Hey guys
My mother was driving our 1998 Lexus LS 400. She got hit by a speeding car on the right hand side at a Stop sign. Here is a picture of the car below. My question is that if the Insurance claims it as a total loss because of frame damage, should I take the insurance money and then buy the car at a fraction of the price? I thinking of repairing it with aftermarket bumper and put a new suspension on it and some other stuff.
Let me know.
Thanks

 

i'd get a second opinion from a body shop first. It may not be tottaled. Does the car still drive straight, or pull to the side?

 

Hrmm... if there's frame damage, from what I can tell it should be minimal. Any body shop with a frame machine, can straighten the frame pretty easily. I doubt insurance will total this one, unless there's some damage that you can't see say behind the wheel (bent control arms, etc). One thing to be careful of is that if it does have frame damage, or other damaged components, it may be hard to keep the car in alignment, which if your struts ever need replacing, is very important, as it totally throws the toe out when doing them. Definitely get a second opinion from a local shop that you trust though..

 

buy it back and fix it. that damage can be easily repaired.

 

Unless there's some damage to the engine I doubt they'll total it. The doors look like they close fine and the windshield didn't crack. I doubt there is much if any frame damage.

 

I'm pretty sure all your suspension on that side is bent

frame damage is possible, but doesnt seem bad enough to total the car

my brother crashed my car alot like this, and my insurance company didnt total my car (no frame damage no hood damage on mine)

 

RE: total loss or not, I suggest you let your insurance company decide that...

Don't know for sure what the rules are like in the US but here in the great North if you buy back the salvage when it is a total loss, then you run the risk of problems later on when you want to sell it as the vehicle has been *branded* by the IBC (Insurance Bureau of Canada) as an accident repair.

Then again there are lots of salvage yards that may be "in" with appraisers to determine the vehicle as a total loss just to get their hands on a nice set of wheels. I didn't tell you that though!

Good luck with the outcome,

//Fern

 

BTW the insurance definition of total loss is as follows:

REPAIR COST OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE
+ HIDDEN DAMAGE RESERVE (can be thousands of $)
+ SALVAGE VALUE OF VEHICLE (as is)
TOTAL =or > Actual Cash Value of vehicle then its a TOTAL LOSS


def: Actual Cash Value of vehicle is value of similar vehicle, given year, mileage, features and general condition

Hope this clears any confusion,

Cheers,

//Fern