Truck got hit last night, repair advice?

That really sucks to see, hope the insurance company treats you right and gets it fixed.

 

Been in bodyshop business for about ten years now and I have personally dealt with situations you are describing as far as changing out or upgrading parts. Typically, the customer is credited the insurance approved parts amount and then any differences are worked out accordingly. Any additional labor, and/or parts costs, etc. It’s a bit of a hassle, so some shops may not deal with it. Looking at first pick, hood gaps don’t look too bad, but core support looks hurt. I would be concerned about that left upper rail and cooling parts.

 

Hurts to see a Taco like that but glad you're okay

 

Yeah the hood looks only slightly tweaked. The fender -> door gap is definitely off. Core support definitely tweaked.

And thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to have that discussion when I get quotes!

 

I actually have had my truck upgraded by insurance 3 different times-- 2 times I was hit (front and rear bumpers), and the most recent time I was ran off the road in Mexico but had Mexican car insurance through Baja Bound. As stated earlier, not all shops want to hear your plan to swap out a $1500 OEM bumper for a $1500 steel plate bumper. After the first crash, I called 5 shops, told them my intentions, 2 of them said to come in and they would work with me. AAA insurance sent their adjuster and gave the shop the quote and cut me the check (you generally have the option to have the shop get the check or you). The only reason to let the shop get the check is if the adjuster under estimated the damage and the shop needs more cash, and you just want to be hands off. I always chose to get the check sent to me, and if I needed more I would have to battle insurance instead of the shop.

The first two incidents were minor and I scored some bumpers out of it.

The third was pretty bad-- going a little too fast offroad and lost traction... a barb wired cattle fence later, my truck was looking pretty bad. Steel bumper saved us from having to tow the truck across the border, but it was pushed in 3 inches rubbing the tire badly. Hood, fenders, windshield all had to get fixed/replaced. Insurance paid me $10,300 (minus my $500 deductible) to get the truck back to normal, but was a fight at first. The adjuster in Mexico denied the claim all together, but Baja Bound (insurance broker online) fought with them and they sent an adjuster to my house in California. That adjuster approved it and basically gave me a huge check. The truck costs $4500 in body/paint, new bumper (again), new tacoma beast headlights, MESO puddle lights and turn signals (because why not), annnnnnnnd a set of kings (because race car). The shop was down to do it all, and I scored pretty heavily.

Hopefully you're as lucky on this as I have been.

 

From the bus, looks like you're in Seattle... Sorry that happened to you man.

 

Had a similar situation on a truck I had a few years ago. I think it depends on body shop, when going over the estimate they told me OEM bumper was going to cost $XXX.XX, I asked if it could be an aftermarket bumper and they obliged. Even acquired the bumper I wanted and everything. In Texas I think it probably just depends on what shop you're dealing with. Probably have better luck going with a locally owned shop than "chain" shop.

 

Maybe 15 years ago, my engine got flooded. First my insurance tried to push me into a used engine replacement, I refused. Next, they tried to rebuild it with non OEM parts and I fought them on that. Ultimately, rebuilt with new OEM parts. Just be sure to push back.

 

You can have it repaired at whatever shop you want, ignore the insurance company's whining. They will also low ball you and make up for it on supplemental payments, all normal. Also be prepared for them to say no always. Ignore it and push on. It costs them nothing to say no and some percentage of people will accept it which saves them a ton of money.

 

I'm in texas and you go to any shop you want to so dont let insurance tell you where to go. I go to the dealership where they give you lifetime warranty. You have full coverage and my insurance you can just run it thru your insurance as a hit and run and as far as deductible say your deductible is 500 bucks with a hit and run your outta pocket only 250 and doesn't count against you cause it's not counted as at fault. Your insurance company with go after the other person car and get paid back so if it were me I would just make a claim on my insurance. And my insurance company puts all oem parts no aftermarket parts. Sorry bout your truck. Good luck

 

if air bags went off totaled .

 

Very possible

Same in Massachusetts, plate is all they need

 

In MN you have to give them a insurance number to register, but you can enter anything you want... doesnt need to be a real number.

 

A few years ago I had a similar situation, was working in my yard and heard an accident. As I got around to the street I saw a car zipping away pouring antifreeze with the front end bashed in, fortunately I got the plate and provided it to the police that showed up..though I told them "you can probably just follow the antifreeze, and I doubt it went far without overheating anyway"

 

Sooooo

when I was in my accident I just had them cut me a check for the amount of the repairs and the body shop let me bring my own bumpers to install. Any difference I had to cover.

 

here we go again...been a few months. any update to this story? someone keeps necroing these cliffhanger threads .