QUICK UPDATE: Car was repaired. Good as new. Cost was $5,200. Thanks for all the advice here. Hi guys.... I posted earlier, but now I have a picture to show damage. I got hit by insured driver. Haven't talked to his adjuster yet (AAA), but wondering how I might proceed. I've had the car for 10 years and love it. It's a 2012 LS460 with 93,500 miles and great mechanically. i'd like to get car repaired, if I can afford it. Thanks for any and all advice.

 

1 - Get police report if you called police on the scene of the accident (which you should). 2 - Call insurance company (use insurance company of another driver first) and get your insurance claim number. 3 - Take your car to the body shop of your choice. 4 - Give that body shop your insurance claim number and let that body shop to deal with adjuster directly. Final repair cost will be adjusted in the process (most likely). 5 - Get rental car and give your rental company your insurance claim number (your rental should be covered by insurance). Judging by the photo they will replace the fender, fix scratches on the door and re paint it. Fairly small potatoes. Had several cases like that in the past, never had any issues.

 

Thanks for your encouraging words... I've just completed all the steps you outlined...I hope it plays out just like that... my fear is that, given the cost of repair work and the age of the car, they will try to total it, which I will try to avoid, as per the advice on another post I found here. We shall see. Thanks again.

 

This repair is not expensive enough to get your car totaled. Your fender is $300-400 (https://parts.prestigelexus.com/p/Le...8Ql9TX_A&gQT=2). Paint, repair of the door and all kinds of labor is what the actual cost is going to be.

 

If they total it, all is not lost. You could offer to buy it back from the insurance company and then have it repaired yourself. It will save you a lot of money. The only drawback is the car will have a slavage title. However, since you seem to intend to keep the car, that really won't matter.

 

Reminded me of time my ls400 decided to eat a Prius, which was totaled. I got a used bumper and fender which was color matched and in great condition for about 600. Was perfect and the headlight I got used from eBay, only thing new was corner light and steering joint all about 1,200 and looked great, same color. Did same when someone backed into the door of my '12 GTI. Color matched door for $600 and easy to replace.


It seems the cost nowadays is paint and labor.
​​

 

If you hit a house with LS400, you will probably total a house. LOL. Those things were built like tanks.

 

Definitely repairable!

 

Yes, but you might be surprised how much it's going to cost. Need a new fender (which you may, indeed be able to get for ~$400, but painting and labor will triple/quadruple that price), the front passenger door and front bumper cover need repaired and painted, and the front wheel needs refinished. Assuming no hidden damage, you're looking around $5000. Your car is certainly worth more than that and I doubt the damage would exceed $7500 so you shouldn't have to worry about them totaling it.

 

If it was someone else’s fault and their insurance is paying it’s unlikely they will total it. You should be able to get a few estimates, get the highest ones possible and the insurance company should just cut you a check for the average estimate. Then you can find a used fender in the same color and install it yourself. The estimate should be about $3000, and the replacement fender should be about $700 with shipping, so should pocket a couple grand and with a good fender, it’ll be like it never happened. Search car-part.com for affordable used body panels.