First wreck

I recently had some paint damage from a parking lot fender bender fixed, and I had a loaner car for the day. I had to relearn how to drive a non-Prius car. What a pain! I was so glad to get Madeleine back at the end of the day.

 

I too have had my first mishap. Stopped at a red light. Felt a jolt. The lady behind me either didn't notice the line of stopped cars soon enough or was stopping and got distracted and didn't stop fast enough.

I now have one round impression and one 1/2" hole in my rear bumper. Her license plate was held on with acorn nuts on the OUTSIDE. Nice battering ram.

I doubt she could have been moving more than 2 or 3 MPH when she hit me. Her adjuster is supposed to look at it next week. I wonder how cheap they will try to go. Given the car is only 3 months old, I'm not real interested in a patch job or after market skin.

 

It only takes 2 or 3 MPH to do major damage to a bumper.
Read this regarding bumper damage caused by slow impacts.
http://www.autosite.com/garage/repairqa/ques141.asp

Not sure about Vermont law, but here in California the insurance company can not demand where to get your car repaired. So, prior to meeting with their adjustor - who gets paid for minimizing payouts from their company - go get an estimate, from a repair shop with a good reputation, so you have some ammunition if their adjustor tries to lowball you. Your Prii, being less than four months old, is basically a new car. Demand a new OEM bumper if there is internal damage!

P.S. Wash your car before the adjustor sees it. It makes a psychological difference in their mind if they see that you take care of your car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy\";p=\"61071)</div>

Hmmm, now THAT would be a PITA. Lose the car for a day while they evaluate it (assuming they have to take the bumper off to do a decent job) then another day to repair. I had figured just to get a quote for putting on a new OEM cover. Maybe they can tell something using a flashlight and looking in the 1/2" hole in the cover.

My thoughts exactly. I get a new car every 9 or 10 years, it should be NEW for at least a short while!

Never thought of that. Thanks, good idea.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius\";p=\"61065)</div>

Not the same thing. The 'official' name for that big hunk of color matched plastic we call a bumper is "bumper cover". Then there is all the styrofoam, metal and plastic innards under the cover that presumably take the shock. I think that is the actual 'bumper'.

 

OK, went to my favorite body shop: $750 - new OEM cover, paint and labor to color match, OEM bumper protector thingy, new styrofoam inside. Of course they could pull the cover off and find the styrofoam is OK. The actual unpainted cover is only $185, another $100 for paint and supplies, an hour to paint it. So about $350 just to get a cover the right color.

The insurance adjuster came by today. I mentioned how it kinda sucked to have my 3 month old car hit (make sure he knows it is too new to go cheap). He said he once got hit leaving the dealer's lot in a new car. Now THAT sucks!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(heliotropehead\";p=\"61640)</div>

That would be why you need a new bumper. The brake pedal is horizontal, the accelerator is vertical.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

Good price for the bumper cover, though I had read in New Car info that Toyota used less expensive materials for the cover to minimize repair costs. The spoiler cost me $300 unpainted.