Sad story about a loved 2001 White Double Cab PreRunner @ 186K

Very well maintained truck, lived its life in sunny central Texas, no salt water or snow. (Well, did get close to snow twice when our May/June camping trips to CO or WY let us park next to a snow bank or two.)

Here's the sad story: some a-hole ran into me, from behind, apparently while texting. I was stopped at a light, he was doing 35-45 mph. Guy claimed after he hit me that he doesn't own a phone - so I was hit by a time traveler from the 80s? Fat chance.

Truck damage? Not much that you can see, literally just some dings on the bumper. And the frame is fine too (per my dealer). But within a day of the wreck .... the check engine light came on for:

• evap warnings (0446 / 0441)
• catalytic converter warning (0420)

Then the parking brake warning light came on too. (brake is fine, it's the sensor).

90% of these lights/issues are clearly wreck related - no issues prior. I'm hoping these are just sensors knocked silly and not real damage...

Allstate (the insurance for idiot who hit me) will basically pay for a shiny new bumper - but when I pressed them on the rest of the damage they seemed to see it as either not their issue or possibly too expensive that they want to write it off. The number I heard form the collision center is shamefully low (under $5K).

So I am looking for advice.

Aside from the warning lights it still runs like a champ - these are all sensor or emissions issues, not the parts that make it go zoom, etc.

Not sure if I should repair it (that is a lot of money to sink into a 2001) or sell it as-is as it still has a lot of value (no rust, including frame, V6 goes great, rims are nice alloys, etc) but I was hoping that someone on this board had line of sight to a less pitiful end for my girl.

Wondering what ya'll think I should be doing....?

 

This is how mine will go out. Live a perfect rust free lift in Texas and die to some idiot in a Nissan versa hitting me at 50 mph.

 

the impact from the wreck most likely broke the stuff in the cats loose on you and everything else is related to that, replace the cats and see if everything else goes away, I bet it does. then fight for new cats with insurance. if you can show they were broken then you have a claim it was from the impact. just take pictures of the broken cats and save them if you can for the coming battle with the claims adjuster.

 

Are they totalling it? If not, take the 5k and run

 

+1

 

the evap box is above the fuel tank front left of the bed... those vacuum lines are what, 15 years old... more than likely cracked one or more or the plastic box itself and now the problem is how are you going to prove it. As stated above, I think the impact damaged the catalytic convertor. The exhaust isnt too difficult to take off and look at, but again, how are you going to prove that the impact finished off the convertor? I think that you might be expecting too much from the insurance company. They are only obligated to put you in the exact same position you were in moments before the incident, in other words, they might pay for a similar used catalytic convertor not a new factory one.

 

Well, I was not sitting in his truck watching the speedo.... but the impact was strong enough to tear my driver's seat off the adjustment rails, leaving it at a weird angle. And to put me on a back board and in an ER.

I may be generous at saying it was only 35-45....

 

I do not want new stuff. Just working stuff. I love this truck, it's indestructible/bulletproof. I figured I'd die first.

 

Sounds like a law suit to me . That's a minimum of $50000

 

my son was in the same situation. stopped at a light and the guy who hit him never touch his brakes. frame was bent, bumper toasted and the trailer hitch was embedded half way into the spare tire!