Just got rear-ended. How bad is this damage?

The good thing with them totalling it is you can ask for a buy back bid and it always incredibly cheap. I'm talking like $1500. The insurance companies don't want to pay to store it and auction it they would rather unload it right now. They will give you a pay out minus the money you agreed to buy it back for. It's a huge win. Also the title won't get marked salvage because it never leaves your possession/name.
 
  • Like
Reactions: skrelnik
The good thing with them totalling it is you can ask for a buy back bid and it always incredibly cheap. I'm talking like $1500. The insurance companies don't want to pay to store it and auction it they would rather unload it right now. They will give you a pay out minus the money you agreed to buy it back for. It's a huge win. Also the title won't get marked salvage because it never leaves your possession/name.
I am not sure about that, it should have a salvage title due to them declaring it a total loss. It will have to be fixed properly and a new title issued when fixed. Still probably the way to go if you are keeping it.
 
The good thing with them totalling it is you can ask for a buy back bid and it always incredibly cheap. I'm talking like $1500. The insurance companies don't want to pay to store it and auction it they would rather unload it right now. They will give you a pay out minus the money you agreed to buy it back for. It's a huge win. Also the title won't get marked salvage because it never leaves your possession/name.

Hmm,

So, when does it get marked salvaged, when I do decide to sell it? Like someone buys it from me, they look at the title and it says clean, but when they get their own it is marked salvaged? In any case I am keeping this one. Runs great, strong engine and last time coming from Vegas back to LA I got 19.2 MPG. No leaks, no rust, very clean!
 
I'm talking from experience. Did it once with my sisters wrangler and once with a car of mine. Friends of mine have as well. Kind of a well-known thing in my circle of repairable car friends. I'm in Minnesota not sure how it is elsewhere i guess. We've had salvage titles here since 93.
 
Hmm,

So, when does it get marked salvaged, when I do decide to sell it? Like someone buys it from me, they look at the title and it says clean, but when they get their own it is marked salvaged? In any case I am keeping this one. Runs great, strong engine and last time coming from Vegas back to LA I got 19.2 MPG. No leaks, no rust, very clean!
I would then push for the most amount of money from the insurance company, buy it "totaled" from them cheap. Then take it to another body shop to get estimates as a cash job. If the body shop deals directly or knows how much you were paid they will max the bill to that amount. I just went through this with my 74 TR6, insurance paid out $6900 to me, I brought it to two reputable shops and one estimated $1800 to fix and the other $2100. Got way more done and still pocketed $3K. now on this one the insurance paid to have rear valence cut and new welded in, due the age on the car both shops recommended pulling to fix.
 
Just ask your insurance agent what the payout is with them totalaling it and what the buyback bid is so you can get it back. Remember everything's negotiable with insurance companies

Sure will, if that time comes.! Thanks

I would then push for the most amount of money from the insurance company, buy it "totaled" from them cheap. Then take it to another body shop to get estimates as a cash job. If the body shop deals directly or knows how much you were paid they will max the bill to that amount. I just went through this with my 74 TR6, insurance paid out $6900 to me, I brought it to two reputable shops and one estimated $1800 to fix and the other $2100. Got way more done and still pocketed $3K. now on this one the insurance paid to have rear valence cut and new welded in, due the age on the car both shops recommended pulling to fix.

The other body shop is not finding out anything at all. They will be quoting out of pocket and trust me I am a tough negotiator. :)
 
Great News!!!! My little red "Husky", that is what I call my Jeep is not going to be a total loss. The first estimate is a rough draft but only $1200 and the adjuster forgot to include the rear gate, but even with that added, it is not going to be more than 2K, which is way less than acceptable repair value :)))
Screen Shot 2018-10-05 at 1.10.09 PM.webp


I had no idea I cared about the Jeep so much until now. lol I guess I like it more than I will admit, or is it that I feel that way about all cars and trucks. I have not figured that one out yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Squatch
The good news is the frame is not twisted and is not bent. It is just the rear cross member and the gate. I added up the replacement parts (brand new to $300). Are they nuts? There is nothing to do there. I can re-weld the freaking cross member in a heart beat and change the bumper out and the gate and all will be done in one day, +1 to allow the paint to dry.

"All I wanna say is that, they don't really care about us!"

I'll tell you why! In many states insurance companies are getting away with making money on 'totalling' cars that they don't actually 'total' with the DMV. They basically buy it from the owner cheap then fix it cheap, then sell it as a clean title vehicle. This way they often break even on the claim and many times make a profit (like they would in your case).

Don't forget any days off work that this has caused....also depreciation because it's now wrecked and that will show up on Carfax and decrease it's value.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tigerman
Absolutely, I will ask around for a good body shop. Believe it or not, I have never dealt with body shops before. I had one accident before this in my 2011 FJ Cruiser but that one was totaled. Man I miss that truck...

Anyone form the LA area and can recommend a good place?
Where in the LA area? I was in Cypress (OC), and used a very good body shop there.
That's not terrible. You'll need a new tailgate and a little bit of work on the rear frame, but it's not bad.

A body shop should be able to fix that pretty easily.
That's not terrible. You'll need a new tailgate and a little bit of work on the rear frame, but it's not bad.

A body shop should be able to fix that pretty easily.

A bent bumper, and a bent tailgate. It for sure will need a new tailgate. As for the bumper... you wanted to upgrade it, didn't you? (How I got an upgraded rear bumper, but that's another story).

Make SURE that the body shop has a laser frame rack. The first thing, after they do the evaluation, is to make sure the frame is still in spec (been there, done that). After the frame is correct, then you can deal with the rest of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
My neck felt OK at first but actually it got stiffer and stiffer and shoulders and lower back as well, and now I can barely move my head side to side, hence my doc sent me to an MRI and chiropractor. I have pain lifting a weight with my left hand, luckily just a strain on the muscle and not a ligament torn. Overall I am good, I am sure it will be fine after the chiro... :)

I got rear ended in my Jeep a few years ago. Minimal damage to the Jeep, but it suffered a double hit. I was knocked forward on the first hit (cracked rib from the belt), then slammed back into the seat by the second hit. Broke the seat frame, and messed up my back. Took my back quack about 8-9 months to get it to the point where he said there was nothing else he could do to it. All on the other party's insurance company's dime.
 
You can fight that. I had a teacher whose son wrecked both sides of his '68 El Camino (put it in a ditch, then crossed over and put the other side in a ditch, as well). Insurance company tried to total it, and he fought like hell to prevent it. He won! I also had a car that was "totaled". I fought that, and won. You got this. Stand up for your TJ! :thumbsup:

My Taco was totaled. The initial impact only bent the heck out of the rear step bumper... it didn't even break the glass in the shell. But I was shoved forward into another vehicle (Truck? SUV? dunno, they took off), and the front end was wiped out. Insurance company totaled it... $4200 to repair, $4500 street value.
 
Last edited:
Great News!!!! My little red "Husky", that is what I call my Jeep is not going to be a total loss. The first estimate is a rough draft but only $1200 and the adjuster forgot to include the rear gate, but even with that added, it is not going to be more than 2K, which is way less than acceptable repair value :)))
View attachment 57910

I had no idea I cared about the Jeep so much until now. lol I guess I like it more than I will admit, or is it that I feel that way about all cars and trucks. I have not figured that one out yet.[/QUOTE

I would raise hell about that deductable. You were HIT, you are the victim here. Deductable is you pay to your insurance company. Since the other person caused the accident, their insurance company is responsible for the entire cost, and you do not have to pay any deductable.
 
I'll tell you why! In many states insurance companies are getting away with making money on 'totalling' cars that they don't actually 'total' with the DMV. They basically buy it from the owner cheap then fix it cheap, then sell it as a clean title vehicle. This way they often break even on the claim and many times make a profit (like they would in your case).

Don't forget any days off work that this has caused....also depreciation because it's now wrecked and that will show up on Carfax and decrease it's value.

What would you say the depreciation is on my Jeep? If you were the buyer...
 
Oh,

At some point I was thinking about seat risers but now I am not so sure (wanted better view, I am 5' 11). Just remembered I wanted to bring this up! The seat jumped back a notch and withstood some serious stress. Kinda like hitting the seat with a 200 pound hammer at 25 miles an hour.

For all of you guys who put seat risers, make sure it is very well secured. It can not be some kind of cheap plastic or something. You don't want that seat coming off in a crash. Now I understand why those bolts are so long.

Here is what I think is required to be safe for seat risers from the engineering point of view.
1. The seat risers should provide large, correctly shaped surface (no less than the bracket) of contact with the seat rail and the bottom of the tub.
2. The bolts must not be too stiff grade wise. You want the bolts to bend not break off.
3. The bolts should be lengthened at least by the amount of the seat risers height.

Cheers
 
I got some good news today :)

All the parts finally arrived at the body shop! I went there and inspected them. That was one of my conditions for giving them the job. They look great. Got the Mopar rear gate, Mopar cross member but a crown rear bumper. Now they will finally get to work and give me back my Jeep next week! Wohoo :)
 
Finally!

I got the Jeep back :) It looks great, actually it looks exactly like it was before the accident which is great (will post a picture a bit later).

I need your help with something though. How much do you think should the insurance company compensate for depreciation as a result of the accident? They usually ask for an expert evaluation, but according to my lawyer, they will accept your opinions the same since you are experts in a particular vehicle and represent the largest part of the potentials buyers.

Here are the details of the Jeep: 1998 4.0L Sport in Red with manual, 5sp transmission. Single family owned it before me, all service records from 1998 till now. LSD Dana 44 axle in the back and Dana 30 in the front. 143K miles. It is completely stock with full doors and a hardtop (also has the soft top), very clean inside out and in perfect condition. All replaced bushings, control arms etc are OEM or crown. The u-joins are moog and ball joints are spicer. There are no oil leaks or rust at all (100% California desert vehicle). No check engine lights or issues of any kind.

I would say it was worth a solid 9K before the accident, what do you think it is worth now?