8 Month, $32,000 Repair

You just need to get rid of that mindset. You didn’t invest anything, you spent money on a depreciating asset that is guaranteed to lose money. You played adult Lego’s with your toy and there’s nothing that can be done to get that money back. It’s gone, you don’t have a $60k truck because you spent $60k, you have a $20k truck because you beat it up off-road, heavily modified it and got into a wreck.

 

I knew someone on here would be in the insurance loop. Thank you for the insights! What are your personal recommendations if any at all?

 

I invested in an vehicle to provide me with transportation and entertainment. I understand your opinion, but the return you gain on an investment does not need to be monetary. I don't want the money back, I want a vehicle that provides the exact same functionality and longevity as the one I had pre-accident, without expense out of my pocket. That's why we pay for Insurance

 

Wow what a crap situation. Sorry man. Idk what I would do about selling it. But a new frame is a good selling point. It sure was on my old 09 that had the frame recall.

also, if you decide to sell it and you want another 3rd gen, don’t wait long. Idk when they stopped production for the 4th gens, but probably what’s on the lots is what’s left!

 

1st thing, have you found issues with repair quality? Before you do anything else, any such issues need to be addressed and corrected.

 

OP...I was in the same boat as you. Only my truck was 6 months old with a little under 5k miles. Though I did get lucky with my frame...projected 3-4 months turned out to be 6 weeks.

I would suggest you give it a chance. I had to bring my truck back twice for some relatively minor things during the first few weeks, but that's it. Truck now has just over 30k miles and everything is still as it should be.

 

Just some creaks and clicks that I haven't heard before. Can't identify the sources. Probably will take it to a guy who knows Tacomas and have him deep dive on all the work

 

I'm hearing more and more people who have had successful frame swaps with no issues. Thank you

 

Consider that older Tacomas with new frames are worth MORE than older Tacomas with old frames…. Many, many Tacoma frames have been replaced for rust issues without problems.

 

A year ago there were posts here stating the previously repairable trucks were being totaled due to the lead time on getting new frames. It's surprising that State Farm didn't total it for that reason alone. Then again, they'll probably subrogate the claim to the other drivers insurance.

Note to OP, they won't fight this in court, they'll just bicker back and forth until they come to some sort of agreement. The insurance companies have "people" for that.

 

How was State Farm for you with the aftermarket parts? Did you have them on your policy before the accident? I've always wondered what would happen if all my stuff was damaged in an accident if SF would tell me to pound sand and they'd only replace factory parts.

 

Most companies cover up to a certain $ amount of aftermarket accessories, usually $1,000. If you want/need coverage beyond that, you need to add what's called an endorsement (aka a rider) to the policy for the additional amount of accessory coverage you want.

Here's what insurers don't tell you, and frankly, what many adjusters don't even realize...the $ amount of accessory coverage has to be offset by the OEM part cost. Let's say you have a custom $500 bumper on your vehicle, and it gets damaged requiring replacement. If the OEM bumper is $300, then only $200 of the $500 cost of your custom bumper applies toward your $ limit of your aftermarket accessory coverage.

 

As someone else said, call Collision Safety Consultants, a quick phone call with $0 out of pocket and they will be able to help you or not.

I've seen (their social media) where people have received a car back from insurance repairs that should have been totalled, the cars were not totaled, but after independent review they should have been totaled or repairs were not done adequately so they end up totalling the cars/trucks anyways.

 

Nothing aftermarket on my policy. They 100% insure EVERYTHING on the vehicle at the time of the accident. In this regard, they were great.

 

Reading this thread gives me anxiety, as I have quite a bit of mods on my truck. I suppose its the risk we take, I am thankful I do not daily drive my Taco.

I suppose it's always a good idea to visit with a reputable insurance agent and discuss coverage options and riders.

 

Well what happens if they need to replace both the OEM bumper and the aftermarket one? Aka the OEM front bumper cover is still there (although cut up) to fit around the aftermarket bumper?

I have a $35k rider policy on my truck, mods are worth more, but eventually it doesn't make sense. Mainly it's there to protect me if the truck gets totaled out of state and I can't get it back home to strip the parts off of it.

 

What insurance company do you have if you do not mind me asking?

 

The example I gave would apply only if the accessory replaced an OEM part. If it's in addition to an OEM part, the full cost of the accessory would apply toward the limit of coverage.

OP, SF likely made a business decision to cover your accessories in full due to the length of the repairs. SF does indeed have a max $ amount for accessories listed in their policy.

 

North Carolina Farm Bureau, best around by far, they only insure to the state of NC, but I've had good experiences with some other providers. Also for note, a $35k rider policy adds about 75% to my premium.

Best course of action honestly is to visit a few body shops and ask them what insurance companies they like the most. After a visit to about 3 body shops, you will have a great idea of who sucks and who sucks less than the rest.

 

If its any consolation, the wife's 4runner had to have some body work done at a local Toyota dealership and they used non-oem some parts.