See my screen name?

Seerlah
Seer Lah
Seer does not mean "to predict" as most dictionaries would define it as.
Now...what does Lah mean?

So..I digress once again. And if anybody made it this far, kudos to you. You just learned truth by not being lazy, arrogant, ignorant, or dare I say...I digress!!! And like Inspector Gadget, the content of this post will be removed some time today .

Up this late because Halloween party night. Post will be modified (simplified with relevance dismissed aka erased aka deleted aka...that is a very cool acronym now that I really take a look at it. ha) once I wake up!

I only meant to help. I don't understand what you are saying here. No offense intended. Damn I can't post anything anymore without someone getting butt hurt about it.

[naysay15]

Diagnostictor, I am from a different demographic I will go on the assumption that can be viewed by someone such as yourself would try and break down to decipher (ie seen first murder at 17 maybe 10 ft from me), and not understand. For example...an ebonical formation of words (pun) that you totally missed, and yet my grammar is placed together more proper than those with college degrees...or a high school diploma (still in field that I am liable to make 6 figures in after taxes). Thanks for making a stereotype that much more validated!

And just visit youtube to see if what I said was false or not. Pretty sure they will have enough "real life" footage to prove or disprove your scientific analysis. Or that of another's...like the planet Pluto (now a space marshmallow or whatever it is. oh...I don't really care. pretty sure that is what it is). So...I digress, like usual.

Edit: Case and point. I did not read the post above till I was off the toilet seat, where I also responded from (true story!). That was damage from a non-inflated tire with missing wheel. So...I digress, but not before stories for OP on how situation could have been way worse. Look on the brighter end. Example on how to source a proper legal route also in link below, per diagnosticator's suggestion.

And the power of Google strikes again (see something interesting by pressing the Video or Image options top of Google page):

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...wheel+accident

I hold little merit to many things in life. If you read my response (diagnisticator) before modifying it (this is second point and case, for those who did not read the first one. I am going on the assumption he read the first and posted no response because what was posted was credible, and he responded to other posts yet none to my rebuttal. and first one being much more rude with credible facts, depending on perspective, coupled with sincere apologies and reasoning for being rude...and yet the post basically adding to yet another stereotype is still up as if it can't be removed?!?! third time's a charm, as they say), then you can understand a small portion as to why. As for Wikipedia...this is something I corrected maybe two weeks ago. Quoted below is all that was there. Arrogant is an understatement. So, I digressed but not before stating the truth of the matter. One example!





Then examples after it not placed by me, but person who wrote that.

This is what it read now, if interested (realized a grammatical error): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaid

And that too will be changed soon...yet truth is up for those who may stumble upon it in the meantime. Hence...case and point! For every theory out there, there will be another theory that challenges it. So which one is correct? Or is that statement even true? Another example of the sun...which is a super nova...or a star. Yeah? Like Pluto was a planet? Yet...I don't know of any other "star" that I need to produce natural vitamins from besides this indigenous celestial bounty that the earth needs to survive...and everything on it. The kicker...I digress!

Earth's demographic changes all the time and so will theories. For example North Pole will soon be usable land, water melting may do something like cleanse the Ganjis River (which they so badly need), and that land can cure a lot of the world's population crisis. America greatest nation?!?! History proves they all share the same fate. USA will be no different. So, who knows what is to become. And yet, Russia has their flag up right now (over a year) and nobody stepped up to challenge them. Suspect Russia of cyber bullying? They own f*cking Google! I'm on Chrome right now. No sh*t it's them with their flag up at North Pole, fighting a war that the US is supposed to be fighting, and watching presidential debates where candidates can't even shake hands after each debate. The whole world is watching who is going to be "Leader of the Free World". It's a f*cking joke, like big children. So...I digress.

But back to the North Pole (oh, this is going to happen and your progeny are the ones who are will be living through it). Empires more times than less always expanded (this is an imperialistic Christian nation still fighting the Crusades...in case anybody was wondering what we are really doing over there when we have oil reserve in Alaska to sustain America for 500 years. longest war to date with no end to it written in history...because it never did. now Israel joined the club. so...I digress again) with the cost being a man, woman child, or true originality to that land such as landscape and other living beings. In America a bird's life is more valuable than you or the ones you love...like your pet dog or cat that got snatched up and you can do absolutely nothing about it (case and point...so I digress again). Nomads adapt to society and don't make society adapt to them. And the beliefs that come along with that creation of mankind eludes them to the truth...like how something as small as a tick can kill you. Yet...I digress again.

Back to the point. With the North Pole melting that land is unoccupied. That means that soon to be usable land can be taken over and claimed well before the Earth proves her majesty and grants life like green pastures (this is Earth...don't blame global warming even though it does exist. like Antarctica used to be a tropical paradise...it was going to happen anyways. And people claim they are from earth. get real!). And from that more life stems forth (not going to get into this one). But the kicker. That land that will soon be something that I have no idea of. And...no original inhabitants of that land will be killed for property...because nobody f*cking lives there. Polar bears and seals. Anything else (real question)? Oh...can't forget the Penguins. Or is that the South Pole only, and penguins can't make the voyage to the North Pole because of everything in between. Questions that go through my mind (as I'm writing this)...and what I am about to research (just researched it...only in the South Pole...like I originally...I digress). Brain is a muscle...exercise it. Einstein did! There is quite possibly (I'm saying this with both sarcasm and skepticism) people who can talk, think, listen, work, and do so much more at the same time. So...what is simple minded? Simple minded belief that one is not capable of human qualities...yet people believe Einstein used a rather large portion of his brain that many say is the subliminal section. So they can or can't? Then will believing in Einstein theories or his human quality of simply exercising his mind by thinking...I digress, but not before just giving one example. I am asking questions I know the answer(s) to, and quite frankly give two f*cks about. Mind cleared!

If case and point was not proven yet...fuck the vector theory!!! Or for more cordial manners, I don't give much merit to many things in life. See my screen name?

Seerlah
Seer Lah
Seer does not mean "to predict" as most dictionaries would define it as.
Now...what does Lah mean?

So..I digress once again. And if anybody made it this far, kudos to you. You just learned truth by not being lazy, arrogant, ignorant, or dare I say...I digress!!! And like Inspector Gadget, the content of this post will be removed some time today .

Up this late because Halloween party night. Post will be modified (simplified with relevance dismissed aka erased aka deleted aka...that is a very cool acronym now that I really take a look at it. ha) once I wake up!

Wtf did I just read? I thought this thread was about some front-end carnage....not some wanna be pseudo intellect going on a pointless rant about north pole and santa claus lol.
Take your psych meds and stay on topic little buddy. If you have problems with diagnosticator take it to PMs. The rest of us dont want nor care to read your rant just because you are bipolar.

[Seerlah]

The world is full of idiots, and you just proved it. A contributing factor...but just stating the obvious. Thanks for quoting, now it is going to stay. Do yourself and me a favor, live a useless life and die. Oh...that was inevitable. Moving on! Reading comprehension 101. And how you are located from a place that's called Thrust. Hahaha

Post answered by my initial post, even helped OP by showing him how to seek legal advice (and how it could have been much worse) per dagnosticator's advice, he talks about the vector theory, and yet I'm the one who can't stay on track?!?! If you can't see where I was taking it, Einstein, theories have a base, control, variable, etc. It is that variable others build challenging theories off of. Battle of the real intellects, if you will. What I was getting at was the vector theory has it's time and place...but this is not one of them. Runaway tires do damage...period!

And you still have my respect diagnosticator. You are too old and helpful to have that phrase bother me, coming from you.

[naysay15]

The world is full of CRAZY idiots, and I m one of them

[Seerlah]

Not even worth my time. Diagnosticator is. OP has everything he needs to know in the first couple posts, ending in diagnosticator's initial post. On safaris, they say don't feed the animals. This is now a hot chick thread...