Got T-Boned today...

Hey TW

I got T-boned by someone rolling out of a parking lot. She "spotted" me from far away and claimed she had enough time. Officer stated it was her fault. Her car got pretty banged up but the damage on the truck is kinda weird. It seems as though she hit my tire. If I look at the truck head on it looks as though the bed is going in on the passenger side which is the side she hit me.

In this photo you can't see all the scuffs but you can definitely see where the bed is curved into the frame. I also ended up with a flat tire when I got home along with a bent rim.





Compare this picture to the one above. This is the opposite side of the bed. See the difference?



Here's another pic showing the weird alignment of the rear tire.



The truck definitely didn't feel the same when I moved it after the accident so I got it towed home. When I accelerated I felt a little "wobble."

Just wanted to hear opinions from you guys about the damage. Is it bad or could it be worse? The cosmetic damage isn't really bad but I am 100% certain SOMETHING is bent.

 

HOw does your frame look?

 

Well first of all glad your okay man second of all your frame could be bent you'll have to have it inspected

 

Couldn't tell you. I want to crawl under there but I don't know what to look for. I'm out of town for the whole weekend so I won't be able to look at it until Sunday.

 

shit dude, hopefully it's just the bed shifted over. body damage would be a lot easier fix than the frame.

 

get a shop to look at it at least, sorry about the accident

 

Sounds like the rim or axle is bent. I met in a similar accident with my truck, turned out to be my axle shaft.

 

How much was the damage cost?

 

Well if your axle shaft is bent chances are the entire housing is bent also. Brand new axle shaft was about $360 and housing about $840. I just got a shaft and housing from a local junk yard for $700 total.

 

damn that sucks. I hope insurance takes care of you

 

Very sorry you met this old lady on a learner's permit. As everyone has already advised, do get a copy of police report, and do get a reputable body shop with frame expertise to look it over. You want her insurance on notice they may have extensive damage responsibility.

BTW, your first picture made me think someone might have been knocked out of their shoes in the accident.

 

holy crap!! knocked you right out of your shoes!!!

 

What a shame Kenny. I've seen some bad driving in the SFBA but fortunately I've never been hit there.

I've been through this same kind of damage thing before, though not with the Tacoma.

My advice is this: Even if the frame doesn't look bent, don't let the adjuster or bodyshop just look at it and say "it's not bent". Make them put it on the Car-O-Liner and check it out thoroughly.

When my Pontiac got hit, it wasn't much of a hit, but I told them it was bent. I could tell it was bent. They said it wasn't bent. They replaced the bumper and a few little parts & did some paint and tried to tell me it was done.

But there was this real minor misalignment at the trunk lid. I pointed it out and told them it was because the car was bent and left. Two days later they call me and said it's done.

I go look at it again, and they've re-adjusted the trunk so now the misalignment is shifted to the opposite corner. I asked: "Did any of you crawl under and really look at this car? It's frakkin' BENT! Get it on the Car-O-Liner!"

Two days later I got it back straightened, and got the computer printout from the Car-O-Liner. The frame had been tweaked down over 1/4" on the rear corner during the accident.

So, when they change the bed and the bent wheel, and it looks OK and the "wobble" is gone when you drive it, don't just let them tell you it's straight. Make them put it on the alignment bench (Car-O-Liner or whatever brand they have) and make certain it's straight.

 

Thanks for the advice, Caddmannq.

 

Normally you get hit by little old ladies because they forgot how to drive. Getting hit because they are learning is a new one.

What are the odds?

Sorry to hear about the truck, hope it is just a tire and a new bedside!

 

Don't forget to ask for the depreciation value on your truck.
Since your truck will depreciate because of the accident
good luck

 

very good point! get on with that lady's insurance right away... you need to take your truck to a couple different auto collision centers... get some estimates on the damage and be sure to have them put laser alignments on it... It could have bent the frame a little depending on how hard she hit you, be sure they check the leaf springs, axels etc...


Her insurance should be paying all of it, so fight them if needed. I went through this with my Ford Ranger in the past which ended up being totaled since a little t-bone ended up being 14k of damage that I couldn't even see.


Good luck!

 

Condolences

 

My truck will never be the same!

 

Sorry about your Taco man! Hopefully the damage to your truck isn't as bad as it looks.