Bent frame question

I had a bit of a mishap yesterday on my 6 week old 2017 Tacoma. I just bought this truck 6 weeks ago and it has 23k kilometres on it, I’m up in British Columbia. I was driving home yesterday when some asshat threw a pop can at my door as I was driving by. Of course initial instinct was to stop and see wtf the problem was. Another vehicle coming up behind me got showered with slush from the same group of kids. He was distracted and didn’t see me stopped and ploughed into the back end of my truck at a fairly good pace. I had my hitch on and it took the initial force and is now at almost 90 degrees from where it should be. The impact moved the box ahead enough to hit the cab and blow out the back window, while leaving a crease in the cab. The composite bed is cracked in numerous places and where the bolts are that hold it down to the frame, it is folded down towards the back about 2” from being flat in comparison to the floor of the bed. The frame at the back where the hitch was bolted is completely mangled and there are a few buckles in the top of the frame ahead of the shock mounts. The box is now also out of alignment with the cab. The gap margins are now off a fair bit. I don’t know how to post pictures but am wondering if this is something that will try to be repaired or will they write it off? I did purchase replacement value insurance when I bought the truck, and am wondering what the normal course of action is and at what point do they deem a frame not repairable?

 

If you got rear ended it's the other guys fault so his insurance should buntou a new truck.
Sounds totaled IMO

 

Did a police report get filed?
It will depend on the amount of damage, but 85 percent they wont total the truck unless all the air bags went off too.

 

I’m really hoping it is. I certainly don’t want a brand new vehicle with that kind of damage tagged with it. I’m just not sure at what point they consider it a write off. My cost of replacement insurance says that it must be repaired with new OEM parts, not used and damage must exceed 50% of what the purchase price of the vehicle was. That leaves a window of about $20k for repairs.

 

They can always replace the frame

 

Police report was filed and there were 2 witnesses that seen the kids throw shit at the vehicle in front of me and the kid that rear ended me.

 

I am betting they will say 18k to 19.5k or less on the estimate. At least that's what it seems to be most of the estimates I have seen for the damage you are describing.

 

My next question is..... why didn't you pull to a safe spot to inspect your truck.

 

Is it feasible to replace a frame, box, bed liner, bumpers etc. though?

 

Yes. These newer frame are meant to have the bad sections removed and new pieces welded in as long as the frame isn't twisted any where.

 

I would think as long as it came in under the cost of totaling.

 

New frame is something like 8K US, but the labor to tear the truck apart and replace it is prohibitive, plus you have to add the bed, damage to drive train, damage to cab, etc. Sounds to me like they will total it.

 

At the immediate time there was no one directly behind me, I checked my rear view mirror. The kid that hit me was aways back. Instinct took place over common sense at that particular moment.

 

Understood. Just asking, as I am sure that question will come up again.
Post up a pic of the damage if you can.....
Were you in the truck when it was hit, if so go to a doc and get checked out even if you are not sure now.

 

Insurance coverage states new OEM parts only. Can you buy just a section of frame?

 

Yes I was in the truck at impact. I’m not sure how to post pictures lol. Too old.

 

I am no frame expert, but if it is isolated to rear hitch and frame rail ends. Then they can just cut the end (hitch and the rails) off and weld in a new section. It has been mentioned a few times here on TW by people in the same situation.

 

I feel your pain! I was rear ended 6 months after getting my truck. The hitch took most of the impact like yours and bent everything down, including the frame. I was glad to find that they could repair it to what the repair shop said was "better than new." I'm very happy with my decision to have it fixed and have had no issues since. One key thing i would suggest speaking to your insurance about is filing a diminished value claim. With these trucks holding their resale value the way they do, a collision can really drop your resale. Some insurance companies will pay diminished value on top of getting it fixed. Depending on your model and trim, this can be a hefty amount. If however they do not pay diminished value, I would push towards having it totaled and getting a new truck.

 

At the bottom of where you type there is a box next to reply that say upload file. Click on it, then choose where you want to get the the file from. Then click on file then click reply

 

If they decide to fix it, I will definitely have to emphasize the diminished value claim. Not sure how they evaluate that. You’re right on the fact that they hold their value.