If your airbag deployed they'll also need to replace a large portion of the instrument panel. They will also need to replace any seatbelts that were being used at the time of the accident. (Make sure they do this, the webbing stretches in an impact and are really designed for a single real accident then replace.)

Both front fenders, both headlights, grille, radiator?, radiator support, front fascia, hood, etc all need to be replaced from what I'm seeing. Make sure there isn't any driveline damage before you take delivery of the vehicle (if they fix it.) Drive it around at all speeds to see if you get any wierd sounds.

A few years ago my wife and I were broadsided in her Subaru Outback, the car was wiped out from the b-pillar back (just behind drivers seat.) They had to fix the body, replace the door, replace all of the left rear suspension, replace a wheel that snapped, etc....$6800 in repairs total (no airbag deployment) When we got the car back, we noticed a resonance that occurred around 55 mph and up. Ended up being another suspension component that was bent and they didn't replace it the first time around.

 

is it totalled? if it is, get ur insurance to pay for it.
and remember take off the salveageable parts (rims, tires, mufflers, taillights, etc). and sell them on EBay/to parts distributors.

 

If it is totalled - will they allow me to simply take the parts I want?

 

Only your personal affects. In essence, they will buy the car from you (and/or your loan company) and want it intact, just as you would if you were buying it.

 

Okay, that's what I figured - makes sense to me! Thanks. Well I get to find out hopefully Wednesday of this week if it's totalled or not!

 

Well guys... I got the estimate today after work. They were right at the end of closing up for the day but they were kind enough to get back on the computer and print me out a copy. The gross total with everything included came out to about $8050.00 which is only about 65% of the value of the vehicle and to consider it totalled it had to be at least 80% so I guess I'm stuck with having to sell it on my own. They said that when the car is done nobody would ever be able to tell it was in an accident but obviously it will steer someone away when they ask and I have to answer that it has. Oh well... I'll probably lower my asking price to 16,500. It had stayed at 16,900 for the past couple months and I'd only had one or two calls on it. I'm pretty bummed but hopefully I can still come out of this ordeal okay. We haven't really heard anything from the insurance company or the car rental place or even the other driver, but the police report was just finalized and shipped off to everyone on Monday so I'm sure things will start happning real soon. Unfortunately my back has been hurting lately and it's not getting any better so I'm off to find a chiropractor later this week - hope nothing long term was done!

Thanks for all the comments and advice guys! I'll keep ya posted!

 

Again, make sure you drive it quite a bit when you get it back and make sure there aren't any leftover issues from the repairs.

I was looking at a vehicle yesterday that had been in an accident, the owner said it was just the bumper/hood that were replaced. I drove it and it felt like the front end was dragging along. I looking underneath and you could see where the front suspension cradle on the driver's side had been damaged and they just beat it back into place. This put the front suspension out of alignment (left tire toe out) and it was dragging that tire down the road. Be VERY critical of the car when you get it back, drive at all speed with no radio or other noise. You want to make sure that everything gets fixed.

Good luck.

 

Well guys... I found out the copy of the estimate I picked up earlier this week was incomplete. We got a call today confirming the final estimate so after work I went to pick one up and have a look at the car.

All I can say is... thanks to frame damage, the entire wiring harness and all the air bag components the 8,000 est. I had before jumped up to over 15,000 so I imagine my little M3 is done for. Monday I should hear from the insurance company.

 

Just to update everyone who was wondering about my situation. They totalled the car and after my dad ran some numbers with them they decided to buy it for 17,000 + sales tax and all that good stuff so I ended up getting over what I was originally asking for it, but of course the $1000 deductible gets ya and I had to pay off the remainder of my loan so I'm left with a little over 6 grand which is what I put down on the Mazda when I bought it originally... oh well - off to find another Jeep to buy =)

 

I've got a really nice 3 I'm selling right now....$13500...over $3K in Mazdaspeed stuff on it.

Take a look in the For Sale section.......