Wrecked my Tacoma and I have a few questions.

Hello my fellow Tacoma enthusiasts, and auto enthusiasts in general. I have been somewhat of a lurker on here for a couple years, since I was interested in purchasing a Tacoma, but now I have a serious post requesting insight and advice. I have a 2014 double cab TRD Sport 4x4.
I recently got into an accident where the passenger side of my truck got pretty banged up. The front tire was the first point of impact and the damage continues to the rear bumper. Also during the accident, the drive shaft was knocked loose and just flopping around. It appears to me that the front and rear axles are both bent and that the drivetrain is shot. Luckily I have full coverage insurance, since the vehicle is less than two years old, but I have a few concerns. I'll post some picture's so that you all can get an idea of the damage done.

My concerns are:
-Will the truck ever drive the same? Im not sure if there is any frame damage yet because the inspector hasn't viewed the truck yet.
-Is the local Toyota dealer the best place to take it for the repair.
-Will the local Toyota dealer's collision repair center do a good job with the axles, 4x4 drivetrain, and bodywork?
-Will my 4x4 drivetrain be difficult to repair/replace or will I have any further issues down the road?
-Are there any other issues I should be aware of/ concerned about that might manifest in the future due to the collision?


I was hoping that people could share their experience with repairing a wrecked Tacoma and help me get a better idea of what to expect. Also, any advice with dealing with my insurance company to fully solve and repair all of the issues would be greatly appreciated. I want to make sure I have covered all of my bases and don't get low-balled by my insurance company.

Any advice at all would be very helpful and greatly appreciated.
Here is a link to the album with photos of the damage. http://imgur.com/a/dkdRN

 

shit is all sorts of bent... total it, that truck aint ever gonna go down the road straight again.

 

Damn! That truck is done for.

I'd make sure you cover your ass and get what you need to buy a replacement, then start shopping.

 

I'm gonna go against the flow here and say your truck will probably be easily repaired to previous condition - as long as the geometry of the frame is fine and the mounting points for the control arms are still okay. If the door pillars aren't damaged at all it will be pretty easy for them to slap new doors on that seal up like it rolled off the factory floor. Mine suffered a similar impact recently...minus the drive shaft issue.

It will probably be around $12,000 worth of work...entirely new left side. Unlikely the rear axle is bent...you'll need new bearings on front and back though...new upper and lower control arms. Possibly new CV axle in the front.

I can guarantee they won't total it out...the shop will replace what needs to be fixed and do an alignment, take it out for a bit and see if it holds the specs. These are pretty robust vehicles...they can take some damage and be repaired to previous condition in my experience.

 

Generally the insurance company will try to locate similar reconditioned or salvage OEM parts to price their quote...in some cases if the cost difference isn't significant they will just price new OEM. At least that's how State Farm did mine. If you want new OEM in cases where they spec'd OEM salvage, it will be up to you to pay the difference.

The estimator will probably price out all the body damage in the initial quote and once the shop of your choice has it up and tears into it, they will create a supplement quote that the estimator will review. That's likely where things like CV axles, control arms, new front driveshaft, etc. will come into the picture.

 

Damn.

That sucks.

Did you hit a concrete barrier?

 

If you can get a check and walk away without losing money, do so.

That's not 'irreperable', but every squeak, groan, issue and whatnot going forward from today will have you wondering if THIS is the thing you didn't know about that'll end up costing you thousands. There will be no good faith in it after the repair.

If you can, be sad, take your money, and get another knowing what you now know you like about the chassis.

 

Make sure they use new oe parts. Look at them before they put them on. Also, are the leaf spring perches in the rear ripped off the right side? That rear wheel is way off. So is the front. I would make sure the frame is straight. Personally I would try to total it as a repaired frame is never the same.

 

I would try to get the insurance company to total it. With three sons who wrecked a number of cars I have found that you usually have additional problems Down the road with leaks, squeaks, drive line problems, etc.

If they insist on repairing it, I would trade it at the first sign of ongoing problems. Wish I had done the same with two very nice Camaros and an Audi turbo they wrecked. They were so nice I encouraged the insurance company to repair them instead of totaling them. Big mistake. Lesson learned (expensive).

 

Since the truck is less than 2 years old the insurance company SHOULD simply price out new OEM parts for the repair. Again, speaking from experience, as long as the frame is fine you should have no problems getting it repaired to a state that is "like new". It's highly unlikely the insurance company will total the vehicle - you could try to sell it if you're unsure about it, but the accident will eventually appear in vehicle history (which will impact the resale value no matter how minor).

In my opinion you're better off having it fixed...drive it for a while and take it in to get the alignment checked afterwards...talk to the repair shop that does your work about bringing it back in after 30 days or something to check it. If your truck is holding the specs you should be in good shape.

 

My 1999 truck was hit from behind stopped, $9000 in damage to a truck that cost $15800 2 years earlier. It was repaired, it never drove the same, alignments took forever and didn't last. I would argue to have it totaled.

 

If totaling it was an option here, I'd suggest the poster pursue that option. In this case, I think the odds of his truck being smashed by re-entering space junk are higher than the insurance company totaling the truck. I had a friend who was rear-ended at 60MPH in his 3 year old Tacoma. The insurance company opted to replace the entire frame and bed before totaling the vehicle. He never had any issues with his truck for the next 4 years he owned it. Dunno...it's not a great spot to be in, but it's a part of vehicle ownership that most people end up dealing with at some point.

 

The shop that fixed my truck did a very poor job.
I was shocked when they totaled my wife's Honda Fit, t- boned at 5 mph damaging the front quarter panel and wheel.

 

There will also potentially be a Carfax report which shows major damage. That would make your vehicle worth much less if it is fixed and you eventually try to sell/trade

 

I believe the Honda Fit is a unibody...which is a whole different ballgame compared to a body-on-frame vehicle in the insurance company's eyes. From what I've seen, most of the time they will simply total a unibody that has a side impact...not even remotely as robust as a truck with a frame.