Auto body repair cost?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by bonniemattingly, Mar 6, 2010.

  1. bonniemattingly

    bonniemattingly New Member

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    I was in a multiple vehicle collision last night. Other cars and drivers have it worse than me - one driver actually had a heart attack - and since according to the adjuster, the responsible party might not have picked a liability amount high enough to cover us all, I may be looking at eating part of the repair cost myself. I know for sure that my car isn't totalled and is driveable since I drove it to the shoulder after impact and saw towing people drive it today so they could access a car behind mine in the lot. My damage is primarily rear center from where I was hit and minor front center from where my car was pushed into another. Here is a general list of what MUST be done - I am not looking at scratches and minor dents right now:

    a new hood, possibly new hinges

    new rear bumper - the cover, absorber and bumper itself

    new rear driver's side panel - the one the gas cap is at.

    When the bumper bent inwards in a "v" shape, the spare tire is actually what stopped the damage. Spare tire is completely compromised, so is the compartment it was located in. Hatch door okay, but won't lock solely due to damage from the floor of the trunk due to the bumper caving inwards.

    I know I'm not getting an exact figure here, but can anyone tell if this sounds above or below $5000?

    And if there are minor scratches and dents on every single panel except (inexplicably) the hatch door, any idea if that might go above or below $2000? The dents are really minor and should pop out. None of the panels except the one I mentioned need to be replaced. This I can wait on if I have to, since it's purely cosmetic.

    Any ideas from anyone are appreciated!
     
    #1 bonniemattingly, Mar 6, 2010
  2. eaglesight333

    eaglesight333 Senior Member

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    If you can. Get yourself a lawyer, and dont sign anything from the other insurance company. Only reason I suggest that, is that you shouldnt be forced to eat the cost on what the other driver did. If you sign something from the other insurance company, you could be cheating yourself out of a complete repair from them.

    Otherwise, without seeing photos I can only guess, but it sound like it is going to above $5000. Because you dont know what other damage underneath the shell there could be.
     
    #2 eaglesight333, Mar 6, 2010
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    This sounds more like a $10K+ repair.
     
    #3 Patrick Wong, Mar 6, 2010
  4. geognerd

    geognerd Junior Member

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    When I hit a gate with the front of my car, the grille had broken elements and one headlamp was scuffed. Just cosmetic damage, but since the car was only a year old, I had this repaired by my insurance. New front bumper/grille, new right headlamp assembly (insurance wanted used, I paid $8 extra for a new one), and repainting of the hood cost like $1200. This was a couple of years ago, so I can't find the paperwork or remember the exact cost. Anyway, my repairs were fairly minor compared to yours, so I think you will be looking at repairs over $5000.
     
    #4 geognerd, Mar 7, 2010
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  5. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    I second Patrick's response and wouldn't be surprised if it were higher. If you have high milage for your model year you could be looking at a totaled car.

    In my experience insurance companies will tend to total cars with much less damage than you would think, you must reminder their goal is to minimize their total $$ outlay so their administrative costs that you don't see play into the equation. Many times its cheaper for them to pay you off and sell the car at auction to recoup as much money as they can, while eliminating the headache of the repair, rental costs and the unknowns that simply can't be know until a car is actually disassembled for repair.

    Good luck and keep us posted on your experience.
     
    #5 bikr357, Mar 7, 2010
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  6. bonniemattingly

    bonniemattingly New Member

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    #6 bonniemattingly, Mar 7, 2010
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