wrecked my truck today.....

[zachzchw 5,000+ posts]

My wife and I were on our way to see my newborn nephew......Hit a patch of black ice, then proceeded to slide around the highway. We came within a couple feet of hitting one of the cement walls, and slid on two wheels about to roll over for a while.

Finally stopped when we slid into a ditch and slammed the back end into a fence.

Luckily noone was behind us on the highway, or we would probably be dead right now. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Neither one of us was hurt, but since my wife is 7 1/2 months pregnant, they took her to the hospital for observation. Everything is fine with both her and my daughter, she was released.

My truck (97 bravada) is pretty messed up. I just put new taillights in and taillight guards on this past Thursday, the lights are smashed, the guards are broken in half. The bumper is ripped off, the two side panels that line up with the bumper are gone. My exhaust pipe is ripped off the frame, and sitting on the tire. The impact of bouncing around in the ditch ripped my battery terminal out of the battery, so Im worried about my electrical system. The engine makes an odd knocking sound, too. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

Ive never been in a one car accident, had a couple questions for those of you who had.

1. How should I handle the insurance company? Should I just let them deal directly with a body shop, or should I get an estimate and a check from insurance and pay the body shop myself?

2. Any idea on normal turnaround time for body shops to repair extensive body damage?

3. Think my electrical system might be shot?

Click to read more...

 

[phantom240 5,000+ posts]

1. If you have the money to fix it, dont tell your insurance company. if ya gotta claim it, get some estimates first.

2 i have no idea, i do all bodywork myself

3 no...not unless you shorted across your ground... then still probably not.

 

[imaspaceguy90 10+ year member]

**** ifeel for ya mang, If it has to be repaired try to do most of the body work yourself, thats the easy stuff, the engine noise may have to do with your exhaust being smashed or unfortunatly if its rear wheel it may be the drive shaft. but i dont think its the engine itself.

 

[zachzchw 5,000+ posts]

Im thinking I should just get an estimate from a body shop and tell the insurance people to give me the check. Then my father in law and I can fix the body damage ourselves, and just pay to have the mechanical work done.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

that is gonna cost you a lot so i don't recommend paying for it yourself. i got rear ended in a 93 blazer, and a shop quoted me $1900 to replace basically a bumper and take out a dent in the tailgate. basically get an estimate and have them cut a check. your insurance rates will must likely go up

 

[zachzchw 5,000+ posts]

that is gonna cost you a lot so i don't recommend paying for it yourself. i got rear ended in a 93 blazer, and a shop quoted me $1900 to replace basically a bumper and take out a dent in the tailgate. basically get an estimate and have them cut a check. your insurance rates will must likely go up

So, get an estimate from a shop, and just tell State Farm to give me the check, as I will do the repairs myself or what? Im thinking that if I can get State Farm to pay the estimate that a shop gives, but gives me the check, I can avoid paying the deductible, and get the work done MUCH quicker.

Will they go for it?

Youre probably right about the insurance rates, though. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[ntense702 10+ year member]

body work is always unbelievably expensive, I got quoted at $500 just for a dent with several little scrapes and scuffs around it, from what you described, you're looking at thousands, I ended up paying a friend of mine $20 and a redbull to do a quick fix on it for me, so my advice is do the bodywork yourself and pay for the mechanical work, body work is not a big deal as long as you know someone taht can help you and you possess basic DIY skills.

 

[Eugenics 5,000+ posts]

go through the insurance company, thats what insurance is for. im guessing more likley then not its totaled.

give em a call

 

[GO-N DEF 10+ year member]

I hit a deer back in November. Since the deer didn't have insurance, I claimed it on mine. I had to pay the $500 deductible, but the fixed everything that was wrong with it. Cost about $2500 all together. That only works in you have comprehensive, though. If you don't, you'll have to pay out of pocket for all costs.

Also, since it was a no fault accident, it didn't raise my premium...

 

[Eugenics 5,000+ posts]

did he not have insurance? or just misplaced his card?

 

[NhustlaR 10+ year member]

PICS!

sorry to hear that man, i did the same thing, luckily the only thing that was fckd up on my car was the struts and a bent rim (going into a ditch, that is)

 

[rocky 59 5,000+ posts]

i wrecked my s10 and fixed it myself. it was 1200 bucks cheaper than a decent bodyshop quote.

 

[GO-N DEF 10+ year member]

did he not have insurance? or just misplaced his card?

Fucker said he had it so the //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cop.gif.57eb2cc10a7efd04d31083ca3c30d53c.gif let him go. Turned out later that he was lying... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/verymad.gif.3f39c5c2fd57527b671fad3efdfac756.gif

I can't wait until next deer season!!!!!! :driving:like thisissed:

 

[Eugenics 5,000+ posts]

Fucker said he had it so the //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cop.gif.57eb2cc10a7efd04d31083ca3c30d53c.gif let him go. Turned out later that he was lying... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/verymad.gif.3f39c5c2fd57527b671fad3efdfac756.gif
I can't wait until next deer season!!!!!! :driving:like thisissed:

this handicapped ***** in a conversion van was on the wrong side of the entrance/exit in a parkinglot trying to get out, (on the left side, instead of the right) so i pull up on her right WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, ***** hangs a right and clips my whole front end off. front bumper, fender, part of my radiator, etc. i got their insurance information etc. etc. since i was in a hurry i threw the shit inside my car (bumper etc.) and left. they asked about a police report but i said i was in a hurry and since they had insurance it was no worries.

well i call their insurance THE HARTFORD **** THEM **** THEM **** THEM **** THEM. and they totally ****ed me, made it sound like i was in the wrong because i left. i had no reason to stay, there was no criminal misconduct and i fugred it was fine. 2000 later my car was fixed. out of pocket, from a highschool student. if i wouldn't have been underage they'd never have ****ed me over

blah, live and learn i guess

 

[zachzchw 5,000+ posts]

go through the insurance company, thats what insurance is for. im guessing more likley then not its totaled.
give em a call

I will be utilizing the insurance, no way I can pay that shit out of pocket. Im thinking that if I can get the check directly from the insurance company, I can just do the work. Should end up being cheaper than the estimate, so Id have extra money left over from it.

Sort of looking for the silver lining in a grey cloud or whatever its called.