8 Month, $32,000 Repair

Let's talk about some of these Galaxies you have laying around. $$$

Agree on the 1st and 3rd paragraphs. So hit and miss with these large corporation repair facilities, It's not even funny. Best to choose a well known independent shop that demands high quality. Not one that bends over with no lube to please the insurance companies.


As for my opinion OP (15 years body shop/insurance experience here). The truck will never be the same. If you can live with that and enjoy it by all means do that. I had a 2022 Civic that was hit twice while parked. I couldn't believe it. I sold it because I know as a tech that car will never be the same. At the factory, robots and very specific procedures are taken to build a vehicle. No one on the planet can perfectly replicate that.

 

Wow 8 months with out your truck. I don't think I could endure that quite so well.
Couple of things I see. Your insurance company did steer you to a preferred repair shop. Depends on the way they did that but it's not legal for them to make you go to one of their preferred shops in most states. I have Erie insurance and while they are very good they will try to suggest shops in their list too. I've never had any issue using the small local shop I wanted. In fact when I had hit a deer with my Jeep years back as soon as I named the place the adjuster knew the place well.

Dealing with state farm my last accident I got hit by a car insured by them 3 days before I picked up the NEW Tacoma. Person driving made a left turn into the side of my Jeep. The guy wasn't a citizen, didn't have any drivers license of any kind even in his home country. Didn't have any ID at all and was permitted to drive the car by the owner. Luckily it was only $1400 damage. State farm however didn't want to claim responsibility because of the owners story. They didn't want the dash cam footage we had. They claimed they were unable to decide who was at the 4 way stop first. I had to cover it with my collision insurance. They wanted my insurance to pay their damages too but Erie said no because the driver wasn't licensed and the footage didn't agree with their story they just fixed my vehicle so I could sell it. Fortunately the clan was under the amount they would add a surcharge to me. State Farm is definitely not good to get money out of.

I will say that you were very fortunate to be able to get another car once the rental coverage ended. Many can't do that and also don't have their vehicle paid off. If I had that happen to me, I still owe just under $5,000 on my truck but have enough savings I could get a beater car for cash off market place to get to work and stuff then hopefully resell it. Like you that would mean we wouldn't be able to tow our camper and totally miss camping season too.

I hope you figure out what to do with you truck and that you will be happy with it in the end.
Your truck sounds like it was really awesomely built plus it's Cement same color as mine. I just love that color, it's the best.

 

Update: Found something suspicious

They put washers on the driver-side cab mount to make the truck sit level. Both sides were identical pre-accident. Not sure if this is standard practice with cab mount relocates. Anyone know? Also the welds look like week old garbage.

 

Are those aftermarket cab mounts?

I thought that truck got a new frame.

As a fabricater, yes those welds are horrible!

 

Yes they are aftermarket. The truck did get a new frame. But I had the relocate done before the accident. They replaced the aftermarket cab mounts

Yeah this makes me question everything else

 

They may be good mechanics, but not good welders.

That would bother the shit out of me!

 

Not all ugly welds are bad welds.

 

True, but good looking welds have a better chance of being a quality weld.

 

I'm sure that is true but to me work that isn't done neatly like that doesn't show pride in workmanship which is something relatable to every trade.

 

Exactly. If the shop cant put in the effort to make a clean weld that is visible from the exterior, what did they possibly skimp out on that can’t be seen?

 

Did they weld them on the frame without having the body on it?

 

I'm not sure. I assume it would be bad if they did?

 

I mean, its just alot harder to line them up properly. I wouldnt say its bad unless they ended up in the wrong spot which it looks like they did.

 

Yeah I agree. That metal on metal contact doesn't feel right, and I think I can hear it.

 

Things that I noticed:

1. On the Driver Front Cab Mount, they used 4 washers to make the truck sit level. This was not there before the accident.The passenger side just has the rubber bushing as normal.
2. The truck seems to be slightly lower on the Driver side. The Driver side CV axle appears to be at a flatter angle compared to the passenger side.
3. The rear shocks are mounted crooked into the axle assembly. They used to be perfectly straight.
4. There is a creaking noise coming from the Driver front wheel well. Video Below.

https://youtu.be/5LdyNrHOCFg

 

Assuming they installed a new, undamaged frame (not all new parts are undamaged), then the cab is out of square. Could just be the mount is bent, could be a lot worse. Regardless, that's not an acceptable repair.

 

Independent shops aren’t always the answer either. I got totally screwed by an independent and was just about to file a lawsuit when the Covid pandemic started and because courts got so backed up my statute of limitations ran out. Reading this thread makes it seem like when you are dealing with insurance/repair facilities you are totally F’ed. Guy X says Acme insurance/shop is great and Guy Z says the opposite. I’ve got SF insurance and their recommended shop is CC. As they say in the Army during your annual, “bend over and spread ‘em”.

 

The rear shocks are fine. You can twist the shock shaft to center them up, if it bothers you. I have no opinion on the other "issues".

 

Only thing is that this truck has substantial body damage already from previous wheeling endeavors. Post #51

So, you don't think you may have tweaked things in your offroad play but think they should give you a new "Perfect" truck???????
And according to above quote I think you have already dimenished it's resale value.

 

It is an aftermarket cab mount for more tire clearance put on by the collision shop (I assume). They just f'd up installing it.