Tacoma has been totaled.

Our new to us 2001 Tacoma TRD Prerunner Off Road has been totaled by a hit and run driver. Sunday night my son traveling north on Lake Avenue in Pasadena, CA. in the fast lane was met by a 2018 to 2020 Honda Accord that made a U turn from a parking spot on the side of the road. Incapacitated the Tacoma with a broken tie rod and a torn front wheel. The hit and run driver never even bothered to stop to see if anyone was hurt. There are a lot of details to this accident that I won't bore you folks with by we are saddened by the event. I do have a good lead on the hit and run driver and will be making a valiant effort to bring him to justice.

Car was towed to the shop today and I just got the call that it's a total. Also just did a bunch of work on the car and am not happy about it but will look to getting reimbursedbursed by the insurance company.

HERE IS THE VIN NUMBER JUST IN CASE IT SHOWS UP REPAIRED:

5TEGN92N21Z763135


Pics of before and after.

 

Sorry to hear. That sucks. It was a clean one too.

 

Huh...surprised they totalled it. Totally looks repairable.

 

What are the reasons given for being a complete loss?
do Not accept that offer and let them low-ball you without more deets

there was a similar year tacoma on here somewhat recently with over 700k miles that sustained a reported $7k worth of damage (T-bone on driver side) and was Not totaled with that kind of mileage

and one that flipped and rolled in Wyoming winter that was a complete loss and insurance payout was reported over $20k

 

I love people who make assumptions with zero data. A couple years ago my wife was hit-and-run by a bus driver driving a Dartmouth Coach lines bus in New Hampshire. Some people just suck no matter where they're from.

I'd challenge the total loss if you still have title.

 

That's likely totalled because it's a 23YO truck, no other reason. If it were mine I'd see about buying it back.

 

Easy fix, buy it back from the insurance

 

If you "buy" it back, there is a good chance the title won't become salvaged.

The title never leaves your hand, so there is no way the insurance can take the title to the state and have it turned into a salvage titled vehicle.

Even if you don't want to fix it yourself, you will get much more money selling it as is as a fixer upper.

I'd push you to not let the truck leave your hands.

 

Did the air bag activate?

 

I'd find a way to keep it and repair.

I made a claim on mine in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey's flood waters barely (I mean barely) got in the bottom of the door. Carpet was soaked.

Adjuster initially totalled it. I said no way! He turned out to be reasonable and I talked him into covering the cost of a new oem carpet and installation (which I did myself).

Maybe attempt a discussion with the adjuster if you haven't already.

 

Totaled doesn't necessarily mean not repairable. It can mean that, but most of the time it means the cost of the repairs + the projected salvage value is greater than the value of the vehicle. OP's truck falls into the latter, not the former.

As far as retaining salvage AND having a clean title after doing so, that's a state specific thing. For example, you can't do that in Ohio, Texas, Florida, and many other states. No insurance company wants to get caught circumventing the state's salvage laws. States do not look kindly upon such behavior, and they respond with all sorts of fines and penalties.

As far as talking the insurance company out of totaling it, you're essentially saying "Give me less money than you were going to give me." If that's what you want to do, more power to you. There can be a benefit in doing so if you want to keep the truck and you live in a state that would require the title be transferred to a salvage title and didn't want to deal with that aspect of putting the truck back on the road.

 

How can you decipher that it was an illegal alien? I've received information from one tenant of this apartment complex that her neighbor drives a white Honda Accord. That's the type of car that T boned my son, was parked right in front of the complex and fled the scene. In addition they have not been back to the apartment for days and their mail is stacking up. I took pictures of all the letters and there are no Latin last names. Appears that two gentlemen live in this one apartment so I'll be giving that information over to the Pasadena Police Department.

Well, normally if the damage exceeds 50% of the value of the vehicle, it get's totaled. Insurance has yet to view the vehicle but my body shop called me yesterday and said it's a total. There are pictures that I didn't post up here where body panels are shifted. The front passenger door doesn't open and it 100% out of whack. The driver's side fender is shifted along with the bed of the truck. Tie rod broken and it appears that the knuckle and control arms have moved also. I've know the guys at the body shop for over 20 years and the owner is also a neighbor so when he says totaled, I'm inclined to believe him.

I've been looking at comps lately and am trying to get enough money to get a truck as clean as that one was. California truck with 2 owners, original paint and body and absolutely no rust at all.

I honestly don't have time to deal with something non running. I have way too many vehicles as it stands (GT3RS, Audi RS4, Cayenne Turbo, 944, BMW E38, Etron, and a bunch of street bikes).

However, if someone wants the truck, I can take better pictures and grab the truck for anyone interested. It was incredibly clean both inside and out. I'm happy to send it someone's way if they want to pay the buyout price. I don't need to make any cash off the deal. Just willing to help a member and possibly save a truck from the crusher.

If there are any interested parties, I'll let them have it for whatever it costs to get it out.

Well, I've been through this before (hail damage on a 2000 Maxima). The first move on a salvage titled car is handing over the pink slip. Second move is buying it back from the insurance company then you have to go to the DMV to obtain a new pink slip and there is where they get ya.

No!

As much as I'd like to see that truck back on the road, I just don't have the capacity to make it happen on my own. I'm not into shelling out thousands of $$$ of my own money to make it happen as my insurance went from $3,100 per year to $5,100 per year just for being in California. California insurance rates rose between 25 & 40% for the 2024 year. I then added my son to the policy a few weeks ago and my new annual premium is $8,000 per year. That's not even including the motorcycles, which are with Hagerty. I'm bleeding and this latest incident isn't going to help.


I've also got a slew of parts, yet to be installed. 5100 Shocks, control arms, ball joints. Going to see about returning them and if I can't then they will be in the classifieds.

Thanks to everyone chiming in. Nobody was hurt, in our vehicle in this accident.

 

Is it just the side damage? No front end damage?

 

Those are crazy insurance prices.

 

Damn,

What part of lake was this? I drive up and down there ;but none protected lanes are gonna creep me out now.

 

OP, thank goodness your son is okay. Scary thing to go through.

Regarding hit and run drivers, regardless of how much or little damage is done, I feel such cowardly acts should be punished by public humiliation. Especially this kind, the hitter could have seriously injured someone and cared not a whit about that. Grrr..infuriates me.

Sorry for venting, my mom got hit by someone who did the same thing recently and it is terrible to go through.

 

Lots of people love to present themselves as an authority about a topic they know nothing about. I've handled more hit-skip/uninsured incidents than probably the entire forum combined. Guess who it was most often when the person was able to be identified? White US citizens. But that won't stop the dog whistle crowd from acting like they know what they're talking about. It's how they hide their raging insecurities and their easily wounded feelings.

 

In my little slice of life the past few years, I've seen someone flee that lived up the street from me and was able to identify them. I had someone dent the door on my wife's SUV in the parking lot and try to leave before I stopped them, then deny it before I attributed his actions and words to him that he didn't think I knew, and the aforementioned incident with my mother. I will say at least 2 of those it was not an illegal alien and leave it at that.

Regardless it's awful what OP and his son had placed at their doorstep

 

The lack of integrity these days amazes me. Seems like everyone runs, doesn't matter if it's a bicyclist a pedestrian or another car.

 

This is why we can't have nice stuff...