Tacoma lover in a quandry

Shoot, doing the work your self. If you post up on CL you can find the hood, door, and fender probably less then $400 used. That bumper looked pretty bad already so leave it as is with a new paint job or say screw it and your good after some paint on the other parts.

 

I was figuring a cut rate body person to do the bolt ons and paint work. I know local the hood, fender and door could be had for 500 or so, I left 1500 for the other work. Wouldn't be A tier but would be presentable. I do agree with you though if she is capable of doing the bolt ons the price falls

 

I have a door, may have a charcoal canister as well.

Regardless, a good running low mile Tacoma in Michigan is worth 3k weather you fix it or not.

Buy that thing back and put it back in shape. I think you have a good chance to come out ahead.

I buy wrecked Toyota trucks and rebuild them. You have a very easy fixer.

 

My guess the estimate is high would be for unforseen damages that might be behind the fender and or suspension. From the pics it looks like it would be an easy fix to replace the panels but i'd still take it in to a shop to have them cross measure and make shure everything is square or can be brought back into spec just for peace of mind

 

Koditten/Kirk-I have no idea how to go about 'fixing it myself'-all I know is that I want to keep this truck!!!! Even if the parts are all different colors...........could I send you the estimate and maybe you could help me at least get the parts??? I would love it if you could fix it-you apparently know what you are doing. I won't even have the $$ until the spring.

Please contact via my personal email-paralegal90808@yahoo.com.

Thank you for any help you can give me!!!

 

I'm not joking when I say these trucks are easier to put together than some kids toys.

All the diagrams can be found on this site.

Many of the parts can be found very easy. Used or aftermarket.

 

This is what my present Tacoma looked like when I bought it. Mine was hit HARD on the expensive side.

All the wiring runs thru this area. There is not much on the passenger side.

 

Guess I can't load pics from my phone.

 

Since insurers allow adjustments for hidden issues, this may not be accurate.

I think the estimate is due to being a dealer. Maybe even a full repaint, as that metallic would be pretty hard to match at this age.

 

Agreed. Make a flat deck outta that donor.

 

They inflated the cost because insurance paying for the job.

If you asked the repair shop of you r choice to repair it on your own dime, the price will be considerably less.

All car repair shop s assume that you need your car fixed ASAP, this increases cost.

All repair shops need fill in work, work that can be done while the paint on the previous job Is drying. Tell the repair shop that this job is not a priority one job and you will get a much better price.

The sound of silence in a shop is the sound of money lost.

 

Not sure how your insurance works, but for me, I get in a wreck, take it to one of "their" shops for an estimate, and then I can choose to do the work, or cash out and leave it. the law here says you can't force someone to go to a particular shop for repairs, so they're mandated to give you an option to take it whereever you want. That usually means just cashing you out if you don't want ot go to their contracted shop for the repairs.

Example:

Got rear ended by a BMW a couple years ago on the freeway. F'd up his daddy's car pretty bad (19 y.o. was driving, likely texting too). My truck had a nice little scratch on the bumper and tow hitch. But, since I had *JUST* gotten it aligned, I filed a claim and took it in. They said the cost to repair was something like $700 (basically just the bumper). Well, I took the money and ran, and the scratch is still there... It's a bumper, you're supposed to scratch it...

 

Upon closer inspection, my attention was directed at the MASSIVE rust on my frame, so much so that I would benefit more from burning the money it would cost to fix it than actually spending it to fix it.

So now I am putting it up for sale, AS IS, best offer. Do I need to do anything to change the title to salvage? The tires are still in great shape, as is the engine, interior and seat.

 

You still own it. It still has a clear title. You never sold it back to the insurance company. There will be nothing involving salvaged vehicle.

As long as the buy has a receipt that says AS IS, you can sell it for whatever you can and have a clear conscious.

I'm glad you looked at the frame. It is a know weakness for our trucks.

 

That bed is amazing! Home built?

 

Never tell a paint or body shop that it's not a priority job. That's how cars end up with two inches of dust on them with a whole lot of nothing happening. It's not like dropping a washing machine off with the Maytag man insurance work rolls in every day