Should I rebuild or take the settlement and go shopping?

Considering:

1. It appears you would not be doing much of the work yourself (so big money going to labor)
2. You have no good place to do the work even if you tried
3. You might (are likely to)find other issues when you start repairing
4. Sounds as if you need this vehicle as your main get around, or at least as your only way to pull your boat
5. You have a local mechanic you trust that knows you

I would take the cash, use it as a down payment on a USED truck from a dealer, and buy an extended warranty. Don't pay for the depreciation as your drive a new one off the lot. You should have something like 3 days/100 miles to return it, so have the mechanic do a complete diag with his tools. You balance risk/reward.

 

Driver Sound,

thanks. KBB in my area is $12079 for very good condition which it was. $11667 for good condition

 

You're welcome. Don't forget to price out dealership stock of the same model/condition (if there's any around) and that should drive the price a little higher as that is what it would really cost you to replace yours anyway.

 

Hey everyone,

An update. I decided to take the 12 grand settlement check. During the process of title transfer I asked my Progressive rep if I could go retrieve my license plates. There's a refund in Nevada or you can transfer plates within 30 days.
She set it up for me at the Coparts yard. Couple days later I go over. One plate is lost and see the Tacoma has been frame racked severely. Coparts picks them up and moves them around with long forks on a forklift and I guess they picked up the Tacoma wrong or dropped it. Anyway there was no symmetry resemblance to the way it was when I had it at the body shop. Doors sticking and reveals not even.

So a heads up to anybody considering the rebuild route. In retrospect I should have had the Tacoma towed to my residence and sat and waited for an insurance estimation (she took 5 days to get to it) and then towed it. Would have cost me an extra tow but I wouldn't have risked third party damage.

Last week, I found a 2011 SR5 Access Cab 4WD, V6 with auto and tow package, 39406 miles, Certified...whatever that means... for agreed $23650 plus TTL. Tacoma came and returned to Knoxville, TN after doing a year in Plano,TX

Look at it Tuesday. We'll see how it turns out...

 

Certified means it'll have a 1 yr/12k mile comprehensive warranty, a yr of road side assistance and a 7yr/100k mile power train warranty. It's gone through a 160 pt inspection and you'll have access to new car like finance options through TFS.