choppastik

i just got into a car accident today,the car had hydroplane in the rain,i was going about 65mph on the highway,there was water flowing out to the road,and then it made my whole steering wheel turn left,we did about 3 circles,slam into the walls,now the whole front bumper came off,the damage was to front right,middle front,left front,the car doesn't start now,does that have to do with safety features???and also i need to know should i let lexus fix it?everyone is telling me let lexus fix it,need help...its a 2010 is250.and was i supposed to give the collision tow my keys????

bagwell

I'd let Lexus fix it...and yes the tow truck driver requires your keys.

Lil4X

Notify your insurance company immediately, let them handle repairs/replacement. From the sound of it, your car will probably be totaled. It doesn't take much damage these days to have the cost of repair exceed the car's value.

choppastik

Thank you so much!!! I thought I made a big mistake by giving them the keys, and what would you mean by the car being totaled? Would that be a good thing or bad?

MrIan

When a car is considered totaled by your insurance company, it means that its not worth the money it would take to fix it. Usually its a bad thing, but depends how you look at it.

IS-SV

Yes, tow truck driver needs the keys.

Best of luck with the dealings with your insurance company. Glad nobody was injured.

MadMax96

Personally I'd hope for it to be totalled (assuming you have good insurance, etc)

A car is generally never the same once it's been through a severe accident. Rattles & electrical oddities aren't uncommon.

Might have to go car shopping again... oh darn.

92 SC400

^ +1

If you car has that much damage I'd really be hoping that car is totaled.

ColtM4A3

This isn't going to help you much now, but everyone should have a body shop picked out before you need one.

If your Lexus dealer has a body shop they will have an edge in being more familiar with your car but that doesn't make them the most qualified to fix it, especially a hard hit. Insurance companies are driven by the bottom line so any recommendations from them need to be taken with a huge grain of salt.

Word of mouth can go a long way in helping you pick out a good shop. If you have friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers that currently own car that has been fixed ask them about their experiences and look over the repairs for yourself. You can also call car dealers who do not have a body shop and ask them where they recommend taking cars to be fixed. Keep in mind that they may recommend the best independent shop, not the best shop (A Honda dealer isn't likely to send you to a Toyota shop).

mmarshall

First, I'm glad you are OK and not hurt.

Being a new 2010, unless the unbody-frame is severely bent from the impact and there is a lot of hidden damage, your car won't likely be totalled. If it is totalled, however, your choice will be a lot simpler and easier.....just take the settlement check and use it for a down-payment on a new car. If it is financed, though, you may still owe more than what the car is worth....and you will have to pay the difference. If you bought "Gap" insurance with the car, that, of course, takes of it.

You still have to report it to your insurance company either way....unless you want to pay everything out of your own pocket. A claims-adjuster from your company, by appointment, will have to look at your car, appraise the damage (sometimes they find out later that there is more damage than first meets the eye), make a settlement, and either pay for the repairs, or, if it is totalled, give you a check for the KBB value of your car. They usually keep what is left of a totalled car.

Ask your claims-adjuster if he or she has any preferred or recommended body shops (or Lexus dealers) in the area that have a reputation for doing good work and high customer satisfaction. Not all dealerships...or independent body shops....are the same. And not all of them, if needed, have good unibody-frame-straightening equipment.


And, no use crying over spilled milk now, but please, when you get your car repaired (or replaced), take it easy on wet roads. 65 MPH, even with good tires with lots of tread on them, is still too fast for some rain-slick roads. Getting a set of good rain tires, of course, will help.

Micaiah

Glad that you are here to type this, with an accident that bad, someone was watching over you.

I've gotten scared with little 'rivers' flowing out into the road as well, making me lose a bit of control and hydroplaning so I understand how crazy that must have felt.

As others have stated, the tow yard does need your keys in able to turn on the power to turn the wheels for getting it off and on the truck as well as locking it up in the tow yard.

I hope you found out where your car is, I'd go and take your own pictures of it right away. The more the better. Not to scare you or anything but there was a shady tow yard near me that would remove things from the car....Some tow yards also know places that part out salvaged cars so there's money to be made if you know what I mean. Better to be safe than sorry.

Turbinator

+1

When it's really pouring, I'll get over to the right and drive under the speed limit. My safety is more important than trying to go fast through puddles of water, with limited visibility due to the downpour.

Turby

choppastik

wow thanks you guys,and yes someone was watching over me,it was scary,my girlfriend woke up in the middle of the accident,the nightmare she had to go through,lucky no one was hurt...the car wasnt actualy damage too bad,but i know for sure the driver side uniframe is bent,because when i came out of the car,there was a loud noise,i went to a 100% guaranteed collision repairs,just like what the insurance company recommended to me,yes i've taken pictures, and to the bodyshop,i know they will try to use bogus parts,but i am on them like salt and pepper,ive been there 3 times so far,asking them where you bought the parts at,what all has to be replace...etc etc...i hope it comes back nearly the same,two months old =(

choppastik

i think i gave my car to a bad bodyshop,they said they wouldnt put my car through carfax,good thing or bad?name of bodyshop west delray collision center,name of the towing company westway towing(they are horrible,from reviews...but gave me excellent service)lalala worried!!!!

ALeX300

iTrader: (3)

wait what? you've been to that "bad" bodyshop 3 times? and you still go there?
when you came out of the car and there was a loud noise - you know the unframe is bent? huh. Not making sense here.