1998 with 99k declared TOTAL LOSS

This is the first non repair-help-related post I've made to this forum.
My beautiful 1998 was randomly backed into by another Tacoma (2016) in a parking lot. The driver's vehicle sustained no damage, as the rear bumper was solid.
My passenger side door no longer opens ;((

Closer shot

The driver called their insurance and spoke about how they felt bad, that it looked like I took good care of the truck, and did ensured that they covered it. After I file a claim, the insurance quickly organized everything with me to bring it to a body shop and give me a rental in the mean time.
I figured I was getting a Nissan Rouge like the rest of the renters, but I drive out with a 2023!

I have created this thread to share my experience with the 2023, and someone who has only driven a 1998 otherwise.

 

I'm in for the ride...

Sorry about your truck.

 

So far I'm missing my V6, as getting on the highway with the 4cyl feels like I'm pulling a trailer.
It'll take some time to get used to this throttle-by-wire gas pedal.
It feels like when I want tell the truck to "GO" it says "are you sure?!"

SPEC UPDATE:
SR5 2.7 4cyl Double Cab 2WD A/T
from my understanding it's about as base-model-factory as it goes.

 

Update: Rough total from their insurance is $3900, no problem; not totaled!!!
They are replacing the door, and checking for further damage to the cab once they pry the door open.

 

The 3rd gen V6 feels the same way

 

In an awful turn of events, I wake up to this.


Some racist wrote (keyed, deep) "SLAVE" on both sides of the rental.
I will be filing a police report when I get home from work, and hope they will help to satiate some rage.
I just stopped paying the outrageous daily-rental-insurance from Enterprise, in exchange for putting it on my own insurance.
One of my tire's pressure was down to 20 this morning while the others stayed the same, so I hope they didn't mess with the tires.

 

Makes me wonder if the throttle is tunable, to make it less awful if I were to daily drive it.
It does help that my truck opens the physical throttle-body when I hit the gas.

 

Yea there's tunes available that helps out. My last 3rd gen was a manual so it was a little better.

 

Wtf is wrong with ppl?!

Hope you reported this to the cops. If only to let them know there's an immature vandalizing fucktard out and about.

If this is not a personal beef, odds are this pathetic excuse for a human being has/is doing this to other vehicles in the area.

 

Apparently a house window was spray painted with the same message as well...
Will keep the thread updated on how it goes with the cops.
The nature of this thread changed quite dramatically.
I'll make sure to detail how the long drive goes, I'm driving 4 hours north this Wednesday.

 

That's shitty.

Sorry you all have to live through that.

Unbelievable and unacceptable messing with people's property.

Hope they catch that fucker on camera somewhere

 

WELP the plot thickens...
My truck has been declared a total loss, and the total compensation is listed at $10,845.
I do NOT plan on letting this truck go, it only has 99K miles and will run for another generation (and a half).
Is there anyone here well versed in the legal hopscotch of insurance? (St. Petersburg, FL if applicable)
The body shop was closed by the time I got the call, so I will be knocking on their doors bright and early to get an itemized list of repairs.

Changed title from "1998 involved in accident, 2023 rental!", for future reference.

 

im definitely curious what was $4k in damages to change to a total loss.

otherwise i don't know anything about the process. i know there's a process for buying back vehicles from insurance as a branded title, but there might also be a process to just take the truck back as-is with the un-opening passenger door and keep the title work as it is.

 

I’d definitely talk to the body shop and see what they say. If they really quoted that much to fix it maybe take it somewhere else for a quote. I would also talk to the insurance to see how much it is to buy it back from them if they do total it. Then see if you can find a door at a junk yard and get it to where it can open. Then just drive it or have the rest repaired.

 

Insurance tries to use book value instead of market value. They ignore all the reasons today's used car market makes the book values irrelevant.

Basically try to "comp" it like you would a house. Get on the car sites and find comparable trucks, and the prices, to determine the actual value of your truck. Start by telling them they can replace it (listings as examples) or fix it. Then decide how much you want to spend fighting them. They like to pretend that they get the final say, but truth is that they don't. A court does.

 

After much ado (and relentless calls, emails, and letters practically begging me to total my truck), I finally am receiving money to repair the truck.
$7.8k and I rebuild the title. My insurance doesn't care and I don't plan on selling it so I like this option.

Here are the body shop markings.

I've been running with the door half taken apart for over a month now, since the body shop disassembled it.

Will be looking for a new door, and will figure out the other dent.